James Watt Dock

6 days to go - this time next week the event will be in full flow with the area bustling with activity.

Work is progressing on getting the site ready for the Tall Ships arrival. I took a look in as the sun was setting. The area around what will be Brewin Dolphin Avenue looks great and work has begun on erecting the indoor facilities.

Flags line the main entrance into the dock

One of the indoor areas under construction

Brewin Dophin are one of the main sponsors of the event

Titan crane and sugar sheds in the twilight glow

A few small vessels alongside one of the pontoons

Cornalees nature trail

Greenock fair Saturday along with good weather was too good a day to spend in the house so I took a wander along Cornalees nature trail. This little gem of a walk is only a few miles from the centre of Greenock but it feels as if it could be another country.

Riverside Museum

It's a long time since I've been to Glasgow's transport museum. I remeber going to the old museum in Pollockshaws about thirty years ago. I'm not sure if I ever went to the one at Kelvin Hall. So I was looking forward to the new Riverside Museum opening its door to the public.

I spent an very enjoyable Friday afternoon along with my daughter Caitlin and my grandson Julian. With 10,000 visitors per day, the place was too busy to be able to concentrate on taking photos - a good excuse for a second visit in the near future.

Subaru Impreza beside the front entrance

Julian posing beside a horsedrawn tram

A couple of classic British cars

A busy exhibition hall

James Watt Dock

With the Tall Ships visit fast approaching, I took a trip down to the James Watt Dock last weekend to see how work is progressing.

Work around the main entrance looks to be almost completed and is a great improvement on the run down condition it had been in.

With little more than a week till the the visitors arrive, I'm hoping to have a look around tomorrow to see how the full site is looking.

Boudicca

Arriving on her second of three visits this year, Boudicca sailed into a bright sunny Greenock this morning.

Farewell Jupiter

With Calmac's car ferry service from Gourock to Dunoon being axed at the end of the month, I felt a little sadness at seeing Jupiter being towed away to be broken for scrap.

Luna A towing Jupiter, destination - a foreign scrapyard

Along with her sister ship, Juno, she was a regular sight on the Clyde from the mid seventies untill 2007 when she was retired from service.

Cars will now use the existing Western Ferries service from McInroy's Point to Hunter's Quay, while pedestrians will  continue to have a town to town passenger only service. This will be provided by Ali Cat, which is already a regular sight on the Clyde along with a larger ferry which is being brought in.

Ali Cat

One thing is for certain, the Clyde will look a little bit emptier without the well-loved black and white ferries proudly carrying their red lions on their funnels.

FAREWELL JUPITER!

PS Waverley

The world's last sea going paddle steamer, Waverley, has started her summer schedule on the Clyde. She departed from her base at Pacific Quay in Glasgow this morning for a trip to the Kyles of Bute and Tighnabruaich. Here she is stopping at Customhouse Quay, Greenock on her way back to Glasgow this evening.

The low sun has cast a strange orange glow on her normally bright red twin funnels.

PS Waverley approaching Greenock

Paddle Steamer Waverley

Alongside Customhouse Quay