MV Loch Sunart – the former Western Ferries’ Sound of Scalpay, has now actually started work up at Fort William.
I noticed on AIS that she was about a mile down the loch from Fort William late Monday afternoon; and was back there yesterday morning so I went down for a look at what she was doing.
The Knox Marine workboat, Ben Crom, which is usually moored across from Fort William at Camusnagaul, was alongside her.
It looked as if the Underwater Centre had their ROV [Remotely Operated Vehicle] down – they offer ROV operator training.
From the look of the set up, it seems they have adopted the same practice as Oban-based North West Marine with their ROVs – use a mobile ROV control shack that can be hoisted on and off any of their boats and is powered by an onboard generator.
There’s a cable visible running vertically down into the water from the deck crane on Sunart’s port stern side.
Not sure what was going on with the array breaking the surface ahead of Sunart’s bow. Any ideas?
Loch Alainn in for repair
We also have Calmac’s MV Loch Alainn moored near the Underwater Centre pier. The Barra-Erislay ferry came up to Corpach on Friday with reported gearbox problem [Ed: confirmed this morning by CalMac and regarded as a major mechanical fault].
When she came up the loch, she was being escorted by the Underwater Centre’s smaller workboat, Loch Shiel, presumably in case she needed any help with a tow – but she was OK. Mv Loch Bhrusda is covering the Barra-Eriskay route while Loch Alainn is at Corpach.
Loch Alainn came away from the quay yesterday and moored near the town. There is a large cargo ship on the way to Corpach so they perhaps needed room for that. The boatyard is alongisde the quay but the yard don’t own the quay and today the reason for her mooring off was confirmed.
Corpach is busy. MV Ceg Cosmos in loading or unloading and Hanseatic Trade and Fri Lake are waiting their turn. No surprise they needed Loch Alainn out of the way for this lot.
CalMac say that Loch Alainn is in Corpach to have her repair carried out and the spares she’s waiting for are due any time now.
Two other notes of interest
Landward last week had a short film of the Great Glen Shipping Company, travelling on the Isis from Loch Etive, under the Connel Bridge to Corpach. They also a film on the VIC32., based at the Crinan canal basin
The Wilson Kedje left Corpach on Friday and was reported to have broken down off Cape Wrath, having to be towed to Kirkwall. The ship that had rudder failure in the South of the Minch about a month ago was another Wilson one.
Martin Briscoe
The photographs accompanying this article are © Martin Briscoe.
