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© David Williams

Paddleship Waverley trip to Tiree

9 May 2004

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The Clansman ferry going through the Sound of Mull. The Ardnamurchan peninsula is in the background.
The aptly-named Dutchman`s Cap is composed of the remains of a volcanic cone surrounded by an old lava flow. To its left is the island of Staffa.

The Clansman passes on our starboard side; this is the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry which links Oban with Coll, Tiree and South Uist. I focus my binocculars on the ship`s stern but there`s no sign of porpoises which are sometimes seen following a ferry`s wake. We give a friendly blast on the ship's whistle but we don't get one in return; are the ships not on speaking terms ?

As we round the top of Mull we pass south of the tall rugged cliffs around Ardnamurchan Point, the most westerly point of the British mainland, and head out into the open sea; the sun is still shining but the wind starts to pick up now we have left the shelter of Mull. There's a strong tide reducing our speed as the ship ploughs its way through the calm sea.

The islands of Eigg, Muck, Rum and Skye gradually come into view to the north, their distant mountainous outlines rather hazy. The wide-ranging views are magnificent and the horizon is dotted with islands. Soon the port side`s view opens out and the Treshnish Islands appear, the most distinctive being the Dutchman`s Cap (or Bac Mór in Gaelic), its name an apt description of its shape. Behind it is Staffa which the Waverley had visited the previous day, allowing passengers to disembark and enter the marvellous Fingal`s Cave, one of Scotland`s great natural treasures.

The Waverley now nears Coll, the low rocky island which the ship visited last year on another historic trip as it was the first time a paddleship had landed on Coll since the Second World War.

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