SPANACO SIMPLICITY at river berth, Ayr (Scotland) discharging bulk agriprods from Gdynia (Poland)

ARCTIC ROCK at Port of Ayr (Scotland) discharging Wind Turbine components from Santander (Spain)

CEG COSMOS at Ayr, Scotland, with logs from Fishnish, Isle of Mull (Western Isles of Scotland)

Paintings of excursion paddle steamer WAVERLEY in Scottish waters

Contributed by Ian Ritchie (Glasgow) from his collection of WAVERLEY images

EEMS SKY at Ayr, Scotland, discharging agricultural produce from Antwerpen (= Antwerp, Belgium)

Catamaran Ferry ALFRED on charter to Caledonian MacBrayne leaves Troon for Brodick (Isle of Arran)

   ALFRED was on a long-term charter by Caledonian MacBrayne (reputedly costing 1 million pounds sterling each month) to replace the Ardrossan - Brodick ferry CALEDONIAN ISLES which had suffered very serious engine problems and was spending many months being repaired at the Cammel Laird yard at Birkenhead, England.

   At the start of the charter ALFRED was working the busy Brodick service from Ardrossan Harbour and using the Irish berth while the smaller MacBrayne ferry ISLE OF ARRAN was rostered onto the Ardrossan-Brodick run and using the usual Arran berth.    But soon the Irish berth became unsuitable (gossip says the ramp had serious mechanical failures) and the berth was declared unfit for use.   

   So ALFRED found herself moving along the Ayrshire Coast to the Port of Troon where she uses the ramp at the Ferry Terminal at the East Pier and daily works the (now) Troon - Brodick passenger and vehicle service.

   The Brodick service is extremely busy especially during the summer months and the ISLE OF ARRAN, being smaller and with much less capacity than the usual CALEDONIAN ISLES, would have been unable to carry the large amount of summer traffic on her own.

Inshore fishing trawler OCEANA no. BF 840 at Old Dock, Port of Troon (Scotland, U.K.)

Inshore fishing trawler NEPTUNO no. TN 12 at Old Dock, Port of Troon (Scotland, U.K.)

LOCH SHIRA at Dales Drydock, Port of Troon (Scotland, U.K.) for replacement of her ramp hinges

   LOCH SHIRA, which was usually on Caledonian MacBrayne's Largs - Cumbrae Slip service in the Firth of Clyde was at Dales Drydock, Troon for replacement of hinges on both of her ramps.

   Some weeks earlier a heavy goods vehicle (American = truck) had damaged the hinges and she was waiting for replacement ones which have to be manufactured in Poland (???) thus her extended time out of service in drydock.

WAVERLEY leaves Largs on cruise along Ayrshire Coast then Ayr and Girvan and around Ailsa Craig

Pilot boat SCOTIA leaves Ayr to board Pilot on Paddle Steamer WAVERLEY approaching Ayr from Largs

WATERWAY in Griffin Dock, Port of Ayr (Scotland, UK) from Vlaardingen (Netherlands)

Pilot boat SCOTIA returns to Ayr after boarding Pilot on Paddle Steamer WAVERLEY approaching Ayr

   Although WILSON HAWK had arrived in the roadstead off Ayr before WAVERLEY, the Pilot advised that he would bring WAVERLEY into the harbour first as the paddle steamer would quickly embark waiting passengers then leave on her scheduled excursion cruise.

   So WILSON HAWK should wait off Ayr until WAVERLEY leaves and the Pilot would then leave WAVERLEY and then board WILSON HAWK at the roadstead and bring her into the harbour.

   Pilot boat SCOTIA waited in the harbour close to WAVERLEY and would then follow her from the harbour and, at the roadstead, would take the Pilot to the waiting WILSON HAWK.

WAVERLEY arrives at Ayr to embark passengers on a cruise to Girvan and round Ailsa Craig

WAVERLEY leaves Ayr Harbour with passengers on a cruise to Girvan and round Ailsa Craig

 Toggle the table of contentsAilsa Craig

 28 languages

Ailsa Craig

Ailsa Craig from the southeast
Location
Ailsa Craig Ailsa Craig shown within South Ayrshire
OS grid reference	NX019997
Coordinates	55°15′07″N 05°06′59″W
Physical geography
Island group	Firth of Clyde
Area	99 ha (240 acres)[2]
Area rank	150=[2] [3]
Highest elevation	338 m (1,109 ft) (a Marilyn)
Administration
Council area	South Ayrshire
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	0[4]
References	[2][5][6]

WAVERLY is sailing round Ailsa Craig.   What is Ailsa Craig ?

Ailsa Craig is a now-uninhabited island of 240 acres in the outer Firth of Clyde, 16 km (8 +1⁄2 miles) west of mainland Scotland, upon which granite has long been quarried to make curling stones.

The island is sometimes known as "Paddy's Milestone" being approximately the halfway point of the sea journey from Belfast to Glasgow, a traditional route of emigration for many Irish labourers going to Scotland to seek work.

A more fanciful story about the origin of Ailsa Craig is that long, long, long ago there were two giants who hated each other.   One lived in Glasgow and the other lived in Belfast.   

One day they had a fight and the Glasgow giant picked up a huge rock and threw it at the other giant.  The rock fell into the sea between Scotland and Ireland and thus was the origin of Ailsa Craig. 

 The Irish giant, not to be beaten, picked up a similarly huge rock and tossed it at the Glasgow giant.   This massive rock landed at Dumbarton near Glasgow and is now known as Dumbarton Rock.

 Today Ailsa Craig is a bird sanctuary, providing a home for huge numbers of gannets and an increasing number of puffins.

In the summer months a small motor cruiser runs sailings from Girvan (on the Ayrshire Coast) to Ailsa Craig and, weather permitting, people can explore the island.

 

 

The Ayr Pilot Boat SCOTIA followed closely astern of WAVERLEY to take the Port Pilot from the steamer and take him to the inbound WILSON HAWK which was just outside the harbour and waiting for the Pilot to board her and guide her to berth in the dock.

The cargo ship WILSON HAWK, flying the flag of Bridgetown (Barbados) and bringing agricultural produce (wheat / grain ???) from Antwerp (Belgium) was waiting outside the harbour for WAVERLEY to leave and then WILSON HAWK would enter the port.   You can see WILSON HAWK in the distance, between WAVERLEY and the Pilot Boat.