ARGYLE leaves Wemyss Bay Pier with passengers and vehicles for Rothesay

Contributed by Sandra B. (Senior Site Administrator, Gourock)

There is an old, very old and indeed ancient saying in Scotland " The best laid plans of mice and men gang oft agley"

   Translated it means "The best laid plans of mice and men often go wrong"

   And it happened to me.

I had saved up my pennies, checked my camera battery and memory card and set off on a trip to Ardrossan to take an early-morning start on a day away to Brodick on the Isle of Arran on my old friend, Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry ISLE OF ARRAN.

   Looking out of my window at Gourock there was a slight mist which, with the heavily overcast sky, cool north-westerly wind and moderate visibility did not prophesy a good day for photography.

   However the BBC weather forecast said things were to greatly improve during the late morning and afternoon.

   So off I went, terrifically excited for my expedition to Arran.

My plans were to go on the bus through the amazing and mountainous north of the island, past Corrie and Sannox, Lochranza and Pirnmill and then stop for lunch at Blackwaterfoot.   Then on another bus through the south end of the island seeing Kilmory and Kildonan, Pladda Island, and Whiting Bay and Lamlash and Holy Isle, stopping somewhere for dinner.   Then a bus back to Brodick for the last ferry back to Ardrossan.    The kind, very courteous and always pleasant bus drivers always waited a few moments to let me take photographs of interesting subjects.

   And as I drove along the North Shore Road to Ardrossan my heart and spirits fell.   With a resounding thump.   Like seven on the Richter Scale. 

   I stopped in a lay-by and gazed across the outer Firth of Clyde to Arran.   You could not see it.

   There was an immense wall of thick fog stretching along the Firth, completely obscuring the 13-mile long island and it's mountains.   And the sky was totally overcast with low dark-grey clouds and the water, reflecting the colour of the sky, was almost black.    There would be "Nil Points" as they say in the Eurovision Song Contest, for taking photographs today in Arran.

   So, as the old saying goes, my plans were going wrong.

Turning the car I went back along the coast and had to content myself with taking images of the two Wemyss Bay ferries and the Turkish ship at Greenock.

   And my pennies, remaining in my purse,  have been saved for some other day.

Caledonian MacBrayne's ferry ARGYLE backing off the ramp at Weymss Bay

Now turning to starboard (= right) to head outbound to Rothesay

The ferry has completed her turning and can now head to pass Toward Point for the pier at Rothesay

BUTE arriving at Wemyss Bay (Scotland, UK) with passengers and vehicles from Rothesay, Isle of Bute

Contributed by Sandra B.  (Site Administrator, Gourock)

BUTE was emerging from the mist and, in the distance, the stern of her sister ferry ARGYLE can be seen, in the mist, on her passage from Wemyss Bay to Rothesay.

The mist was starting to clear as BUTE approached the ramp at Wemyss Bay

BURHAN DiZMAN passes Greenock on her way to anchor off Brodick to await orders

Contributed by Sandra B.  (Senior Administrator, Gourock)

Approaching and passing Custom House Quay, Greenock.    To her right is Caledonian MacBrayne's brand new ferry GLEN ROSA fitting out and maintenance in Garvel Drydock and at the far right is Caledonian MacBrayne's large ferry CALEDONIAN ISLES undergoing extended maintenance and repair in James Watt Dock.

Passing Greenock Ocean Terminal and making her way to Brodick Bay (Isle of Arran, Firth of Clyde) where she would anchor to await orders. 

  Her crew did not have time to enjoy the terrific excitement of Isle of Arran as, only a few hours after anchoring, orders arrived to leave and make the long passage to the far end of the Mediterranean Sea to Istanbul, Turkey.