Ships in the Sound

This 'Ships in the Sound' feature is long overdue. With so many pictures to post, it is being split into two, with this part dealing with passenger ships.

One of the pleasures of summer is watching the variety of sailing ships passing up and down the Sound of Mull. This beauty is the Dutch schooner Oosterschelde, the last of many schooners which sailed under the Dutch flag and now lovingly restored.

It's always a slight disappointment when a magnificent full-rigged sailing ship passes under its motor, as happenend when the Norwegian Statsraad Lehmkuhl came by a week ago. She's Norway's largest and oldest square rigged sailing ship, and also the world's oldest large square rigger, yet she looks in superb condition. There's more about her here.

It's equally disappointing when one has the chance to enjoy one of these old ships up close, and the weather is less than kind. This is the Flying Dutchman, tied up in Tobermory. Originally a herring drifter built in 1903, she was completely renovated in 2003/2004. There's more about her here.

The Wind Surf is a modern attempt at recreating a sailing ship, but somehow lacks any of the beauty of the original ones. She was anchored off Tobermory twice in the past two months, in early July and again a couple of days ago.

Tobermory has been busy with cruise ships this summer. The Saga Pearl II was one of many which called.

Another cruise ship which has been in the Sound twice recently is the good-looking Hebridean Sky. She featured in the last 'Ships in the Sound' post.

The Majestic Line's three small cruise ships have been very evident recently. This is their newest, the Glen Etive. One can always tell them from afar as they always tow a small boat for use on the many landings on remote beaches which are a feature of their cruises.

This is a completely different sort of cruising, for those who can afford to hire a yacht for a party of ten people. She's the Espiritu Santo, and she sails under New Caledonia flag. If you feel like chartering her, the details are here.

Built in 1960 for cruising off the Norwegian coast and renovated in 2012, the Serenissima is a good-looking cruise ship which carries up to 110 passengers - details here. Once again, our view of her was spoiled by poor weather.