Marine news

from John Kinsman

Mercy Mission to Cruise Ship

Tobermory’s lifeboat crew were called to a 170metre cruise ship in Bloody Bay, north of Tobermory, just before 8-30 am on Monday April 15th, to transfer an elderly man who was taken ill.

The picture, taken by the RNLI aboard the cruise ship, which carries 1,000 people, shows the patient being helped down the gangway transferred in Force 6 winds to the lifeboat, together with his wife and ship’s doctor. All three were taken to Tobermory, where they were handed over to a waiting ambulance.

Tobermory lifeboat coxswain Andrew McHaffie said. ‘This was a routine call out for us, and despite the windy conditions, the transfer went smoothly. We were pleased to be of service to the man and wish him a speedy recovery.’

Fishing Trawler Grounded

On the night of April 5th, the Oban Lifeboat Mora Edith MacDonald was launched just before 2.45am to assist the fishing trawler Adaptable which was aground at Ardtonish point in the Sound of Mull.

Once on the scene, the crew quickly ascertained that there an ingress of water but no pollution from the vessel, so a tow line was set up as fast as possible, since the tide was on the ebb.

The trawler was pulled off the shoreline and it was found that there were problems with its steering gear. A tricky, slow tow took place, and on arriving in Oban Harbour the fishing trawler was berthed alongside the North pier at about 6am. The lifeboat then returned to her station and refuelled, to be ready for the next call.

Whisky Not As Galore As It Was to be auctioned

Two bottles of the whisky famously salvaged from the SS Politician, wrecked on the shoreline of Eriskay in 1941, are to be auctioned. The wreck, and the islanders’ inspired salvaging of the cargo, were immortalised in Compton MacKenzie’s book, Whisky Galore, and the subsequent film.

The Glasgow auction website, Scotch Whisky Actions, will be taking bids for the two bottles until May 5th, so you’ll have to hurry if you want to put in a bid. The two bottles that have become available are from the eight that were recovered in 1987 when Donald MacPhee from South Uist explored the wreck. The whisky is thought unlikely to be drinkable by now, but that is hardly the point. Bidders will be competing for part of a legend.