Marine News from John Kinsman, at St Monans Coastguard, Fife.
Boat’s Grounding Disrupts Ferry Services
A damaged boat prevented ferry services operating to and from Harris. The MV Fame which was carrying fish feed ran aground near Tarbert on Sunday morning 16th September. It was later refloated and has been tied up at the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry berth in Tarbert awaiting a full assessment of the damage. Ferry services were suspended and passengers told to travel via Stornaway.
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil criticised the situation. He said the Maritime and Coastguard agency should have had the vessel inspected sooner and at another location. The Maritime and Coastguard agency said its efforts to deal with MV Fame had been hampered due to bad weather and a landslip that blocked the main road on Harris.
Scots Rower Rescued
A Scot attempting to row solo across the Atlantic in a hand built wooden boat has been rescued off the coast of Land’s End in Cornwall. Duncan Hutchison from Lochinver began his journey more than three months ago in New York. However just before 1 am on the morning of 22nd September he reported to Coastguards that he was in trouble and was battling 8 ft waves. He was picked up by a tanker heading back to New York. Mr Hutchison was rescued 863 miles from the coast. His 23 ft boat Sleipnir was towed by the tanker. He has raised more than £18,000 for Water Aid charity.
Crumbling Clyde Docks
Senior politicians from three parties have backed calls for a new industrial strategy to help save former ship repair sites on the Clyde. A letter to the first minister says the Inchgreen dry dock in Greenock and Govan Graving docks have needlessly been allowed to decay. Campaigners want an action plan to stop marine industry being lost to housing or retail developments. The owners of both sites have insisted they have plans for their future. The Inchgreen dock is one of the largest in the UK and is where the QE2 was fitted out in the 1960’s after its launch from the John Brown shipyard. But it has been largely unused for 16 years and its cranes were demolished last summer.
