NS1776 : Dunoon Pier
taken 7 years ago, near to Dunoon, Argyll And Bute, Scotland
The last seagoing passenger paddle steamer in the world, she has been listed in the British National Register of Historic Ships core collection as 'a vessel of pre-eminent national importance'. Built in 1946, as a replacement for an earlier PS Waverley of 1899 that took part in the WW II war effort as a minesweeper, the new 693-tonne steamer was launched in October 1946 at builders A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow and entered service in June 1947. Waverley was withdrawn after the 1973 season as too costly to operate and in need of significant expenditure. The Paddle Steamer Preservation Society purchased her for one pound under the stipulation that she should not sail in competition with Caledonian MacBrayne's remaining cruise vessel, TS Queen Mary. After fund-raising and a series of extensive refits and a lot of restoration work, including a new boiler and improvements to meet modern safety standards she has circumnavigated Britain and every year carries out extensive sailings around the country. She appeared in the 2011 film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
MV Ali Cat is a passenger only catamaran ferry which is operated by Argyll Ferries Link between Gourock Pier and Dunoon Pier. The service runs every 30 minutes at peak times, in conjunction with another Argyll Ferries vessel, the Argyll Flyer.
This series of photos was taken from Cloch Road at the north end of Lunderston Bay and shows Ali Cat approaching and berthing at Dunoon Pier.