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I had not really planned to take SEACAT ISLE OF MAN's Bank Holiday round the
Island Cruise during my short bank holiday weekend visit to Douglas. However,
in the early afternoon of May 3 I found myself gravitating towards the Sea
Terminal.
I had almost
left it too late to travel, which isn't like me. Entering the booking office
at 14:15 the clerk advised that I might be too late, but on checking he
informed me that I had just made it.
Whilst I have
sailed round the Isle of Man on a number of LADY OF MANN "Round The
Island" cruises I had not yet done a SEACAT ISLE OF MAN trip.
With rumours
circulating that 2004 might just be SCIOM's final season on the Irish Sea I
knew I had made the correct last minute decision!
SEACAT ISLE OF MAN departed Douglas at 14:25, five minutes ahead of the
scheduled departure time under the command of Captain Albiston,
Conditions were
bright and breezy for the cruise which was fairly lightly loaded with 188
passengers.
SEACAT ISLE OF
MAN rounded the end of the Battery Pier and passed Douglas Head at 14:30 and
familiar locations slipped by quite quickly:
Port Soderick -
14:33
Derbyhaven -
14:40
Langness -
14:43
Port St. Mary -
14:50
Calf Sound
South - 14:54
Chicken Rock -
14:58
Calf Sound
North - 15:01
Port Erin -
15:02
Bradda Head -
15:05
Fleshwick -
15:07
Niarbyl - 15:12
Glen Maye 15:15
Approaching
Peel Captain Albiston announced his intention to take SEACAT ISLE OF MAN close
in to the castle. A loud blast on the whistle announced SEACAT ISLE OF MAN's
presence to walkers strolling around the castle and on the pier around 15:25.
Five minutes
later Kirk Michael slipped by. The coastline north of Peel being characterised
by unstable and eroding cliffs. SEACAT ISLE OF MAN moved further off shore
into deeper water
The white Jurby
Church which provides a prominent landmark on the north west coast of the
Island was passed at 15:37.
SEACAT ISLE OF
MAN gave another loud blast on her whistle as she rounded the Point of Ayre at
15:55. swinging for home down the east coast and running across Ramsey Bay.
At this point I
received a call from a correspondent to inform me that SEACAT
FRANCE was heading north under tow.
Maughold
Lighthouse was passed at 16:14. Five minutes later SEACAT ISLE OF MAN passed
her sister SEACAT FRANCE
under tow by former Alexandra Towing Company tug ALEXANDRA.
SEACAT FRANCE had left A&P
Birkenhead the previous evening bound for Cherbourg for refit.
Obviously she had not progressed
very far and looked to be heading in the wrong direction. The reason for the
detour was the need to seek shelter from the forecast bad weather on May 04.
Though Captain Albiston had given a commentary throughout the cruise and even
promoted the forthcoming LADY OF MANN "Round the Island" cruises he
did not mention the passing SEACAT FRANCE. Its highly unlikely these two Incat
74s will ever pass again in the north Irish Sea! Strange that the event went
un-remarked and only a few passengers even noticed that SCIOM had passed her
sister.
However, one
uniformed "wag" was heard to say with some authority. "It
looks as though the Heysham - Belfast SeaCat has broken down - looks like it
will be a long trip!"
SEACAT ISLE OF MAN arrived back in Douglas at 16:35. Vehicles for the 17:30
sailing to Liverpool were already waiting on the Victoria Pier linkspan.
The trip was
excellent value for money at only £10. It was a pity that more passengers did
not turn up for the occasion. |
