31/5/03: European Seafarer at Campbeltown
After her berthing trials at Campbeltown last weekend (24/25th May) the European Seafarer was back at the port for a load of wind farm components. She left Larne after discharging from her 0300 ex Fleetwood service for Campbeltown. She loaded the wind farm equipment at Campbeltown and then headed off to Mostyn where she discharged her load.
She returned to Larne to pick up her scheduled 1600 service to Fleetwood on Monday the 2nd of June. Her usual 1600 service to Fleetwood on Sunday the 1st of June was cancelled to allow her to undertake this special trip.
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The European Seafarer at the pier in Campbeltown on Saturday 31st May. She is getting ready to load the long wind mill towers while Arklow Shipping's Arklow Moor sits alongside the other side of the pier. Photo: Captain Gerry Hughes. |
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Coaster and ferry in contrast. The European Seafarer towers over the Arklow Moor while both are tied up at Campbeltown. The Seafarer extends to around double the length of the pier and her bow is being held in position by her anchor and a long forward spring back onto the end of the pier. Hopefully the linesmen had three Wheatabix on Saturday morning to pull that one ashore. Photo: Captain Gerry Hughes |
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One final photograph showing the European Seafarer at her Campbeltown berth and gleaming in the May sunshine. This view certainly shows clearly the difficulties experienced in bringing a ship the size of the Seafarer alongside such a short berth. With no scope of putting a good breast line ashore at the bow, Captain Hughes has had to rely on his anchors to hold the bow in position while he tries to put the stern into the right position to drop the stern ramp onto the linkspan; a technique rarely seen outside of Greece. Just as well there was a skilled man at the helm. Photo: Captain Gerry Hughes |
Subsequent trips between Campbeltown and Mostyn were made by the European Seafarer over the weekends of 7th/8th June and 28th/29th June.
After her trip on the 7th/8th June the European Seafarer called into Birkenhead on the way back to Larne to have her bow thruster checked out. She had been running on only one thruster for a while after a foreign object got caught up in one of them. This makes the Campbeltown berthing even more impressive! The Seafarer got back on her schedule after the drydocking with her 0300 ex Fleetwood on Tuesday the 10th of June.
Another slight problem occurred during her next trip over the weekend of the 28th/29th June. After going to Campbeltown and loading the wind turbines the European Seafarer had a gyro problem. She returned to Larne for repairs and testing on Sunday the 28th with the wind turbine components on board. She then proceeded to Mostyn to discharge her load and returned to service with the 1600 hours Fleetwood service from Larne on Tuesday 1st July.
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The turbine houses ashore at Mostyn after being discharged from the European Seafarer. The Dock's shunting locomotive is to the left. Photo: David Sallery |
Thanks to the European Seafarer's master, Captain Gerry Hughes and David Sallery from Mostyn for taking time out to take these photos and then email them to me. All Larne Ferry Web viewers certainly appreciate your efforts!
Updated: 14/02/05