In a “first ever” move Waverley is re-positioning from the Firth of Clyde to the South Coast by circumnavigating much of Great Britain. In this mammoth voyage which will see the ship steam well over 1,000 nautical miles she will sail up Scotland’s west coast before cruising across the top of Scotland and down the entire east coast of the UK to then sail along the south coast.
The initial intention was for Waverley to make her usual transit from the Clyde to the south west by steaming down the Irish Sea and rounding Land’s End. However given the forecast strength of winds and predicted severe swell off Land’s End in the coming days the decision was made to go, what can only be described as, the long way round.
A simple comparison puts the Irish Sea route at around 420 nautical miles from Ayr to Falmouth, the clockwise route from Ayr to Falmouth clocks in at around 1,150 nautical miles. On fuel usage the difference in the two routes will be in excess of 30,000 litres adding at least £20k to the fuel cost. There will be additional costs due to making extra fuel stops and the associated berthing dues. The time taken to complete this journey is yet unknown but it will exceed 80 hours on what could have been around 30 hours.
The change of route resulted from the possibility of either having to cancel most, or all, of the south west sailings or arriving late in the hope that some sailings can go ahead as planned to therefore avoid disappointing several thousand passengers that are booked to sail.
Waverley has made excellent progress since she departed Ayr at 8pm on Monday evening (25th August). She ran with the tide for much of the initial part of the journey passing through the Sound of Mull at first light before rounding Ardnamurchan. By 9am Tuesday she was safely berthed at the Railway Pier, Kyle of Lochalsh, for her first fuel and water stop. On departure from Kyle just after 10am she passed under the Skye Bridge and continued north sailing on the east side of the Crowlin Islands. By midday she was abeam of Gairloch and almost three hours later was passing Old Man of Stoer where speed was reduced briefly to allow for some crew members to capture the sight of a paddle steamer passing this famous sea-stack using a drone.
Just before 5pm on Tuesday 26th August Waverley rounded Cape Wrath and pointed her bows east as she transits a coastline which last heard her paddle beats 22 years ago when she sailed north about from Great Yarmouth to Glasgow at the conclusion of her Heritage Rebuild in 2003. In the intervening years there has never been the occasion to sail north about.
It is expected that her next fuel stop will be in Dundee on Wednesday morning before she continues to make way down the east coast. All going well by Thursday she should be on the south coast and heading west. Her progress will likely be subject to weather conditions permitting a good passage and good speed. If it is possible to reach the south west by Friday and weather conditions are suitable then she will operate with passengers and offer as much of the advertised sailing programme as possible.

