Voyage North - a photo essay: (2) tender-boat action at Kirkwall

After a day at sea, out first port of call was Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands. The quay was already occupied by a larger ship so we were at anchor in the bay, being taken ashore by tender boats (some of the ship's lifeboats are used for this). We all got ashore, some to go on organised trips, some (including me) planning to spend time in the town by ourselves. While we were all ashore the weather took a turn for the worse, becoming overcast and windy, as if a storm were brewing up. Most of us were back on the ship, two of the three tenders used were safely winched aboard and secured, but the last boat struggled . . .

Passengers from the last returning tender boat, disembarking a rocking boat onto a rocking platform and stairway - crew helping out in the increasing wind.

 All passengers safely aboard, the last boat has to be attached to the lifting gear and winched aboard. With everything swinging about in the wind, this is no easy task. The wind is constantly pushing the boat away from the ship.

The captain turns the ship (the propeller stirs up the sand in the bay) to try to use the bulk of the sip to shelter the boat from the wind. The inflatable, bringing back the crew who have been working shoreside on the tender operation, arrives to assist.

With its engine at full throttle, the inflatable tries to hold the boat against the side of the ship while a crew member tries to attach the winch hook. Other crew board the tender boat from the inflatable, to help.

Finally, two working together manage to hold the equipment steady while they attach it.

All fixed, crew get off the boat, and it is hoisted aboard.

While the lifting gear is working, all the crew except one board the ship via the platform. One remains on the inflatable to take it . . . where? At this point in taking photos I realise that in all my previous times on the ship I have never seen what happens to the inflatable and the last man. The answer to that will come in a later post!

Now the platform has to be dismantled and also winched aboard. The wind isn't abating.

At last . . . the platform assembly is being hoisted, the crew are aboard, the inflatable has gone wherever the inflatable goes, we are an hour late leaving Kirkwall - a bit too much excitement for our first day in port.