Gallery: CalMac ships in Craignure and Oban, 5 June 2016

I was originally planning to publish something else this month, but it turns out I really don't have the time to work on a full new entry. So instead you're getting the back-up I prepared earlier: still more unpublished photos from my summer 2016 visit to Scotland. Yes. Because there's just so many Caledonian MacBrayne ferries there, especially if you happen to visit Oban (as I did). So, today we're just looking at the various CalMac ferries seen on 5 June 2016, taken both in Oban and Craignure. Enjoy!

The day started with a trip from Oban to Craignure with the lovely Isle of Mull, seen her swinging away from Craignure and leaving for Oban.

Oban-bound Isle of Mull. Like quite a few CalMac ships, this one looks older than its 1988 vintage to my eyes.

Next up, we returned to Oben ourselves on the Coruisk (a far less nice ship, it must be said), encountering the Isle of Mull again en route, with a lovely backdrop.

Okay, just one more Isle of Mull heading for Craignure.

Next, we relocated to a nice location in Oban and first photographed the Isle of Lewis leaving for Castlebay.

The 1995-built Isle of Lewis previously sailed on the Stornoway–Ullapool route, but was relocated with the delivery of the new Loch Seaforth in 2014.

Sailboat comes in, Isle of Lewis goes out.

Next, it was time for the Coruisk to head out o Craignure.

By looking at just the exterior you can easily judge the Coruisk made for a mismatched pair with the Isle of Mull.

Next up, the little 1986-vintage Loch Striven hopped from the quay where it was resting to the Oban terminal...

...and soon headed out to Achnacroish on the nearby isle of Lismore.

The last encounter of the day was the Clansman, arriving to Oban from a run on (I presume) the triangular route to Coll, Tiree and Barra.

The 1998 vintage Clansman is one amazingly bulky ship. I love how workmanlike it looks!

Tht was it for today. For those of you interested in more CalMac, you might want to read my previous article Travelling on CalMac: a nordic perspective. And if that isn't enough, there is even more CalMac stuff under the tag Caledonian MacBrayne.