SEVENTY-SEVEN years may have passed since her maiden voyage, and the Waverley may have been sailing in preservation for nearly half a century, but the magic of a fun, exciting and sometimes unpredictable voyage on board the world's last sea-going paddle steamer is still as strong as ever.
Launched from the Glasgow yard of A. & J. Inglis in August 1946, the Waverley set sail for the first time on June 16 of the following year.
After 36 years in revenue-earning service with the LNER, the Caledonian Steam Packet and Caledonian MacBrayne, the Waverley was famously sold to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for £1 in 1974, and sailed in preservation for the first time in May 1975.
And while she's been a familiar sight on the Clyde every summer since then, her heady combination of beauty, workmanship and vibrant nostalgia continues to turn heads, and attract plenty of passengers, as she evokes the golden age of steamer travel on the Clyde.
Any time you step on board, you can see the joy she brings to people of all ages as families, senior citizens, and long standing enthusiasts set out for a sail - no matter the weather.
My memories of the famous paddle steamer go back to the sense of wonder I felt when I went on a family outing in the early 1980s.
I remember being on board when Andy Cameron did his popular Radio Scotland request show live on board the ship in 1984, and can recall visiting the likes of Tarbert and Tighnabruaich, which made it apt that I set out on the same journey 40 years later.
The prospects for the day looked somewhat ominous as we set sail at 11.45am, heading towards Bute and then passing Colintraive and threading our way through the famous narrows of the Kyles of Bute on the way to Tighnabruaich.
In addition to the stunning scenery, there was plenty of wildlife to be spotted too, with seals enjoying a comfortable position on the rocks, a flock of Canadian geese preening themselves on a small islet, and of course, gannets divebombing into the sea amid the overcast day. The inclement weather certainly doesn't make any difference to them!
As the weather closed in, an announcement was made that we wouldn't be calling at Tarbert due to the swell conditions at the pier, with passengers given the option of getting off at Tighnabruaich or staying on board to enjoy a rare exploration of stretches of the Kyles of Bute and Loch Fyne not normally covered. I opted for the former.
Among the enthusiastic supporters of the Waverley is the Tighnabruaich Pier Association, who gave a donation of £5,000 to the steamer last year, highlighting in the process that the village's pier would be likely to close were it not for the Waverley's annual visits.
Tighnabruaich is also one of the Waverley's regular calling points where passengers don't just step off the ship unheralded: music from a piper serenaded us on arrival as we headed off to visit to RNLI shop, boat yard, hotel and restaurant.
A very helpful bus driver from West Coast Motors took us on a mini tour to Kames and Portavadie Marina, before whisking us back to Tighnabruaich in time for our return voyage.
Embracing the Scottish weather with my rain coat and recently purchased RNLI 200th anniversary beanie hat, I boldly decided to 'face the music' and headed out onto deck for the sail home in a tempestuous-looking sea.
However, like a reassuring old friend, the Waverley transported us home with no trouble at all, sailing through a stormy Clyde coast evening with the combination of calmness, authority, beauty and elegance for which she's become renowned over the years.
Despite the challenges posed on the day, staff on board were very helpful and attentive, as the lower decks were busy with bars and restaurant full.
To the surprise of few, the deteriorating conditions meant the Waverley did not head onwards to her final destination of Ayr, instead terminating at Largs - but her team's years of organisational skill ensured that buses were lined up to take her Ayr passengers on to their destination.
Steamer enthusiast and Waverley tour guide Iain Quinn said: "We got the outward journey in good weather before the bad weather set in, so there has only been two or three hours out of this out of a nine hour operational day.
"It was a very unusual north-east wind for this time of year. but a positive sign that people were satisfied was when the purser went ashore to talk to the passengers at Tignabruaich.
"They were the last to be informed of the amended schedule that they wouldn't be going to Tarbert, and not one of them walked away.
"There were another 70 people who came on board knowing fine well that the weather was not going to be kind, so overall we had around 400 people on board the Waverley despite the forecast.
"We took passengers up to Loch Fyne to areas they wouldn't normally ever see.
"The amended route took in the Otter Ferry spit narrows, and the captain gave us a very fine close-in view of Otter Ferry pier.
"We then sailed over to Loch Gair which is unusual in itself, so all in all, we squeezed a lemon out of what was a pretty rotten forecast.
Asked what made, and continues to make, the Waverley so magical, Iain said: "It is the steam engine and the sound of the paddle, and the unique quality of what the Waverley is the last of.
"Nobody wants to see the Waverley fail. She is the last that will ever do this kind of excursion, fair weather or foul. There is a lot of public sympathy for the Waverley, and as long as that remains, then the Waverley has a reasonable to good future.
"There are corners of the Clyde you would never see again if it wasn't for the Waverley.
"It is very special and people should go home feeling that they have been very special in supporting it, as without them, the Waverley would have a different life."
Due to high demand, Waverley Excursions are adding an extra seniors 'Bring a friend for free' offer on Tuesday July 23. The ship will depart Largs at 11.45am, passengers can sail to Rothesay, Tighnabruaich or Tarbert to spend time ashore.
The Waverley's Clyde summer season continues until August 25, before a further two days of cruises in her home waters on October 19 and 20 bring her 2024 programme to a close.
Before then a packed schedule of cruises in the south-west of England, the south coast, and London and the Thames estuary is planned, demonstrating that the enduring appeal of the Waverley stretches far beyond the Clyde.
For full details, and to book tickets, see waverleyexcursions.co.uk.
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