North Carr Light Vessel

Contact the Maritime Volunteer Service, MVS Tay,

Bob Richmond - 01382 542516 mobile - 07554 453535

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Click for River Tay Dolphins

MVS Tay gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance of - The Port of Dundee (Forth Ports), Mr. Clive McKeag, Awards for All Scotland, The D.C. Thomson Charitable Trust, H.M. Revenue and Customs The Bell's Nautical Trust, The Tay Charitable Trust, The St. Katharine's Fund, The Robertson Trust,  The Alexander Moncur Trust,  The Mathew Trust,

Latest unit activities, sailings, training, news and anything else.

Update - weekend 5th-7th October 2007

Friday

The first thing on Friday was to move Badger and Sparling through the Dock Gates at Dundee into Victoria Dock. Marigot left from Newport with Sparling in tow, Badger from Tidal Basin. Inside Camperdown Dock the tow was passed to Badger who then went through the bridge at City Quay to tie up alongside North Carr.

Preparing to pass the tow.

Marigot went on to do a Taymara trip. The day got better - sunny, warm and windless.

Marigot inching gently against the harbour wall.

On the way back to Newport

Seen from the Committee rooms while we have a conference and a discussion.

Seen from the road bridge - the sky promised a good sunset, as long as the cloud didn't disperse.

It didn't.

Saturday

While six members did their RYA radio course on board North Carr, Marigot took a party up to Perth and back

Waiting at Woodhaven.

Among this party were archaeologists involved with the salvage and subsequent preservation of the prehistoric log boat which was found at Carpow in the Tay.

One wee perk of this trip was this replica bronze sword which Trevor Cowie very kindly brought on board to show us. This proved a big hit with all passengers and crew.

Especially with the more immature ones.....

As Trevor very kindly left the sword unnattended, the webmaster was able to jab the helmsman in the bum with it and make him jump.....

........banished to the wheelhouse roof, even though he was sorry.

It's better up here anyway.

Coming into Perth Harbour was quite dangerous - these geese came to see us off.

There were too many of them.

As we fled the scene, Linda contempleted the next investment after her haircut exploded. 60 quid a week though, eh? Makes you think.

A strange and lyrical landscape around here.

The view from the wheelhouse roof was particularly good.

An extremely badly drawn bear does something vaguely prehistoric to a tree on the hillside above Newburgh. That's aristocracy for you.

This is not a rabbit.

These are not rabbits.....possibly a boiled egg and our Head of Unit though.

Please don'tinsult my intelligence.

Sunday 7th October 2007

The good weather continued again today, almost unbelievably, as though a last moment swerve in summer might change the popular perception of it.

Training on Piglet and Marigot took place between the bridges in, for once, a fairly relaxed environment without impending scheduled trips, dodgy engines, bad weather etc.

Ray and Ian practise their latest dance steps on board a small rib. Got to get it right for the Christmas party guys.    MVS .......- This Is What We Do!

Consumate professional Ian Higson once again pretends that he needs training.

Susan Coyne surprised us with her unusual technique of coming alongside in a rib. Most folk keep their eyes open for this.

Nice boat - but just imagine no sails and 3 engines..... 3 great big smelly turbocharged diesels.

Weekend Sat. 30th September-Sun. 1st. October 2007

Saturday

No summer garb any more. Getting cold and windy. This weekend sees the last of our passenger carrying trips of 2007. It's been enjoyable and rewarding for our members as well as for the passengers who have the opportunity to see their local environment from the river which is a new experience for many of them. They've also had the chance to see our local heroes, the Tay Dolphins, at close quarters (which can be such a moving experience that even one of our own crew is often moved close to a state of tearful emotion!!!). Bless her.

To find out who she is - contact the webmaster at www.mvstay.org and I'll tell anyone, anywhere in the world..

Meanwhile, back at Newport, Ray, Bob, Dave and Pat are preparing to launch Sparling after Ray finished off her deck repairs and paintwork.

On Marigot, new member Paulina Rakowska is already an experienced yachtswoman and seems to cope well with our various peculiar ways. This worries us on her behalf.

Stop grinning and get off the wheel. Chris wants a shot on the helm too.

Launching a boat always makes us a bit apprehensive, but as long as they've put the cork in, it should be all right.

Bob's Chelsea tractor finds a role as a justifiable 4x4

No, it's not Wallace and Gromit. It's real life.

She looks quite pretty actually. Dave gets ready to catch her and Piglet runs off in the distance.

Mission Accomplished

While Ray, Dave and Bob launched Sparling, Piglet went East of the Road Bridge for training - also to provide much needed shore support for Marigot after this was requested by radio.

Not many folk spend 60 quid on a haircut and then go training on a rib at 30 knots. Linda protects her Barnett, Chris and Jim make sure that no water gets on it.

Hopefully, now that the passenger trips have finished, we can give our members full run of all the boats for as much training and seatime as possible now. Lord knows they deserve it.

Mission Accomplished (2)

Mission Accomplished (3) - Marigot returns to Newport after completing her last scheduled trips of the year.

We are a disciplined service.....

HoU Bob Richmond - "We need to have a conference in the committee rooms Right Now!"

Us (All) - "Yes Sir!"

Sunday 1st October 2007

We took Badger out today to assess the current state of her engines. No passengers, just MVS crew who are known to be expendable. A low mist entered Tidal Basin just as we started her starboard engine.

Badger has plenty of power on one engine and there was no requirement for high speed anyway. We set out for some training in bringing a rib alongside a moving vessel. Interception, boarding - that sort of thing. On a beautiful day..No passengers. Hard work, hard life.

Linda made 4 or 5 "interceptions" alongside Badger and within this time progressed from bloody awful on the first attempt to extremely competant and confident on the last. Her new haircut remained intact. That's two days now Linda.....30 quid per day and becoming better value all the time.

Mostly intact anyway.

Away you go off to the Rail Bridge then. Everyone likes this.

There's a train going across it too.

There it goes.

After switching crew midwater, Dave shows Paulina how to come alongside. He makes not too bad a job of it either.

This is Paulina. Prepare for collision. Damage parties aft.

Ok, Smartass.  You can do it.

"Girl Power"?!  This is going too far. .On the other hand....The Maritime Volunteer Service? .....Hell, go for it girls.

Dave!   

MVS Tay gratefully acknowledges the support and assistance of H. M. Revenue and Customs, The D. C. Thomson Charitable Trust, The Bell's Nautical Trust, Mrs. M. Robertson-Black, The Tay Charitable Trust, The St. Katherine's Fund, The Robertson Trust,  The Alexander Moncur Trust, Historic Scotland, Port of Dundee, Awards for All Scotland, The Mathew Trust, Mr. Clive McKeag