Sympathy lies with CalMac skippers

Sir, In common with, I am sure, many of your readers, I spent many a frustrating moment over the festive season, thumbing through various weather apps and websites trying to fathom what the wind was up to next.

Attempting to make plans for the arrival and departure of family and friends, heading to Oban to buy the Christmas turkey or getting farm stock to the Christmas sales was increasingly becoming a lottery with the odds stacked against me.

As it happened, the turkey was purchased and the animals arrived safely for the Christmas sale, however, my daughter never made it home for Christmas due to the cancellation of the 4pm boat from Oban to Mull on Christmas Eve. CalMac did, though, ensure the decision was made prior to the Glasgow to Oban train departing, thus making alternative arrangements possible.

In spite of these frustrations, I find it hard to feel negative about ferry services to and from Mull.

In my lifetime, and I first used CalMac when only a couple of days old, I have experienced nothing but goodwill, friendliness, assistance, good food and efficiency from both on-board crew and shore staff.

Yes, there have been frustrations, but with a little understanding these have been quickly overcome.

We have become very used to

a timetable with a ferry virtually every two hours, seven days a week, throughout the year, and we become a little irksome if this is disrupted.

We live in an age where on top of the agenda, EEC directives, health and safety and risk assessments increasingly rule the roost. I therefore have every sympathy with the skippers, on whose shoulders these weighty responsibilities rest.