Volunteers pull out all the stops for cruise liner’s second visit

BUSINESSES and groups in Fort William joined forces to put on a warm welcome for the return of Boudicca cruise liner last week.

The luxury Fred Oslen ship once again negotiated the Corran Narrows to sail into Loch Linnhe on Wednesday morning following her debut visit last September.

Trips and coaches had been put in place to whisk passengers away to Glenfinnan and Glencoe, but volunteers also did their bit to entertain those who decided to stay in the High Street.

Fort William Marina and Shoreline Company (FWMSC), which is responsible for the installation of pontoons at the West End car park to help make cruise liner visits viable, thanked Captain Juha Sartela and said: ‘It was really great to see so many passengers and crew come off the ship and we hope you all enjoyed yourselves in our beautiful part of the Highlands of Scotland.

‘A huge thank you to all our volunteers from Fort William Town Team, West Highland College, Megan and Amber, our wonderful pipers, Lochaber Geopark for carrying out two talks, Delicraft and Chocolate Box for the chocolate tasting, the Lochaber branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dancers for the Scottish dancing and The Lime Tree for extending the Casting Shadows exhibition.

‘Last, but not least, a huge thank you to the FWMSC team members who helped with the tenders on the pontoons. Well done, James, Gordon and Davey.’

Another liner, the Braemar, will make her Loch Linnhe debut on Thursday May 25, followed by a second visit by

Boudicca on May 27.

Left: Captain Sartela was presented with whisky, heather honey and a beeswax candle by Sarah Kennedy of Fort William Marina and Shoreline Company.

Above: Boudicca made the first of an expected three visits in 2017 to Loch Linnhe on Wednesday May 10.

Photographs: Abrightside Photography. Below: Country dancers entertained passengers on Cameron Square.