Spring has arrived in Highland Perthshire when the swifts and swallows return and when the Loch Tay Safaris boat is back in the water.
That day came at last on Thursday when the jaunty white passenger vessel Iolaire was put on a trailer and transported to Kenmore.
The boat, a covered RIB with comfortable forward-facing seats, has been a familiar sight crossing the loch for the last five seasons. It spends the long winter out of the water at the Highland Safaris base in Dull.
Iolaire - meaning ‘Eagle’ in Gaelic - only operated for three months last year due to the pandemic and has sat on her trailer since October 2020.
But as the spring sunshine and daffodils indicated, it is time to put it back where it belongs, in anticipation of captain Stuart Brain welcoming the first passengers of the 2021 season aboard in a week’s time.
The boat launch began on Thursday morning when J and A Henderson Contracting came to shift the small vessel.
The boat was a sight for passing drivers as it zigzagged the country lane between Dull and Kenmore, pulled by a tractor. The trip was uneventful as a front and back escort vehicle was used to ensure a safe passage to Kenmore.
Donald Riddell, director of Highland Safaris, said all went well on Thursday: “The launch is very easy as we just back her into the water and start the engines and off she goes. We practise this manoeuvre a lot so it goes like clockwork.
“This is thanks in part to Stuart Brain, our skipper and Loch Tay Safaris manager, who lovingly maintains her and her engines throughout the winter.”
At the shoreside, about 30-40 people - socially distanced - enjoyed the spectacle.
The blessing “Here’s to fine weather, calm waters and happy customers” is a tradition assisted by a dram provided by Dewar’s Distillery in Aberfeldy.
“We are just so glad to be operating again,” concluded Donald. “The Iolaire weighs five tonnes, is 33’ in length and can reach a top speed of 40 knots. Most trips see it going at a more leisurely pace of 15-20 knots.
“From Wednesday, May 6 it will begin normal sailings every day except Monday and Tuesdays, leaving its dock at Kenmore twice daily, 10am and 2pm for a two- hour cruise all over the loch.”
And to celebrate the year of Coasts and Waters 2021, Loch Tay Safaris and the Scottish Crannog Centre are offering a collaboration tour with details announced later this week.
