Success - So Far Anyway

In August I posted about the Transocean Winner an oil rig that had run aground on the West Coast of Lewis. It was re-floated a while ago and towed round into Broad Bay.

Yesterday she was floated onto Hawk. Hawk is a very large heavy lift ship which can be ballasted down so that huge things to be transported can be floated onto her carrying platform. She then is discharged of ballast and carries her cargo. In this case the plan is for the rig to be carried to Turkey to be broken up.

The number of vessels involved in the operation was considerable:

 

The story in pictures:

Oops. Grounded.

Hawk: heavy transport ship

As Hawk tales on ballast the cargo deck drops below the water

The support vessels all in place for the floatover

The situation (hopefully) explained

The oil rig on the deck of Hawk after she has de-ballasted

Closeup

Scale

Dirty British Coaster. I Think Not.

The Transfennica vessel MV Timca sailed past the house a few days ago. I wondered what sort of vessel she was. The Transfennica website tells me that she is a Trafexpress Class cargo vessel.

"Speed both at sea an in port, is an important feature of the new "Trafexpress"-class of vessels, which are suitable for short-sea as well as deep-sea traffic. These vessels are equipped with two medium speed main engines, with an output of 12,600 kW each. Designed to have the best manoeuvrability ever, the vessels are equipped with twin bow thrusters of 850 kW each and two high efficiency flap rudders. At 12,800 DWT the maximum speed is about 23 knots. The vessels are strengthened to Finnish/Swedish ice class 1A Super incorporating the typical Spliethoff icebreaking bow shape. Fin stabilizers ensure a safe passage in rough weather."

She is certainly the most beautiful cargo vessel I have ever seen. I wonder what John Masefield would make of it if he were writing “Cargoes” now.

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.

Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amethysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.

Hmmmm.....

Passing By

All sorts of vessels pass up and down the Minch; some huge and some not so huge. This one, complete with its own helicopter, passed by a day or so ago. It had no name visible even through the spotterscope so I'm none the wiser as to what it is but I'd guess that it's a survey ship of some sort.