Hardly. Ferries have been in the news for quite some time now, and this winter has been nothing short of jaw-dropping. Cancellations, frequent redeployment of vessels, annual refits that have stretched to months rather than a fortnight - all boiling down to an ageing fleet that has not been renewed in a timely fashion.
So, last week, Pentland Ferries lent us their MV Alfred. This fact was repeated six time in First Minister's Questions at the Scottish Parliament ten days ago. However, whilst she is still trying out berths for size up and down the west coast, her sister ship MV Pentalina suffered engine failure and ran ashore at her Orkney base of St Margaret's Hope last night. All sixty passengers, as well as six dogs, were taken off the vessel using the local lifeboat and made it ashore safe and well. The ship was towed to her berth and is awaiting inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as to her seaworthyness (having just been issued with a ticket to that effect a fortnight ago), and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. It is hoped she can quickly return to service.
The ferry jinx obviously doesn't just affect us on the west coast; the north coast is similarly afflicted.
