She comes in low and squat as if hugging the water, her twin side paddles leaving twin wakes. Approaching the quay her paddles stop before thrashing in reverse and churning the sea into green champagne. Warps hang momentarily in the air before grabbing hands place them around bollards. Not an easy ship to manoeuvre, the Waverley, the last sea going paddle-steamer in the world, relies on warping into position.
Built in 1947 and driven by 2100 horsepower generated by a triple expansion diagonal steam engine beating out its tune in Waltz time she steams at 15 knots. She breathes and exhales steam - a living, breathing creature. Her twin raked back funnels emit gentle wisps of smoke.
The Waverley has two bars, a self-service cafeteria and a souvenir shop. There are seating on the decks and two deck shelters for foul weather, not to mention the comfortable saloon seating in the bars. She takes up to 925 passengers and runs a summer schedule in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland.
I embark for a day trip from Ayr across to the Isle of Arran. Making myself comfortable in a seat aft of the funnels, I relax. This is where the engine room ventilators belch warm steam-flavoured air and the beat and hiss of the steam engines resound upwards. We thunder away from Ayr, stirring up a stiff breeze as we head across to Arran – I had chosen my spot well.
Waverley is 239.6 feet long by 30.2 feet wide (excluding the seven foot wide paddle boxes) she has a draught of 6.5 feet. The original triple expansion steam engine powers her. From a viewing gallery placed along each side of the engine room you can view the mighty engine beating out its tune. Lean over and you see the whole engine – the steam-powered pistons rotating the crankshaft driving the paddles, the valves directing the jets of steam into and out of the cylinders!
On 6th August 1974 the Paddle-Steamer Preservation Society bought Waverley for the price of one pound. They set up the Waverley Steam Navigation Co. to run the ship. Repainted in her original attractive colours her funnels are red, white and black and are hull red, black, gold and white, she has run under their flag since. Millions of pounds have been spent keeping the vessel seaworthy. Worth every penny!
Travelling at upwards of 15 knots the 17 miles to Arran evaporates. A jink of sea appears between Holy Isle and Arran, and Brodick Castle perched below Goat Fell Mountain emerges out of the early morning haze. Once more the mighty paddles thrash in reverse as we come into Brodick harbour.
Decision time – is it going to be an inspection of the castle or the museum, climb Goat Fell mountain, follow the Food or Taste Trail or find the nearest bar and sample the local beer and whisky?