steamboating - not!

thermals on, away early for a final day's steamboating get together at Loch Katrine. execpt when we got there the wind was howling and there was no way any boats were going to go out. the plan was to steam up to Stronachlachar for lunch, steam back then have an early dinner at the restaurant there. Instead 11 of us crammed onto the largest boat 'Dalmore' - which also has completely closed in sides - for tea and cake! Tom always carries his accordion in his car and it seemed like a long wait to see if the wind dropped, so he entertained us - from way up in the bow so that he was in effect background music to the chat. nine men and two women and you can't tell me that men can't blether just as much as women can when they get together!

no sign of the wind dropping so we eventually changed dinner for lunch and more chat - three hours later I decided to take a windy walk along the lochside to try some pics, but none sums up the day better than this one of Dalmore's superb engine with a rather ghostly Tom in the background.

Steam Launch Dalmore is 26ft long and 8ft wide and was rescued from Loch Awe and restored around 20 years ago. Her owner is the chief engineer of the Waverley - for those non Scots this is the last sea going paddle steamer in the world- who can't seem to stay away from steam engines of all kinds - he also owns a vintage Sentinel steam waggon!