Hi Everyone
Update 04 June 2011 (6 weeks to go) Oban Tall Ships & Wild Life Photography Field Trip Wednesday July 13 2011 (Update)
Good news. I have received some positive information on this event as far as to the arrival of the tall ships into Oban Bay are concerned. Approximately 55 Ships will arrive at Oban on Wednesday 13 July 2011 sometime in the afternoon. (At the moment arrival timings are not predicable). With commitments by a number of you to pay out for other club events coming up, I thought that I would see if I could reduce the cost of this venture thus making it more affordable to more of our members. After discussion with the Skipper, I have agreed in principle to a different approach in reducing the costs. Therefore, we have removed the Wild Life Island visits (Something for next year maybe) to just concentrate on the unique opportunity of taking photographs of these wonderful ships at sea. So we are looking to hire the boat at £ 90 / hour to photograph the Tall Ships arriving in Oban, We reckoned that 2 hours should be enough time to get to a good sea position. Boat capacity is a maximum of 12 people. To break down the cost so that everyone can understand it
Cost of 2 Hour Boat hire = 2 X £90.00 = £180.00 = £190 Divided by 12 = £15 per person.
Can I ask those of you who are still interested in going on this venture to leave your names on the listings Anyone who is on the list and cannot now make it please email me (
chairman@mccc.org.uk) and I will remove you from the listing. Those of you who now wish to attend at the much reduced cost please add your name to the listings. (If you are unable to access the forum please let me know and I will add your name for you.
You have until 25th June to get your name on the list. Should there be less than 12 people interested, then you will be advised of the new costing.
Please Only enter your name to this post if you want to go!!----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Everyone,
This is an early suggestion to see what sort of response there is to a club event in mid July. Last year we did the Farne islands, which was a great success, so I have been thinking of some kind of event / trip for 2011. It just happens that the Tall Ships event will be taking place in Greenock from the 9th to 12th July then sailing to Lerwick via Oban on the 12th July 2011
You might ask what has this to do with the Tall ships. Good question. I thought it might make an interesting club day trip if we could incorporate a wildlife trip and seeing some of these wonderful Tall Ships in full sail on route to Lerwick. I googled on the web and found Mr Ron Stevenson the owner and skipper of the MV MARA Mhor a spacious catamaran which has wheel chair access if required and has a full MCA licence for 12 passengers + two crew and his wealth of knowledge. He
does Wildlife Cruises around Oban so I sent him an enquiry asking if he could / would incorporate the two - the Tall ships in full sale and a wildlife Cruise – Ron's reply is below.........
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Hello Fred,
Thank you for the enquiry.
Of course that would be possible. I gave the Oban camera club an early morning run out to catch the
start of west highland sailing week earlier this year.
I am quite open for a mixed charter of sailing boats and wild life. I think that would be a great way of
combining two activities. Can you just imagine if we were lucky enough to be able to catch a dolphin or two playing on the bow waves of these great old boats - Sadly I have to travel south early in the new year to visit a close relative. In the meantime I will try to write down a couple of local places to visit while you are here W/C 7th January which may present you with a few nice photo opportunities.
Have a safe and pleasant trip to Argyll
Best regards Ron
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Now on to the cost. My own thoughts were to keep the cost around what was paid last year which was around £33.00 each – The cost of Private Charter is £500.00 per day (8 hours) or £350 for half a day (4 hours) for groups up to a maximum of 12 passengers. This works out at £42.00 each for the full 8 hours and the car share petrol to Oban. Check his very good web site
Here http://www.boatwildlifeoban.co.uk/boat.html
Can I ask those who are interested in taking part please reply on the forum. If I get enough interest, I will work on obtaining more detailed information like dates/times.
Thanks..
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Update 04 Jan 2011I have spoke to the Skipper yesterday and I have agreed to take this on as a Field Trip for Mid July 2011., and will work with the skipper in the months ahead, but I feel there are a number of points which he made to me, which I should share with you straight away.
1) Remember this Field Trip is weather dependant so the day & time could change.
2) Depending on the Tall Ships Progress the start time from Oban could early (0500) morning to mid afternoon and it may not be at a weekend.The Skipper hopes to have this information by the end of February, this will give us enough time for those who might have to book a weekday holiday.
3) There is no restrictions on numbers, but the Total cost per boat is the same no matter how many turn up, 12 is the maximum per boat but if we have enough to fill two boats he will arrange another boat
4) Willie and myself will be Oban next week so we will do a Recce of the area and take a few photo - But unfortunately the skipper will be away when we are there so we will be unable to meet him, so it looks like a day trip in the spring for me !
5) For information all the photos on the Skippers web site are his own and taken from his boat.
I think we will only have this chance to see these wonderful ships out in the sea in full sail..
If you have any questions let me know and I'll try my best to answer them.
Thanks Fred
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