Flotilla of Boats on Clyde

As part of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, a large flotilla of boats sailed up the River Clyde on Saturday morning, from Customhouse Quay in Greenock right up to Pacific Quay in Glasgow. We managed to find a good vantage point near Port Glasgow so I could get some photos. Unfortunately, the weather started to break that day and, although still warm, it was very overcast so the lovely hills are only just visible.

What a great atmosphere there was right along the river, with everyone in celebration mode. One of the smaller Caledonian MacBrayne ferries led the way festoned with bunting and we could vaguely hear the commentary from onboard about the Clyde's history. This was followed by a couple of hundred boats of all shapes and sizes - I believe a few people even came over from other countries to take part.

It was wonderful to see the river so full of boats again and my husband remarked on how we don't make enough use of our waterways. The old paddle steamer, The Waverley, still offers occasional sails down the Clyde and across to some of the west coast islands during summer, but it would be good to have more regular sailings. In my childhood, our holidays began with a train ride to Wemyss Bay then the steamer across to Rothesay on the Isle of Bute - in common with half the people from this side of the river!

The Waverely

The last time we saw so many boats on the River Clyde was a couple of years ago when the magnificent Tall Ships called at Greenock. Sometimes, it's only on days like this that we really appreciate what's right on our doorstep.

Rosemary