Storm Dennis: Ferry struggles to dock in dramatic video
Journey is ‘a wee bit choppy’, says passenger
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Your support makes all the difference.A ferry was buffeted by high winds and rocked by stormy waters as it tried to dock amid Storm Dennis.
The CalMac ferry was videoed during the storm, with footage showing the boat lurching dramatically back and forth as it was pummelled by 80mph winds on 14 February.
It was trying to pull into port at Androssan Harbour on the west coast of Scotland.
Crew of the MV Caledonian Isles were praised for their skill in manoeuvring the ship during such extreme conditions.
“All credit to the skill of our masters and one to consider for those pressing CalMac to take more risk,” managing director Robbie Drummond said in a social media post.
“Safety of our passengers and crew is always our top priority.”
William Campbell, a 48-year-old haulage driver and local who filmed the ferry’s bumpy ride, boarded the ferry back to the Isle of Arran later that evening, telling the BBC that his journey was a “wee bit choppy”.
Though he said he was used to bad weather, Mr Campbell described Friday’s storm as “personally the worst I’ve seen it”.
He added that, while visitors might be spooked by the conditions, it’s “easier not to be scared of it when you grow up with it”.
“It’s just island life,” he said.
After a delay, the ferry departed for Arran at 7.30pm.
“I was quite glad when we managed to load up and get going – especially on a Friday night, you like to get home,” Mr Campbell added.
It comes as the UK is still struggling in the aftermath of Storm Dennis, with many transport providers hit by the weekend’s high winds.
Faults with Network Rail’s signals are affecting the highest number of travellers.
The Stansted Express service has shut down for the morning, with passengers to and from the UK’s fourth-busiest airport urged not to travel.
A fault with the signalling system means no trains are likely to be running to or from Stansted airport until the afternoon.
Rail passengers on the East Coast main line connecting Scotland, Yorkshire and commuter stations north of London with King’s Cross are facing delays of up to 90 minutes because of a signalling failure at Welwyn Garden City.
Many other problems created by Storm Dennis are continuing too. There is extensive disruption across the Transport for Wales network, with no trains on the mid-Wales line from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli. The Heart of Wales line between Swansea and Crewe is also out of action.
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