Waverley, with additional benefits

Today was Cowal Games Day in Dunoon. Games day isn't as big a thing as it was when we moved here 48 years ago, and changed character as far as the town was concerned when the bands stopped marching through the town from the pier to the stadium all through the Saturday morning, when we used to hear them from 9am onwards and my boys became increasingly excited and wanting to be down watching them. Nevertheless, it's still something I prefer to avoid, so the chance to go on a cruise on PS Waverley with my family was something I jumped at for a variety of reasons.

It was a perfect day - blue skies and mild air - though when you're on the top deck in mid-Firth there's enough wind to make everyone pile on extra layers. It was also perfect having my four grandchildren and my two sons - and one daughter-in-law - as company, though I always feel I miss out on having enough time with any of them! We had an hour or so ashore at Tighnabruaich - just enough time to walk along to the village for ices and (for me) an espresso and the exploration of several large jelly fish on the shore (for James and Anna). Sailing through the narrows at the Kyles of Bute is always a joy, and very hard to photograph adequately. The photos I've chosen to try to recreate the spirit of such a trip are of us heading back upstream past Toward Lighthouse (main) and the engine room (extra). On the way back we were somewhat deeved by the insistence of a very rude, drunk woman that she should sit at the end of the bench that was already full of us; I don't know quite what shifted her in the end unless it was my younger son's moving and sitting slightly on top of her with a sweet smile ...

My other extra photo is of the fireworks that are the traditional ending of Games day. When I had young children I was always annoyed by them as they woke the newly-asleep boys; now I realise that we're regarded as fortunate because we don't need to leave the house to see them. 

Win some, lose some, I guess. And now I'm so tired I'm rambling. G'night ...