Our mid-summer week in Aberdeen started with an overnight stay in Motherwell then on to Aberdeen early the next day, staying at the Altens hotel this year.
Day 1 – bright and breezy.
First photos taken at 10:30 – UAL COLOGNE sails from Atlantic wharf…
… assisted by FIDRA who followed her out to sea to assist the arrival of…
…UNISTREAM inward to Atlantic wharf.
FIDRA on the stern.
SAEBORG arrives just after 12:00.
The Panama flagged survey vessel BOREAS-G arrives a short while later.
VOLANTIS berthed on Dunnottar quay in the South harbour.
PHANTOM on Crathes quay waiting to load the logs on the quayside.
SEVEN ATLANTIC berthed on Castlegate quay.
The survey vessel TRYM berthed on Duthies quay in the main harbour.
FALNES TIDE sailing mid-afternoon.
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Day 2 – early start but still too breezy for drone today.
GRAMPIAN DEFIANCE arrives just before 05:30.
HJALTLAND arrives with an escort.
REM SUPPLIER outward bound.
VOS DISCOVERY on Matthews quay cross berth.
The Norwegian TRYM catches the sunlight on Duthies quay…
… as does GRAMPIAN CAVALIER on Point Law cross berth.
ENERGY SWAN moves from Albert quay to the river.
HILDASAY arrives just before noon.
Next arrival was the ATLANTICA TRADER…
…closely followed by the THOR ALPHA.
Berthed on Castlegate quay, the BOKA TOPAZ catches the afternoon sun.
SIEM BARRACUDA arrives the South harbour from the Kincardine wind farm. Note the crew member doing laps of the heli-deck.
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Day 3 – you guessed it, early out again.
HEBRIDEAN SKY arrives at 05:30 for Blaikies quay.
HROSSEY catches the sun as she arrives at 06:25.
PORTLAND SENTINEL was the next to arrive a short while later…
… closely followed by TROMS LYRA.
FIDRA heads out for a vessel into the South harbour.
AURORA COEY, in her new colours, arrives next.
The second cruise ship of the day, HAMBURG, arrives for the South harbour.
The cement carrier BORNHOLM arrives for Pocra quay.
FIDRA returns to the main harbour after assisting the HAMBURG.
Venturing down to sea level for ATLANTICA TRADER sailing.
Making her weekly call, SEA-CARGO EXPRESS arrives with an active ‘pilot’ ahead of her.
Another sea level session as WELL ENHANCER arrives after noon.
Just after 13:00 as SERENADE TIDE sails.
ESVAGT CASTOR arrives a short while later.
NORTH PURPOSE was the next arrival…
…followed very closely by FS AQUARIUS.
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Day 4 – even earlier start at 05:00 but this was a time limited day. Bev needed her car to visit Balmoral, the weather forecast was poor for the day so I remained in the hotel.
VOLANTIS berthed on Dunnottar quay.
I was glad to catch the MONTROSE though, heading out to the Kincardine wind farm.
SEVEN NAVICA arrives at the South harbour for Castlegate quay.
The survey vessel SANCO SAILOR berthed on Balmoral quay.
As the time arrived for me to return to the hotel, SEVEN ATLANTIC sails from the South harbour.
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Day 5 – 1st July and the earliest start yet at 04:30 – and finally the wind had dropped enough to allow me to be able to fly the drone.
SANCO SAILOR on Balmoral quay North.
DEEP EXPLORER berthed on Clipper quay.
Taking a flight around the South harbour – SANCO SAILOR on Balmoral quay.
The business end of the pipe-layer SEVEN NAVICA on Castlegate quay.
SIEM BARRACUDA also berthed on Castlegate quay.
BOKA POLARIS berthed on Dunnottar quay North.
VOLANTIS had moved to Crathes quay.
Tucked in the corner of Dunnottar quay the small utility vessel GREEN ISLE.
The large Chinese tanker YUAN NAN HAI passes close to the fairway buoy – she was waiting for Sea-Cab to pay a visit.
HROSSEY arrives at her usual rapid pace.
DEEP EXPLORER berthed at Clipper quay with the JURA visible at Russells quay.
FUGRO QUEST berthed at Matthews quay North.
VOS DISCOVERY still alongside Matthews quay cross berth.
UAL OSPREY berthed at Atlantic Wharf.
Returning to the Torry battery as ACE VIKING sails.
FIDRA makes a fine photo as she heads out to Kincardine wind farm.
PORTLAND SENTINEL was the next sailing.
ATLANTICA TRADER next arrival…
… followed a short while later by GRAMPIAN CITADEL.
If only it had been sunny – next arrival was the colourful wind farm support vessel WINDCAT AMSTERDAM.
MONTROSE in the South harbour arriving from the Kincardine wind farm.
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Day 6 – drone flying very early, within 90 minutes the wind speeds were well over safe flying levels.
SAEBORG arrives at 05:30…
…closely followed by ATLANTICA SUPPLIER.
By the time HJALTLAND arrived at 06:30 the wind gusts were over the limit for the drone, by 08:00 they were 40mph+.
INCHCOLM heads out for an inward survey vessel – unfortunately the pilot cancelled it’s arrival due to the wind speeds.
OCEAN DEE arriving in the channel and turning in the basin for Halls quay.
DEEP CYGNUS arrives in the South harbour – she was the third of this class taken this week.
VOS TRACKER was the next arrival for the main harbour.
Early afternoon as AURORA STORM arrives…
… followed very closely by the Norwegian tug BB POWER.
Following the last two in, the survey vessel SCOTIA for Blaikies quay.
MONTROSE returns to the main harbour from the South harbour.
AURORA COOPER berthed on Balmoral quay south.
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Day 7 – how early a start? 04:05! Forecasted a good flying day.
LADY MARIA FISHER berthing at Point Law North quay.
The large survey vessel AMAZON CONQUEROR berthed on Crathes quay, she had arrived the previous evening.
SEVEN KESTREL arriving and moored on Balmoral quay.
AMAZON CONQUEROR on Crathes quay – the low early morning sun casting shadows across her.
The early morning light catches LADY MARIA FISHER nicely.
VOS EXPLORER arrives in the turning basin.
SEACOR OHIO heads out with w temporary seismic survey configuration.
FUGRO QUEST was the next to sail.
Another quick flight in the South harbour for AMAZON CONQUEROR.
SANCO SAILOR sails from Balmoral quay.
THOR ALPHA next outward – escorted in the first drone photo.
Another main harbour flight, BEAUTRIDENT at Atlantic wharf.
A quick flight up the river, ACE BRAEMAR on Mearns quay…
… with AURORA COOPER astern of her. Vessels on Torry quays hindered these shots.
SCOTIA arriving in great light – – berthing not far from the survey vessel SCOTIA.
GRAMPIAN DEFENDER rolling in to the main harbour.
The guard vessel SHEMARAH II heads out to sea.
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Day 8 – last few hours before heading home.
The largest cruise ship of the week VIKING JUPITER arrives in the South harbour for Balmoral quay 05:25.
CYGNUS SENTINEL arrives the main harbour.
STRIL ODIN was the next inward. Thanks Billy for letting me fly solo to get these.
HJALTLAND arrives with a fair bit of way on.
The Dutch research trawler TRIDENS next to arrive. Two crewman watching the dolphins over the bow.
The last vessel of the trip and the first X-Bow type, FLYER TIDE arrives just before 07:00.
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A quite good week, considering the weather and a not quite so busy port. Over 2000 photos taken and 33 new ships photographed.
My thanks once again to Billy for the company, nice to see George, Rab and Charlie again and to meet Craig. Thanks also to Theresa (Crombie road van) for the morning rolls – much better than the extortionate hotel breakfasts!