Seagull cruise boat starts new season on Caledonian Canal
Highland Cross Seagull, which operates between the jetty at Tomnahurich Bridge in Inverness and Dochgarroch Locks, started its new season this week.
The inaugural trip comprised a group of residents from Castle Gardens Care Home in Invergordon.
The £220,000 custom-built cruiser, inaugurated by the Princess Royal in 2012, carried a record 2130 passengers on 218 cruises last year. They included 174 in wheelchairs and 150 children.
Bookings are already coming in for this season's cruises which will continue each week from Monday to Friday until September 29.
Wednesdays are proving particularly popular and bookings are also being taken for groups up to the authorised maximum of 12 passengers.
The 17-metre long, 26-ton vessel was built with the help of funds from the Highland Cross duathlon and various other charities.It is equipped with a passenger lift and has a disabled toilet.
It is crewed entirely by volunteers including musicians on some occasions.
Volunteers also hold several fundraising events each year to cover the costs of regular maintenance and upgrading facilities.
The current boat replaced the Highland Seagull which operated on the canal for more than 20 years.
Any qualifying organisation involved with elderly, disabled or disadvantaged people wanting to arrange a free cruise should telephone the Fujitsu call centre in Alness on 01349 886862 and ask for the Seagull Trust Cruises booking office.
