Le Boreal

Sailing under a French flag with a gross tonnage of 10944 Tonnes and carrying 264 passengers this vessel visited Portree today. It arrived about 7-30 am and was away again by around 1-30 pm. Many of the visitors were able to join bus tours of Skye; some chose to merely to land at the pier and wander around the town. All were German speaking and some had no ability to communicate in English.

This Season this vessel is the third to visit here; there will be nineteen other occasions when we will be visited from the sea in this way. The largest such vessel will arrive here in August. Over 50,000 tonnes and with an expected passenger total of 1258.

It all makes for exciting times. Unfortunately many local businesses do not benefit from the arrival of cruise ships since most passengers are whisked away by coach to see some odd corner of Skye and return later only to head back out to the liner.

I think the Highland Council do quite well out of the Anchor charges, and I guess it is good publicity for the Island but it is a pity that we cannot benefit a bit more.