Haar cruises

As I crossed the Forth Rail Bridge this morning just after 7.30 I caught sight of this vessel in between the girders flashing by.

It is the MSV Magnifica, registered in Panama but launched in Hamburg by Sophia Loren no less in 2010. Can take over 2,500 passengers and has a 4D cinema (it has movement as well but that is not so surprising on a ship!)

For any passengers it must have been a grey sight. No horizon to speak if, the bridges shrouded in mist and the prospect of city tours mixed. On the journey back she was still there and promoted other train passengers to get out their cameras. The haar was lifting fortunately but she is now heading into the North Sea so most people will have been returning on board.

My trip to Dundee was to observe some children's hearings in action. Some very challenging cases where the panel members teased out the issues, involved the child and agreed decisions on what was best, in some cases continuing or increasing help and in one case agreeing that formal support was no longer needed. All very skilfully handled. Some things had changed, in particular the use of technology, but in other respects the core values of the system remained as strong.