Festival of the Sea - Oban Marina's Open Day a success

by Trish Jenkins on 1 Jun 2010 Oban Marina on the Isle of Kerrera today saw a 600 strong crowd enjoy a memorable Bank Holiday Monday celebrating the final event in the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) ‘Festival of the Sea’ 10-day programme.

Glorious sunshine and perfect conditions kicked off the day and the first crossing of visitors on the complimentary ferry from Oban’s North Pier, were greeted to a perfect view of Waverley, the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer slipping its dock alongside them as they headed to Kerrera.

As well as local residents and visitors, the event attracted yachts and boat owners taking advantage of the extra dock space just laid by Oban Marina, which is now a 115 berth marina facility. Several international yacht owners also arrived for the long weekend and enjoyed the Open Day celebrating the local marine environment.

Sue Deacon, Marina Manager was: 'Thrilled with the turnout of visitors to the event today. The weather really helped and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The marina is really busy anyway for this early in the season but with this new event, everyone certainly made the most of the things we had on offer during the day. We are very grateful to all those who took the trouble to come along and help make SAMS first Festival of the Sea such a resounding success.'

As well as sampling Scott Glen’s renowned Isle of Kerrera Oysters and other seafood at the Seafood Grill and Waypoint Bar, open throughout the season, visitors were also treated to other great local produce such as the delicious hot roast meat buns from Oban Spitroasts who set up on the grass overlooking the boats.

Continuing the sea and marine theme, Scottish Sea Farms ran three boat trips to their Salmon rings in Charlotte’s Bay and Loch Lomond Seaplanes arrived in style to give 9 lucky passengers a complimentary spin over the Island and birdseye view of the marina and surrounding area before heading back to Glasgow. The fast all-weather Oban Lifeboat, Mora Edith MacDonald, was berthed in the marina and visitors were allowed on board for a look around the fast all-weather lifeboat which, since she came into service in 1997, has been called up over 1500 times, saving almost 100 lives.

The marina boat shed was cleared to make room for interesting specialist stalls and displays selling everything from fresh organic meat from Ardentrive Farm; smoked fish and other products from Willie-Fish and the Feochan Mhor Smokehouse; home baking and other delightful cakes, breads, bakes, pickles and jams from the Basket Bakery on Kerrera and The Twisted Wheel Café, as well as beautiful hand dyed silk scarves from the Island.

Other exhibitors included the RNLI and The MCA who are currently involved in a three year safety education programme promoting the wearing of lifejackets and highlighting common problems with radios, lifejackets and liferaft stowage. Western Horizon Yachts brokerage and IT services; Cyrus Marine’s fuel conditioning treatment and The Green Blue, environmental awareness initiative by the British Marine Federation and the Royal Yachting Association in Scotland, Tennamast boat cradles, trailers and multi-purposes masts plus GTG Health and Safety advisors to Oban Marina also exhibited.

Live music in the bar and marina boat shed plus a bouncy castle for the children and for car enthusiasts, a vintage Jeep, all helped the day go with a swing.

Oban Marina were delighted to host this new initiative in association with the Scottish Association for Marine Science. The event has brought together Oban's children, businesses and organisations with marine scientists to create an exciting programme for both locals and visitors to Argyll, to celebrate the stunning marine environment in this area.

For further information, please visit: www.obanmarina.com