Paddle Steamer Waverley beats Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa yet again – Scotsman comment

Historic paddle steamer is a reminder of how romantic and special sea travel can be

The sun shone, a piper played and people cheered as the ship set out from Glasgow with almost 700 passengers on board. No, sorry, if you are thinking the Glen Sannox or the Glen Rosa has finally sailed for real, then we’re afraid not.

Instead, this was the Paddle Steamer Waverley setting out of its first sailing of the 2024 season, once again, for another year, beating the two ferries currently languishing at the Ferguson Marine shipyard.

However, it would be wrong to take the spotlight away from this wonderful and historic vessel, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer. As Paul Semple, of Waverley Excursions, rightly said, “the Waverley holds a very special place in many people’s hearts, particularly the west of Scotland and the Clyde coast”.

The Waveley makes her way down the river Clyde on her first sailing of 2024 (Picture: John Devlin)

Sea travel has always had a romantic quality and the Waverley shows how pleasurable and how special it can be. We look forward to the day when, finally, Sannox and Rosa can sail alongside this truly historic vessel – if only to bask in its reflected glory.