St David - Stena Caledonia 30th Anniversary
There
aren't too many ships around our shores that have remained in service on
the trade for which they were designed and built. Happily the
Stena Caledonia is one such ship and for that she is assured of her
place in history. Entering service as the St David on the Holyhead - Dun
Laoghaire service on 10th August 1981, she was the last large Channel
and Irish Sea ferry built for Sealink; the last of a long line of
venerable ships. Although originally intended to be a Fishguard ship,
she made her debut as a Holyhead vessel and very much became the relief
vessel for the entire fleet. It was in 1982 that she made her first
appearance at Stranraer, hurrying north to take up service following a
fire in the Antrim Princess.Transferred from Holyhead to Dover in 1985
her time on the Ostend service was a brief affair and in 1986 she became
a Stranraer ship - a role she held until the end of her Stena Line
career.To mark the 30th anniversary of her entry into sevice a
celebration was held on board with her enthusiastic Senior Master,
Captain Murray Paterson organising two magnificent birthday cakes for
each of her two crews.
