St Columba Revisited
Just before I left Ireland to live in Australia in August 2000, I took a very welcome opportunity to travel to Greece with my good friend Russell Plummer (Ship's Monthly, Cruise & Ferry Info). Our plan? To sail on the former St Columba, in service with Hellas Ferries.
It was a quick visit, just three days, but it ranks as probably one of the most enjoyable I have yet to experience.
An added bonus was a run to Paros in the Express Santorini and return in the Express Apollon, the former Chartres and Senlac respectively, but the highlight was of course the passage to Siros, Tinos and Mykonos in the Express Aphrodite.
First impression? She was still the Stena Hibernia! Throughout, she was largely unaltered since her final Holyhead years, apart from some obvious alterations around the stern, where new passenger access from the stern door up to her aft mooring deck now existed and more notably her aft wheelhouse had been removed. Another lasting impression was created by her Greek crew who were obviously very proud of their ship; the Express Aphrodite was absolutely spotless! The ship was in fine form and as was demonstrated when we caught and passed the former Hengist at sea, was running at just over 20 knots without so much as a hiccup!
Hellas Ferries today trades as Hellenic Seaways, a change which saw a welcome return of a blue hull and black-topped red funnel to the former British Rail ship.
                                   |