Ilha Azul

The Portuguese ferry Ilha Azul arrived yesterday to Viana Yard for inspection and repairs, following her accident on August.

She arrived under tow of the "Charuca Silveira" (3 350hp / 50t Bollard Pull).

The vessel was completely dead, no engines, no rudder, no bow thruster, no winches, no nothing... not even a single crew member. The shipyard sent four seamen from the docks to help with the mooring and with making fast/let go tugboats (on the picture, alongside Ilha Azul, the harbour tug "Monte Xisto" delivers the men to the pilot ladder that had been hanging since Azores). I took the chance to board "Charuca Silveira" in order to explain the master the intended maneuver and what I was expecting from him and his tug.

Finally I boarded Ilha Azul but since all doors were locked, even the ones leading to the bridge wings, I had to climb to the monkey island (starring as a monkey... myself) to find a suitable place to do the pilotage.

As we proceeded to the port entrance I decided to make fast "Monte Xisto" astern to start pulling aft in order to better "steering".

When we got inside we made fast a shipyard line heaving from the top of the drydock and let go the "Charuca Silveira" as her towing line was too heavy to maneuver in such a restricted area. Following this I was "slightly" busy trying to bring this 17 meter breadth vessel into the 18 meter wide dock... so no more pictures. Also, for obvious reasons, no pictures of the damage. Hope you understand.