Eyeing up the Island Princess

The Cremyll Ferry company has recently sourced a replacement for the Tamar Belle which has now been sold on, and is now at work on the St Mawes to Falmouth service, very close to her previous operating area in the Helford Passage, whilst named 'Queen of Helford'. The new vessel, Island Princess has been bought from Paignton Pleasure Cruises, who operated her on the Torquay to Paignton service, but prior to that, worked as the 'Solent Princess' whilst based on the South Coast. Island Princess can carry up to 70 people, so should be able to cope with loadings out of the peak months, although her large open deck space doesn't necessarily lend itself to operating during the winter months, and hence, it has been proposed that Northern Belle will undertake her annual refit during September, rather than the usual November-January period, in the hope it will be slightly warmer! She will of course also be used when problems occur with the Northern Belle, although thankfully they are generally few and far between. The vessel has now been painted into the Cremyll Ferry livery after previously being plain white. Photos come, with thanks, from Paul Burch.