‘Bittersweet moment’ as Pentland Venture sails away to start new life as London party boat
The Pentland Venture has sailed out of Caithness waters for the last time – and is now set for a new lease of life as a party boat on the Thames.
The 38-year-old vessel took passengers between John O’Groats and Orkney every summer until 2023, apart from 2020 because of Covid.
Now, having been berthed in Wick harbour for the past couple of years, it has been purchased by London Party Boats Ltd for an undisclosed sum.
The previous owners, John O’Groats Ferries, called it “a bittersweet moment” after watching the vessel leave Wick at the weekend. It is now having some work done in Fraserburgh and is expected to be operational on the Thames later this year.
John O’Groats Ferries was founded in 1971 by Ian Thomas, initially using the speedboat Pentland Atom. Larger vessels followed before the Pentland Venture came along.
It was built on the Humber in 1987 and was launched there by Ian’s wife, Sheila. Ian died in 1996.
Now aged 87, Sheila was among those on the quayside at Wick on Sunday afternoon to watch the Pentland Venture head south.
Sheila was accompanied by her daughter Deborah Fermor and Deborah’s husband Fred, who had jointly run John O’Groats Ferries along with Deborah’s brother Ivor Thomas. Ivor had been there earlier in the day.
Having operated safely and successfully for more than half a century, providing daily wildlife cruises in summer as well as Caithness/Orkney trips, the business was put up for sale in 2022 as a going concern. With no suitable buyer coming forward, 2023 proved to be its last summer season.
Fred said: “Truth be told, I suppose we would have liked it to have continued to serve the tourism industry in Caithness.
“We certainly tried our utmost to sell the whole thing as a going concern so that it could continue crossing the Pentland Firth to Orkney. I am quite sure a lot of people will have happy memories of her.
“Unfortunately we just couldn’t achieve that, and we have had to sell the boat outwith the county. You could imagine it was a bittersweet moment for everyone as she left Wick for the last time.
“However, to look on the bright side, we are all extremely pleased that she will continue to give some fun for people in London as a party boat. As I said to some of our old crew on the pier, it’s not really goodbye – it’s just au revoir for now!
“So if anyone is in London, look out for her. I think they will remodel her slightly, in order to get under Westminster Bridge, and probably give her a new name – but she’ll still be the boat that we all know.
“I am certainly looking forward to going on her in London myself. It’s nice to look back on the happy times we had with her, but also great to look forward to some more.”