JUPITER

Despite the politics involved in the operation of the Caledonian MacBrayne service between Gourock and Dunoon over the years, the car ferry JUPITER has now maintained the service for the past 35 years, a fact commemorated today by the hoist of signal flags from her mainmast. Built at the James Lamont shipyard at Port Glasgow, JUPITER had the distinction of being the last vessel ordered by the Caledonian Steam Packet Company before its amalgamation with David MacBrayne in January 1973. She was launched in November that year, and is now the oldest vessel in the company's fleet. Her sister JUNO has been laid up at Rosneath for almost two years - although she is the younger of the pair - since she was displaced from the Rothesay service in April 2007.