Cruise boat floated for Forth islands

A NEW passenger trip boat for North Berwick will be launched in the summer.

The Scottish Seabird Centre has announced its plans for the custom-built catamaran cruise boat, which will hold around 50 passengers and travel around islands in the Firth of Forth.

Tom Brock OBE, chief executive of the Scottish Seabird Centre, said: "We are looking towards the long-term future and investing in a new custom-built catamaran cruise boat, fully fitted to provide a quality and unique experience, in partnership with the Maid of the Forth from South Queensferry.

"With the announcement last year that the passenger boat Sula, running since the 1970s, would no longer be operating, we felt it was important to continue North Berwick's long tradition of pleasure boats for both tourists and local people."

The boat will also double as a "floating classroom" to be used by researchers, scientists and schools, and will feature an underwater remote submersible camera to observe life below and above the sea.