It may not look earth shattering (sea shattering?), but we saw the island's new ship Manxman go past the office over the weekend.  Distances are deceptive, but from camera to boat is about three miles.  We're not sure what she was doing as she steamed (dieseled?) north quite quickly, turned round in Ramsey Bay and then headed south at a much more leisurely pace.

She's not in service yet - in fact she only arrived from Korea where she was built about a week ago - and is still undergoing sea trials.  The crew have to know that they can get her in and out of the various harbours efficiently and at all states of the tide.  She'll enter service later this month and replace Ben-my-Chree as the island's main ferry later this year.

While she is undoubtedly a good-looking, modern boat, the name is rubbish.  It manages to be linguistically non Manx, sexist and boring all at the same time.  It's not even traditional, as the only other Manxman to serve in the Steam Packet fleet was purchased second hand and brought the name with her.  Still, as the official bubbly-breaking naming has happened, we're stuck with it now...