Much-loved passenger ship has traversed Atlantic swells between islands and Cornish mainland for almost 50 years

Tears were shed, sea shanties sung and tales of stormy voyages exchanged as one of the UK’s most characterful ships set sail for the final time.

Scillonian III, also known as the “vomit comet” because in stormy weather it tended to rock a little too much for the comfort of those susceptible to sea sickness, has chugged between the British mainland and the Isles of Scilly, for just shy of half a century.