Photo: Stornoway Seafari
This photo shows the sea swell surging up to two metres -
All of the oil rig's eight anchors were unhooked and the platform towed by small tugs to the Hawk at the mouth of Broad Bay.
Despite the good progress and reduced wind, the operation halted when the swell increased in height.
The Hawk took on ballast water overnight into Friday morning to lower her deeper in the sea water in preparation for the rig to be floated over her submerged main deck.
Photo: Stornoway Seafari
Photo: C J "Salmon" Macdonald
The swell continued to be a major problem, dashing hopes to remove the rig on Friday
Sea swell delays oil rig
30 September 2016