OCEAN POST

Two paintings of the "NIEUW AMSTERDAM" by Stephen Card, Nico Guns copyright

Today I bring you the "QUEEN MARY 2", the last truly ocean liner built at CHANTIERS DE L'ATLANTIQUE" in Saint-Nazaire. The QM2 was delivered to CUNARD in December of 2003 and departed Southampton on her maiden voyage on the 12th of January 2004. I have followed the QM2's construction in France, sailed on the ship in 2006 and have photographed her many many times in different European ports, here we see the QM2 in Southampton and Liverpool. She is an incomparable ship with the double role of Transatlantic liner and cruise ship, I am very grateful to Stephen Payne for designing the ship and for everyone involved in the project of building a truly ocean liner, something all the passenger ship enthusiasts thought it was a thing of the past. Vitor Francisco

Three images of "FUNCHAL" leaving Falmouth for a cruise in the MED, photos from 31.8.2014. "FUNCHAL" was built in 1961, the ship remains laid-up in Lisbon facing a very uncertain future Vitor Francisco

Seen here at Lake Starnberg, near Munich, is the model of the wheel tug "STRONGBOW" with the colours of the ALEXANDRIA TOWING COMPANY, a firm first established in Liverpool by George Bell Cowl in 1882, the original ship was built in 1927 by SCOTTS BOWLING, this beautiful tug was first owned by STEEL & BENNIE LTD a company from Glasgow, under the name "WELSH ROSE", she was scrapped in 1964. Photos Burkhard Schutt

Remembering the "THOMPSON SPIRIT". Built in 1984 as the "NIEUW AMSTERDAM" for HOLLAND AMERICA LINE", she was just under 34.000 G.T. and I say she was because the ship was scrapped earlier this year. The photos included here were taken in Venice, my last photos of the ship, at the time back in 2017, she still looked in very good shape and a lot of people including myself was expecting her to sail for some more years, it wasn't to be and she was sold for scrap late 2018. "THOMPSON SPIRIT" was a fine ship, fortunately her sister ship, the "MARELLA CELEBRATION" still cruises, making a lot of "real ships" enthusiasts very happy. Vitor Francisco

Steam ship "KIELER SPROTTE" at Kiel, this handsome little ship was built in 1905, photos Vitor Francisco

"NORMANDIE" of 1992, is a cruise ferry operated by Brittany Ferries on their busiest route, Portsmouth to Ouistreham ( Caen ). She is one of the most photogenic ships to photograph, the use of colours makes it an incredible experience, she was designed to give the impression of a Grand Hotel, photos at sea, 18.9.2019, Vitor Francisco

HMS "QUEEN ELIZABETH" at Portsmouth, the lead ship of the "Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers", the largest ships ever built for the Royal Navy, the second ship of the class, HMS "PRINCE OF WALES", will be commissioned in 2020. Photos taken from the cruise ferry "PONT-AVEN" in February of this year. Vitor Francisco

The new WIGHTLINK passenger ship, "VICTORIA OF WIGHT" seen at Portsmouth, photos taken from on board "NORMANDIE" departing from Portsmouth to Ouistreham, the new ship was built in Turkey and entered service in 2018. Photos Vitor Francisco  17.9.2019

Saint-Malo has seen an increase in cruise ship calls in the last years, the ships anchor in front of Dinard and then are ferried from the ship to the city. Yesterday, 19.9.2019, it was the turn of the AIDA CRUISES, "AIDAvita" to visit this wonderful place. The ship arrived early morning and it was at anchor just before 08.00, just in time for "Bretagne"'s arrival at 08.15. Soon after embarking "Bretagne", I went for breakfast and then to the bow of the ship, opened to passengers, to register these photos, they were taken from "Bretagne" already underway. Vitor Francisco, 19.9.2019

Last Tuesday, I took the "Brittany Ferries" cruise ferry, the "NORMANDIE" on a voyage from Portsmouth to Ouistrehan, the Port for Caen. It was another fascinating sea-voyage like so many others, calm seas, which I also like, excellent weather, and a terrific meal at the "A La Carte Restaurant", DEAUVILLE. Prior to dinner, I was able to spot and photograph the "MONT ST MICHEL", companion to the "NORMANDIE" on the Portsmouth to Caen route, later, following dinner, the sunset was quite dramatic and in the space of 15 minutes, a cruise ship, "AIDAcara" and a fishing trawler completed the setting, nothing quite like a voyage by sea, these moments are unique and exquisite. All photos Vitor Francisco 18.9.2019