Saga Rose Greenland Voyager August 2007

[bcscot]

Yes, I was a little confused over all those Stellas,so thank you for sorting that out.Two lines using the same style of name is a bit confusing.

[bcscot]

Yes, I was a little confused over all those Stellas,so thank you for sorting that out for me.It is confusing when two lines use the same style of name.

It seems then that my grandmother was keen on BDS cruises.Maybe today they would have gone with Fred Olsen.Later in life my mother became a keen Princess passenger.She tried either the Saga or Vista Fjord,at my suggestion,but being a dancer & a bit of a theatrical type,she preferred the American glitz & showbiz razamataz(?) of Princess.

I had a good laugh at CGT's story about the Can Can.My mother never would tell her fellow passengers that she was a professional dancer.She would then take part in the talent contest & steal the show with her 'piece de resistance',the 'Charleston'.She was great at it,even in her mid 70s! It was a little naughty of her but she loved it.

[bcscot]

Does this board have a mind of it's own? I get partway through my composition when it disappears later to reappear published on the board! I suppose I have to be very careful which buttons I push here!

[Saga Ruby]

Does this board have a mind of it's own? I get partway through my composition when it disappears later to reappear published on the board! I suppose I have to be very careful which buttons I push here!

 

Yes, indeedy, this board has a mind of its own. E-types will tell you that 2+2=4, the binary system always works, garbage in, garbage out. The truly smart e-types will admit that sometimes 2+2=5, power surges can wax and wane, and server memories fill up, causing speed bumps in the electronic highway.

 

If you post an unfortunate note, you can always point your cursor at the red Alert button right by the number of the post in the upper righthand corner of your note, and type a note to a host with a request to delete it. Most of us by now simply put in another post saying something eloquent like "Argh" or "duplicate post." No worries, Graham. We've all been there, done that.

 

Note to Conte - I have finished the final Harry Potter book. Ahhhhh. Slight problem - now I can't talk to anyone about it and spoil the saga for them.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Welcome back from the book world Ruby.Thank you for the info. I am happier now I know where the panic button is.

[Kapricorn]

I have finished the final Harry Potter book. Ahhhhh. Slight problem - now I can't talk to anyone about it and spoil the saga for them.

 

I've never read a Harry Potter book, but have seen all of the motion pictures. I suppose that I will have to wait until the next one is in the theatres before I know which characters were eliminated, but I'm sure that I'll find out earlier somewhere in the wonderful world of the Internet. Were you happy with how the book ended? Just say "yes" or "no".

 

Did you read the whole book in one sitting? I've heard of a woman who read "Gone With the Wind" in one sitting, subsisting on water and crackers. I don't remember how long it took her, but it was under 24 hours.

 

Donald.

[Saga Ruby]

Did you read the whole book in one sitting? I've heard of a woman who read "Gone With the Wind" in one sitting, subsisting on water and crackers. I don't remember how long it took her, but it was under 24 hours. Donald.

 

The saga is over, the myths have now become reality. I am entirely satisfied with how the books began and how they ended.

 

I had a reading plan in place and followed it. Every hour or two, I would get up, go out into the yard, drink some water, have a snack. I read about 8 hours on Saturday, then 5 hours today (Sunday). These books have brought me riveting entertainment and fascinating historical bits of Roman and Greek mythology.

 

The fun fact is that I'll go to Greenland and Iceland, come home, and reread "Deathly Hallows" to absorb tiny details that became critically important. That's the great thing about these books - they can be reread with as much pleasure as they were initially.

 

Officially stepping off my HP soapbox,

Ruby

[Conte Di Savoia]

I haven't read any of the books myself although all the volumes are in our house. Perhaps I should bring some for the Saga Rose cruise (although we have no sea days). The movies have been great. We were out shopping today at our local B&N which actually has so many copies available that they built a castle out of them. We diminished a turret by one block. Even our local supermarket had them on sale with the artichokes and asparagus. Egads! We had hoped to see Daniel Radcliffe in Equus during our stay in London in August, however, the run is over.

I think we're way off topic here!

[bcscot]

I'm afraid that I stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest over on the Cunard board today with my very first new post.Most of the replies were edited out!I think I will stay here in future.I far prefer the company.

[Saga Ruby]

I'm afraid that I stirred up a bit of a hornet's nest over on the Cunard board today with my very first new post.Most of the replies were edited out!I think I will stay here in future.I far prefer the company.

 

I feel your pain. I've never posted on Cunard but have read it over the years and find the civility (ahem) level has changed. And, in my opinion, Cunard is not the only forum to have become fractious. We are happy to have you in our group.

 

Dunedin? I love that city. I feel sure that you know Dunedin NZ is a classic Scots town and quite appealing. It has the rolling soft hills of Scotland and the beauty of the Highlands.

 

There is a hill far out on Otago Peninsula which contains both the Disappearing Gun and the Royal Albatross colony - one of my favourite tourist spots. We stood inside the gun turret at the top of the hill and watched out the turret slit as a few albatrosses landed on the greensward directly in front of us, walked around preening, then took off again by awkwardly stumbling down the sloping green grass to soar majestically into the skies. When I saw one bird stretch its wings, I thought, "Gee, that isn’t such a long wingspan." Then the bird extended the rest of its wing tucked under the first half and I was gobsmacked by the length of that wing.

 

Back then, in 1998, in the bowels of the hill, we watched the Disappearing Gun being cranked around its circular track as was done in WWII. The accordion mechanism that lifted the gun from an underground facility to a firing position on top of the hill was fascinating.

 

I made friends with the owners of Fletcher Lodge up on High Street, a luxury b&b in Dunedin with dropdead views of the Otago Peninsula. We drove out into the hinterlands away from the coastline, we had brunch on the Peninsula, we had a yuppie lunch downtown (Nova? Something like that.) An hour-and-a-half after ordering sandwiches, I asked my hosts if there might be a problem with our order. They were quite casual, saying that that amount of time at lunch was to be expected. Above all, I was advised to never - never! - tip in New Zealand because it would "spoil everything." My unspoken thought was that tipping might produce a sandwich in less than 2 hours.

 

I liked Dunedin so much, both the town and the people, that when I was in Florida, I had a friend drive me out to"Dunedin" Florida (pronounced differently) where I posed for a photo at the town’s highway sign. Florida can’t hold a candle to the Kiwi city.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Thank you Ruby.I think that Cunard sails in shark infested seas so I will remain in calmer home waters.Those crossings can get a bit rough! Don't worry though,I had a good chuckle over it!

We lived in New Zealand for a year in 1985 & loved it.We were down below Balclutha(another old Scottish name) in the Catlins & later moved over to Queenstown.We loved it & planned to go back but only made it as far as Canada.Yes,we did see those majestic birds.Did you make it over to Queenstown,to sail on the beautiful old Earnslaw,on Lake Wakatipu? Can you tell us anything about that one Doug.?!

[Druke I]

I agree that Dunedin is a lovely town. We were there in Jan 95, and were properly "piped" by bagpipers when we sailed (on the old Pacific Princess, the Love Boat).

 

You don't really have to travel that far to see "disappearing guns". Over at either Fort Barry or Fort Kronkite, Presidio of San Francisco, they had similar guns back in the old Coast Artillery. I have a rather interesting paperback on the Coast Artillery in the San Francisco Bay Area during WW2.

[Kapricorn]

My goodness, I remember the Earnslaw! My parents and I traveled to New Zealand, Australia and Fiji in October 1983. We stayed in Queenstown for a couple of days. A beautiful town, we felt as if we were in the Alps. We didn't go on the Earnslaw, but I snapped a photograph of her as she majestically steamed past us on Wakatipu Lake (see photograph).

 

She has been sailing on the lake since 1912.

 

Donald.

[bcscot]

Donald,you are such a great source of wonderful ship pictures.That is a beautiful picture of the Earnslaw chugging past the Queenstown park with the Remarkables mountain range behind.I have a print similar to that on my wall at home.When I lived there,two years after your visit,they opened a new 'ski field' up on the Remarkables.I worked there,skied there,climbed there,slept in a tent in the snow there,flew up there in a helicopter & flew over there in a small plane, so it looks kind of familiar!

I have so many lovely memories of the Earnslaw.She was the last steam powered passenger ship in the southern hemisphere.Does anyone know if she is still sailing?(where has Doug. gone?)

We lived in a little house down near the lake & the old Earnslaw would puff past several times a day, her steam whistle going 'peep peep'.I sailed on her several times. On one occasion we attended a function on her one evening while cruising down the lake; live band,dancing,buffet & free bar.Yes, very memorable & just as good in it's way as any ocean liner or behemoth!

I remember when the snow was melting on the mountains in the autumn(fall),so the hillsides looked patchy black & white,one elderly Australian lady tourist said to me;'Oh look,that dirty old smokey steamboat has made such a mess of all the beautiful snowy mountains'!!!!

[Kapricorn]

Yes, the Earnslaw is still sailing. :) Check out this site:

http://www.experiencequeenstown.co.nz/the-experience/water/cruises/tss-earnslaw/

 

I wonder if there will be special events for the Earnslaw's 100th birthday in 2012?

 

I'm laughing at the comment that the elderly Australian lady made about the Earnslaw having dirtied the snow on the mountains.

 

You better believe that I have a collection of ship photographs. Whenever I see a ship, I whip out my camera. Here's a photograph which I took in the summer of 1962, of the Empress of England departing from Montreal. My mother and I had gone onboard to wish "Bon Voyage" to my aunt's parents who were going on vacation to England. I believe that Ruby sailed on her five years earlier, in 1957.

 

Donald.

[bcscot]

Many things we want to do but always in the future.Desires to sail on the QE2 & Saga Ruby have had to be hurredly concreted into definite plans due to SOLAS.We have wanted to go back to New Zealand since 1985 & recently we have talked of cruising there someday.However, Donald, you may just have sown the seed for a 2012 trip for the Earnslaw's centenary.

What an amazing thought;sailing on a 100 year old ship! CGT talked of sailing on ships that sailed in the 1930s,but it seems I can trump him there!!!

Donald, if you get wind of the Topaz coming back to Vancouver,please let me know.I would like to see her.

[bcscot]

Saga Rose is what I ment to say & I know the Topaz was the Empress Of Britain, not England.Just making that clear.:)

[Kapricorn]

The Topaz will be back in Vancouver on Sunday, September 2, according to the Port of Vancouver schedule. :)

 

Donald.

[bcscot]

Thank you. Unfortunately I cannot go to Vancouver on that day.:(

I enjoyed the pictures on the Earnslaw website. :)

All of my early sailing experiences & many of my later ones have been ( & still are) on ferries & lake steamers.These are often wonderful trips I think these vessels tend to be overshadowed by the big 'glamour'ships. I can remember going 'doon the water' on the famous Clyde steamers & paddle boats as a child,(near Greenock Donald,but nowwhere near Liverpool.):D

The 'Waverley' is still on the go & is an ocean going paddle boat.We were on the Prinsendam this year & were delighted to see a painting by Stephen Card of the Prinsendam in the English Channel with the little Waverley in the picture nearby.

[Saga Ruby]

I did indeed ride on the TSS Earnslaw on Lake Wakapitu on a day cruise. That old steamship was a highlight for me plus the breathtaking geography. I loved her wooden bi-level decks, the faint hissing of the escaping steam, the extraordinarily tall red-and-black smokestack. Old boats just send me. I too am laughing about the "dirty mountain" comment from the Aussie lady.

 

Graham snapped my head around when he mentioned the Waverley. When he said that, I copped onto Waverley Station out of Edinburgh, my all-time favorite station. With the Castle looming over Edinburgh, the lovely soft green hillsides - a loverly, uh Waverley, place.

 

I was traveling around New Zealand for three weeks by train on North and South Island plus using the Marlborough Sounds car ferry. I still have a great memory of disembarkation from the car ferry in Picton on South Island. Everybody lined up to get off, I found my two cases and put on their leashes, then spotted the train station 300 yards from the ferry. It was the usual beautiful Kiwi day, clear blue skies and bright sun, so off I went toward the station pulling my wheeled cases on a smooth sidewalk.

 

It dawned on me that nobody else was around. Where did all the ferry passengers go? I glanced over my shoulder to see everybody lined up, piling into buses to take them the few yards to the depot. It took them an hour to load everyone and their cases while I had a leisurely café lunch and purchased some postcards.

 

In Wellington NZ, I hired a cabbie for a day. Turns out he was a geologist who lectured at the local university who tipped me that Te Papa, the national museum, had just opened its doors. It was a grand place to visit and I got to stand and shake in the "earthquake room." I also rode out a 6.2 earthquake in Greymouth NZ but that’s another story.

 

My cabbie took me to Old St. Paul’s Church, a simple, dignified white wooden structure. I groaned and said that I had seen enough churches, cathedrals, and synagogues to last me for the rest of my life. With a twinkle in his eye, the cabbie said that I might enjoy this one.

 

When we walked up the stone path, the double doors opened into a sanctuary completely covered in beautiful shining-dark wood beams with flags of all nations hanging in respectful silence over the extensive sparkling dark-wood pews. The striking interior beauty of that church is not to be missed. Graham, have you been to Old St. Paul’s?

 

One reason I stay away from tour groups is that there is no allowance to take personal time when something individually appeals to you. I like to pause and take the time to work out what I have seen, whether historical or natural. I never have that kind of interest in a gift shop.

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

Sounds like you had a good look around when you were in New Zealand Ruby.We visited Wellington but missed St.Paul's.One does get rather overloaded with too many of the ABC sites(another beautiful church!).However I gather this one was special.Maybe next time! 2012???

 

O.K. Ruby; you have Waverley station & I'll have the paddle steamer Waverley!

[dougnewmanatsea]

I have so many lovely memories of the Earnslaw.She was the last steam powered passenger ship in the southern hemisphere.Does anyone know if she is still sailing?(where has Doug. gone?)

I'm still here ;) .

 

I'm afraid lake steamers aren't my forte - indeed I'd never heard of this one before. I once knew a guy who was quite an expert on this subject but haven't heard from him in a while :( .

 

I do enjoy the little steamboats they have in Stockholm though...

[bcscot]

Doug.,my wife was sorting through some old family photos & she has just come across an old photo of her grandparents in a family group shot taken onboard a ship,probably in the late 1920s.The lifebelt reads 'Carinthia', which I understand to be a Cunarder from that time. We assume it is one of those farewell visits onboard for a relative emigrating to Pennsylvania.

We understand that the Carinthia often sailed from Glasgow (near Greenock Donald:) ) to New York. Can you tell us more about her,& maybe Donald can come up with a photo,if he is not too upset with me for being cheeky!;)

Graham.

[Saga Ruby]

About New Zealand - I intend to go back in the next year or two for at least two weeks, maybe rent a car. I have not driven on the "wrong" side before, but believe that I can now do it without meltdown at a roundabout. New Zealand is such a nice pleasant place for driving that it wouldn't be a "white knuckle" situation

 

I want to go back to Pancake Rocks outside Greymouth which is the best set of blowholes in the world. I stood there for over an hour, jumping in excitement as the waves slammed into the rocky cliffs. And I would like to visit more of North Island.

 

I never dreamed I would be on another ship in less than a year after the 25 days on Nautica. But with Saga Rose and SOLAS rearing its ugly head, I had to book this cruise at which point I personally will be off ships for the foreseeable future. I'm back to land travel.

 

The last three things on my travel list are Antarctica, the Bay of Fundy and its incredible high tides, and the Northern Lights which I have been chasing for years. When the Island Princess crossed the equator sailing from Oz to Malaysia, it was such a thrill to watch the Southern Cross setting over the horizon. But those Northern Lights are pesky things - I've been at the top of the world many times (Isle of Skye, Svalbard, Alaska) but always in summer and perpetual sun. This native Texan has to get toughened up for some cold weather and see those Lights!

 

Ruby

[bcscot]

I am sorry to here you will be off ships for a while. When you go back to New Zealand, if you get the chance, consider visiting the coastline in the far SE of South Island, in the Catlins area between Balclutha (old gaelic name for the Clyde, you know,near Greenock Donald....sorry sorry I know I have exhausted that one but I could not resist!!:o ) & Invercargill.It is wonderful & I am sure that you would love it.

If you would like to see my Waverley,I have found a wallpaper picture ,which I now have set up on this computer.Go to: www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk , choose the wallpaper option then select the large size,collection 3 & you will find a picture & story.

 

Graham.