SeapixOnline- Historic/Older Vessels - 1 of 1 QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 (1969/70327grt/IMO 6725418) - There were no fireworks, no tugs with floodlit water plumes jetting into the night sky (Auckland currently has no firefighting-equipped tug). In fact there was little to show that an era in New Zealand's maritime history was about to draw to a close.
At a little after 2200 hours tonight (21 February 2008), Cunard's iconic QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 slipped her moorings in Auckland, New Zealand and bade farewell for the last time.
Three blasts of the ship's siren was greeted with rapturous cheers from the crowds of Aucklanders who turned out to say goodbye to the Falklands War veteran and Grand Old Lady of the Oceans.
But sadly, apart from an assembled flotilla of maybe half a dozen small ferries, the preserved vintage steam tug William C. Daldy and just a handful of private pleasure craft, her departure was a big non-event.
If it had not been for the hoards of "Joe Public" who had braved the steadily building North-East winds and the operators of the commercial vessels on the harbour (well done Fullers Ferries and William C Daldy Preservation Trust!!), the city did nothing to mark the city's ending of it's association (an association which began way back on 14 February 1978) with the ship which has become, arguably, the most famous on the planet.
A moment in New Zealand maritime history which could have been built into a spectacular celebration was completely ignored. She was just another cruise ship moving out to make way for the next due tomorrow and the addition of yet another much hyped "$1,000,000plus into the local economy."
QE2............from the people of Auckland, "Thanks for the memories".
Keywords: MARITIME IMAGES, Cruise/Passenger ships, cruiseships, cruise ships, passenger, liner, pax, cruise, travel, passenger, passenger ship, passenger craft, holidays, vacations, relaxation, tourism, tourists, destinations, auckland, new zealand, nz, city of sails, downunder, aotearoa, travel trade, traveltrade, cruise new zealand, cruise nz, ports of auckland, port of auckland, ships, shipping, transport, transportation, logistics, trade, commerce, ship photos, cunard, Historic Shipping |
|
Copyright SeapixOnline 2023