Tuesday 23rd June 2015
Overnight the sea breeze and cool air coming in through the open window ensured a good night's sleep, so the alarm clock sounding at an early hour was tolerable. Breakfast was included in our hotel rate so after finishing that we checked out, put rucksacks in the hire car and walked down to the port again. This morning we are to take the 8.10 a.m. MOBY BABY from here in Piombino over to Portoferraio in Elba, and then return on another vessel. This afternoon we are to drive south to Naples, return the hire car to a local agent, and get to the port for an overnight ferry with a fascinating itinerary.
All went to plan and we were soon on board MOBY BABY (ex-Sealink's EARL GODWIN) which was built in 1967 at 5,667 gross tons as the SVEA DROTT in Sweden by the AB Oresundvarvet at the Landskrona shipyard. In 1974 she was acquired by Sealink Ferries and sailed as the EARL GODWIN before commencing service with Moby Lines.
She has been sailing this Piombino to Portoferraio route for over 25 years, with her distinctive Moby whale artwork, so we were pleased to be on board. We were even more pleased to find a polished wooden door with an inset glass porthole with the engraved words ORESUNDVARVET LANDSKRONA around the outside edge of the glass. The door did not open from the deck where we found it, but the etched name of the builders could be clearly seen in reverse.
We sailed on time at 8.10 a.m. and enjoyed seeing all the other ships coming and going in the local waters.
From Reception we made our way up the sheer to the forward lounge, past the usual ball pit for the children.
The furnishings on board were the expected Moby blue colour; I liked the little sweeping staircase from the upper deck down to the Reception/Information area and of course we all enjoyed being at sea again for our hour-long journey across to Elba, on another ex-Sealink ship.
We arrived at Portoferraio (again) at 9.10 a.m. and berthed in the ferry port area, ready to disembark into tremendous heat to take photographs of our next ship arriving before getting under cover in the shade of the Port Cafe.
Ships seen: Moby Baby, Moby Love, Moby Lally, Giovanni Bellini, Acapulco Jet
To be continued...
