Haynes World - ships, ferries, a laugh on the ocean wave, and other interesting things...

19 April 2018

London in the spring sunshine


Embankment Gardens, beside the River Thames


Plimsoll statue, Embankment Gardens



Plimsoll statue, detail


Tattershall Castle, on the River Thames Embankment

11 April 2018

FERRYING SEPTEMBER 2017 Part 1


Saturday 16th September 2017
At 5.25 this morning the doubtful pleasure of travelling with Southern Rail kicked in yet again, and my train for Gatwick Airport was replaced by a bus for half of the journey! Ah well, all went to plan after that as I eventually arrived at Gatwick, met one of my travelling companions for breakfast and we flew away at 9 o'clock towards Pisa in Italy.

As we disembarked a couple of hours later I thanked the staff and was invited to step inside the flight deck - I like that sort of reaction; the pilot told me the route we had flown over the south of England and made me feel very welcome for those few minutes.

In Pisa Airport we met up with another chum, collected the hire car and drove to the coastal port of Piombino further down the coast. Once parked, we walked along the quayside to board our first ship of the trip: the MOBY NIKI. She was originally built in 1974, and I remember her as CORSICA SERENA SECUNDA - one of the 'golden girls' with a bright yellow hull.

We sailed from Piombino at 2 and arrived at Portoferrairo at 3.00 on MOBY NIKI. We'd been fascinated during the journey by all the Batman and Robin illustrations and artwork around the ship, which were certainly eye-catching. We had to disembark before embarking to sail back to Piombino on the same ship.


Moby Niki


Wall art


Batman - mind your head


A table top


More wall art




Moby Aki across the water


Giovanni Bellini


Giuseppe SA, of Moby Cargo, Olbia


Deck plan


We footies waiting to disembark


View from the quayside


Moby Niki funnel logo

This had the name of LAMPOGAS along the side hull


Our next vessel was the SCHIOPARELLO JET hydrofoil from Piombino back to Portoferrairo via another small port on Elba. The journey was rough and quite uncomfortable and we could imagine the vessel when she was RED JET 5.


Schiopparello Jet (previously Red Jet 5)


Inside


We had time to find a favourite cafe and enjoy a freshly cooked meal before heading back to the quayside to embark on our last ship of the day.


Moby Baby Two was on the quayside


Her entrance


Moby Baby Two


Oglasa was heading into the port


Corsica Express Three sailed out


Stelio Montomoli was also at the quay


This time we sailed from Portoferrairo on MOBY KISS, built in 1975, and known as the METTE MOLS at one point in her career.


Moby Kiss


We boarded before any of the cars


The entrance to the Sports Bar


Unexpected passenger


Oh look, it's Moby carpet


Moby Kiss life ring


Back in Piombino on the mainland we checked into the Hotel Phalesia, where we have stayed before, and slept well after the first day's enjoyable ferrying.

Ships seen: Oglasa (Toremar), Moby Niki, Moby Aki, Lampogas (ex CalMac), Giuseppi SA of Moby Cargo in Olbia, Giovanni Bellini (Toremar), Moby Kiss, Moby Baby Two, Marmorica, Schiopparello Jet, Rio Marina Bella, Corsica Express Three, Stelio Montomoli, Acciarello


To be continued...



03 April 2018

Mithras - London Mithraeum


A newspaper article in November 2017 which caught my attention


Crowds in 1954


I went to London and walked across the road from Cannon Street station


And there behind me was the site of the London Mithraeum:
12 Walbrook, London EC4N 8AA


From another angle


Entry is free, but with a timed ticket; I was handed this booklet on entry


Built on a special place


What to see


Descend through time - an extraordinary sensation as I went down many steps to the past


There was the altar


From another angle


Base of one original door post, near my feet


On current ground level


A closer look at some of the finds


Beautiful fragments


I had a fascinating and memorable visit; details can be found at https://www.londonmithraeum.com


After my visit I walked along and down College Hill


Richard Whittington's Church


Round the corner was the entrance to St. Michael's Church, and the offices of The Mission to Seafarers, at St. Michael Paternoster Royal, College Hill, London EC4R 2RL
(https://www.missiontoseafarers.org)