FERRYING IN SEPTEMBER 2017 (Part 4)

Tuesday 19th September 2017
My alarm went off at 6 o'clock; on deck it was distinctly cold and dark, so we met in the stern bar on MOBY DADA for coffee and croissant as we approached Genoa. As the sun started to come over the horizon we went out on deck to see our arrival in this delightful harbour; down on the forward deck we could see a ship's bell and to our delight it was from the PEARL OF SCANDINAVIA. It looked a little the worse for wear and sea miles of course.

Entering the harbour at Genoa

Pearl of Scandinavia bell

Ark Forwarder


Going further past the breakwater we could see the laid-up MOBY ALE and MOBY LOVE in the harbour, and on a last look around on board we could see another St. Peter Line sign from one of MOBY DADA's previous lives.

Moby Ale

Moby Love

Having a whale of a time...

Familiar Genoa sight

Leaving Moby Dada


About 7.30 a.m. we could disembark and head for the overhead walkway leading to the big terminal building. We took our last photographs in the early morning sun of the colourful MOBY DADA at her berth here in Genoa, before heading for the railway station.

The red side

The other side

View from the walkway which leads to the terminal building


We were soon on the train to Livorno; when we arrived there we returned to the hire car and drove to Florence airport to hand it back to the hire company. That had all gone to plan, and we were free now to get to Florence railway station for the next stage of our journey south.

Train departure board


We had reserved first class tickets for the Florence to Naples train and were glad of the chance to rest and relax after the rather rough seas overnight. The sun shone, the coastal waters looked good, the mountain tunnels were interesting, and we enjoyed whatever we saw on our way south.

On arrival in Naples we took a taxi to the memorable building that is the Maritime Station ship terminal and, once we had checked in, waited patiently in the queue with other foot passengers to board SNAV ADRIATICO.

Waiting to board as foot passengers

Too close to get the whole picture

Along the yellow walkway


Soon we were all walking along between the yellow lines to get up to the cabin decks. We are on board SNAV ADRIATICO, built in 1986 as the KONINGIN BEATRIX at 31,910 gross tons. She later became STENA BALTICA and then SNAV ADRIATICO, which explains some of the artwork and decorative items we saw around the ship.

Plan of the ship

We liked this mural

Cartour Gamma

They look useful

Royal Princess

Laurana


We had a look round on board before heading to the outside decks for better views of other ferries nearby. The interesting little LAURANA was nearby, and we all had happy memories of sailing on her in June 2015 (Ferrying 19th June '15).

Koningin Beatrix

Map on a stairwell, from a previous life


After watching us sail from Naples, we visited the restaurant and enjoyed a good meal. Our overnight sail from here in Naples to Palermo in Sicily, arriving tomorrow morning, would signal the end of our current ferrying fun but there were still many hours to go first.

Ships seen:
In Genoa: Moby Dada, Moby Ale, Moby Love, Driade (the ex-Naples ferry), Ark Forwarder

In Livorno: Moby Vincent, Moby Aki

In Naples: SNAV Adriatico, Cartour Gamma of TT Lines, Laurana (such happy memories of sailing on her down 'volcano alley' to Sicily), Bonaria, Raffaele Rabattino, Royal Princess, Norwegian Epic (?), SNAV Orion

Wednesday 20th September 2017
The seas were quite rough overnight so we were rather glad to see the city of Palermo ahead as we approached the harbour.

Wall art

More artwork

Antonello da Messina

Palermo through a porthole before sun-up

Life ring of SNAV Adriatico

The ship berthed but there were delays in getting the passengers off, so when the announcement came for footies to disembark it was a welcome sound. We rushed off the SNAV ADRIATICO and two of us had to get in the arranged taxi to hurry to the airport for return flights back to the UK.

Ships seen: SNAV Adriatico, Antonello da Messina, Eurocargo Ravenna


Once again, our ferrying trip had been very enjoyable, on some interesting vessels.

FERRYING IN '15, 26th June, Rosa d'Abundo, the concluding piece

Friday 26th June 2015 (continued)
This is the last day of my holiday and I planned to make the most of it, by enjoying this first ferry ride to Ischia and then sailing on another one back to Naples.

Naples and Ischia

Ischia

Blue sky, flowers, scooter, heat

My travelling companion will be sailing part of the way back but will disembark at Procida for an overnight stay before he flies home tomorrow. It is a small island, with ruined remains of its founding in the 8th Century BC, as well as more modern delights and ferries.

The harbour entrance to the port of Ischia is narrow and it was easy to see when our next ferry came sailing in: it was ROSA D'ABUNDO, sailing for Medmar. Medmar changed its name in 2002 from Linee Lauro, and this was one of the ships in their fleet at the time. She was built in 1981 as the ANGELINA LAURO, at 851 gross tons.

Here's our ferry

Rosa d'Abundo


There was a very efficient man on the quayside telling us all where to stand, please, so that the disembarking passengers and vehicles could get off the ship safely - some people tried to ignore him, at their peril, as he wanted the ship cleared quickly! It was interesting to watch his style of working, which he has obviously perfected over the years.

Waiting, waiting...


Soon we were allowed to walk on board and look around this little ship which had blue furnishings and was cool and welcoming on board. Many of us chose to sit up on one of the canvas-roofed open decks to benefit from the sea breeze. The sun shone, the sea sparkled and there was lots to look at as we sailed at 10.35 a.m. from Ischia towards Procida and Naples. We seem to have done a lot today already, in a comfortable and leisurely way, after the early race from SNAV SARDEGNA.

On board

Blue on board

One of the open decks

Agata

Tourist Boat Secondo

Fauno

Naiade


We arrived at Procida and there were fond farewells between the two of us, as passengers left the ROSA D'ABUNDO and others came on board.

Macaiva at Procida


I waved at the quayside and then sat back on the top deck under cover, to continue to enjoy the delights of being at sea.

Aldebaran, which we sailed on this morning

Approaching Naples again

Isola di Capri

Benedetta II

Don Peppino

Giove Jet

Rhapsody

Laurana tucked in, good to see her again

Catania

Capri

Driade


Back in Naples I disembarked with everyone else, went through the passenger terminal and was glad to see a free blue shuttle bus waiting to take us all to the Maritime Molo. Then I did a hot little walk to the Pic Nic cafe, which I'd located on the internet. Not only did they make and sell fresh salads and other food and drink, but they also sold Airbus tickets at a discount; I could sit in the shaded comfort of the cafe and enjoy my lunch before I had to catch the bus to Naples Airport from a nearby stop. I waited beside the bus stop in the shade of a very wide advertising pole (inspired positioning on my part) and was surprised at the number of taxis that pulled up and offered to take nearby bus passengers to the airport for some expensive fare. The bus arrived and I was soon at the airport, ready to fly home to the UK and resume my other life.


Ships seen: Rosa d'Abundo, Catania, Driade, Don Peppino, Allure of the Seas, Laurana, Vincenzo Florio, Rhapsody, Capri, MSC Divina, Giove Jet, Benedetta II, Isola di Capri, Island Escape, Aldebaran, Macaiva, Fauno, Naiade, Tourist Boat Secondo, Agata



It was a long time since that e-mail arrived on Christmas Day 2014 inviting me to join two of my friends for ferrying in June and we had all been looking forward to it as the plans were made by them. My holiday had been fascinating, travelling on many interesting ships, in good company, and I felt so lucky to have been Ferrying in '15.


THE END