Le Boreal, 27th April 2011, Part 1

LE BOREAL 27th April 2011

25th April 2011 Easter Monday
After a few days on COSTA VICTORIA, I disembarked in Savona, Italy, and with one of my travelling companions took the Costa bus to Nice railway station (with time for lunch at Flunch) to get a train west along the coast to the French city of Marseille. Recently publicised incidents involving train passengers from Italy arriving at the Italy/France border made us realise that the coach travel was a wise choice. An evening meal at the Blue Riband restaurant amongst nautical objects ended a long day of travel, and my small hotel in the Vieux Port area proved a good choice. Marseille had begun to work its magic.

Ships seen at Savona: Costa Luminoza, Costa Concordia, Costa Deliziosa, and Costa Victoria; seen en route to Nice: Corsica Express Seconda, Sardinia Express, Corsica Express III, Carmel Ecofresh, Corsica Serena Seconda, and at Antibes the Seabourn Legend.

Tuesday 26th April 2011
Today’s Marseille newspaper informed that LE BOREAL and L’AUSTRAL would be arriving in port between 8 and 11 a.m. so we set off to enjoy a day of harbour trips from a French sea-port.



The little CHEVALIER PAUL carried us over to the 1516-built Chateau d’If under a glorious clear blue sky, ready to be tourists amongst the towers of this former prison.





A helicopter flying overhead was the only thing to disturb the peace of the golden morning, while a ferry sailed calmly out of port.



I couldn’t see a ragged rascal running round the rugged rocks (to quote an English tongue-twister) so we watched a basking lizard and thought about his ancestors.



The Chateau d’If is of course known as the setting for novelist Alexandre Dumas’ story of The Count of Monte Cristo.



Also, not a lot of people know that a rhinoceros lived on the island for a few weeks in that year of 1516, en route as a gift from the king of Portugal to the then Pope Leo X. The animal died in a shipwreck on the next part of its journey, so it arrived in stuffed form when presented to the Pope. History does not record his reaction…






Tassili II was doing trials at the far side of the bay.

With the small coffee shop closed, it was time to take another little ferry boat to the nearby island of Frioul, with its marina, restaurants and coves.



Near the landing stage we passed a wonderful, extraordinary, amazing piece of building constructed to look like a ship emerging from the rocks behind it. What fun to be able to create a home like that for oneself.




Then it was back to the port on yet another little local ferry, and on to Le Ferry Boat across the short width of the inner harbour (free) to look in the blue-painted bookshop;



there I had to buy some picture postcards which were puns on the French word for lighthouse (phare): fan phare, atmos phare etc.

More travelling chums arrived, an ice-cream shop was found and all was well, especially with tea or beer to follow. Later still another restaurant was chosen, where we could enjoy fresh local food.

Ships seen: Chevalier Paul, Atlantic Star (yes, still there), Le Boreal, L’Austral, Silver Wind, Mediterranee, Napoleon Bonaparte, Pascal Paoli, Girolata, Mein Schiff, a fast ferry laid up, Tassili II on trials, Coral in her new funnel colours, Neptune Thelisis, Henri Jacques Esperandieu, Edmond Dantes, Le Ferry Boat

Grand Holiday 31st March 2011

A Grand Holiday, with Ibero Cruises





This is the start of the diary for a grand holiday on Grand Holiday, departing from Barcelona.

To be continued...

Summer 2010, Part 7

Summer 2010, Part 7

Saturday 10th July 2010

Life started early this morning on board ANCONA sailing from Split to Ancona, so that we could accept the invitation to visit the Bridge. That was such a treat, as was the Purser taking us into the two forward VIP suites to see the original fittings from 1966 when she started life in Gothenburg as M/S SAGA.


Soon it was 7.30 a.m. and arrival on ANCONA. This was our very last opportunity to sail on this Blue Line ship as she will not get through the 2010 SOLAS Regulations which come into force on 1st October; there will no longer be the chance to sit in the Bar area of Distinguished Class…

After coffee and breakfast at a waterside café, we left the luggage safely in the old Ferry Terminal and watched SVETI STEFAN II arrive in the port – she is to be our overnight ferry for the next part of our journey from here in Ancona, across the Adriatic Sea to Bar in Montenegro.







After a lovely hot day in Ancona, we checked in at the new Ferry Terminal – no luggage lockers here – then it was back to the old Ferry Terminal for a good meal in the 1st Piano (the first floor) restaurant, with its wonderful open windows looking out onto the port.

My ferry friends had sailed on SVETI STEFAN II before so thought they knew what to expect, with no private facilities, but descending so far down below the car decks came as a bit of a shock when we saw what was actually in store for us. The public rooms were charming in parts, and we liked the original art work,



but things had obviously deteriorated since Matt had last been on board.

I found the Ladies toilets absolutely disgusting. There seemed to be no facility to flush the toilet that I could see, even though the workings were not covered up. The shower cubicles were equally awful. I took some pictures of the toilets (and their contents) to show the Reception ladies. They were horrified and apologetic, and immediately delegated one of their number to don the rubber gloves and get down there and do something (poor girl). We went down again and she could see that I had been telling the truth. She showed me how the toilets were supposed to be flushed, by the tiniest little knob on the back, but indicated that there were some disgusting female passengers on board. As soon as she finished I was more prepared to use the facilities, but most of the ladies toilets on the ship were nearly as bad.

She was built in 1973 as PRINZ HAMLET (2) for the Harwich-Hamburg service of Prinz Ferries. From 1981 this service passed to DFDS, who then bought her in 1987; Stena Line bought her in 1988 (STENA BALTICA) and owned her for all of a month; they sold her on to Polferries and she operated in the Southern Baltic as NIEBOROW. She was then sold on in 2002 to Adriatic Lines (Montenegro Lines), where she became SVETI STEFAN II. We think that little money has been spent on her since then.

We left Ancona at 4.45, watching from the deck rails. Everywhere seemed very grubby, including the plastic chairs on deck – most of which were locked together. Ah, that reminds me of sailing on the memorable MAJESTIC in July 2008 from Barcelona. On this ship we will all just try and enjoy what we can. This included seeing SCOTIA PRINCE sailing nearby.



I enjoyed a cup of tea in the Cocktail bar near the Restaurant, with its sky blue tablecloths and views of the calm sea outside, and bright pink-painted bar, and was soon joined by the others. Some hours later we had a simple dinner in the Restaurant and, after a last walk on deck, took to our beds. I remember that I could hear the lapping of the water beside my left ear when I was lying in bed that night – we were certainly well below the car decks.

Ships seen: Superfast VI, Philippos, Sveti Stefan II, Ancona, Croazia Jet, Fiona, L’ Austral, Scotia Prince, Regina della Pace, Olympic Champion, Riviera del Conero, Cruise Europa,

Sunday 11th July

This hot ship has been an endurance for us, without any air-conditioning or fresh air inlets below decks, so that at 6 a.m. I had to get out of the cabin. All the female toilets smelt of ammonia and I didn’t dare breathe in too deeply until I reached the open deck. The male toilets were all occupied or I would have gone in one of them.



I went in search of coffee or tea, but the coffee shop was closed so I took a photo of the delightful birdie wallpaper barely visible in the gloomy room, and found breakfast available in the Restaurant.

We enjoyed the sail up the Montenegrin coast, in beautiful hot clear sunshine, amazed at the dramatic sheer and craggy mountains so close to the water’s edge.





We arrived at Bar, in Montenegro, at 9.15 a.m. and were able to leave our bags in the terminal office until later in the day;


we walked around the town enjoying the architecture, the sight of a miniature red London bus being used as an advertising gimmick,


and parents with a child in a pushchair walking along with a large SpongeBob SquarePants balloon beside them.


Not a lot of people would recognise this balloon character but I believe it has great significance in some people’s lives.

New places always provide new views on life, and our next plan was to take a taxi along the coast to the famous island of Sveti Stefan itself. Described by some as an islet, it contains a 15th century fortress, which became a fishing village, and then a tourist resort.


Now it is privately owned and closed to the public so we were not even allowed to walk along the short isthmus to step on the island. It is in the process of being turned into a ‘high end’ tourist destination



of guest cottages and suites (Aman Sveti Stefan), and it looks a delightful place. We enjoyed watching and hearing a noisy discussion about where to replant an olive tree, which was suspended in mid-air whilst the decision wasn't being made. Ah well, photographs and lunch, and back to reality.

Back at the terminal my friends went off to photograph ships in another part of the harbour, whilst I walked in another direction. That’s how I met a very pleasant Customs officer called Daisy (ok, so I went the wrong way) and we entertained and amused each other for a while with talk about English things (she wanted to practise her English), car holidays to Greece, our journeys and my companions, Wimbledon tennis and the delicious fruit she gave me in her air-conditioned office.

The rest of the day was spent admiring the scenery, the air and views,


and a meal in an upstairs restaurant in the little terminal building, before checking in to sail on SVETI STEFAN itself for the 10 p.m. departure from Bar, heading overnight for Bari in Italy. We saw a turntable down on the car deck as we went on board.



This is a 1977 vessel built for Brittany Ferries as M/S CORNOUAILLES, then chartered to SNCF, British Channel Island Ferries, then Condor Ferries


on various English channel routes until 2000 when she was sold on




to Montenegro Lines and sailed from Weymouth (after lay up) to Montenegro. This ship seems more comfortable for us and the other passengers; World Cup football was showing on every television in the public rooms, so that may have been why we sailed late.




Ships seen: Sveti Stefan and Sveti Stefan II

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich



I was recently invited to be a guest blogger for the NMM, because of my particular interest in the current WATERLINE EXHIBITION.




This is the poster for the micro-Exhibition;



















this is the cover of the wonderful publication from the NMM's Mr John Graves;






and this will take you to my first guest blog piece, so I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/blogs/collections/

Summer 2010 - Part 6

Summer 2010 - Part 6

Thursday 8th July 2010
“A Riveting Day”

Another early alarm call began our leave-taking in Vela Luka; the Restoran Pob Bore had been an excellent find and we left there with light hearts and totally clean clothing!




This island of Korcula (part of Croatia) seems full of welcoming people and wonderful scenery, and ferry travel seems the ideal, indeed the only, means of transport.



We caught the ferry VIS at 9.30 a.m.,







heading for Ubli on the nearby island of Lastovo, arriving at 11.15 a.m. and carrying us 3 amongst the 10 passengers and 2 cars. We had to disembark via the car deck at the stern so were able to count! That was also our chance to see the inside of the hull, absolutely covered in rivets.

VIS was built in 1965 in Germany as SYDFYN at 959 gross tons, and designed by Knud E. Hansen for Danish owners to take Danes to Germany to buy tax-free cigarettes; in 1976 she was sold to Jadrolinija and became VIS, sailing in Yugoslavian (now Croatian) waters. It was wonderful to see the 1965 mural featuring the islands of South-Eastern Denmark, with the Nordisk Faergefart house flag in the centre, still on the wall of what was the cafeteria.


At Ubli we hurried off the ship to get tickets to Split, knowing that we had to get there via Vela Luka. The staff in the little quayside office mentioned that VIS would stop sailing after September so we were pleased to have sailed on her, and grateful to her Captain for allowing us on his Bridge for a few minutes.





I seem to have a couple of photographs taken with my camera peering down in the depths of the vessel, which are interesting.





So there we were, heading back to Vela Luka on Korcula island, amongst the mountains, islands, and blue sea, in glorious sun and air. I do love England but also welcome the chance to travel in different waters in a different climate…

Back at Vela Luka we had to disembark and watch VIS prepare to depart, only to see our next ferry appear to take us on the two and three-quarter hours journey to Split on the mainland. What a contrast as we embarked on the 2007-built KORCULA of Jadrolinija (2,923 gross tons)




and both ships headed out into the sea ways. It was good to be the second ferry to leave and then catch up and pass VIS and see her reflection in one of the windows on board KORCULA.



Passing the island of Hvar and Hvar town, I was thrilled to see several dolphins down in the sea on our starboard side.

Split’s picturesque harbour was full of ferries coming and going, against the mountain backdrop, and another beautiful place to arrive by sea.









We enjoyed the shipping scene for a few hours before boarding the brand-new JADRAN, completed just this year in a Split shipyard for this route from Split to Stari Grad on the island of Hvar. She was spacious and interesting to see. It may be a new ship, and designed for these waters, but my goodness it was a bumpy journey in calm seas and my ferry friends said it was not the right design for this route. What a shame and I wonder where she will end up…







Our thoughts were diverted by the sight of the good ship MARKO POLO (built in 1973) heading towards us.



Goodness, she looked amazing, considering she had been sailed onto an island and sustained considerable damage. She had a new bow and lots of new paintwork, and it was great to see her again. We had sailed on her in July 2007 and thought she might never sail again after her recent accident.




Once into the channel leading to Stari Grad on Hvar island, the sail on JADRAN felt more comfortable for its passengers, and suddenly we were back in what I like to call my dream-time – the tiny and lovely little port of Stari Grad, set amongst woods with a natural harbour. As usual we were greeted by locals offering accommodation and again we were lucky with our rooms in a local house near the water (Apartments Sober). The village allows no traffic in the centre, so everyone strolls around happily and enjoys the local facilities. After a happy dinner and evening, I slept in a comfortable room with the most beautifully embroidered bed linen – what a delight.

Ships seen: Vis, Korcula, Dubrovnik, Regina della Pace, Hrvat, Krilo Jet (a fast craft), Biokovo, Marko Polo, Judita, Karolina, Petar Hektorovic, Tin Ujevic, Jadran.

Friday 9th July 2010
“Day for a Little Treasure…”

No alarm clock call, no need to rush anywhere, no food for breakfast, so my day started with a stroll to the local little shop up the hill for some goodies to eat sitting around the kitchen table. After such a leisurely start, our apartment host offered us a lift to the ferry for the 11.35 a.m. TIN UJEVIC from Stari Grad to Split, ready for a rather special evening sailing from Split. I do love visiting Stari Grad and felt rather reluctant to leave; last time I was here I didn’t think I would ever get back again, and yet here I am.

TIN UJEVIC was built in 2002 in Greece as ANO CHORA EXPRESS, and then in 2003 was sold to Jadrolinija for sailing out of Split to various islands on the Dalmatian coast, carrying 1000 passengers and with her current name.




We disembarked in Split at 1.00 p.m. and left our luggage in store; again the authorities needed our passport details – and money – before that could be done.



Then we were free to explore – Matt to sail to Rogac on the island of Solta on board LASTOVO which was built in 1969 in Japan, and Bruce and I into the ancient city. We enjoyed seeing the plentiful food and fresh fruit markets, the Palace and other ancient buildings, and overhead the swooping swallows enjoying the light and heat like us.




Lunch in a small local back-street restaurant was arranged, although as we sat at a tiny outside table there was a sudden ‘splat’ on the table, and we realised a passing swallow had left us a messy souvenir. The waitress soon brought good food and cleaned the table before putting the plates down, and all was well. Good job the swallow flew over when he did, I thought. The narrow street had stone houses on both sides, and quite a few pedestrians walking along, so it was a very cheerful and active area.






I loved seeing the Promenade area now looking very established with its aromatic herbs and plants around plentiful seating, which all offered views of the shipping in the large harbour, or the wide street and elegant buildings.








Then it was time to collect our luggage, rendezvous with Matt safely returned from Rogac, and check in on – how exciting – ANCONA of Blue Line, to sail to Ancona in Italy.















Cabins down on deck 2 of this 1966 Gothenburg-built little ship smelt overwhelmingly of diesel so we were glad that a change could be made. Seeing the aqua-coloured wash-basins in the cabins reminded me of other happy journeys on this little wooden wonder, with so much original panelling and lighting still to be seen. The ship seemed very full but we must have been lucky, and may not be asphyxiated now, in our newly-allocated cabins. The kindly English-speaking Purser also arranged for a Bridge visit for us early tomorrow morning. Gin and tonic and a good Restaurant dinner finished the day off beautifully.




Ships seen: Ancona, Judita, Adriana, Tin Ujevic, Jadran, Marjan, Biokovo, Hrvat, Lastovo, Saranka, Croazia Jet, Krill 2, Karolina, Korcula, Petar Hektorovic