DianaSpirit Of Tasmania (LINK)
June 2nd 2008 12:25
What is it about watching huge ships slip away into the night which causes nostalgia and reminiscence?
Down to Station Pier tonight to view the departing of the beautiful red Spirit of Tasmania.
Three great blasts from her horn, reminding me of tuning up my tenor saxes in year 8 band tomorrow morning, and off she slowy but confidently backs, out into the as-yet undredged channel.
A still, perfect night for ship watching, though reminds me a little too strongly of that dreadful bit in the 'Titanic' where she is half sunk in the water, all the lights on and calmly going down.
As we sat semi-shivering on the rotunda and yelled goodbyes and our collie shivered at the dark water lapping below, I casually mentioned that this was the pier we had landed on when emigrating from England in the sixties...
My daughters were kind of interested in that snippet of information and it made us think of all the departures and arrivals that famous old pier must have seen.
Troop ships leaving for war.
Migrant ships with eager hopefuls...
Cruise ships....war boats...the Queen's royal yacht....Greenpeace?
Tonight though it was the Tassie passenger ferry steaming merrily away, probably by now well out of the heads and bashing her way sturdily across the Bass Strait.
With Michael aboard in the indulgent care of his grandparents.
Tomorow when he awakes they will be just coming into Davenport and the fully loaded vessel will disgorge her load and return to do it all again the following night.
If ever you get time, get on that Spirit ship. tis a wonderful fun experience and there is nothing else quite like it...
Down to Station Pier tonight to view the departing of the beautiful red Spirit of Tasmania.
Three great blasts from her horn, reminding me of tuning up my tenor saxes in year 8 band tomorrow morning, and off she slowy but confidently backs, out into the as-yet undredged channel.
A still, perfect night for ship watching, though reminds me a little too strongly of that dreadful bit in the 'Titanic' where she is half sunk in the water, all the lights on and calmly going down.
As we sat semi-shivering on the rotunda and yelled goodbyes and our collie shivered at the dark water lapping below, I casually mentioned that this was the pier we had landed on when emigrating from England in the sixties...
My daughters were kind of interested in that snippet of information and it made us think of all the departures and arrivals that famous old pier must have seen.
Troop ships leaving for war.
Migrant ships with eager hopefuls...
Cruise ships....war boats...the Queen's royal yacht....Greenpeace?
Tonight though it was the Tassie passenger ferry steaming merrily away, probably by now well out of the heads and bashing her way sturdily across the Bass Strait.
With Michael aboard in the indulgent care of his grandparents.
Tomorow when he awakes they will be just coming into Davenport and the fully loaded vessel will disgorge her load and return to do it all again the following night.
If ever you get time, get on that Spirit ship. tis a wonderful fun experience and there is nothing else quite like it...
| 42 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
