Day 8 - Southampton

Friday 13th October

At some time early this morning berthed at QE2 terminal Southampton.  Not too early a need to leave the stateroom so time for a coffee and finish the packing before breakfast.

Joined our group of preferred passengers for disembarkation, soon the call came through giving us the option to get going, quite a bit before our decks official time.  And so off we go, quickly through the terminal and over to the short term car park to collect the car, already there waiting for us, quickly and efficiently completed the formalities and off onto the roads of Southampton.

Another excellent adventure completed.

Day 7 - at Sea

Thursday 12th October

Rude awakening this morning when the Captain announced an evacuation of a seriously sick patient by an Irish helicopter.  Short delay and temporary course change.

After breakfast a few turns on the promenade before a return to our stateroom to start the packing.

Another helicopter evacuation needed, this time by a Cornish helicopter, another short delay and course change needed.  Captain said it was almost unprecedented for two evacuations on the same day.

 

 

Drama over for the day, so not much to do but the dreaded packing, we have been putting it off as long as possible. 

Just time to keep ourselves fed and watered and to try to keep ourselves occupied to avoid too much concentration on tomorrows departure.

Day 6 - at Sea

Wednesday 11th October

A lovely sunny morning, just the odd spot of rain about with associated rainbows.

After breakfast joined the queue to the Officer's Cocktail Party, 11.15 am seems a bit early to some of us, but most attendees seemed to get stuck in without much trouble.

Day continued sunny so just sat out and enjoyed the sun and the sea.

 

 

The afternoon talk was to decide whether the moon landings were a hoax faked up by NASA.  The evidence as presented convinced even the most sceptic that man really did walk, and drive, on the moon.

Managed to fit in afternoon tea, some blogging and some dinner before going to the Theatre for the performance by the Cunard Singers and Dancers of "Rhythm of the Night", another excellent production and performance.

Day 5 - at Sea

Tuesday 10th October

Usual start to our day.

Then off to the Theatre to see Dr Hoffman's second talk, this one on the Hubble Space  Telescope.  The telescope almost became a billion dollar disaster for NASA, just when they were looking for funding for the International Space Station, fuzzy images!

Fortunately, the scientists found why the images were fuzzy.  An incorrect set up in the grinding of the mirror caused a tiny error in the focus.  This led to a solution being designed to make corrections and then to the space shuttle mission to fit the new parts.  The mission required 5 space walks each lasting about 8 hours.  Dr Hoffman with his partner completed 3 of the 5 space walks.  Another team of two  astronauts made the other space walks. Fortunately it was a success and the comparable images proved just what an improvement the fix made.

 

 

Dr Hoffman

 

Since then Hubble has been upgraded several times, the original was all 1970's technology and things have moved on dramatically.  Hubble has multiplied our knowledge of the universe by several thousand times, especially in deep space where images from earth based telescopes showed empty space but Hubble showed millions of galaxies.

This afternoon off to the planetarium for the "Infinity of Space" presentation.

Tonight we went to the Cunard World Club Cocktail Party for a small glass of something and a few formalities including a presentation to the most travelled guest.

Time for a light supper before retiring for the night.

Day 4 - at Sea

Monday 9th October

Dull day today, though fog has largely cleared.

Breakfast and then time to relax and do some sorting out and blogging.

Proper sea day, got very little accomplished, just as it should be.

Weather brightened up later for a promenade on deck.

 

 

View Forward

 

Room service dinner tonight - fajitas our favourite.

Day 3 - at Sea

Sunday 8th October

Breakfast and then time to enjoy the sun out on the promenade deck. 

Sailing east this morning in very deep water, about 3800 metres heading towards the Grand Banks off Newfoundland, where the water is much shallower, about 100 metres.

 

 

Ships Bell, used at noon on sea days

 

Approaching the Grand Banks, where we were promised the chance of some whale watching, the weather cooled noticeably and quite soon we entered some thick fog.  The fog horn started blasting and everyone moved inside, visibility less than the length of QM2.

Tonight is the welcome cocktails with Captain Christopher Wells.

So on with the posh gear and down to the Queens Room.  Captain not in attendance, looking after the ship in the fog!  So Deputy Captain officiated.  Bit of a chat about the numbers and various nationalities of the passengers and crew.

Then off to dinner in the Britannia Restaurant, might as well make the most of getting dressed up. 

After dinner off to the theatre for tonight's performance of "Apassionata"   by the Cunard Singers and Dancers, all very good and most energetic.

Day 2 - at Sea

Saturday 7th October

After a good night's sleep being very gently rocked in nice sea air awoke to a calm sunny morning.

After breakfast attended the lecture by Dr Geoffrey Hoffman.  He a veteran of five Space Shuttle flights.  The lecture mainly concentrated on the human aspects of space flight and what is was actually like to be an astronaut and to be in space.  Illustrated with numerous photographs of space flight and notably the views of planet earth from orbit.

Next to the Planetarium for the presentation showing aspects of extreme weather on the other planets in the solar system.

Next to the talk by Charles Barclay of the Royal Astronomical Society about demystifying the night sky.  Quite a lot of guidance for stargazing even if very little about actually identifying the actual stars.

 

Grand Lobby

Enough education, this is supposed to be a holiday, time for tea and scones.

Relaxing afternoon and then dinner in the buffet.