ON THE CONTAINERSHIP
"P&O NEDLLOYD BEIRUT"
DAY 3 - 4
(Click on any of the photos for a full size version)
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ON THE CONTAINERSHIP "P&O NEDLLOYD BEIRUT" DAY 3 - 4 (Click on any of the photos for a full size version) | |
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The Captain gave Paddy some lessons on being a helmsman, and after a few minutes, let him steer the ship (keeping a watchful eye on him all the time !), but how many 14 year olds can say they have driven a 22,000 DWT ship ? ! After the stress of driving the ship, what better than to cool off in the ship's swimming pool on the 4th deck, filled with sea water. As a practical joke, the chief Engineer put a couple of lobsters in the pool one morning, just for fun ! |  |
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At 15:00, a Japanese Car Carrier, the "NADA V", overtook us and crossed our bows. As we approached the Straits of Gibraltar we began to see more and more ships. Ships were not all we saw, as dolphins started to appear around our ship, jumping and playing with curiosity. They were faster than we were, so they darted under and around the ship. This was one of the things we had hoped to see, but the day had many more surprises in store. |  |
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At 20:25 the Chief Officer (W. Beeck) spotted a big ship on the horizon. It was the Q.E.2. To Steve's astonishment, he called her up on the radio, saying that we were the containership on their port beam and that we had 3 British passengers on board. The Q.E.2. replied (with very posh English accents !) noting that we were the P&O NEDLLOYD BEIRUT, heading for the U.K. and they wished the 3 British passengers on board a good voyage home. ...cool, huh ?? |  |
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By dusk, we were entering the Straits and so we all sat out on deck (with a glass of wine/beer), as we sailed past Gibraltar (on our starboard side) and Ceuta, North Africa (on the port side). It was an unforgettable, magical sight, and from the bridge you could see the lights in Africa (on the left) and Europe (on the right) at the same time. The Rock of Gibraltar was illuminated and had lights flashing from the top. The Chief Engineer told us that the flashing was really the famous apes with torches..... (another joke !) |  |
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