Some of The QE2 Anniversaries!

[Twynkle]

14th July 1997:  Maiden call at Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

[Louis De Sousa]

14th July 1997:  Maiden call at Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

Yes, remember that day...........

[Bob C.]

Just 7 more days until my 40th anniversary of boarding QE2 for the very first time.  I think I am more excited now than I was back in 1969!  Cabin 4144 and table 407 in the Britannia, here I come!!!

[Bob C.]

OK it's close enough - 12:48 am GMT 14 August and because I won't be near a computer when it's 14 Aug in the states, now is a great time to post this.  

My first time on QE2 - 40 years ago today, 14 August 1969.

More photos of that voyage can be seen here (https://www.flickr.com/photos/33120597@N03/sets/72157616250526148/).

Five of the eventual six of us (my mom, dad, 2 sisters and me) were on that first voyage with 7 more crossings, and a brother to come, over the next 10 years in our future.  I'm the 6 1/2 year old boy in the photos.

[Louis De Sousa]

Great photos Bob.

Louis

[Fairfield]

Some shots of her first return to the Clyde in July 1990 to celebrate Cunard's 150th Anniversary.

[Twynkle]

4th September 1995:  Maiden call at Invergordon, Scotland

[Twynkle]

11th September 1995: Sails through a 98 foot freak wave on her way to New York  

http://www.roblightbody.com/liners/qe-2/1995_freak_wave.htm

[Louis De Sousa]

11th September 1995: Sails through a 98 foot freak wave on her way to New York 

And heres the damage.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ex-crewmember/sets/72157621962244680/detail/

Louis

[cunardqueen]

4th September 1995:  Maiden call at Invergordon, Scotland

I remember it well, my second time onboard as a visitor, took mum with me, and she fell in love with the ship right away.
Invergordon as always put on a special welcome anytime QE2 visited. Sadly she never called there on her farewell to the UK voyage last year. Had she done the sendoff would have left Belfast and South Queensferry attempts well in the shade.  (well lets face it a group of school children with balloons could have done better )
I did make one mistake of staying too see her sail off, Not the best of choices and it wasnt to be recommended, To be on the quayside and see her sailing off was a very strange experience
Now just where did l put those photos.... 

[highlander0108]

September 16, 2008, saw QE2 call on New York for her second to last time.  I was there, although I just photographed the ship.  See link below of my recollection of that day. It pained me to see her sail off into the sunset, but I knew this time was not the last.
Ken
http://qe2-prideoftheclyde.blogspot.com/

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

September 16, 2008, saw QE2 call on New York for her second to last time.  I was there, although I just photographed the ship.  See link below of my recollection of that day. It pained me to see her sail off into the sunset, but I knew this time was not the last.
Ken
http://qe2-prideoftheclyde.blogspot.com/

So, Ken, we could have met much sooner!

I was there too, steaming into and out of New York on QE2... exactly a year ago today.

The write-up is under this photo (it was part of my diary, written on board) :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/2864905581/

The other photos of the day (over 100, I have to confess...) are here :

https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=%22day+7%22&w=55206992%40N00&z=m

As the pictures are assembled here following a "search" in my photostream, they are pretty much in random order -- which may or may not add to your enjoyment!

It was one of those supremely memorable days, and I am so very lucky to have been able to do this on QE2... doing what she was built to do!

[highlander0108]

Funny that we both had the same shot taken of us in front of QE2 that day.  There is a good chance too that I saw you on the pier while milling about.  I had a brief chat with Thomas in the terminal that morning I think, as he was rushing out.

I wondered why the ship ever so gradually was turned and pointed down the river by the tugs.  Now, having read that the bow thruster seals were leaking and they were avoiding using them and it all makes sense.  It was pretty neat to see the tugs at work down at ground level, seeing the tow lines get taught and creak as a load was put on them to pull the ship off the pier.  That new tug was pretty impressive too as it could spin around on its own axis.  I was one of the few on the pier waving you off and i would have done anything to sneak onboard.......

The Crystal Symphony appeared to be on the same itinery as QE2 and had a far superior webcam so I monitored your progress through that, especially on the departure from Boston when QE2's cam locked up and was not refreshed for hours.

Ken

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Amazing! I was surprised that there were only a handful of people waving us off -- mind you, they were enthusiastic...
So you were one of them -- had I known, I would have made sure to wave to you... 

I did take pictures of them, but have not uploaded them -- so shall check some time whether I might have caught you there!

The tugs scraped QE2 a bit that day, as we saw when tendering in Newport next day, but the crew did not think that this was much out of the ordinary for New York. It must be one of the hardest places to manoeuvre her.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3338964358/

Here is a video I enjoyed making, of our lead tug, Gramma Lee Moran, tooting in farewell to the lovely voice of QE2 :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3163046827/

And of course, it was a fabulous sunset, with all the New York buildings gleaming, and the sea itself turning gold before we retired to our cabins to change for dinner...

Crystal Symphony stayed with us for the next two days, but never said a word...  ... was she shy about her voice?

[Kathy M.]

Amazing! I was surprised that there were only a handful of people waving us off -- mind you, they were enthusiastic...
So you were one of them -- had I known, I would have made sure to wave to you... 

I did take pictures of them, but have not uploaded them -- so shall check some time whether I might have caught you there!

The tugs scraped QE2 a bit that day, as we saw when tendering in Newport next day, but the crew did not think that this was much out of the ordinary for New York. It must be one of the hardest places to manoeuvre her.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3338964358/

Here is a video I enjoyed making, of our lead tug, Gramma Lee Moran, tooting in farewell to the lovely voice of QE2 :

https://www.flickr.com/photos/prondis_in_kenya/3163046827/

And of course, it was a fabulous sunset, with all the New York buildings gleaming, and the sea itself turning gold before we retired to our cabins to change for dinner...

Crystal Symphony stayed with us for the next two days, but never said a word...  ... was she shy about her voice?

My Dad got off the Symphony in NY on 9/16 - he said it was rather snobby - maybe the ship has the same attitude!

Also - I noticed in your Flickr account a video of a plane flying low over QE2 when you were departing - this may be a photo of it!