| Because my mum was having worse dizzy spells than usual caused by her cancer, we left it until the 3.55pm bus in case one or both of us couldn't go. Mary was peeking over the marina while it was absolutely packed when we reached the front, though thankfully not on the front. All but Indy were due for 4.30pm with her fifteen minutes later but they changed it. Ventura remained the same while Oceana was changed to 5pm and Mary half an hour later, the same time as a car carrier in the dock behind. It was hot but did keep becoming cold again as the cloud came over. Ventura threw her ropes five minutes late, gave three parps and backed out. As she did so, Indy at one point also began to move before going back alongside. |
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| After she'd straightened, she blasted to Mary who reciprocated. I said a few years ago P&O are humourous with their parps and Cunard staid and nothing's changed. I think it's the type of horn which doesn't allow for variation. But Ventura's little ones caused laughter among the spectators. As she was passing, Indy gave three loud, long belches to let everyone know she was on the move. |
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| Indy gave another three very loud blasts as she moved forward. A few people had left after Ventura but the huge crowd remained. |
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| Oh to have been out on the water! Hotspur IV nipped behind Indy and followed her down. I wondered if it was the same skipper we had last May when we followed Grand Princess back to the pier, who had left after Oriana and Indy. Normally they just pass to and from Town Quay. Each time since Indy arrived in 2008, they have blasted to whatever ship of whatever line, unlike Navigator when she was here or Legend the only time I got her. We did it on the maiden voyage as we passed Queen Victoria. As she neared Mary, there was silence. I said to my dad I don't think she's going to do it then went and did! Mary replied which was great. A shame she was the wrong way round because hers was muffled in comparison. |
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| Ten minutes late, Oceana gave three quite blasts as she edged sideways. Some of the people from behind now sat down the front and continually got in the way. Grrr! |
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| Since Oceana and Mary were the same company, we knew there was no chance of silence and they didn't let us down. Meanwhile an odd-looking bright yellow boat appeared as well as an eleven year old super-expensive yacht called Senses you can charter for between $259,000-280,000 a WEEK. Could buy a million dollar one with a month's hire charge. Some people have more money than sense. The Lord Nelson also went out again. |
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| Mary singled up at 5.40pm so was definitely going to be late. Meanwhile the car carrier emerged from behind the grain silo with Maddie on her stern. Even after it was safely out the way, it took another ten minutes before she threw her last ropes and moved. Surprisingly, as well as the vast majority of the crowd remaining, Mary didn't back into the Itchen to turn. She instead went forward to the Lower Swinging Ground. Maybe it was a tidal issue but it was strange since she's reversed each time she's there for more than a year. With the time getting on, I remarked to my dad it was like her early days of a 6pm departure. |
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| Despite a successful turn, Mary was moving rather too slowly while her bow pods were kicking up too much water. A later check on the AIS revealed she had been doing 1.1 knots at this point. Then suddenly she ground to a halt. We couldn't help wondering if she had mechanical problems but then the Red Funnel which had been waiting all this time off Town Quay moved forward so we guessed it was that. We kept an eye on the little blue and white boat to the immediate right of her bow and she did begin to inch forward again as Red Osprey came the other way. The next thing was she moved back into the berth when she approached it. We overheard someone guessing she'd hit something but then a man told some women behind someone had been taken ill, she would be tied up and it would take an hour. VTS changed their departure schedule for her to pm. |
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| We don't know whether they had some side ropes in use but she was too far forward of the berth to be properly moored. We could see water kicked up by her bow pods so they were using those to keep her against the dock. We'd decided to give it until 7am to see what happened since she was clearly ready to leave as soon as the person was off. Most of the crowd had gone leaving about a dozen or so. We heard sirens which we assumed was an ambulance and just before 7pm, she moved off, giving three loud blasts just as that bloody Red Osprey did the usual trick of getting in the way! |
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| It had become nippy again by now so we were glad to FINALLY get home and warm up as well as have something to eat. |
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