Oriana (II) & Oceana (II)

Due to bad weather continuing through February 2014, caused by the jetstream hating us like in 2012, the shipping schedules were buggered up again.  Back on the 10th, Southampton VTS listed Oriana and Oceana double parked (or piggy-back) in Ocean Terminal and sailing at 4.30pm on the 15th.  Oceana was in actual fact due the 13th while Oriana the 15th so something was going a bit loopy there.  Well until it turned out Oceana was staying put for two days, then it all made sense.  She arrived for 7am on the 13th and backed into Ocean to ride the worst out.  Meanwhile, P&O's oldest ship, Oriana, was arriving for 2.45pm on the 14th, while their newest, Britannia, was being floated out at a dry, sunny, Monfalcone in Italy.  Oriana was docking in City Terminal with the aid of tugs Bentley and Surrey.

And so after a night and morning of horrendous weather and localised flooding, would the girls sail?  Despite a strong wind warning from the Met Office being extended past 3pm, Oceana's crew were determined she would sail half an hour before that.  As it turned out, she left just before the hour with the assistance of Surrey and Sarah.  Those two tugs went to help Oriana too, who left at 5.20pm.

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© Patricia Dempsey 14th & 15th February 2014
Not to be reproduced without permission