Gallery Four

Unlike the other albums where there are often no more than one image of a specific vessel, this showcase album is used to feature a single ship. Currently showcased is the new Cunard cruise ship "Queen Elizabeth".

The first 15 images displayed were taken in the early morning of the 8th October 2010 when she arrived at her home port of Southampton for the first time. The remaining 9 were taken when she departed Southampton in the late afternoon of the 12th October. All these latter photographs were taken from the deck of a preserved steamship, SS Shieldhall positioned just off Esso berth 105 at the Fawley refinery,

This showcase image shows her passing the P&O cruise ship Ventura after she had turned at the upper turning ground and was heading down the docks to the Ocean Terminal where she was to be named on Monday 11th October by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. Of particular interest was the position of the press helicopter.

This was the first complete sighting that I had of Queen Elizabeth as she emerged through the early morning sea mist. The light was poor so the camera needed a very high ISO setting hence the grainy image.

Here she is passing the Esso berths at the Fawley refinery. It was good that the early morning sun was just breaking through.

This stern shot gives a very good idea of her contours. Her shape is very similar to that of her sister ship the Queen Victoria.

At this point in her arrival she is sailing up the Solent, almost parallel with Netley Abbey.

Her escorting tugs joined her just before she arrived at the dock head Southampton to give her the traditional welcome

At this point she had passed the OceanTerminal where she was to berth in order to passage along all of Southampton docks with the exception of the container terminal.

At this point she had passed the Mayflower terminal in order to turn through 180 degrees at the upper turning grounds. What was so memorable was the way the early morning sun placed the ship in silhouette.

This picture shows shortly after she had turned round and was heading back down the docks in order to berth starbourd side to at the Ocean terminal.

Some small details of Queen Elizabeth.

Some small details of Queen Elizabeth.

Some small details of Queen Elizabeth.

Some small details of Queen Elizabeth.

Some small details of Queen Elizabeth.

Some small details of Queen Elizabeth.

This image was taken from the deck of a preserved steamship SS Shieldhall positioned just off the Esso berths at the Fawley refinery. It shows just a small proportion of the littles ships that accompanied Queen Elizabeth on her first journey down Southampton water.

This images is of the paddle steamer Waverley who followed Queen Elizabeth down Southampton water. You can see from the numbers on board how popular the event was.

This picture shows the well-wishers assembled in front of Calshot castle.

Here, Queen Elizabeth is seen rounding Calshot having entered the Thorne channel.