Big. And that's about the sum of it. She was not pretty. Definately not elegant. No style or graceful lines. Not even a good looker. Just big.
QMII was so big you could see her bright red funnel towering above the treeline as we headed along Port Drive. The funnel even topped the concrete silos. Her overall mass made the familiar Wally look positively domestic.
A banner off the side of the ship indicated a 50m exclusion zone was in force. The Port Security were at the ready but did not offer any friendly advice.
At least QMII wasn't plain ugly like The World. The black hull and "Cunard" sturdy block font branded her. It also made it look like she had entered service way before 2004. But then again such a sturdy font may offer reassurance. A reliable upright brand might be in demand in the current seas of ocean liners.
A vulgar and tacky bright red love heart was plastered on the upper part of the vessel - supposedly in honour of Valentines Day and a marriage proposal. Poor woman, how could she say sod off in view of the TV cameras and a three month old baby to her credit ?
With a steady SE gusting in we decided to give the grindstone a miss. Being just before the bottom of the tide, heading out to the mouth would have required a slog south to the Darcy light before ripping it back up under sail. Could be done, but the first leg not my definition of fun.
Mark and David scooped up a couple of passes but somehow they just didn't seem like cruise liner aficionados. I would say more like something the cat dragged in. While a valid pass could have provided a fascinating glimpse into a floating consumer extravagence, I am also happy to paddle my cruise ship for one. At least you can park up on a deserted beach and not be confined to a smelly coal terminal.
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