~ QUEEN MARY 2 ~

CONSTRUCTION OF THE LARGEST LINER IN THE WORLD


PART SIX

~ BEGINNING WITH THE ARRIVAL OF QUEEN MARY 2 ~
~ AT SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND, DECEMBER 26, 2003 ~

On Boxing Day, December 26, 2003 there was great excitement and interest, in the U.K., in anticipation of the first arrival of the world's largest passenger liner. World Ship Society (Port of New York Branch) is very appreciative to Peter Hewitt for the following six photographs and captions that describe the first arrival of QUEEN MARY 2 in her home port of Southampton, England. Peter, a resident of Manchester,England, drove 460 miles round trip and sailed out to meet and photograph this great liner for the first time.


(Copyright Peter Hewitt 2003)


Boxing Day, Friday, December 26, 2003
QUEEN MARY 2 materializes out of the mist.
"As we ploughed South into the teeth of a stiffening gale, the first thing we saw was the plumes of seawater from the fire boat. Then a huge towering bulk loomed indistinctly in the mist - could this be her? The binoculars confirmed it - QUEEN MARY 2 had arrived! So it was out with the camera, and maximum telephoto!"


(Copyright Peter Hewitt 2003)

"As she drew nearer, it became clear just how massive this ship was, with her Cunard flag and British Red Ensign fluttering far above us."


(Copyright Peter Hewitt 2003)

"As she came alongside the dozens of small craft which had come out to welcome her, her Tannoy played Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem at maximum volume. She may have been built in France, she may be owned by an American company, but like a true Cunarder, she was coming home to Britain."


(Copyright Peter Hewitt 2003)

"She sailed past the docks to a point where she could turn - just! Our knowledgeable skipper said she was turning using only her own power - the tugs at fore and aft were merely keeping the lines taut with their own weight, just in case of emergency."


(Copyright Peter Hewitt 2003)

"As she sailed back towards us, her beauty as well as her size looked stunning. "


(Copyright Peter Hewitt 2003)

"QUEEN MARY 2 turned again to draw alongside the Queen Elizabeth II Terminal, where the earlier Queens had also docked, ready for her naming by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 8 January 2004. A forest of satellite dishes were on the quayside - clever of Cunard to choose a slow news day for this event, which received planty of coverage on British TV."

Additional photographs of this event may be viewed at:
http://pjhrailpics.fotopic.net/show_collection.php?id=89162



Commodore Ron Warwick, Master of QUEEN MARY 2
and Pamela Conover, President of Cunard Line
at Southampton, December 26, 2003.
(Photo Credit BBC)

THE NAMING CEREMONY AT SOUTHAMPTON
BY HM THE QUEEN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2004

Link to the speech given by Pamela Conover,
President of Cunard Line at the naming ceremony.



QUEEN MARY 2 on January 8, 2004
ready for her naming ceremony at Southampton.
(Photo Credit BBC)



HM The Queen and Commodore Ronald Warwick
on board the liner prior to the ceremony.
(Photo Credit BBC)



HM The Queen and Commodore Ronald Warwick
on the bridge of QM2.
(Photo Credit BBC)



HM The Queen named the new liner QUEEN MARY 2.
(Photo Credit BBC)



After the naming ceremony a spectacular
firework display illuminated the harbor.
(Photo Credit BBC)



A recent oil painting of QUEEN MARY 2 by Donald Stoltenberg.
QUEEN MARY 2 at sea, at speed.
(Courtesy of Don Stoltenberg)



The recent painting of QUEEN MARY 2 by Stephen Card.
QUEEN MARY 2 sailing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and arriving in New York harbor.
(Courtesy of Captain Stephen J. Card)

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