Sorry folks, no the large vessel seen in Douglas bay this morning was not the Steam Packet’s new fast craft. It was a farewell visit from the QE2. Although as she has never visited us before, I’m not sure why she called it a farewell visit, I guess it must have been a sort of hello good-bye job. Having just checked out AIS, she is now heading for the Mersey bar and making 19 knots. The QE2 arrived from Cork early this morning and set off for Liverpool around 7 a.m., the same time as the Viking would have left on her Steam Packet sailing for Liverpool. So, why didn’t the Packet charter the QE2 to take the 7 a.m Liverpool sailing as they were going there anyway? J

For many years the QE2 lay in Derbyhaven. Well at least an old tub lay on the breakwater in the early 60’s with the name QE2 on her bow. On further investigation though, this vessel turned out to be named Kewaige the 2^nd and was merely a play on words. Cunard have always named their flag ships after Britain’s queens. Why then did we have to wait so long for them to name one of their liners after Queen Victoria? The Steam Packet had a Victoria bought in 1927 and broken up in 1957, so what took Cunard so long? Well the story goes that back in 1935 when Cunard were building what was to be the Queen Victoria, the chairman of Cunard was having dinner with King George the 5^th, or was it the 6^th. Anyway the King asked the question, “What are you going to call your new liner?” “We thought we would call her after Britain’s greatest queen!” replied the chairman. “Wonderful,” replied the King. “When I get home I will tell my wife, she will be delighted.” So, Cunard had no choice but to call their new liner “The Queen Mary.”

The QE2 will go out of service in November and become a floating hotel in Dubai. However, has she not been that ever since she was built in 1967? I wish the QE2 a long and happy retirement. However, I hope that as I write they are not presently laying the keel of the “King Charles the 3^rd!” I will however settle for Cunard to name the next liner after Charlie, provided they do the same as the Steam Packet and leave it 1000 years before they get round to it. i.e.“King Orry”