Cobh (Cork) Ireland
Today we went into Cobh Ireland. I was up, dressed, and on the Sun Deck (at the top of the ship) first thing in the morning to watch the ship dock. It was misty and refreshing and only a few people were out on the decks. I was able to get some great shots of the port and surrounding islands as the ship came in and docked without even a bump.
As I was coming back down the stairs to meet up with Kerry for breakfast, and to get ready for our excersion, I commented to a gentleman sitting out on the deck in a hot tub (brilliant) about how good our captain was and he told me that our captain didn't land the ship. The ship was landed by a "pilot" (captain). He said that pilots come on board at each port to pilot the ships into the port safely, since our captain is not familiar with the individual ports. Evidentally they also pilot them safely out of the ports. Then once the ship is on its way the Pilot leaves the ship on a small boat that races up to the side of the cruise ship so that he can get aboard. [New bucket list item: Seeing today's pilot leave the ship].
When we headed into Cobh we knew we were expecting rain so we dressed in layers. We had signed up for a tour of Spike Island which was originally a fort and later a prison. It was a facinating tour and our guide Elizabeth was very funny and knowledgeable about the Cobh and the Island.
In town we learned a lot about Cobh and its rich history as a sea port. Cobh was the last stop for passengers boarding the Titanic before its voyage to meet the iceberg. The Tittanic did not come into the dock but instead they took the goods and passengers to then ship via "tenders" to save time. This is a picture of the dock they used to send the tenders to the ship.
The Lusitania another doomed ship that was torpedoed by a Germans U boat just outside of Cobh. (Note: Cobh is the second largest natural sea port in the world. Sydney Australia is number one). The fisherman and Irish Navy tried to rescue and recover the victims. Elizabeth showed us the dock used to bring them back into Cobh and a war memorial for those lost at sea.
We then boarded a small boat called the Brian J and crossed over to Spike Island for the tour.
Elizabeth gave us a lot of interesting facts and stories. Today was the 33rd anniversary of a prison riot there. Evidently a bunch of teenagers that were being held there for stealing cars took over the prison and burned down several buildings.
After the tour was done and we were back in Cobh I wanted to take a few more photographs and got to talking to some of the local fisherman. We stood for quite a while in the pouring rain discussing the best Irish whiskey after some heated debate it was decided that Glennross of Belfast (the one sitting on the right) was the winner when he chose Blackbush 1609. They were very funny and we enjoyed our lively conversation until their captain came and rousted them all to head back to their fishing boat.
Then it was time to hide the two bottles and head back to the ship.
Once back Kerry took a nap and I started inquiring about where to watch the pilot leave the ship. A security officer told me they always go off mid-ship on the starboard side so I set out to find the best view. I spoke to the staff on the Ledo deck and decided to try the glass walkway as it looked down on the center and it gave me a view if most of the ship's side. I was grateful that I had taken photos early in the day because when the heavy rains came in so did the fog and a lot of Cobh was hidden by the end of the day.
After dinner Kerry got a window seat in the dinning room (since she had seen pilots leave before) and watched from where it was warm and dry. Since I had never seen them I stood out in rain and wind to get a birds eye view of the transfer... Mission accomplished. I was soaked but I now know exactly where the pilot boat comes in and better yet I know that I can go back down to the secluded deck I found in Guernsey and be just above the pilot boat.
Once the pilot was safely off the ship I joined Kerry for tea in the dining room before we headed up to our room for the night. It was a great day.
[Note: The captain announced that at 3:30 AM our next pilot will board the ship. Evidentally he will back the ship into the next port at around 6:30 AM. I won't be up at 3:30 AM but I will be up and on the Sun Deck at 6:00 AM to watch us arrive at Dublin.]
When we headed into Cobh we knew we were expecting rain so we dressed in layers. We had signed up for a tour of Spike Island which was originally a fort and later a prison. It was a facinating tour and our guide Elizabeth was very funny and knowledgeable about the Cobh and the Island.
In town we learned a lot about Cobh and its rich history as a sea port. Cobh was the last stop for passengers boarding the Titanic before its voyage to meet the iceberg. The Tittanic did not come into the dock but instead they took the goods and passengers to then ship via "tenders" to save time. This is a picture of the dock they used to send the tenders to the ship.
The Lusitania another doomed ship that was torpedoed by a Germans U boat just outside of Cobh. (Note: Cobh is the second largest natural sea port in the world. Sydney Australia is number one). The fisherman and Irish Navy tried to rescue and recover the victims. Elizabeth showed us the dock used to bring them back into Cobh and a war memorial for those lost at sea.
We then boarded a small boat called the Brian J and crossed over to Spike Island for the tour.
Elizabeth gave us a lot of interesting facts and stories. Today was the 33rd anniversary of a prison riot there. Evidently a bunch of teenagers that were being held there for stealing cars took over the prison and burned down several buildings.
She also told us a story of a little girl named Nellie that died on the island when it was a fort. The nuns and Pope St. Pius X wanted to make her a saint because the church believe her to have been a miracle. When they exumed her body to move her to the grounds of a catholic orphanage to be tended to in death by nuns she had not deteriorated at all (a sign of sainthood)... Elizabeth said they are talking about exuming her again to move he to be near her mother's grave and will check again...ewww!
After the tour was done and we were back in Cobh I wanted to take a few more photographs and got to talking to some of the local fisherman. We stood for quite a while in the pouring rain discussing the best Irish whiskey after some heated debate it was decided that Glennross of Belfast (the one sitting on the right) was the winner when he chose Blackbush 1609. They were very funny and we enjoyed our lively conversation until their captain came and rousted them all to head back to their fishing boat.
At this point we were soaked and headed for a local pub Mauretania (Elizabeth's daughter was the bartender) for Irish coffee and good conversation with three other cruise passengers who were escaping the weather.
Then it was time to hide the two bottles and head back to the ship.
Once back Kerry took a nap and I started inquiring about where to watch the pilot leave the ship. A security officer told me they always go off mid-ship on the starboard side so I set out to find the best view. I spoke to the staff on the Ledo deck and decided to try the glass walkway as it looked down on the center and it gave me a view if most of the ship's side. I was grateful that I had taken photos early in the day because when the heavy rains came in so did the fog and a lot of Cobh was hidden by the end of the day.
After dinner Kerry got a window seat in the dinning room (since she had seen pilots leave before) and watched from where it was warm and dry. Since I had never seen them I stood out in rain and wind to get a birds eye view of the transfer... Mission accomplished. I was soaked but I now know exactly where the pilot boat comes in and better yet I know that I can go back down to the secluded deck I found in Guernsey and be just above the pilot boat.
Tomorrow I will be there, rain or shine, besides I promised the man handing out the ice cream on the Ledo deck that I would bring a video up for him to see. :)
Once the pilot was safely off the ship I joined Kerry for tea in the dining room before we headed up to our room for the night. It was a great day.
[Note: The captain announced that at 3:30 AM our next pilot will board the ship. Evidentally he will back the ship into the next port at around 6:30 AM. I won't be up at 3:30 AM but I will be up and on the Sun Deck at 6:00 AM to watch us arrive at Dublin.]
You are doing a good job making me almost feel as if I was there with you! Love your pictures. Have you had any other responses to your bottles yet?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Mom
Not yet but we have 14 more to go. ;)
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