During the night, we were certainly aware of the increased motion of the Queen Victoria as she headed determinedly north. Looking at the shipping forecast areas, today we would find ourselves crossing Fitzroy (previously known as Finisterre), Biscay and, as we made our way into the English Channel, Plymouth. When we got up this morning…
Once more on the deck I standOf my own swift gliding craftSet sail! Farewell to the landThe gale follows fair abaft A Life On The Ocean Wave – Henry Russell Today would see the first of two full days at sea en route to Southampton. It was a good feeling, when we woke up, to…
Got up this morning around 8.30am and went out on the balcony for a quick look. The weather was mild and dry. The Queen Victoria was slowly manoevring up the River Tagus en route to the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, or as the Portuguese call it, Lisboa (say Leezh-boa). We had last visited here in 2010…
When we got up this morning at eight o’clock, we found that the Queen Victoria was already docked in Gibraltar. We had been to this British overseas territory twice before, in 1995 and 1999 so we looked forward to renewing our acquantance of this little piece of Britain abroad. We didn’t have an excursion booked…
It was another early start this morning, the alarm going off at 7.00am as the Queen Victoria headed towards the port of Málaga. It was a long time since we’d sailed into Málaga; in May 1995 in fact, on the Seawing. I should imagine the port will have changed beyond recognition. In any case, this…
Got up at 7.00am to find the Queen Victoria slowly manoevring her way through the buoyed channel and into her berth in Cádiz, Spain. We had last been to this historic Spanish city on the Queen Elizabeth in 2010, but today we would be travelling further afield to explore the Andalucian city of Seville or,…
Today saw us spending another long and leisurely day at sea. But what a difference from Wednesday! The Atlantic was still fairly lively (isn’t it always?) but at least we could walk around the Queen Victoria without feeling as if we were going to fall over. 🙂 After getting up about 8.15am and breakfasting in…
BILLY & CAROLE’S DIAMOND WEDDING Got up this morning about 8.00am to find the Queen Victoria docked in La Coruña, in the Galician region of northern Spain. We had been to Vigo before, but never to this port. The weather was cloudy but mild. We got washed and changed into our gym gear. Yes! We…
A life on the ocean wave,A home on the rolling deep,Where the scatter’d waters raveAnd the winds their revels keep. Henry Russell, 1838 Woke up several times in the night; if it wasn’t because I was rolling from side to side in bed it was because of the torrential rain that lashed our balcony, accompanied…
At 3.45 this morning, the alarm suddenly shattered the darkened silence with Alexa chirping a cheery “Rise and shine!” as the last vestiges of sleep left me and I swung my legs over the side of the bed and made my way to the bathroom. Ordinarily we would have taken no pleasure at being awoken…
