Farewell To A Queen

A year ago today, 16th October 2008, a regal lady of the sea took her final bow and made a very emotional farewell departure from the bright lights of New York City. After 39 years of transatlantic crossings and world cruises the elegant Queen Elizabeth 2 blasted her resonant horns for the last time, echoing through the skyscraper caverns of the Big Apple as she sailed down the Hudson River. With an escort of tugs and a fireboat in the lead, her paying off pennant half blowing in the chilly Autumn air, she glided past her younger Cunard sister Queen Mary 2 with hundreds of well wishers waving and cheering.

She then slid past the Statue of Liberty for the last time, recalling memories of so many visits. How many early morning arrivals were there before the break of dawn? An irreversible destiny one last time to catch a current past Miss Liberty, her torch a welcome beacon revered by so many seeking a new life in America. Contemplating the endless romantic sunset departures that marked the beginning of a lifelong dream for so many. To be one of the lucky ones "Crossing the Pond" on one of the truly great ocean liners bound for Southampton, following in the wake of regal liners before her. Never again. One last sigh as she passes beneath the mighty span of the Verrazano Bridge into the great expanse of the Atlantic and dark of night with a lonely bell tolling.

On this day I stood on the front Observation Deck of Queen Mary 2, video camera in hand, capturing the sights and sounds of this exhilarating and desperately moving moment for an upcoming documentary. The end of a legend. History in the making. I knew that for the next few days I would still see QE2 at our side, each day switching from Port to Starboard as she sailed in tandem with us, or should I say us with her. But, for the moment as the sun faded from the sky and the blue grey smoke swept eastward from her classic red and black funnel, it felt as if we would never see this venerable lady again.

New York would bid a final farewell and we would only have a few more days ourselves until a heart wrenching salute, privately, two huge ocean liners alone a few hundred miles off the coast of England. A Mother saying goodbye to a Daughter. Dear friends waving so long with tears in their eyes, heading towards an unknown future, never to meet again.

We say farewell Great Queen with love, respect, and thanks for your journeys, leaving memories that will never fade.

Three Queens - An International Rendezvous