Guernsey is still good out of season

Today is the 1st November. We missed the end of the liner season in Guernsey as we headed south for some late summer sun. As it happened we need not have bothered, the last week in Guernsey has been sunny and warm.

Currently it is spring tides and with very low tides, a easterly wind and blue skies yesterday, we took advantage of this to put the kite up with the camera attached to get some photos of St Peter Port "out of season". It's a winter scene, no visiting yachts on the pontoon, no tenders, no ferries, no liners at anchor, but not a bad place to live this last day of October.

To the west this view of St Peter Port shows the buildings tumbling up the hill and how it expanded away from the harbour. In the lower part of the image you can see the line of houses on the Strand with their view looking out over the Islands.

Not many riders on the Guernsey Vaeux at this time of year with plenty of room compared to the summer months. But for those you take the ride the Lion and Camel rock at Albecq still take the sun on this lovely October day.

Britannia

The sun was barely up behind Sark when the Britannia arrived from La Coruna. Coming around the south east corner with the Pine Forest as a foreground the seas look empty apart from the liner.

If the Britannia had come a day earlier the guests could have enjoyed the Air Display.  This included the Red Arrows "Missing Man" tribute to the Island's much loved Lieutenant Governor who died suddenly last weekend.

No blue skies met the Britannia as she dropped the anchor on her day's visit. She is on a Iberian cruise and has sailed as far as the north coast of Spain before turning north to Guernsey and her home port of Southampton. For the winter season she will sail from Southampton at the end of October to Bridgetown, Barbados. Before that though she will return to Guernsey on Sunday on a two day cruise from Southampton.

Berlin

The Berlin is back today for another visit from London. The weather for tender operations was perfect with hardly any wind or swell, enabling guests to enjoy their day in Guernsey. She left in the early evening for Ijmuiden with the guests on board no doubt enjoying the two restaurants on board. She is back in local waters next week and the end of the year will see her cruising in the Red Sea on one week cruises.

In the late summer sunshine the steps leading to the high ground and back streets of St Peter Port provide hidden view at ever turn, you've just got to search them out. These steps lead down into the Market Square of St Peter Port with its cafes and shops in the old markets.

Guests who returned early to the liner or did not go ashore enjoy the afternoon sunshine on the stern of the Berlin, as do the crew on the lower deck. Two tenders were in operation, but no large queues developed with the small capacity of this liner at just over 400 guests.

Azores

Another day, another liner. This time the Azores back to St Peter Port on a "Treasures of the British Isles " cruise out of Bristol, although her previous port of Le Havre in Normandy seems a little out of the way. It's the time of year when islanders are making the most of the late summer sunny days. This was the first of two ferries returning from Sark this Sunday.

This tender from the Azores makes its way up the southern fairway to the cruise liner pontoon. As with the Marco Polo yesterday, the Azores was also once a trans-Atlantic ocean liner. Launched in 1946 as the Stockholm she was one of the smaller liners at the time carrying just under 400 passengers.

When she leaves St Peter Port the Azores  will be chasing one of yesterday's visitor, the Prinsendam,  to Tresco in the Scilly Isles before finishing her cruise in Bristol on Tuesday. At this time of day the local fishing boats return to port and the pleasure boaters finishing their sailing for the weekend.

Marco Polo & Prinsendam

Two today with the Prinsendam and the Marco Polo enjoying a September Saturday in Guernsey. An ideal day for tender operations although a long ride for the guests on the Marco Polo. The fast RIB which takes sightseers around Herm and the the rocky outcrops of Guernsey gives their passengers a close up view of the liners.

The Casquets Lighthouse to the west of Alderney was clear today although I'm not so sure it would have been visible to the guests on the Prinsendam from deck level. The Casquets have been the scene of many tragic ship wrecks over the years including the SS Stella, (marked by a plaque at St Peter Port Harbour) and HMS Victory, a predecessor of Nelson's famous flagship. Next port of call for the Prinsendam. is Tresco in the Scilly Isles as part of a Celtic and Gaelic cruise.

Marco Polo looks pristine in readiness for its next cruise.  After this British Isles Cruise, she will sail to Canada as part of her 50th Anniversary Voyage, not returning to Tilbury until early October. She is going back to her roots as in the 1960s she operated a trans-Atlantic service, as the Alexander Pushkin, between Leningrad and Montreal, being one of the fastest ships in the Soviet merchant fleet. A regular visitor to Guernsey, long may she be seen in these waters. The sun shone on the Marco Polo and the north of Sark, but Jethou lies in shadow.

Marina

The Marina arrived at St Peter Port this morning having sailed from Dover last night. She left Stockholm two weeks ago, and she will arrive in Civitavecchia in three weeks time. Guests could have joined the liner in Amsterdam, and some will leave in Barcelona rather than continue on to Italy. The weather was kind for the whole stay with the sun shining for the afternoon.  The anchor is not dropped yet as the Marina comes up to the anchorage, with the Golden Spur, St Peter Port pilot boat, close to the spot.

The cliff paths to the south of St Peter Port pass through Fort George and its fortifications. The soldiers from the fort use to bath at a bay called Soldiers Bay, but access was closed off for many years due to rocks falling and other safety issues. You can still reach it though judging by these two bathers enjoying the solitude of the area. Hidden in the other side of the cliffs  is a tunnel, used by the occupying forces in World War Two, which is now an aquarium.

The low spring tide shows up the many rocks highlighting the dangers that local mariners have when navigating these waters. No one on the balconies of the Marina, no doubt all enjoying the day ashore. Next port of call is Concarneau, a walled town with a delightful small ferry on the south west coast of Brittany. These destinations demonstrate the ability of this Oceania Cruise small luxury liner to visit different ports that the larger liners bypass.

Berlin

On the last day of August the Berlin arrived at St Peter Port for a day's visit. One of the smaller liners visiting this month, with a capacity for 400 guests, the experience will be a bit different from the Azura which visited yesterday. One day there will be some guests standing on the top of the bunkers at Castle Cornet, but not today.

The Berlin left London yesterday giving the guests on board time to see the Tall Ships moored by the Tower of London. Early this evening she will leave for Ijmuiden, the port on the North Sea coast connected by canal to Amsterdam and Haarlem.  Unusually there were no yachts or ferries outside the harbour as a tender heads back to the liner.

Balmoral & Azura

A good sunrise this morning but the 'sparkly bits' didn't quite reach the Balmoral and only Sark got the warmth. She enjoyed a long day in Guernsey having arrived from Southampton, and just after tea time she left for Honfleur. La Coupee which joins Little Sark to Sark is the flat part of the island behind the middle of the liner. It is just wide enough to take a horse and carriage and is not for the vertigious.

No rays of light for the Azura as the sun disappeared into clouds for the rest of the morning. With the pilot on board she heads for the anchorage position where she will spend the last day of her cruise having visited Lisbon and other west coast ports in Spain and Portugal.

Guests on board the Balmoral took advantage of the Bank Holiday weekend  to enjoy a three night cruise to Guernsey and Honfleur from Southampton. Both liners tower above the roof tops of St Peter Port on a grey Sunday afternoon.

Royal Princess

It's Bank Holiday weekend in a few days in England. Many people take holidays this week to tag the Bank Holiday on as a extra day. So the weather this morning is rain, strong winds, rough sea, mist and not the day to take a tender ride into St Peter Port. Stay on board and enjoy the amenities of the liner. The Azamara Quest had already cancelled and sailed from Southampton directly to Bordeaux. Royal Princess arrived early this morning and was already straining at the anchor as it got less dark.

After the many successful visits of the Royal Princess this year it was a shame that this last one was not. When she arrives back in Southampton after circumnavigating the British Isles she will cross the Atlantic and spend our winter cruising out of Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean. She will spend next summer cruising from Barcelona and Civitavecchia.

After an hour or so the decision was made to abort the visit to Guernsey and the Royal Princess sailed for Cork. The last view of the liner this year in Guernsey waters looked rather lonely with no tenders or ferries around her. Winter is coming fast it seems. Some of the guests on board may enjoy the liner for almost a month as they combine their British Isles cruise and then the Atlantic crossing.

Ventura & Hebridean Princess

It was not so lucky for the Ventura today with the weather forecast at 7.00 am this morning leading to the cancellation of the visit. She continued on passage for her next port of call, Lisbon on her cruise of Portugal and Spain. The weather over Brittany gives a hint of what was coming towards the island with heavy rain and strong winds during the day.

Anybody on the cliff path at Jerbourg, on the south east corner of Guernsey, had a close look at the Ventura as she headed south into the hopefully warmer weather. She is due to make one more visit in September when she will return  on a two night cruise from Southampton.

No such problems for the guests on the Hebridean Princess whose liner was tucked up in St Peter Port, although she did have to move berth during the day. She is on a "Jewels of the English Channel" cruise having left the pier by the Tower of London last Wednesday. Early September will see her back on home ground on the west coast of Scotland. The inter island ferries shown probably had a quiet day today.

Ocean Majesty

The Ocean Majesty arrived this morning from Torbay on the south coast of England.for a half day visit.  She has spent the early part of summer operating cruises to Norway, Greenland and the Baltic States from ports in Germany. She will head south when she leaves Guernsey for Bordeaux on the Atlantic coast of France before returning to Germany. In the autumn she will will be cruising in the Mediterranean.

Originally built as a ferry in 1966 serving the Balearic Islands she was refurbished to become a liner in 1988 as the Ocean Majesty. The weather was kind for the visit but at times provided dramatic lighting.

Guests on board had plenty to watch with a powerboat race providing entertainment on the way back to the liner. Being a Sunday most of the shops in St Peter Port will have been shut but guests made the most of the tours provided to enjoy Guernsey in the last days of summer.

Ventura

A day of contrasts for the Ventura's visit today. The morning was glorious sunshine and hot; this afternoon, cloud and rain. No sign of rain this morning as the tenders came alongside, as both Sark and Herm ferries were employed to bring the guests ashore. Condor Liberation is on the ramp, as well as the French ferry Victor Hugo on the cross berth.

The Ventura was on a two night cruise from Southampton for her short visit to Guernsey today. Amongst the guests on board are a wedding party. The bride boarded at Southampton in her wedding dress, and certainly had plenty of guests to enjoy the celebrations. But if you want to stand out in a crowd, wear something bright - like the lady in the pink top.

Early evening as the Ventura left the anchorage bound for Southampton. She will be back on Monday on her way south for a week long Iberian Cruise and currently all cabins are sold out apart from inside ones. Not too sure the weather will be as kind for that visit.

Azores, Adonia & Sea Cloud II

Three days with no liners, then three are on the anchorages off St Peter Port. The Adonia and Azores arrived this morning from the Scilly Isles along with the Sea Cloud II that arrived from Cowes, Isle of Wight. Not too sure if the windsurfer got close to the liners, there was a lot of activity off St Peter Port to contend with.

The Sea Cloud II was the first to leave, taking a lunch time departure bound for Lorient. The Azores was the last to leave, just before sunset, bound for Le Havre, where some guests may take the coach trip to Paris.

Herm Island provided a different viewpoint to try and get all three liners together, but was not as good as the sea front in Guernsey!! After the bad weather of the last few days Herm was busy with visitors making the most of the good weather, and maybe staying for a long weekend. The White House Hotel is a short walk from the beaches, as well as providing spectacular views of sunsets over Guernsey. The harbour beach doesn't look too busy, but Shell Beach was proving popular.

The cliff path on the high ground on the south side of Herm gives good views of St Peter Port and the three liners. The islet in the foreground is Crevichon and is only a short distance from Jethou, a privately leased island which is not open to the public. The Adonia, on the left of this image departed at tea time bound for Southampton, for the end of her British Isles cruise. The Azores is also on a British Isles cruise originating from Liverpool. Cruise & Maritime Voyages is chartering the Azores and they sail from various "local" ports such as Liverpool, Hull and Bristol as well as London-Tilbury.

One more image of the three liners on the anchorage, an impressive sight.

Voyager

Visits are not quite as frequent as the season is getting towards its end, The Voyager arrived today from Ostend for a half day visit. The guests on board made the most of their short visit by taking coach tours around the island, they were out early and had the opportunity to see the west coast beaches at high tide with hardly anyone on them. Grandes Rocques only had these dog walkers on the beach.

Shortly after lunch time the last tender was heading back to St Peter Port to collect the guests who had enjoyed their short stay on Guernsey. The St Peter Port Pilot was boarding the liner in preparation for the departure to Oporto.

Some guests may have made it to Herm, the beaches certainly looked inviting in the late summer sunshine. The Voyager, with a capacity for just over 500 guests, finds favour with those who prefer a "quieter" liner and a smaller ship to call home during their cruise. The liner was bought at auction by its owners in 2009 and was refurbished for the British cruise market in 2012.

Royal Princess & Magellan

Spending the week in Edinburgh for the Royal Tattoo and the other events in town during August, cruise liners  were the last thing we expected to see. Even before we touched town at the airport the  Royal Princess was in sight just off the Forth Bridges. Unfortunately one of the rare rainy moments we had during our visit, not the best for this photo.

The Edinburgh Royal Tattoo was excellent, the venue, the lighting, the warmth of the audience from all over the world,(including Guernsey), all contributed to the enjoyment of the evening. Every display was worth seeing, the USAF Honour Guard display team was spectacular and would have been appreciated by the many Americans who were at this event.

The Magellan was also at Leith for the last day of our visit as part of her Scottish Islands and Edinburgh Festival cruise. The view from the Walter Scott monument in Princes St Gardens is well worth the climb for the view over the city but the narrow steps on the top section can cause issues.

Oriana

As it stands right now the Oriana guests will be one of the last to use the crossing by the Town Church due to a change of heart in the management of traffic in this area. Reverting to two lanes of southbound traffic will mean that this area is deemed no longer safe for the large number of pedestrians crossing at this point. This should take place on Monday 9th August.

It is that time of year when summer does not stretch on endlessly. For some strange reason clothes shops want to sell you winter clothing, not what you want to wear on this Saturday, one of the hottest of the year. The guests on board the Oriana made the most of their day in Guernsey arriving early this morning and departing just on tea time. Wearing her new Colours, with the Union Jack proud on the bow, P&O's liners leave no doubt of their heritage.

It's a short cruise for the guests on board the Oriana, leaving Southampton last night, Guernsey today, Zeebrugge tomorrow and then back to Southampton on Monday. With the St Peter Port Pilot off the liner, she will set course up the Big Russell, before turning into the northbound shipping lane of the English Channel.

Royal Princess

A lovely sunrise this morning off the east coast of Guernsey as the Golden Spur marks the position for the Royal Princess to drop anchor. Any independent guests on board have a good choice of events today with the Scarecrow Trail in Torteval and, closer to the ship, Seafront Sunday and various stalls by the Old Harbour in St Peter Port.

Any guests on their balconies on the other side of the liner would see St Peter Port lit by the early morning sun. The steep rise leading up to Hauteville House, where Victor Hugo lived when in exile, is clear in this image. So too is the Fort Field, part of Fort George which overlooks St Peter Port.

The Royal Princess is on her regular cruise around the British Isles, which will take her cruising the north coast of Scotland, before heading to Le Havre and then to Southampton. The end of August will see her last visit of the year before she sails for Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Next summer she will not be a regular visitor to Guernsey as she will be based in the Mediterranean.  The liner is not so good for the inhabitants of Herm though as due to her size she sometimes interrupts telecommunications links with the island!