Azores and Voyager

In July 1956 the first major peacetime passenger liner disaster since the loss of the Titantic occurred  at the Nantucket Light Vessel, the inbound and outbound focal point for shipping sailing to New York. The bow of the Swedish liner Stockholm sliced into the Italian liner Andrea Doria, causing the Stockholm's bow to be battered into nothing and the Doria to sink, with some loss of life. The Stockholm at the time was the smallest passenger ship operating on the North Atlantic route. Today after many name changes and owners, (as well as recently being impounded in Lisbon,) the Azores arrived at the anchorage off St Peter Port.

There were two liners in today, the other being the Voyager, which prompted two lanes at the new pontoon. I think they will need a Disney queuing system when the Costa Pacifica arrives next weekend. The 'small' on the road is not a comment on the size of the liners, but the "small" cars that were recently allowed to park there.

Guernsey has enjoyed ten days of wonderful weather with temperatures reaching 24C/75F, but today as the guests came ashore to enjoy their visit, the cloud got thicker, the rain came, and the wind got stronger. With the two liners viewed from the Salerie, with the Voyager in the background, the day did not look inviting. So much so that the Voyager sailed early at lunch time for La Coruna to miss the worsening weather.

It was just on tea time with the last tender back at the liner, and the pilot on board, that the Azores hoisted anchor and set sail for the Isle of Scilly with the wind and rain increasing. At the harbour the landing pontoon was towed away to allow dredging to continue at the position of the new landing area. In the background is Brehon Tower, built in the Napoleonic wars to protect the entrance to St Peter Port. Local rib tours take you for a close up look.