The Dear Old Queen

TommyboyTommyboy Registered Users Posts: 590 Major grins
edited April 30, 2007 in Journeys
I had a conference to attend last weekend, and as luck would have it, the organization booked the Queen Mary Hotel. I hadn't been aboard in twenty years, and at that time there was no hotel. It was an OK conference, but it was a wonderful photo opportunity.

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Many of my colleagues were booked into tiny below-decks rooms, but I somehow lucked out and got this fabulous stateroom with an ocean view. There was a separate dressing area and bathroom--it was huge and I imagine must have been first-class when the Queen was sailing. She anchored for the final time in 1967.


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The spooky hallway leading to my room. The ship is reputed to be haunted, though I encountered no paranormal activity during my stay.

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Original ship's fan.

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Topside there is more great scenery to photograph. This is an observation tower (I'm sure there's a more nautical term for this), one of two jutting out of the bridge. I like the peeling paint and the creeping rust. The old girl's getting a bit long in the tooth.

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Enormous vents and fans everywhere.

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The bridge is a wonder. This is a ship's telegraph. I've always had a fascination with this partcular gadget.

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There are no shortage of them on the bridge and elsewhere on the ship. There must be one-hundred or more. The circular window in the background is a "high-visibility window" that rotates at high speed to sling off the rain.

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On the stern sundeck.

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Below deck in the propellor box is the only remaining prop on the ship (there were four). This is a really spooky place that I remember from my childhood visit. The propellor is 18 feet across and I don't remember how many tons, 20 or 40. It's enormous.

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The engine room is less spooky but no less interesting a place.

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That about wraps it up. If you're interested in the remaining shots, you can find them here: http://www.snc1923.smugmug.com/gallery/2750075/1/146184997

Thanks for looking. Comments welcomed.
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Comments

  • z_28z_28 Registered Users Posts: 956 Major grins
    edited April 25, 2007
    Great coverage !
    Thanks for sharing
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  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,167 moderator
    edited April 25, 2007
    Thanks for the great tour and pictures! clap.gif I've seen this ship twice. The first time was in the Port of Miami in 1968. It was a sad rusting hulk and there were plans to sell it for scrap. It is in one of the old Bond movies, I forget which one. They were having a boat chase around it.

    In the early 90's, we got the Q.E. tour while I was in town for a trade show. Those propellers you mention — one of them was on display at the time. Nearby was a wrench large enough to require King Kong to lift. Awesome stuff. Then we watched the Chicago Bears win a playoff game from the all-too-small bar. I Later wished I had booked my say on the ship. We didn't see or hear any ghosts, but they're supposed to be below the water up by the bow.
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  • a110p0a110p0 Registered Users Posts: 257 Major grins
    edited April 26, 2007
    Nice shots
    I grew up in Southern California, but never visited the Queen Mary
    (I live in the SF Bay area now) while I lived there.

    Your shots inspire me to visit the QM.

    Alvin
    Alvin
    Fremont, CA
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  • mmrodenmmroden Registered Users Posts: 472 Major grins
    edited April 28, 2007
    a110p0 wrote:
    I grew up in Southern California, but never visited the Queen Mary
    (I live in the SF Bay area now) while I lived there.

    Your shots inspire me to visit the QM.

    Alvin

    It's worth it. She's very photogenic, if nothing else.
  • redhawkredhawk Registered Users Posts: 31 Big grins
    edited April 30, 2007
    Lifeboat
    I especially like the composition of the lifeboat shot.
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