sfred

@Host Hattie, not sure if you want to merge these two threads?

There was another thread about that in January: https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/topic/2902110-queen-elizabeth-refit-2023/ Rumours at the time were: From 18 March to 2 April. Hull clean, inspection and repaint. Maintenance of engineering systems. Carpet cleaning and replacement of worn out bedding. Current AIS shows her in Sembawang dry dock, on the SIngapore side of the Malaysia border. .

This one is devious. Following your clues, I tried reversing the words and searching for "webcam east beach". Then, reversing the direction I tried "webcam west beach". However, I couldn't find any certain matches. The closest images that are vaguely similar are of Adelaide West Beach. Both QE and QM2 were at this port recently, and QE visits frequently, so I'll use my guess for the day and try Adelaide SA Australia?

Oh wait, wasn't there something about that being QM2's last call to Trondheim for several years? Or maybe it was first call to Trondheim for several years?

I think @bluemarble is correct that the photo is Trondheim. But I don't recall anything special about the port call from the captain. (Unless you count that Trondheim ended up being our final port in Norway, with Alesund and Stavanger being replaced with Zeebrugge due to weather.)

The Shakespeare company was aboard our QM2 voyage to Norway this past November. They were great -- offering a varied program of productions, readings, and workshops.

For what it's worth, the Australia en-au FAQ also have both of these conflicting entries, one saying it is possible (subject to availability) in NY and Southampton, and the other saying it is not offered "at any port".

Thanks @Solent Richard. Your review is a pretty good overview of Brisbane. I'm not a particular fan of bugs, but Mrs sfred loves them. Unfortunately the Eagle Street Pier restaurant area is being redeveloped for a new office tower. Several popular restaurants, including the seafood place where you had the bugs, have been shut for the construction. As you noticed, Brisbane has a new cruise terminal, at Luggage Point on the opposite side of the Brisbane River to the Grain Terminal. It is much nicer than the industrial pier, although still a ways out of the city centre. It was completed in early 2020 just in time for the covid shutdown years, and sat unused. It is now in full operation this year. QE was here a few weeks ago, and QM2 today.

QM2 is in Brisbane today, so of course I had to go over for a look. Two photos attached below. I hope all passengers and crew have a good port day. We have some high clouds keeping the late summer sunlight more comfortable, and a high of 32c expected.

Forgot to mention, the Albany webcam image is copyright of the Western Australia government and shared here under the permitted uses of the Copyright Act 1968.

That's the place! The webcam photo was captured a few minutes after QE's departure this past Saturday 4 March. The webcam is located at the surf life saving club on Middleton beach, around Point King from Albany, and hosted by the WA Department of Transport. Here is the original image, with the location and time/date stamp restored. QE is shown in the distance at the upper right of the photo, prior to its turn westward for the next port of Busselton @bluemarble, did your capture of QE's arrival that morning have a better view of the ship?

The webcam photo is about as far as one can get from Cornwall, although I see that it is possible to get a pasty at several of the town's bakeries. An additional hint is that the location is "not in New York".

Agreed! The current Blue Riband record holder for both east- and west-bound crossings is the SS United States, now sadly rusting away near Philadelphia. Her westbound record was 3d, 12h, 12m at an average speed of 34.5 knots. The even faster eastbound (going with ocean currents and winds) was 3d, 10h, 40m at 35.6 knots. The first QM1 holds the fastest Cunard eastbound crossing, at 3d, 20h, 42m at 31.7 knots. Westbound was 3d, 21h, 48m at 31 knots. I don't think QM2 could ever match these times, although I'd love to be aboard for the attempt.

It is indeed a shark net.

This port has been seen before, but the previous contributed photos did not contain a Cunard ship. Here is a webcam image showing a Queen departure.

To clarify - Does Southwold go on the "seen" list as port 607, or are we naming it as Lowestoft (or perhaps counting both)?

I love old photos like these, especially since the drydock is still a working facility and you can make "then and now" comparisons. Thanks for posting them!

I presume that your equine dentist charges a substantial fee for the service, lest she/he be accused of looking a gift horse in the mouth? 😄

The sand castles at the lower left of the photo aren't much of a clue... 🙂 but I'll have a guess at Weymouth Bay Portland Anchorage, where QV stayed for periods during the covid shutdown?

Should Inchgreen Dry Dock be a new port, or an alternative view of Greenock's cruise terminal located a few kilometers to the west? I presume QE2 did not have passengers aboard during the time at Inchgreen.

Looks like Hamburg, Germany, Hafencity terminal. QV is flying the German flag, and the foreground is the Strandkai.

And that breaks the tie for the number one country with the most ports/cruise-bys seen in our game. The UK now has 56 ports, of which 24 are in England and 24 Scotland. The US is number two at 55, of which 21 are in Alaska and 6 Florida. Of Australia's 29, 11 are in Queensland and 5 in WA.

Thanks @bluemarble. With this new Australia port, Italy Greece and Australia are now tied for fourth place at 29 ports each, behind only the US, UK, and Norway at 55, 55, and 37 respectively. Perhaps @sogne's photo will help to break these ties. I'm afraid I have no idea where it might be. My usual strategies of finding buildings, flags, terrain, etc. haven't worked with this photo.

I saw that webcam image also, taken from the roof of the Pacific Hotel. Looks like a nice morning in Cairns. Over in the "Where in the World" thread, I think QE's call to Cairns today qualifies as a "new port" under our recently adjusted definitions. Previously, Cairns had been recorded under Cairns (Yorkeys Knob) in @bluemarble's post 1195 on 13 October 2020. That post was a webcam photo showing QM2 anchored offshore from Yorkeys Knob, a more common location for large ships. Today's QE call is to Cairns city, and the two locations are separated by around 20km, which arguably makes today's QE call a new port?

Great, thanks. I will record them as Brisbane (Cruise terminal), and Brisbane (Grain terminal) in my dataset. Port number 28 for Australia, and 603 in total.