Curly’s Corner Shop, the blog!

QE 2 sails

There were thousands of people and thousands of cars in South Shields yesterday evening to give a rousing send off to the QE 2, you could tell from the stacatto flashes that there were similar mumbers on the north bank armed with their cameras too. A spectacular send off was promised with fireworks launched from the Northumbria Quay as she left, and more from the piers as she crossed the bar.

I found myself on the Lawe with hundreds of others as the great liner’s horn blasted a fanfare sighnalling her intention to set sail, it’s deep note reverberated and echoed across Tyneside, we could hear but barely see the firework display above the rooftops behind us (if only I had decided to go the Mill Dam instead). It was only abou ten minutes later that the four blasts of the horn told us that she was entering the harbour carefully guided by the pilot and assisted by her accompanying tugs.

The scene was rather magical, she was dressed like an illuminated Christmas tree, surrounded by smaller craft and the Tyne Ferries too, there was a long pause as she was readied to to pass the piers on the high tide. It was then that the pain and the stomach cramps set in, I knew that I had to hurry, pack up and go, and go quick!

“Missy” is suffering too, I knew that it was a risk, I knew that this personal disaster might happen, but hoped that I might at least last out until the end. Alas, it was not to be.

Damn – I missed the fireworks!

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