Sapphire Princess (2008) - Post 4

Lyttelton - 18th. & 24th. January
 

Our berth is between the two ships already alongside - 18th. January.

Approaching the berth 18th. January - Lyttelton harbour pilot, Captain John Rendle, a good friend of mine from my Blue Star Line days, took this shot while waiting to pilot the containership Mare Internum to sea.

Mare Internum waiting to sail as we tied up.

John also took this shot while waiting for Sapphire Princess to make fast so he could sail..

Captain John Rendle on the bridge wing of the outbound ship.

After John had returned from his last job , I was very fortunate as he took me with him on his next job, an inbound Korean gas tanker.

Sapphire Princess from the inbound tanker.

The Korean captain of the tanker.

Captain John Rendle and the ship's captain on the starboard bridge wing as the ship is backed into her berth.

Morning arrival on 24th. January.

A work barge being towed out to sea.

Captain John Rendle took these two shots while piloting the ship in on 24th. January.

(L-R) Captain Guerrini and the Staff Captain.

Ships ahead and astern of our berth.

Looking across the container wharf to the inner harbour.

The magnificent view down Lyttelton harbour from John's Governor's Bay home.

John in his garage with his model railway.

Ever the eccentric Englishman, John still has this bobby's helmet that he acquired from a policeman in Cardiff, Wales, when we were shipmates aboard mv Canterbury Star in 1975.

John with his boy, Rupert.

Captain Guerrini kindly allowed me to invite John and his partner Gail on board for lunch.

Gail, John and me at lunch in the ship's main restaurant.

That afternoon, the ships berthed ahead and astern of us sailed.

Gail and I watching a containership sail - Photo by John Rendle.

Gail and John with the duty pilot Captain Joanne Laing (New Zealand's only female pilot) who took the ship out.

Sapphire Princess sailing from Lyttleton 24th. January - Photos by John Rendle.