Oosterdam (February 2013) - Post 2

Sydney, Australia - 6th. February.

The promenade deck freshly scrubbed and empty, waiting for the next load of passengers.

The old Pyrmont wharves refurbished for modern use.

Passing the Opera House, outbound.

The main dining room at the after end of the promenade deck.

Melbourne, Australia - February 8th.

Beacon Cove, Port Melbourne during the early morning arrival.

Late afternoon sailing from Station Pier, Port Melbourne.

Approaching Port Phillip heads at sunset.

The pilot launch coming alongside to disembark the Port Phillip sea pilot outside the heads.

Hobart, Australia - 10th. February.

HMAS Sydney alongside.

Hobart's Constitution Dock with a wooden boat festival in progress.

Oosterdam taken from a lobby in the Gand Chancellor Hotel.

The sailing ship James Craig in port for the festival.

As I get older, ships' officers, like policemen, keep looking younger. The Staff Captain and his son on the wharf in Hobart.

The ship still alongside prior to a late evening departure.

Milford Sound, New Zealand - 13th. February.

Port Chalmers, New Zealand - 14th. February.

The pilot launch heading back to dock.

Alongside the woodchip wharf.

Akaroa, New Zealand - 15th. February.

Hapag Lloyd's ms Europa arriving at the anchorage. . .

. . . and sailing that afternoon.

Ship's tenders alongside.

 Wellington, New Zealand - 16th. February.

A harbour tug approaching in early morning light.

Another of the harbour tugs with an outbound Cook Strait ferry bound for Picton.

A cargo ship astern, loading logs,

A harbour tug standing by as Oosterdam sails.

The pilot launch approaching as Oosterdam nears the Wellington heads.

Views of the entrance to Wellington harbour.

  Napier, New Zealand - 17th. February.

Shipping in Napier harbour.

 Tauranga, New Zealand - 18th. February.

Swinging onto the wharf on arrival.

Shipping in Tauranga harbour.

Sailing passed White Island, a volcanic island, on 19th. January.

 Auckland, New Zealand - 20th. February.

Queen Elizabeth, also alongside, in the background.

Roadies setting up nightclub equipment for the next cruise, a charter to a U.S. gay travel company.

Oosterdam and Queen Elizabeth from Auckland's Sky Tower.

Private yacht Arctic preparing to berth.

Auckland airport - flight home.

An identical aircraft, bound for Sydney, taxiing to the runway.

Air New Zealand planes on an apron between flights.

Tail camera view of my plane approaching the runway with the Sydney bound plane, about to take off, in the distance.

Auckland airport from the air.