MS "ODERSTERN" arriving Southampton

Seen here at Calshot is the 1992 built Oil/Chemical tanker "ODERSTERN", the ship was lengthened in 2001 and has a GRT of 6.319, she is owned by Rigel Schiffahrts Gmbh and is UK flagged. Photo taken on the 26th March 2012

WIGHTLINK Ferries Parade

Providing Ferry services to and from the Isle of Wight for more than 160 years. Photos taken last tuesday, the 27th March 2012 at Portsmouth

Portsmouth on a very beautiful summer's day

The Waterfront City of Portsmouth is beautiful every day of the year, but with the weather we having at the moment, it's a privilege to visit and enjoy the sunshine always with a sea view and so many maritime motives to capture, register and cherish for years to come. Photos taken yesterday, the 27th of March 2012.

BRITTANY FERRIES "NORMANDIE" arriving Portsmouth

Photos taken yesterday of the cruise ferry "NORMANDIE" arriving Portsmouth, the ship was built in 1992 and is operated by BF on the Caen to Portsmouth service. For other posts and photos of this beautiful passenger cruise ferry please visit my BF Blog http://vmf-brittanyferries.blogspot.com

MV "CORALWATER"

The 1995 built chemical tanker "CORALWATER" is seen here from on board P & O FERRIES "SPIRIT OF FRANCE", the tanker is Dutch Registered and as a GRT of 1895. Photo taken on the 1st of March 2012 at Dover

GOURMET CRUISES to the beautiful city of Saint-Malo

Until the end of March, BRITTANY FERRIES is offering an excellent opportunity to travel to the beautiful walled city of Saint-Malo on board the flagship "PONT-AVEN". The GOURMET CRUISES offer a full day on shore with plenty of time to explore the city with a lunch included on the famous "CAFE DE L'OUEST" and a four course Buffet meal on board ship on the outward sailing

                      "PONT-AVEN" at sea and the wonderful wrap-around promenade

                                      The beautiful city of SAINT-MALO

       For full details of this and other cruise options please visit www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/offers

                               BRITTANY Flag on board "PONT-AVEN"
For other posts of BRITTANY FERRIES and "PONT-AVEN" including the photos of the passenger facilities on board this fantastic Cruise Ferry, please visit my Blog http://vmf-brittanyferries.blogspot.com

Cable Layer "IT INTERCEPTOR" at Calais

 M.S. "IT INTERCEPTOR" is a cable ship built in 1988 by ASTILLEROS DE SANTANDER in Spain, the ship has a GRT of 7374 and a cruising speed of 15.5 knots, the vessel is registered at Bridgetown and is owned by IT INTERNATIONAL TELECOM, CANADA

 When built in 1988, the ship was the ATLANTIDA owned by TELECOMMUNICACIONES MARINAS S.A. at Santa Cruz de Tenerife for cable repair work and pipe laying, in 2003 she was purchased by a Singapore Company and renamed TRINITY SUPPORTER, she was finally acquired by her current owners in 2008. The ship seen below on the 12.2.2012 at Calais, an extremely cold day, with temperatures well below freezing

THE ISLAND OF PORTO SANTO AND CRUISE FERRY "LOBO MARINHO"

The Island of PORTO SANTO was discovered in 1418 by Prince Henry's Navigators and Explorers Joao Goncalves Zarco and Tristao Vaz Teixeira while seeking shelter from a storm, the Portuguese Navigators were ordered by the Crwon to look for new land West of Africa. Another Portuguese Explorer, Bartolomeu Perestrelo became the first "Capitao-Donatorio" equivalent to a British Lord Proprietor in 1445, his daughter later married with CRISTOFORO COLOMBO, the couple lived in the Island for a while, COLOMBO's connection with Portugal was of course paramount for his later expeditions.

PORTO SANTO is part of the Autonomous Region of Madeira, has a population of just over 4000 people and offer a moderate climate throughout the year with an average temperature of 21 degrees, the main Industry is Tourism, the nine kilometer sandy beach is one of the primary attractions, there's also a very popular golf course and an International Airport with routine flights to Madeira and occasionally International flights to the UK, Germany, France, Spain and the Benelux. The best way to get to the Island is by sea, Porto  Santo can be reached by local Cruise Ferry "LOBO MARINHO" a modern ship built in Portugal by ENVC in 2003, this beautiful ship is owned and operated by PORTO SANTO LINE.

"LOBO MARINHO" cruises at 20 knots and takes two hours for the crossing from Funchal to Porto Santo, the ship has cruise-ship like interiors extremely comfortable for 1153 passengers and has a GRT of 8082. The ship has become very popular and successful and has generated an interest and sympathy locally and at an International level, the ship has Madeira registry

                               LOBO MARINHO at sea and arriving Porto Santo

For everyone with an interest on this amazing little passenger ship the book by Maritime Historian Luis Miguel Correia is highly recommended. For all information on sailings, mini-cruises and how to stay on the Island, please visit PORTO SANTO LINE on www.portosantoline.pt. Photos of Porto Santo taken from the Internet and LOBO MARINHO's by local Friend and ships photographer Joao Abreu

HAPPY BIRTHDAY "A Life Sailing Cruise Ferries"

This Blog is one year old today, it was exactly on the 10th of March of 2011 that this Blog was launched, since then I have also created other 6 Blogs in different times of the year, starting in May, so far a total of 931 posts have been elaborated with a total of 103.523 Pageviews on record. This is my opportunity to thank all my Friends, readers, followers and colaborations to my Blogs, particulary the one from Joao Abreu on my CRUISE SHIPS AND LINERS Blog with amazing photos and accounts of Cruise Ships visiting the Portuguese Island of Madeira, also for all the comments I have received some of them on almost weekly basis. This is still a very young ship with hopefully a lot to offer, I will continue to endeavour not to disappoint and share my best moments with all of you,  so THANK YOU. Photo Headers of my Blogs above

On board "PRIDE OF CANTERBURY" last week

                    Two of the four Diesel engines ready to manoeuvre the ship

                              Self-Service Restaurant

                        Bars on board serving the brilliant COSTA Coffee

                       HORIZON LOUNGE, family room and children playground

                                           Bar with a very British Pub Decor and ambiance

Images taken on board "PRIDE OF CANTERBURY" last week on the 2sd of March 2012, you won't tell from the photos that there were over 800 passengers on board the ship for that crossing from Calais to Dover, this is the way I like to do it, respect other people's privacy, be discrete, some people don't like and quite rightly so to appear on photos taken by strangers