Dawn at Dusk

As the days grow shorter, photo ops become more limited, but as luck would have it this evening, Norwegian Dawn sailed just as light was about to fail. I don't normally like "going away" shots, but there was a satisfactory glow on the ship, which was also lit up, and the light in the Maugher's Beach lighthouse* was flashing at the right moment, so I risked a shot.

Built in 2002 by Joseph L. Meyer in Papenburg the ship was to have been named Super Star Scorpio and was launched as Norwegian Star, but renamed on delivery to Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). The 92,580 gt ship carries 2,340 passengers and 1,032 crew. It received a major refurbishment in 2016.
It is notable as the first ship to carry what is loosely termed "hull art". Curmudgeonly traditionalists (can you name one?) decried this senseless defacement, but to no avail. It sells.

The ship is a popular one and a regular caller during Halifax's annual cruise season.

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* Built in 1941 the current Maugher's Beach lighthouse is the second in this location and is 54 feet high, 57 feet above the water, depending on the tide. There has been a rudimentary light in this position since about 1815, placed on a military Martello tower gun battery.The first actual light house was lit in 1828 and a fog signal was added in 1889. The last keeper vacated the site in 1983 when the facility was automated. The light has exhibited different characteristics over the years, from flashing white to fixed red. Its current "flashing yellow" characteristic has been displayed since 1992. It is also now solar powered.
In 1851 Nova Scotian Abraham Gesner, the inventor of kerosene, used the light to test his newfound fuel, which eventually came to be used the world over.

The exposed position of Maugher's Beach has resulted in severe damage over the years, requiring major repairs. The spit of land it sits on (known as Hangman's Beach) has been reinforced with boulders, but is often awash in storms and was breached by Hurricane Juan in 2003. The light is now only accessible by boat or helicopter. I have heard no reports of similar damage from Hurricane Dorian earlier this month.

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PAX and CANS

To use some waterfront jargon, the port was mostly pax (passengers) and cans (containers) this weekend. There was little other traffic to mention - no tankers, no bulkers, etc.,

On Saturday it was the always impressive Mein Schiff 6, the TUI Cruises ship, built in 2017 by Meyer Turku Shipyard. It made its first visit here September 2, 2017. The 98,811 grt ship has a capacity of 2,790 passengers, and appeared to be at capacity judging by the number of people on deck on departure.

  Mein Schiff 6 - decks crowded with passengers, sails Saturday evening.

On Sunday, the familiar Serenade of the Seas was joined by the Norwegian Dawn. The latter was re-directed here from its Boston / Bermuda trip by the developing Hurricane Florence. This may be the ship's first time here, since built in 2002 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg. The 92,250 grt ship can carry 2340 passengers.

Serenade of the Seas (left) at pier 22, stern to Norwegian Dream at pier 20 (right).


Even though the re-direction was a last moment one, some passengers opted to take a pass, but those that decided to stay were flocking ashore today in Halifax to buy sweaters. Granted it is cooler in Halifax than it would be in Bermuda, but the press made our climate as nothing short of polar.

The ship is infamous in  my mind for introducing "hull at" - that form of licensed graffiti that now defaces cruise ships throughout the word enough said.

Saturday's container arrival was the regular MOL Paradise for the EC5 service of THE Alliance. The 71,902 grt, 72,968 dwt ship has a capacity of 6350 TEU (including 500 reefers). After construction by Koyo Dockyard Co in Mihara, in 2005 it was briefly renamed APL Paradise from 2011 to 2012.

MOL Paridise threads its way through the Narrows - apparently effortlessly - despite the presence of pleasure craft.


Sunday's arrival was  Ikaria, now under anonymous Greek ownership, it is the former Long Beach Bridge of K-Line. Built in 2002 by Koyo Dockyard, Mihara, the 66,332 grt, 67,164 dwt ship has a capacity of 5576 TEU (including 440 reefers). It carried the name Ikaria briefly in 2010, and CCNI Antartico from 2010 to 2012.

 The tug Spitfire III heels as it assists the ship to make a course correction inbound.

Things were easier going as the ship transits the Narrows.

Big Cruise Day

With five ships in port and 9,200 or so passengers and several thousand crew engulfing Halifax and surrounds, this is the apex of the cruise season. (There will also be four ships tomorrow and on the 17th)

The large influx meant that the port had to press pier 33-34 into service for the Norwegian Dawn, disembarking its passengers through a freight shed. (Algoma Dartmouth, which normally ties up at pier 34 moved to pier 25 yesterday for the interim but departed for Port Hawksbury's Nustar terminal to load.) 
Brilliance of the Seas made its berth at pier 30-31, where passengers disembark onto an open pier with no shelter at all aside from covered gangways, and amid some industrial-like activity.
With the imminent completion of work at pier 9c and the relocation of breakbulk activity to  that pier, is there a chance for redeveloping piers 30 to 34 into a more accommodating passenger terminal, at least seasonally?

The smaller Seven Seas Navigator tucked in to pier 23, leaving pier 20 for AIDABella and pier 22 for Grandeur of the Seas.

 Seven Seas Navigator put on a pretty good turn of speed as it sailed.

Not built for speed, but moving along quite happily this wind turbine propelled boat was nearby.

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Cruise Parade

It is the height of the cruise season, with up to five ships in port on a given day. The late afternoon parade of ships is a great sight.
Sunday, September 30 -the weather was not too pleasant, and Eurodam was the only ship in port.

When it sailed in the late afternoon, the fog and rain did not bode well for a pleasant trip on to Boston.

Yesterday, October 1 -there were five ships in port:

left to right:
Maasdam, pier 20; Caribbean Princess pier 22; Quest for Adventure pier 23;  Emerald Princess pier 31, Regatta pier 34. Unfortunately weather did not co-operate for departure time photos.

Today was a different case however and there were four ships in :

left to right:
Norwegian Gem pier 31; Quest for Adventure pier 23, Norwegian Dawn pier 22, Arcadia pier 20.

The weather certainly did co-operate at departure time and the ships left in the following order:

Did you notice Wilhelmsen's Topeka? The autocarrier certainly stands out in crowd!