QM2 Independence Weekend Cruise Journal

[cruiserking]

Day 4 - Halifax, Nova Scotia – July 6, 2006

 

Our early morning arrival into the Port of Halifax was made memorable by the powerful serenade from a trio of bagpipers as the QM2 gracefully eased into her berth. A cluster of passengers stood riveted to the deck 7 promenade entranced by the haunting strains from these talented musicians. At the conclusion of the triumphant piece a resounding applause peeled from the balconies and decks above.

 

After breakfast we browsed the wares of local merchants that were neatly housed within the cruise terminal. I purchased a lovely cloth bookmark hand printed with the image of a bagpiper. Touring tips and directions could be gleaned from a crew of very helpful people at an adjacent information booth. We set off for the Maritime Museum strolling along the Waterfront Walk. While the ship offers many excursions I would recommend seeing the town on your own. It’s an easy enough place to navigate and very enjoyable to explore.

 

For the third time during this trip, just outside the museum, I came across Commodore Warwick. Once before I encountered him dashing along the deck 9 landing with the alacrity of the White Rabbit. It was odd to see the famous seafarer in civilian clothes. He possessed a certain school boy eagerness as he scurried along. It was plain to see that Warwick was relishing these days aboard QM2 where he could enjoy the ship without practicing the daily protocol demands of a ship’s Commodore.

 

The Maritime Museum is definitely worth a visit. There is an interesting exhibit recounting the tragic December 6, 1917 explosion of the French ship Mont-Blanc which leveled much of Halifax. There is a steamship gallery featuring a separate exhibit devoted to Halifax Native, Samuel Cunard and replicas of several Cunard ships.

 

Perhaps the most fascinating artifacts in the museum were those relics culled from the wreck of the Titanic. It was quite enthralling to behold an actual deck chair that had once graced the deck of that ill-fated vessel. Of particular note was the white star insignia carved into the uppermost portion of the wooden chair.

 

The faint sounds of bagpipe music permeated the museum. I wondered if it was just pre-recorded for ambience, or something more. Not unlike the Pied Piper the melody beckoned me. The faint music grew louder as we quit the museum and were greeted yet again with a rousing symphony of bagpipe music. A crowd of onlookers had collected and were treated to some stunning displays by several groups who were participating in the Halifax Tattoo.

 

The Tattoo is an annual event featuring performances by both military and civilian participants. Soon after, a military drill team entertained us with a series of intricate marching patterns and rifle handling maneuvers. We finished up with a quick jaunt along the decks of the 1913 research vessel Acadia, which is permanently moored along the wharves outside the museum.

 

The day remained overcast but the bleak weather did not sully our adventures in Halifax. Our next stop was the Citadel located high above town. Earlier, one of the helpful ladies at the Information Booth had given me directions for a walking tour including a much less strenuous route to the Citadel, but, that would have been to easy. From the Maritime Museum our grueling trek saw us scaling the mighty hills of Halifax along Prince Street. At the foot of the fort another winding incline took us finally to the entrance.

 

We missed the noon gun but, were treated to the changing of the guard. It was quite impressive but, a moment later some of the luster was lost when I witnessed the drill sergeant critiquing his young soldier. Actually, it was neat to feel like a fly on the wall for a moment while the two uniformed men talked shop.

 

The Citadel is an impressive structure, with commanding views of the city. It is vast and seemingly secure. After chatting with a soldier from the Royal Artillery I learned that shortly after the fort was completed in 1856, a newly developed American bomb was capable of breaching the forts’ stone walls. Throughout our time here we enjoyed watching the drills performed by re-enactors portraying members of the 78th Highlander regiment.

 

Most of the re-enactors are college students, they are very friendly and informative regarding the history of the fort. The Royal Artillery Regiment patrols the upper ramparts and explained how signals were relayed by way of the towering masts along the parapet. There are at least two secret tunnels within the fort, one of which leads to the center of town.

 

Cunard offers an Afternoon Tea at the Citadel. Somehow, I pictured this to be a regal affair with wing chairs and fine rugs, it was however, at a glance, not terribly aesthetically pleasing. We passed by the room this was taking place in, nothing special really, some crude benches, in a non descript room. Beyond saying you had tea at the Citadel, I think you’re better off at the Queens Room aboard QM2.

 

I very much enjoyed our time in Halifax it is a lovely town with a distinctly British flavor. After purchasing some tuxedo studs at men’s store called Duggers on Spring Garden Road, we made our way back to the ship. From our perch on the Observation Deck Stu and I watched QM2 as she glided from her berth. Once again the familiar and soulful music of a single bagpiper echoed across the pier as we cruised from the harbor.

 

Halfway on our voyage out of Halifax we were met by the pilot boat. An exhibit at the Maritime Museum featured pictures of the maritime regulation rope ladders that must be provided for the pilots’ debarkation from a vessel. I’d often wondered about this maneuver. Once we neared the Atlantic Ocean the pilot boat sped toward the QM2. In a moment the tiny boat’s bow was hugging the QM2’s hull.

 

Several of us on the Observation Deck peered over the side and sure enough there was the rope ladder. A moment later, to a round of applause, the pilot emerged from QM2 and descended the ladder. It strikes me as a strange dichotomy to watch the pilot descend from the belly of a marvel of engineering that is QM2, down such an archaic thing as a rope. It’s all part of the lore and history of ocean travel. They’ve done it this way for a hundred years and will probably do so for a hundred more.

 

Cruiserking