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What is the Prettiest Harbor......

sail7seas

By sail7seas,
in Holland America Line

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jdrblue

jdrblue

Posted
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Speaking of nicely painted buildings, Cobh, Ireland comes to mind. Cobh also has a towering cathedral which can be seen for miles. The spire is said to be the last part of Ireland seen by many Irish immigrants and many of the passengers of the Lusitania and Titanic.

 

I think the caldera at Santorini should be included even if it may not be officially a harbor. Are we limited to just one? Oslo, Stockholm, and Honolulu are hard to leave out. Venice is spectacular and while were are in the v's how about Vancouver and Valletta. The old walled city and Maltese flags flying make Valletta quite a view. Rio, Sydney, and NYC are on my to do list.

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BJane

BJane

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My choice will probably not be on anyone elses list, but my favorite will always be Port Antonio, Jamaica. When I began cruising 25 years ago, it was the first port we came to. To me, it was absolute magic to be on a ship sailing to an entirely different place than I had ever imagined I'd see. Now with 42 cruises under my belt I can still visualize every detail of that day!

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arzz

arzz

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Curacao is one of my very favorites -- the ships used to come in, turn around and dock just across the water from the colorful downtown area (it was really worthwhile to get up at dawn, go out on deck, and watch the ship come in)-- getting across the water was also fun -- walking across the pontoon bridge (or taking the crowded ferry) -- haven't been there in years -- somehow I bet the new larger ships have to dock elsewhere -- somewhere that is far less interesting.....

 

Santorini is hard to beat for plain old ordinary natural beauty

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PEFER33

PEFER33

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JHANNAH

 

I agree, St John Newfoundland was a beautiful port to enter or leave. When we left on the Rotterdam, many of the residents were on Signal Hill and the opposite shore to bid us goodbye.

 

I also like leaving San Juan at night. I realize the dock area is not that nice, but passing Old Town and the fort all lit up as you leave the harbor, oh my!

 

In Alaska, I enjoyed the sail thru the Lynn Canal to/from Skagway.

 

Phil

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jhodg56010

jhodg56010

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I liked Miami where the causeway motorists waved and honked as we cruised out to sea Also, Vancouver, as you pass under the Lionsgate Bridge and past Stanley Park with mountains in the background. New York City is also fun to cruise out of. Actually, cruising into and out of most ports is fun for me. Jim

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Aussie Gal

Aussie Gal

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My favourite would have to be Sydney on a beautiful sunny day with the Opera House and Sydney Harbour bridge in your view.

 

My other favourites would be coming into Stockholm with the wonderful archiepalegos (sp) surrounding you as you approach, Santorini is hard to beat and of course Venice, the most magical city of all.

 

Actually just being on a ship is wonderful.

 

 

Jennie.

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Randyk47

Randyk47

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I'd vote for San Francisco. Can't comment about some of the others as I've only cruised out Ft Lauderdale and Port Canaveral. Having said that, my favorite is Gig Harbor in Washington state.....I was 18 and in my sail boat with my first love and we......oh well....that's a story for another thread and probably another message board. :rolleyes:

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  • 5 months later...
DJErikD

DJErikD

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Um, the Navy's birthplace was Naragansett bay, Sail, even their official history recognizes that! (click here )

-dave

Um...they have been fighting it out for years along with Beverly, Massachusetts. I am not going to bother to google for you for Marblehead. If you wish to.... :)

 

Actually you're both right, in a way... ;)

 

Many argue that Philadelphia is the birthplace of the Navy, since it was there that on 13 October 1775 the Continental Congress signed the legislation that led to the Continental Navy. This date is formally recognized by the Navy as its birthdate.

 

Just ten days earlier, Rhode Island's delegates proposed a resolution to form a Navy (thus staking their claim to the birthplace). This "mad" resolution was rejected as being too vague by those who felt that forming a Continental Navy would be a hasty and foolish challenge to the superior British Navy. However, General Washington had already (at Continental expense) procured three schooners (from Beverly and Marblehead, Mass.) to patrol off the coast of Massachusetts under control of the Continental Army. When the Continental Congress learned of Washington's (Army) ships, it then seemed reasonable to authorize Rhode Island's earlier resolution and they did just that on 13 October 1775.

 

However, out of recognition to the contributions that other towns played in the American Revolution, the Navy does not recognize any single place as its place of origin.

 

Birthplace of the Navy

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq112-1.htm

 

Birth of the Navy

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq31-1.htm

 

Oh yeah, to keep on topic, my "prettiest harbor" is whichever one I'm getting off at following a 6-month deployment (usually San Diego for this west-coast Sailor), although Pearl Harbor is a close second!

 

- Erik

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wander

wander

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There are many, many beautiful harbors to sail into in my opinion. The top ones I can think of just now (not in any particular order) are: San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Sitka, Stockholm, Sydney, Malta. There are many more that I would describe as facinating or awesome, but not necessarily beautiful. These are too numerous to mention, but an example is St. Petersburg (Russia).

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HeatherInFlorida

HeatherInFlorida

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There is no question for us for first place: It is Bora Bora ... nothing can compare the approach and nothing can equal the arrival at this magnificent island so far from everything you ever knew.

 

After that, I agree with Sail that St. Thomas is a lovely harbor. And I agree with Tatka that Villefranche is magnificent. I remember being moored there on our honeymoon cruise and it is not only magnificent in the approach, but when you arrive on shore of this beautiful village in the South of France ... it is truly magical.

 

Sail, what a wonderful thread ... it makes me dream:) . There are so many favorites I've seen ... so many I hope to see ... and so little time.

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