Picton Marlborough Country

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Wine Country 

Marlborough Region

The picturesque seaside town of Picton is the South Island base for the ferry service that links the main islands of New Zealand and the heart of the Marlborough Sounds. This was Majestic Princess maiden stop in Picton, gateway to the famous wine-growing region of Marlborough.

We exchanged our Dunedin shore excursions for a half-day tour through the picturesque wine country with stops at a chocolate factory and an artisan village.

Makana Confections

Makana Confections Chocolate Factory in Blenheim, New Zealand is set up like a winery / cellar door where you can watch how they make their chocolates, taste a few samples and, of course, shop for delicious chocolates and other confectionery treats. They weren't inexpensive, but they were worth every penny. Watch this video to get an idea of what your visit would be like.

Marlborough Wine Country  The next stop on our excursion was Marlborough's Artisan Hub.  Here we had time to explore the shops and have something to eat if desired.  We were in the midst of wine country with vineyards all around us.   Following that stop we headed back to the ship with our driver pointing out sights along the way and in town.   There was a local market and some shops near the pier which we visited before calling it a day.

Additional photos can be found on our Australia & New Zealand Shutterfly page

Makana Confections Marlborough Artisan Hub Picton Wine Country
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When Mother Nature Has Other Plans

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What a gorgeous afternoon as we sailed away from Akaroa after a fabulous day on and around the harbor.    These clouds uniquely framed the coastline.

Next day our plans called for a stop in Dunedin with an shore excursion to Otago Peninsula Yellow-eyed Penguin Reserve.  Mother Nature had other plans for us, however.

The captain made an announcement that due to heavy winds and rough seas, we would not be making our planned stop in Dunedin the next day.   Instead, they had been scrambling to arrange alternate excursions in Picton, New Zealand.

Picton is a town on the north coast of the South Island, in New Zealand. It’s known as a gateway to the islands and inlets of the Marlborough Sounds. Departing Picton, we would sail thru the sounds and make our way back to Sydney, instead of scenic cruising through Fiordland National Park.

Additional photos can be found on our Australia & New Zealand Shutterfly page

Akaroa Wharf


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Akaroa Wharf

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Exploring the Town

Our sailing ketch excursion, which we wrote about in Akaroa by Sailing Ketch, returned us to Akaroa Wharf around 11:30 am.  We had learned that the St. Patrick's Catholic Church added a mass at noon on Sundays when ships were in port.   We didn't know exactly where the church was located but we knew the general direction, so we started walking. 

Along the way, we found some historic houses, shown here.  What a beautiful setting with the floral gardens in front of these old buildings.




Historic Library  

The next building we saw was the Akaroa Coronation Library which was erected in 1875 to house the Literary Institute.  The name was changed in 1911 when it was remodeled.

Inside the old library, we asked for directions to the church.  They marked the walking route on the map and said the the priest would welcome us, even if we arrived late (we weren't certain how long it would take us to get there).

St. Patrick's Church

It was a very welcoming church.  At the conclusion of the mass, the priest went pew by pew getting to know more about those that had gathered.   We were surprised to find out that he was familiar with our area, having lived there for awhile.  What a small world.

Akaroa War Memorial 

 The memorial comprises a reserve and seating surrounding an elaborate free-standing cupola with a granite spire and fly buttresses, right in the centre of town. The Akaroa War Memorial are a grand tribute to locals who gave their lives fighting in conflicts around the globe. The cornerstone of the Banks Peninsula War Memorial was laid in 1922 and completed in 1924. The engraved marble slab reads, “In sacred memory of those who fell in the Great war 1914 – 1919.” Additional plaques list local soldiers who died during the South African War (1899 – 1902) and World War II (1939 – 1945).

It was damaged in the Christchurch earthquake of 2010. After the earthquake, a team of dedicated locals raised funds and organised the rebuilding of the memorial.  See our Akaroa Wharf photo album for more images of the memorial as well as from our walk around town.  There is plenty to see an do around town, so if you go on an excursion, plan some extra time to visit the wharf area.

Additional photos can be found on our Australia & New Zealand Shutterfly page

Akaroa Wharf


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Day of the Seafarer 2019

Theme for 2019

Seafarer's Gender Equality

Seafarers – if you could make one change? 

Throughout 2019 there is a strong emphasis in the maritime world on the importance and value of women within the professional ranks.

This year for the Day of the Seafarer campaign, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is encouraging seafarers, male and female to show solidarity for gender equality in seafaring.

We are inviting you to think about one thing you would change to improve diversity in seafaring. #IamOnBoard with gender equality

June 25th, Day of the Seafarer, is a day set aside  to highlight opportunities for women (as well as the contributions they are already making) in a wide range of maritime careers and professions, but the focus will be very firmly on one aspect of that community – seafarers

Cruise lines and shipping companies have responsibilities to seafarers in their employ. The public too has a responsibility to have a positive impact on seafarers as well. 

I had the opportunity to visit Seafarers' House in Port Everglades, FL a few years ago.  They are holding special #DoTS celebrations today.

Welcoming Mariners

of all Faiths

“To Offer Refuge, Resources, Renewal and Respect to the Maritime Community Through Multi-Faith Service.” 

- Mission of Seafarers’ House

http://www.seafarershouse.org/




Cruising for more than 30 years, we've met many seafarers. When we recall special moments from those cruises, there is usually one or more of them at the heart of the memory. No matter how they are feeling, how tired they might be, how sad or lonely they might be, they put their best personality forward, and do everything they can to make sure our adventure at sea lives up to our expectations.

If you've ever encountered a crew member who didn't live up to those expectations, odds are there is a passenger at the heart of their story. Think about that on your next cruise.

They are miles from home, family, friends, and other loved ones. I've never done it, but imagine it is a hard life. It can be very rewarding I'm sure, when they see a smile or some kind gesture in return from passengers or fellow seafarers.

On behalf of everyone that loves cruising like we do, thank you seafarers for all you do. Take care of your careers - take advantage of the tools that IMO is providing for you so that you can put a smile on your face when we meet again.

D-Day Then and Now 75 Years Later

D-Day Landing Beaches Then & Now

75th Anniversary

D-Day

June 6, 2019

On June 6, 1944, D-Day, my father landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. He never spoke much about that day, other than to say that his tank had sunk, he had been rescued, and was redeployed. He was in his early 20s at the time.


Today marks another anniversary of D-Day, the day that the allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to begin to take back Europe.   The generation that fought that battle are slowly fading away, leaving only written accounts in their place.

My father is among those who are no longer with us. He and his comrades live on in our hearts as we honor them today during the commemoration of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy.  On the occasion of the 75th Anniversary, a few surviving soldiers have gathered to participate in various events.


  Retracing History

My parents went back to Normandy many years later for the 40^th anniversary observance.  He visited the grave of his commanding officer in the American Cemetery (shown to the left).   Despite all his bravery, that sight moved him to tears. My husband and I returned to Omaha Beach and several historic sites in Normandy, France for the 60^th anniversary.


This was a very moving experience for us as well and it brought to life events which until then was just something we read about in history books.

That trip was in conjunction with a 12 Night British Isles / Norwegian Fjords cruise.   We arranged for a private tour with a local guide during which we walked on the beaches, visited all four of the cemeteries and other memorial sites.

Normandy Then & Now

The benefit of using a local guide was that we not only visited the various sites, but were also provided historical background, through images from 1944 so that we could experience Normandy in a totally different way.

Must See Sites

Our guide picked us from our ship in LeHarve early in the morning and returned us there in early evening.   He could have gone longer, but we were tired and decided to return to the ship instead of having dinner in Honfleur.



75th Anniversary Links:

D-Day 75th anniversary - 2019 - Normandy commemorations

June 2019 Events - Normandy

National D-Day Memorial

 

More Coverage  on Twitter      @ChrisPappinMCC

D-Day Landing - Arnhem (Groesbeek) - Liberation Museum

 

Powerful interactive exhibit on #DDay and #Normandy Invasion from @USNatArchives & @Google is available here: http://goo.gl/ANKFra  #DDay74

 

Explore artifacts, oral histories, and more from The National WWII Museum D-Day: http://bit.ly/DDAY75  

In honor of this Anniversary of D-Day, we have updated links in our previous blog articles and also gathered all our photo albums on a Shutterfly Share Page.

Read More on our Blog:

Normandy, France - Retracing History

Our tour started with visits to all three cemeteries:

The British Cemetery (Bayuex War Cemetary)
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial
German Cemetery (La Cambe German Cemetery)

Normandy, France - Retracing History (Part 2)

Not far from  Normandy Beaches we stopped at:

Le Grand Bunker Museum 
Pegasus Bridge
 
Normandy, France - Retracing History (Part 3)

We concluded our Normandy visit with three destinations:
St Mere Eglise
Pointe du Hoc
Honfleur, France

D-Day      6 June 1944

The beaches were quiet the day we visited the Normandy Beaches unlike the early morning hours in 1944. I encourage you to include a visit to Normandy should your cruise call in LeHavre, France.  Bring the entire family, especially children, so that they can bring history to life.

 D-Day - A Critical Moment In History



Utah beach    Pointe du Hoc   Omaha beach    Gold beach   Juno beach   Sword beach

Some More D-Day References on the Web

Tuesday June 6, 1944 : minute per minute
Normandie Mémoire
National D-Day Mermorial Foundation
Previous D-Day Posts