At Long Beach, Ca...When Queens Meet

[Buslady]

Today I was really lucky. I happen to get a trip to Long Beach and I got to see a once in a lifetime event.
I dont know how many of you know about the Queen Mary. She is a vintage cruise ship that has been docked in LB since the late 60s. She's a floating museum that you can explore and go on guided tours. She was once a WWII troop transport, called the Grey Ghost. She is 71 years old.
Her builder, Cunard, recently launched the Queen Mary II close to a year or so ago. It is gigantic. They pulled the QMII out of port at San Pedro simply to bring her close to QM to talk to her. After maneuvering, the QM2 whistled three times at 12.30pm, moments later the QM returned her greeting with three of her own. The Original QM has this deep, awesome horn...while the new one was a more modern, multi-toned horn.

Here are a couple photos. And their website: http://www.cunard.com/QM2/default.asp?Active=about
She couldn't get side by side with the original because it was low tide and too shallow. So she had to be a ways behind the QM, so you can't really get a feeling of her hugeness. She is about 14 decks I believe.

Queen Mary


Peekaboo!

QM2 faces the public



QM2's Side. It was really hazy out there...bleah!

Some trivia:

QM2 is five times longer than Cunard's first ship, Britannia (230 ft.)
QM2 is 113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary
QM2 is more than twice as long as the Washington Monument is tall (550 ft.)
QM2 is 147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall (984 ft.)
QM2 is more than 3 ½ times as long as Westminster Tower (Big Ben) is high (310 ft.)
QM2 is only 117 feet shorter than the Empire State Building is tall (1248 ft.)
QM2 is more than three times as long as St. Paul's Cathedral is tall (366 ft.)
QM2 is as long as 41 double-decker London buses (31 ½ ft. each)
QM2's whistle will be audible for 10 miles




And it anybody cares, here's more of my boring photos

http://www.buslady.com/queenmary.htm