January Cruise Vacation 2014

To be in the heart of a busy port is to be in a crowded environment which can restrict conventional compositions. That creates a chance to be a bit more imaginative with shots which depicts ships in their port environment. Port Everglades is a well appointed facility which needs to be capable of handling a lot of ships and passengers. There were six on both days of the weekend of 25/26 January 2014. One of those on the Sunday was Independence of the Seas seen here before her departure for Georgetown. 200_P1000589

The container ship S. Rafael at Port Everglades during a round trip from/to Guayaquil. 200_P1000597

I like to see the pilot vessels in each port I visit. The are frequently unassuming, occasionally even shabby but they support one of the key roles in each of those ports. With six cruise arrivals and departures on each of the days of this January weekend in addition to regular cargo traffic, the pilot is kept busy. 200_P1000598

The E. Clay Shaw Jr. Bridge is one of a series in Fort Lauderdale and carries SE17 St across the Intracoastal Waterway. The impressive bridge has posted lifting times to facilitate the passage of water traffic. On most occasions road traffic experiences only modest delays and clears quickly when the bridge is lowered. 200_P1000601

The E. Clay Shaw Jr. Bridge is one of a series in Fort Lauderdale and carries SE17 St across the Intracoastal Waterway. The impressive bridge has posted lifting times to facilitate the passage of water traffic. On most occasions road traffic experiences only modest delays and clears quickly when the bridge is lowered. 200_P1000593

The Broward County Sheriff is one of two authorities responsible for maintaining law and order on the waters of Port Everglades, working alongside the U.S. Coast Guard as depicted earlier in my photostream. During the departures of cruise ships, they are kept busy keeping the channel clear of recreational craft. If you care to browse my recent pictures, you will see both the cruise ships and the smaller vessels. 200_P1000595

To be close up to cruise ships in a busy port is inevitably to be faced with obstructed views which, in fact, present opportunities for varied composition. In this view of Celebrity Silhouette at Port Everglades, a rail on board Eurodam and a striking sky frame the ship nicely before her departure for Cozumel. 200_P1000592

Only the previous day, we were watching the departure of six cruise ships from Port Everglades. On Sunday 26 January 2014, our Holland America was the first of another six departures. As we left Fort Lauderdale, the port still accommodated Royal Princess and Allure of the Seas as well as Celebrity Silhouette (foreground) and Independence of the Seas seen here. Out of sight in this shot but between the ships shown was Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam. Celebrity Silhouette was destined for Cozumel and Independence of the Seas for Georgetown. 200_P1000617

There is no better place to get striking shots of a cruise ship than from the deck of another. This impactful image of Celebrity Silhouette was taken from the departing Holland America Eurodam. The Silhouette would leave later for Cozumel. 200_P1000622

In another shot which places one of today's largest cruise ships in a port context, RCCL Independence of the Seas appears to be in deceptively lush surroundings whilst, in fact, still at Port Everglades before departure for Georgetown. 200_P1000630

The Norient fuel carrier Nord Princess stands off from Port Everglades after arrival from Freeport, Bahamas. This was one of the last sights from Holland America Eurodam as we sailed for Grand Turk. 200_P1000631

The Broward County Sheriff is one of two authorities responsible for maintaining law and order on the waters of Port Everglades, working alongside the U.S. Coast Guard as depicted earlier in my photostream. During the departures of cruise ships, they are kept busy keeping the channel clear of recreational craft. If you care to browse my recent pictures, you will see both the cruise ships and the smaller vessels. TZ30_P1010501

Relative newcomer to the cruise market, named in Southampton last year, Royal Princess was at Port Everglades on Sunday 26 January 2014 preparing for departure to Aruba. TZ30_P1010502

This whale sculpture by California based Storyland Studios is at the Grand Turk Cruise Center. I am a little puzzled that references online, mixing plural with singular, refer to two whales although I saw only one. 200_P1000723

This whale sculpture by California based Storyland Studios is at the Grand Turk Cruise Center. I am a little puzzled that references online, mixing plural with singular, refer to two whales although I saw only one. 200_P1000728

The conch shell was a little difficult to expose correct;y. The wood grain is wonderful. This is an abstract on Grand Turk. 200_P1000720

American Flamingoes (Phoenicopterus Ruber), also West Indian Flamingo or Caribbean Flamingo, seen on Town Salina, Grand Turk. 200_P1000746C

Grand Turk Airport terminal.[MBGT/GDT] 200_P1000754