Oosterdam Cruise Vacation 2015

On a cruise with many diverse and exciting sights and experiences, perhaps the most memorable was cruising in the vicinity of White Island which is New Zealand's only active marine volcano. Situated in the Bay of Plenty, east of North Island, its 321m are impressive enough but another 1300m lie below the sea as the structure rises from the seabed. I was so impressed that this series contains more than 50 photographs after editing. 200_2_P1030531

Metro Trains Melbourne Alstom X'Trapolis 100 emu operating for PTV (Public Transport Victoria) crossing Jolimont Road towards Jolimont station with an eastbound service. 200_2_P1040159

A six-car formation of 2 Metro X'Trapolis 100 emus and an unidentified locomotive with wagons heading west are seen in this view of the eastern end of Flinders Street station, Melbourne taken from the Eureka Tower. TZ30_P1020780

In spite of the summer season, there were plenty of seats stacked at Wildfire, Princes Wharf, Auckland. 200_2_P1030037

The Memorial Beacon outside the Voyager Maritime Museum, Hobson Wharf, Auckland. 200_2_P1030039

At first sight an unremarkable shot, this is possibly my first successful panning shot - something I am not good at. At dawn, a Sydney Trains A Set (A35) led by car D6335 crosses Sydney Harbour Bridge towards North Sydney. 200_2_P1040189

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. It is quite a tight manoeuvre for a cruise ship to pass under Sydney Harbour Bridge, conducted slowly enough to easily capture this shot to the north and less touristy parts of the city. 200_2_P1040187

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. The electric lights still shone brightly as we passed the north pier of Sydney Harbour Bridge. 200_2_P1040185

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. The lights on a dull morning add a little sparkle to a photograph which is hard to distinguish from, possibly, millions of similar images of Sydney Opera House. 200_2_P1040183C

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. Fort Denison is a former penal and defensive site in Sydney Harbour about 1km east of the Opera House and now houses a restaurant. The Martello tower is the only one ever built in Australia and the last one ever constructed in the British Empire. Also known as Pinchgut, the fort took its current name from Sir William Thomas Denison, the Governor of New South Wales from 1855 to 1861. 200_2_P1040180

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. The recently-full moon bright above Sydney Harbour Bridge, suggest a morning clearer than it was at that hour. 200_2_P1040177

Fire and Steel As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. As the dawn lit the eastern sky behind Sydney Harbour Bridge, the day's weather remained undecided but it began to look as though the sun might win. 200_2_P1040198

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging. As the dawn lit the eastern sky behind Sydney Harbour Bridge, the day's weather remained undecided. 200_2_P1040195C

As the Oosterdam neared its final destination on our cruise, dawn and drizzle made photography both interesting and challenging but it takes more than a little adverse weather to diminish the impact of Sydney's most recognisable landmarks. 200_2_P1040191C

The Sydney Ferries First Fleet Class ferry 'Sirius' making an early morning trip across Sydney Harbour. 200_2_P1040193

The tug 'Bullara' assisting the Holland America Oosterdam on her arrival at Sydney. 200_2_P1040196

The tug 'Bullara' assisting the Holland America Oosterdam on her arrival at Sydney. 200_2_P1040205

On a cruise with many diverse and exciting sights and experiences, perhaps the most memorable was cruising in the vicinity of White Island which is New Zealand's only active marine volcano. Situated in the Bay of Plenty, east of North Island, its 321m are impressive enough but another 1300m lie below the sea as the structure rises from the seabed. I was so impressed that this series contains more than 50 photographs after editing. 200_2_P1030533