A Favourite Hide-Out
I'm indebted to Roger Birch for providing me with a photograph of his that achieves two aims. The first is that it neatly sums up Caronia's primary purpose, to follow the sun.
The second is that it helps me describe one of my personal favourite places on board and where it was situated, under the cowling of the prow. In the lower picture, you'll see more clearly inside the two dark areas either side of the strong central stanchion. It was possible to sit back under there and be completely sheltered from the breeze / wind.
Bear in mind that Caronia's foredeck sloped away from this hideaway, so it wasn't too far back along the deck where you could watch the sea going past. Travelling at 25mph at sea is a fair lick.
Caronia's foredeck toward the prow
seen from her crow's nest at sunset
[Click on picture for larger image]
[Photo: © 1964 Roger Birch]
The best bit was at dead of night, after the ship's floodlights had been turned off with maybe a little moonlight causing reflections in the water to add to the charm. Just enough to pick up highlights of the forward wash as it spread away from the bow.
What made this vantage point so special was that from here I was able to look aft toward the ship's superstructure and simply watch its motion. Here was this huge vessel and the magic of it seemed as if she was somehow being controlled by an invisible string from my hand.
Photo: Peter Stevens Collection
Both the gentle pitching and the swaying from side to side appeared to emanate from the bow, although of course it was simply a magical “trompe d'oeil.” Naturally, I had no choice in being able to pick my moments, as the weather conditions had to be right.
It was during one of my late sojourns that I realised that here was a place that not even occupants of the best suites on board could gain any privileged access to.
All happened in almost complete silence, except for the light and therapeutic splashing beneath me as the ship was slicing her way through the water. It was a place well away from the vibrations of the engine room and the constantly intrusive ventilation fans. On sticky tropical nights, I'd happily while away an hour or so…
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