A very fast ship approaches her port of call

Some more photos of PONT-AVEN arriving Santander on the 1st December 2011, very sunny but also very windy day, I was at the Peninsula de la Magdalena waiting for the ship to photograph her and later in the day board the vessel for my return trip to the UK, a very rough one by the way. PONT-AVEN cruises at an average of 22 knots during the 24 hour crossing from Santander to Portsmouth.

Beautiful "DUC DE NORMANDIE" remembered

This post is a tribute to a beautiful BF car ferry, the "DUC DE NORMANDIE", the ship was built by VEROLME SHIPYARD in HOLLAND in 1978 for the Hook Van Holland / Harwich service as the PRINSES BEATRIX, she was operated by STOOMVART ZEELAND. In 1986 the ship was bought by BF to be used on the Ouistreham / Portsmouth and Plymouth / Roscoff services, she served the company well until 2004 when she was sold to TRANSEUROPA FERRIES and renamed WISTERIA, she is still sailing today. I have fond memories of this ship, sailed many times, visited the bridge and even the engine room, she was really attractive, when built she was 9367 GRT and had a top speed of 23 knots. Photos above, top image at sea from the VAL DE LOIRE, leaving Plymouth on the next two, departing Portsmouth, all 2002 and a BF postcard

Remember the beautiful "QUIBERON"

Seen here at Plymouth on top and leaving Ouistreham second photo, is the beautiful BF ferry "QUIBERON", both photos from 2002 last year that the vessel was in service with BF. The ship was named after the rock-strewn bay on the west coast of Brittany about 100 miles from the city of Brest. "QUIBERON" was built in 1975 as the NILS DACKE, she served BF between 1984 and 2002, I have fond memories of this beautiful ship, sailed several times on QUIBERON one of them from Saint-Malo to Portsmouth in 2001 where we were overwhelmed by an amazing storm. "QUIBERON" ended her days at Alang in 2010 named D'ABUNDO

On the bridge of BRETAGNE

Photos taken during a visit to the bridge of MV "BRETAGNE" during a crossing from Saint-Malo to Portsmouth back in 2001

"PONT-AVEN" at sea

Photos taken on board "PONT-AVEN" on the 2sd December, the ship at sea on the English Channel

ORCA on board "CAP FINISTERE"

Brittany Ferries teamed up with the charity organization ORCA to provide passengers the possibility of identifying whales, dolphins and birds living in the Bay of Biscay. Please visit ORCA's website for all the details www.brittanywildlifeofficer.wordpress.com

Painting on board "PONT-AVEN"

There is a few paintings on board "PONT-AVEN" detailing the progress of the building of the ship, here's one of them, photo taken on the 1st December 2011