1. Arthur - The Photo Gallery

2012-01-12 Paul & Mary meet Oscar...and take "Arthur" on her maiden 2012 cruise!

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The early part of the trip was conducted in light F2/F3.  And we even managed to catch a sunrise...just for Mick Farrell!
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The early part of the trip was conducted in light F2/F3. And we even managed to catch a sunrise...just for Mick Farrell!

  • The RTE Concert Orchestra with guest conductor Richard Kaufman and vocalists Andrew Playfoot and Whitney Claire Kaufman who collectively delivered a bravura performance at the recent concert in Dublin of the Film Music of Dimitri Tiomkin.<br />
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So, what has this got to do with "Arthur"?  Read on...
  • What a lovely start to the New Year for "Arthur", her captain and crew! We had planned to take "Arthur" on her maiden voayage over the weekend 13-16 January 2012.<br />
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HOWEVER, we had a prior engagement on Thursday, 12th January....a visit to the National Concerrt Hall, Dublin, for a concert of music composed by the late Dimitri Tiomkin. Tiomkin was one of the great composers of film scores from the Golden Age (1940's - 1960's) of Film Music.  I had already attended the same concert at the Barbican Hall in London last October where Richard Kaufman conducted the London Symphony Orchestra. This time he would conduct the RTE Concert Orchestra. And what a performance they gave. <br />
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But the real bonus took place after the concert in the Conrad Hotel, directly opposite the NCH. Here we relaxed with some newly acquired friends, two of whom had flown from the UK for the event. And suddenly, into our company appeared Mrs Olivia Tiomkin Douglas, widow of the late composer.  And what was she clutching in her hands but one of her husband's FOUR Oscars.  It was impossible to ignore the opportunity that was presented...
  • Captain Paul of "Arthur", holding the Oscar that Dimitri Tiomkin won for his score for the movie 'The High And The Mighty', together with Mary Healy and Mrs. Olivia Tiomkin Douglas.  <br />
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Film Music has long been one of my major interests, ever since I was a teenager.  This evening, both the concert itself and the post-concert session in the Conrad Hotel, was a truly memorable occasion for me. <br />
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'Nuff said ... onto "Arhur"...
  • Friday, 13th January...ouch only just realised the significance of the day and date!  We left Dublin and headed down to Portumna by car whilst listening to a CD recording of a special 2 hour BBC Radio 2 Arts Programme, broadcast in 1994, that celebrated the Life of Dimitri Tiomkin. The disc set had been presented to me by one of our newly acquired UK friends from the post-concert session in the Conrad Hotel the previous evening! The drive to Portumna passed ever so quickly and that was nothing to do with the speed at which Mary was driving the car!<br />
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We arrived in Portumna circa 17.30 and duly watched Ulster thump Leicester in the Heineken Cup...this was also a Heineken Cup weekend!<br />
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Saturday morning we departed the marina and headed for the noon Portumna Bridge opening.
  • Maddens Marina in the background. Forecast for L.Derg was F3/F4 with gusts F5/F6.
  • We passed through Portumna Bridge for the first time since October 29th, 2011! And not another boat travelling in either direction!
  • A Panorama of Portumna Swing Bridge.
  • 'The Goal Posts' at the top of L. Derg  as we prepared to enter the lake.
  • Weather was overcast but the sun was trying to break through!
  • Killaloe in the distance...okay, so you might need to get out a magnifying glass!
  • Wow!  Another boat on the water!  Kobold heading up the lake...maybe they heard we were coming their way!
  • Fergal Kerney waves as Brian Willson does the hard work at the helm!
  • circa 16.30...moored at the new jetties in Killaloe. The flow of the water was significant...it took us three attempts before we could eventually secure "Arthur" to the jetty!
  • The jetty was quite deserted...only a few boats tied up.
  • A Panorama that I created of Killaloe Bridge. Click on the image to enlarge it.
  • Sunday, 15th January, 2012....Killaloe circa 08.25 hrs!  The previous evening Mary had received news of the passing away of a friend's father and it necessitated an immediate departure from Killaloe and return to Galway. We planned to make the noon bridge opening at Portumna.
  • With Killaloe Bridge in the background...go on, get out the magnifying glass again....we started out on the return trip.  South-easterly wind on L.Derg forecast as F4 with gusts of F6/F7.
  • The early part of the trip was conducted in light F2/F3.  And we even managed to catch a sunrise...just for Mick Farrell!
  • Between Parker Pt and Hare Island the wind blew up a little...definitely F4 with gusts of F6/F7.  it is comforting when forecasts are turned into reality.  It increases one's confidence in the forecasting application, Windguru in this case.
  • 11.42...Back at the Goal Posts...almost there!
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