Captain Friso Kramer gezegd Freher on the bridge with Meadfoot in the distance
Pandemic Parking
Life Aboard the Volendam The gracious cruise ships that have taken up residence in the sheltered waters of Tor Bay have become one of the most enduring symbols of pandemic life. Anita Newcombe wonders what life is like aboard.
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ince the arrival of cruise ships in Tor Bay, there has during this worldwide crisis they have been operating with been a fascination for these luxurious ladies now a skeleton crew and kept in ‘warm storage’ until they are lingering elegantly in our waters. We’ve seen Cunard’s able to resume operations. We asked the crew of Holland Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth America’s Volendam to give us an insight into the strange bobbing gently at anchor off Babbacombe and ships world of ‘pandemic parking’. of the Holland America Line including the fabulous The ‘Master’ is Captain Friso Kramer gezegd Freher. Volendam, the Eurodam and the Oosterdam all bring a He tells us, “It is great to feel so welcome in the beautiful touch of glamour to Tor Bay. location of Torbay. My main objective is to keep the Kayakers, ship in good and safe We take care of each other and enjoy the paddleboarders and condition and well fantastic support of the local community. other small craft have preserved, for when the paddled out to see It truly helps brighten each and every day. time comes to receive these sophisticated our guests back on floating havens of recreation and fun. Pleasure boats board. We hope that this will happen later this year. In have plied a trade transporting passengers to admire their the meantime we take care of each other and enjoy the size and classic lines. Locals are often delighted by these fantastic support of the local community. It truly helps wonderful cruise ships and fascinated by the life of the brighten each and every day.” crews aboard. More used to cruising the Mediterranean, Captain Friso was born in Wellington New Zealand as the Caribbean or further afield they are now anchored the only son of a Dutch shipping executive. Friso’s first offshore in Tor Bay – who knows for how much longer? word was “boat” and when growing up he always had a There are not enough ports to accommodate all these fascination for water. Back in Holland, at the age of seven, vessels that would normally be at sea much of the time, so he started sailing an Optimist (a small one-sail training
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26 | April/May 2021 | April/May 2021
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