I decided that in pursuit of something different, I would find an image of a Floating Crane for upload to this web site for inclusion in the Harbour Craft Sub Gallery. The aim was to provide something different in terms of a class of vessel that I think is under represented on the site. The Adobe Lightroom database that holds my image collection yielded a number of possible candidates but it was this one that caught my eye, firstly because of the crane’s silhouette and secondly because I realised when I looked at the image closely that I had unknowingly also taken a photograph of Cunard’s Ocean Liner QE2 at the same time. The crane used to be owned by and based at the United States of America”s Military dock at Hythe on Southampton Water. When the US Army vacated the dock, the crane was donated to the Southampton Port Authorities. As the QE2 is one of my favourite ships of all time it is a matter of great regret on my part that my collection of images of her is so small. I am therefore delighted to have discovered this image of her amongst my collection.

The image was captured in April 2008 from the end of Southampton’s Town Quay. The tugs assisting the crane are the Wyetow (left) and Wyeforce (right).