Saturday 5 October 2013

Autumn in a southern Swedish forest

Autumn colours in a forest in Helsingborg:

 



 
 
 

Tanker Iver Progress in Øresund

Last night the tanker Iver Progress (184 m x 27 m) was going southwards in the Sound. The ship's destination is Primorsk:

 

Friday 4 October 2013

Reefer Baltic Strait and tanker Oljaren passing Kronborg

The reefer Baltic Strait (146 m x 25 m) and the small oil product tanker Oljaren (56 m x 9 m) tonight passed Kronborg castle on their way northwards in the Sound:

The Baltic Strait approaching Kronborg.

The Baltic Strait's destination is Flushing.
Tanker Oljaren on its way to Gothenburg.
 
Oljaren and Kronborg.

Container ship Larissa approaching Helsingør

This is the Cyprus registered container ship Larissa (134 m x 23 m) approaching Helsingør on Monday. Larissa was then going to Swinoujscie. Right now the ship is on its way to Bremerhaven:


Rooftops of Elsinore

The rooftops of Elsinore (Helsingør) are nicely "medieval":
 
 
PS
I added another image, just for comparison:
 

 

The Swedish Geological Survey's research/survey ship Ocean Ranger in Helsingborg



This is the Swedish Geological Survey's research/survey vessel Ocean Ranger, moored in Helsingborg on September 30. The SGU uses the 38 m x 12 m catamaran for mapping the seabed:

In order to meet the need for marine geological information, SGU is surveying and mapping the seabed in Sweden’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The information thus produced is used in local and regional spatial planning etc., in the planning of marine construction projects, as data for the fishing industry, for military surveillance, and environmental monitoring. The users include individual fishermen, local, regional and national authorities, industry, and the Armed Forces.

To map the seabed, SGU uses a specially equipped survey vessel, Ocean Surveyor, and a small boat for use in shallow waters. To obtain data concerning seabed composition and appearance, various hydroacoustic systems are used, e.g. echo sounders, seismics and side scan sonar. Gravity corers and piston corers are used to take sediment samples. Underwater video cameras are also used.

Thursday 3 October 2013

Two Japanese peace delegates in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1905

The defeat in the 1904 - 1905 Russo-Japanese War was a major blow to Imperial Russia. Tsar Nicholas II chose a negotiated peace, brokered by American President Theodore Roosevelt (which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize). The Treaty of Portsmouth was signed on 5  September 1905 at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, New Hampshire.

The Japanese delegation at Portsmouth was led by Foreign Minister, Baron (later Marquis) Komura Jutarō - a Harvard graduate -, assisted by another Japanese nobleman, Baron Takahira.

The Japanese peace delegates, Baron Komura (on the right) and Baron
Takahira on board President Roosevelt's yacht Mayflower. Komura is said
to have inherited massive debts from his father, which he had difficulties with
repayment. As a result, he wore the same frayed coat for years, regardless of season
or occasion. Whether the coat on this photo is the frayed one, is difficult to tell.

The fight aganist "King Alcohol" in Berlin 1905

Heavy drinking is a major problem in many European countries - as it was already in the  beginning of the 20th century. This photo from 1905 shows members of the newly founded Salvation Army brigade in Berlin ready for action:


Two Salvation Army members taking care of a drunkard in Berlin in 1905:

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Cruise ferry Crown Seaways and cargo ship Merle approaching Helsingør

The Copenhagen - Oslo cruise ferry Crown Seaways (171 m x 28 m) is - together with the other DFDS ferry Pearl Seaways - the most regular weekly visitor in the Sound. Last night the Crown looked particularly nice when it approached Helsingør together with the small cargo vessel Merle (88 m x 13 m). Note the mirage effects, due to atmospheric conditions:


 
 




Tuesday 1 October 2013

Norwegian reefer Silver Copenhagen passing by

This is the Norwegian reefer Silver Copenhagen (98 m x 16 m) passing by in the Sound on its way from Kronshtadt to Lerwick:

 
 

 

Helsingborg seen from the north

Helsingborg, seen from the Hittarp bathing pier - about 6 kilometres to the north of the city - looked nice tonight:

 
PS
I added another one, just for the sake of comparison:
 




 

The Norwegian Star on a last visit to Helsingborg this season

The cruise ship Norwegian Star yesterday visited Helsingborg for the last time this year:


Monday 30 September 2013

Majestic Mærsk - the world's longest cargo ship - passed by on its way to Gothenburg

The world's longest cargo ship, Majestic Mærsk, today left Copenhagen, where it was named by Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. The 398 m x 58 m container ship now continues its maiden voyage to Gothenburg.

Thousands of fans and spectators visited the second in Maersk Line’s fleet of 20 Triple-E vessels during its stay in the Danish capital. This afternoon, hundreds of people had gathered in Helsingborg to watch the gigantic ship pass by on its way to Gothenburg. This may have been the last chance to see the Majestic in Øresund, because it will not access ports in this region or the Baltic when in ordinary service.

 

 






 
 

The yacht Sjøløven and a cormorant

The Danish yacht Sjøløven (Den 40) and a cormorant this afternoon in Helsingør:
 

PS
I added this image with the world's largest container ship
Majestic Mærsk in the background:

 

A tree trunk at the Kulla Gunnarstorp manor

A detail of the trunk of a very old oak at the Kulla Gunnarstorp manor in Helsingborg: