Friday, October 20, 2006

THE FUNCHAL 45 YEARS AGO

The black & white photograph depicted below on the Portuguese version of this post was taken in Lisbon exactly 45 years ago, at 11.00 AM on 19th October 1961 and shows the first arrival of the brand-new passenger liner FUNCHAL, on her delivery voyage from the shipbuilders in Elsinore, Denmark. The was a happy mood in the Tagus river and the veteran liner LIMA can be seen alongside the Santos Terminal dressed overall.
The FUNCHAL is manoeuvring to enter the Alcantara Dock stern first. At 11.30 AM she was berthed at the entrance of the dock. Aboard the new ship under the command of Captain Manuel António Bio, there was Mr. Vasco Bensaude her proud owner and about 50 Insulana guests. At the dock, the Marine Minister, Admiral Fernando Quintanilha, and a large group of VIPs waited the ship and paid a visit onboard the FUNCHAL. Constructed by the Elsinore shipyard in 1960-1961, the FUNCHAL was designed for a regular service from Lisbon to Madeira and either the Canaries or the Azores. She had been just delivered at 14.30 on 12th October 1961 off Elsinore, while undergoing acceptance trials. The ship left her builders port on 15th October for Lisbon.
45 years later, it is still possible to observe the FUNCHAL from the same spot the photo was taken, for she returned to Lisbon - still her base port - on 15 October for a refit and dry-dock by the Navalrocha yard. The old girl is still a beautiful ship. Converted for cruising in 1973, she has cruised all over the world and is still a very popular ship. She is owned by the Great Warwick Co. Inc., since 1985 and managed by Mr. George Potamianos, an expert in classic cruising very dedicated to the FUNCHAL and the number one responsible for this veteran Portuguese passenger ship long and successful career.
B&W photo: The FUNCHAL arriving in Lisbon from the shipyard on 19 October 1961. Colour photos: FUNCHAL returning to Lisbon after another season of European cruises on 15 October 2006, still looking a pretty girl.
Luís Miguel Correia - 2006
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3 comments:

  1. Luís Filipe JardimOctober 21, 2006 at 4:55 PM

    O paquete Funchal é sem dúvida um fiél testemunho vivo da nossa marinha mercante, se ainda a podemos chamar assim. É também um dos poucos paquetes no mundo a manter o nome original. Registado na Madeira, o Funchal é também o logotipo do Clube de Entusiastas de Navios, associação que procura colaborar neste esforço (que o blog do Luís Miguel Correia é disso também prova) de manter vivo este interesse pelos navios e pela navegação marítima. Aos que também têm mantido o paquete Funchal os meus parabéns (em primeiro lugar o armador Geoge Potamianos), extensivos também ao Luís Miguel pela dedicação ao mar e aos navios, agora com o seu blog.
    Saudações marítimas do Luís Filipe / CEN (www.ocen.no.sapo.pt)

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  2. LUIS MIGUEL CORREIAOctober 21, 2006 at 9:06 PM

    Caro Luís Filipe,
    Bem vindo a este espaço de navios e de Amigos... Aparece sempre...

    Luís Miguel Correia

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  3. LUIS MIGUEL CORREIAOctober 27, 2006 at 1:44 PM

    Caro Amigo Laire,

    Também gosto muito do FUNCHAL. Tem feito sempre parte da minha vida. Desde que entrou ao serviço há 45 anos, que me lembro de o ver. E quando era novo era um espanto de bonito. Fiz a minha primeira viagem no FUNCHAL em 1963. E muitas mais depois dessa...

    Grande abraço e seja bem vindo

    Luís Miguel Correia

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