Where is QE2?

According to QE2's own web page: "QE2 is arguably the most famous liner in the world." I guess no one, if at all, would disagree with that statement. But for freaque wave aficionados, QE2 is also famous for having encountered a major freaque wave on September 11, 1995 with no major injuries while crossing North Atlantic westbound, headed for New York, somewhere around 200 miles off the coast of Newfoundland. As was famously described in detail by the QE2 captain, Captain Warwick (see CruiseBruise):

"At 0410 the rogue wave was sighted right ahead, looming out of the darkness from 220°, it looked as though the ship was heading straight for the white cliffs of Dover. The wave seemed to take ages to arrive but it was probably less than a minute before it broke with tremendous force over the bow. An incredible shudder went through the ship, followed a few minutes later by two smaller shudders. There seemed to be two waves in succession as the ship fell into the 'hole' behind the first one. The second wave of 28-29 m (period 13 seconds), whilst breaking, crashed over the foredeck, carrying away the forward whistle mast."

The estimate of the size of the waves by the Captain was quite accurate as there was also recordings by Canadian weather buoys moored in the area with the maximum measured height from buoy 44141 to be 30 m.

It was also worldwide famous event when QE2 retired and we had all heard, just as her web page indicates, "QE2 is currently docked permanently in Dubai. " Well I am rather surprised to notice this news from gCaptain today:

The Queen Elizabeth II is headed for Cape Town, South Africa. This just in from BBC News:

Cunard sold the Southampton-based liner for £50m to the United Arab Emirates real estate developer Nakheel.

It had planned to refurbish the ship and open it as a floating hotel in Dubai but that has been put on hold.

The QE2 will now go to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town, where there is a shortage of hotel rooms.

According to the report, the QE2 is planning on staying in Cape Town for 18 months set to coincide with the June 2010 Fifa World Cup and the trip will delay refurbishment of the famed ocean liner. Reasoning behind this decision , “QE2 is simply a victim of the recession.”

The ship is expected to be moved to South Africa under its own power, but the sale contract with Cunard meant it could not carry passengers as a cruise ship.

Dubai or Cape Town, either or both are nice home for QE2. Of course she is certainly not going to be worrying about freaque waves again!