A Vineyard Cruise

Ralph Vaughan Williams; Symphony No. 8 and No. 9; London Philharmonic Orchestra; Bernard Haitnik, conducting

I have crossed the Atlantic by ship four times: westward in November of 1991, eastward in March of 1993, westward in November of 1993 and eastward in 1995. Many of my shipboard colleagues compared the experience to that of house arrest. I found it quite liberating. No one can in any way prepare themselves for the profound feelings of isolation when he or she stands for the first time at the prow, stern or highest point on the ship to see nothing but water in every direction

In the spring of 1993, Royal Cruise Line wanted to try something new. After just one pass through the Mediterranean Sea, they opted to try nudging their way up the western coast of Europe for a short jaunt through some Portuguese, French, English, Irish and Scottish vineyards before spending the summer in the Scandinavian capitals. We stopped first in Porto, Portugal, heading next to Bordeaux, France. After stopping in Southampton, England, we headed for Cork, Ireland.

The cruise line had decided to use a tender service to transfer the passengers to their tour busses. The mid-spring seas and swells prevented the operation of the tender service, and as there were no ports nearby large enough to accommodate our ship size. So they were left with the option of floating for a couple of hours about a mile off the shore of Cork County, Ireland, so that we could at least see the greenest green that we ever had seen.

We next stopped at Holyhead, Wales. No trees! Beautiful in its bareness and starkness. After docking in Dublin, Ireland, for a day, we stopped last in Greenock, Scotland, so that the passengers could hop a train for either Glasgow or Edinburgh. They had trees. Lots.

While I was in Southampton, I purchased a recording of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “A Sea Symphony”, commonly called his Symphony No. 1. He wrote it between 1903 and 1909. I considered it an appropriate purchase to commemorate my time on the seas while in the UK. I liked the recording very much; so much, in fact, that I loaned it out, but I never got it back. I will purchase it again someday.

But in the mean time, I am enjoying other great works by Ralph Vaughan Williams. This recording of his eighth and ninth symphonies I purchased during my last visit to Rockin Rudy’s in Missoula, MT. We listened to it while we drove through the treeless portions of Wyoming. It reminded me of Holyhead.

Credits: To the people of Cork County, Ireland, and your shores of green. I shall return someday. I promise.