I spent a few hours on board today, some of them trying to answer a question
posted in the group: do lifeboats retain their diesel motors? I only saw one
motor box in place (#4 boat I think) and the other boats I was able to see into
clearly had no motors; indeed, you could see the shaft terminus where it would
have connected. As regards repairs, #17 is done and looked good; #19 is now in
work. Presumably, #21 is next, and it does need the attention. I did not see
signs of repair on the port boats yet.

Some kind of waterline activity seems to be ongoing, as I saw a raft tied up
starboard side (though unmanned) and the skiff was motoring along the port side
for a bit, carefully dodging the obstacles. No idea why they came down the
wharf side, as no work seemed in progress to port.

I observed one phenomenon I have NEVER seen before while looking down from
portside aft prom deck. I glanced down and saw, amid the stippled pattern of
wind waves on the water, a massively long wave pulsing away from the ship's
after hull. It was in the outline OF the hull, and while fairly broad and not
very high (6 inches?) it was very clear, and had impressive power behind it; it
made a definite wash up and down on the rocks along the port side of the ship -
and was not repeated. I raced over to the starboard side, and saw a fan of
shallow, wide waves moving forward along the hull - but not emanating at all
sideways from it. The impression was that the after part of the Queen Mary had
moved - my guess would be down - by a few inches and pushed a huge volume of
water gently but forcibly aside. I felt nothing, and there had apparently not
been an earthquake. As the forward part of thip did NOT seem to move, my guess
is that the prop box is starting to be filled, and somehow this added mass
increased her aft draught sufficiently fast to produce the effect. An
inspection of the lower hull areas assured me no catastrophe was in progress,
and I think I DID hear water rushing in the prop box (along with radio chatter
that assured me staff was in there too). In my 35 years visiting the ship I
have never seen such an effect before.

Reports from on board staff and merchants suggest the July 4th event was well
attended, although, as in this group, there was some unease with the flavor of
the event. All agreed the fireworks were lavish, and a big improvement on
previous years. No major catastrophies were reported by those I spoke with.

The forecastle deck planing did not seem to have advanced much since I saw it a
few weeks ago, and the same goes for the well deck. No work has begun on main
deck forward.

The engine room has received MORE lights, I am delighted to note, including in
some far corners.

Something else in the power train delights me. Someone - no idea who - has
apparently decided to polish the heck out of the copper lube piping, and not
just in the engine room, but also in the steering station. I could not find any
copper in steering that you could not see your face in. It really looks great,
and is strange after so many years of people not worrying about it. My hat is
off to whomever is lurking about with that polishing rag.

Thought I would pass all this on before I forgot any of it.

Best regards,

Chris Butler