A paying off penant is a special flag given as a thank you to the ship, it's one foot long for each year of service, so QE2's was 39 feet long. They made 3, one was left in Halifax (Birth Place of Sir Samuel Cunard), one in Liverpool (where Cunard Line as founded) and one in Southamtpon (QE2's home port)
A paying off penant is a special flag given as a thank you to the ship, it's one foot long for each year of service, so QE2's was 39 feet long. They made 3, one was left in Halifax (Birth Place of Sir Samuel Cunard), one in Liverpool (where Cunard Line as founded) and one in Southamtpon (QE2's home port)
Thanks for the explanation, Stephen! I have never heard of this before and think it's a real special tradition. Do all ships and lines do this or only Cunard?
Charlene (& the Bobster)
Royal Caribbean Freedom OTS E Caribbean 2/28/10
Royal Caribbean Radiance OTS Ultimate Alaska 5/08/10
Crown Princess 2nd Annual Official CLF Group Cruise in
the Caribbean!
A paying off penant is a special flag given as a thank you to the ship, it's one foot long for each year of service, so QE2's was 39 feet long. They made 3, one was left in Halifax (Birth Place of Sir Samuel Cunard), one in Liverpool (where Cunard Line as founded) and one in Southamtpon (QE2's home port)
Very interesting Stephen,
I knew that there was such a thing, but didn't know about the three that where left ashore on the QE2's journey or that they where called a paying off penant
I took these photos myself at Calshot Spit in the UK, up the river from Southampton dock. This was the same day I went to meet Nigel Esdale (managing director of P&O Cruises) at his office.