A Maritime Medley (Part 2)

Taking on average a year to make, it’s always special when Snowbow manages to release another of their outstanding Maritime DVDs, and this new one is no exception.

Des Cox introduces the programme from a quayside in the Mediterranean, full of modern day cruise ships, wondering what seafarers back in the 17th Century would have made of these giant ships. To help illustrate this thought, with the use of more very rare film, he actually takes us on a voyage from Plymouth to America aboard the 1950s replica of the 1620s Mayflower, and what a fascinating experience this is.

This alone makes the whole programme worthwhile, but there’s so much more to follow, for next we’re taken on a voyage aboard one of the all-time great classical ships, Swedish Clipper Line’s 1920s “Stella Polaris”… fantastic!

Next we go to London’s Royal Docks in the 1950s and follow a seafarer joining a Ben Line ship. He believes he’s on just another regular Ben Line voyage to the Far East, but then discovers their destination is top secret! I can’t reveal this destination as that would spoil everything, but I can tell you the crew got the shock of their lives when they found out, and it’s all on film!

Finally we go to Vancouver in the early 1950s where we witness the arrival and sailing of what surely was one of the most handsome ships of that era, Orient Line’s magnificent “Orcades”… For me it’s the best film I’ve ever seen of those beautiful ships. This DVD, with such high quality and rare content is truly outstanding and one I am sure you will watch over and over again.