Aurora

pafecru · May 23, 2011

Impressive view......... well done Dickyboy !!

Hans

trotterdotpom · May 23, 2011

I might have this wrong, but it looks like she's flying a Red Ensign as a courtesy flag. She is obviously a P&O ship, so was curious about where she's registered.

John T

James_C · May 23, 2011

John,
Like most of the P&O fleet she's now registered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
I think the Red Ensign might actually be flying from the gaff in this case - if it was a courtesy flag it'd be hoisted to the truck or on the starboard yard (where the house flag is seen).

trotterdotpom · May 23, 2011

Thanks James.

John T

Dickyboy · May 23, 2011

With the absence of a main mast, or anything aft of the funnel, the traditional place to hang an Ensign, this is about the only place left. Of course, when at sea the ensign should never be flown from the flagpole on the poop deck.

waiwera · May 23, 2011

Or the stem Jack Flying when underway as in this picture! Sad all these old traditions "drilled into us in the 50/60's ( and of course before)" seem to have fallen by the wayside.

Dickyboy · May 23, 2011

Not wanting to be nit picking Waiwera, but does that apply when it's the company House Flag flying, as opposed to the Stem Jack/Union Flag?

trotterdotpom · May 23, 2011

Was there a regulation against flying the ensign at sea or was it just that it would have quickly been in tatters? What about when it was hoisted just in order to be dipped at a naval ship?

John T

James_C · May 23, 2011

Dickyboy,
It tended to apply to all jacks, regardless of whether they were a smaller company house flag, pilot jack or Union Jack (RN vessels only).
Jack, Ensign (down aft) were supposed to be hoisted as soon as the first line was ashore/anchor down, with the sea ensign (at the gaff) hauled down at the same time. The reverse was supposed to occur on departure.

John,
No regulation against flying an Ensign at sea, in fact the opposite as it is your official sign of 'national' identification. However it's a practice that's fallen out of favour generally based on:

a) Who's going to see it deepsea,
b) An ensign hoisted all day every day will quickly disintegrate.

terence · May 23, 2011

jim i think the deepsea one says it all
terry music man

Aurora

pafecru

trotterdotpom

James_C

trotterdotpom

Dickyboy

waiwera

Dickyboy

trotterdotpom

James_C

terence

Media information

Share this media