After leaving Lisboa, Portugal the Queen Mary 2 headed out on its way to the Strait of Gibraltar! The next morning as we entered the elevator on our way for our walk, Captain Aseem Hashmi was also in the lift (as it's known on the Queen Mary 2 and by our British friends). I asked him if he was going up or down and he reminded me he never says "going down!" Captain Hashmi is so funny and so quick with his quips.
After our walk we had lunch in Britannia and went topside as we sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar!
The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest shipping lanes on the planet. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea we traveled through this narrow strait. It separates Europe from Africa. At its narrowest point it is only 8 miles between Point Marrique, Spain and Point Cires in Morroco.
The territorial waters of Morocco, Spain and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar are in our view! The Mediterranean was sparkling with the sun shining on us as we made our transit.
The Rock of Gibraltar is exciting to see. We both giggled and said, is this for real? We had never dreamed of traveling through this area and we are so thankful! Seeing the world on the Queen Mary 2 was not wasted on us!
The Rock of Gibraltar is 1,398 feet high and made of limestone. Much of the top is protected by a nature reserve. Over 300 Barbary Macques (Rock Apes) make their home here. Also Barbary Partridges and many other birds and flora that are unique to the area can be found here.
I'm always on the lookout for lighthouses and it was quite easy to spot the Europa Point Lighthouse at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula. It is also known as the Trinity Lighthouse at Europa Point. The lighthouse was inaugurated in 1841 during the reign of Queen Victoria. It is operated by Trinity House, the authority of lighthouses in England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar.
The Rock of Gibraltar is inhabited by 32,688 people who live at its base. Most of them are Gibraltarians that are the ethnic group native to Gibraltar. The British Royal Navy maintains a presence here.
Transiting the Strait of Gibraltar was thrilling for us as we traveled further into the Mediterranean Sea. Thank you for sharing the joy we felt on this very special day as we continue our World Voyage!
