Author Topic: Welcome stowaway2k! (Kyle)  (Read 11580 times)

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Offline Twynkle

Re: Welcome stowaway2k!
« Reply #30 on: Dec 02, 2017, 12:31 PM »
If you read some of the early correspondence in this thread, you will be transported back to the "QE2Story Word Cruise 2009", in which many of the then members of the Forum took an active part, with roles on the ship.

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,88.0.html

I still enjoy the memories of that amazing "Cruise"... and I hope that Stowaway2k did likewise...

He was a wonderful asset to our Forum and we shall miss him greatly. The 2018 calendar contains three of his splendid photos, including the cover picture.


Yes, Isabelle,

Also, in the early days - his speedy posting of all the QE2 Anniversaries was incredible.
Whilst searching for each day of the New Year slowly, day by day in 2009 - suddenly and out of the blue, Stowaway2K's full list of every anniversary appeared!
So so sad, I shall miss him hugely, we were in very frequent touch, until early June.
Then after several efforts to contact him, without wanting to be too intrusive, there was 'the information' earlier this week, posted on the internet (social media).
He was a very talented as well as modest person.
I'm not too certain how he would react now, should he be able to read all that everyone has posted.

Here for anyone yet to read it, is his list
https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,314.msg3204.html#msg3204

And (I'm fairly certain) he wrote this about the first time RMS Queen Mary sailed from the yards down the River Clyde

"With the help of 7 tugs, very carefully...   ;D   The Queen Mary was kept as light as possible for the dangerous voyage down the river.  She had the minumum possible amount of fuel, and only the two forward lifeboats.   Plus, the river channel had been enlarged, 1/2 million tons of sand and sludge were dredged and dumped at sea, and 5 1/2 acres of river bank around the Cart River, opposite the shipyard, were cut away.

On the 24th of March, 1936, an estimated ONE MILLION people lined the banks of the River Clyde to view the Queen Mary departing her place of birth, for her life of fame and glory.   The day declared a holiday, shops and schools closing for the historic occasion.

Even with the help of 7 tugs, one of them brought up specially from Southampton, the Queen Mary grounded.  Twice.  As seen in this photo, a gust of wind sent the Queen Mary's bow onto the bank, and the current of the river put her stern on the opposite bank.   She was held fast for about half an hour on the two opposite river banks.
With the dropping tide and the pull of the current, the Queen Mary had only minutes more to be brought free before the stresses she was being subjected to would have broken her keel.  Queen Mary would had to have been scrapped on the spot, closing the Clyde to river traffic for months.

As we know, RMS Queen Mary was freed on time, and went on her way to become the greatest merchant ship in history".





« Last Edit: Dec 02, 2017, 11:35 PM by Twynkle »

Offline MiamiCunarder

Re: Welcome stowaway2k!
« Reply #31 on: Dec 02, 2017, 12:55 PM »
Twinkle,

My information was passed on from another friend of Kyle’s who’s been in contact with his sister. In fact, his sister flew over to speak with the police authorities after his passing. I’ll leave it at that.  - Ron
« Last Edit: Dec 02, 2017, 12:58 PM by MiamiCunarder »

Online Rob Lightbody

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Re: Welcome stowaway2k! (Kyle)
« Reply #32 on: Dec 02, 2017, 02:53 PM »
So sorry to hear this news.  Losing members and special friends from this site, is one thing I never thought of when I set it up, and something I find difficult, however we do our bit here by preserving their stories and photos that would otherwise be lost.

I never met Kyle, but I've been corresponding to him for 10 years.  I've just been having a look through the old emails to remind myself.  We met on CruiseCritic I think.

His videos - http://www.veoh.com/users/kjohns

A quote from one of his emails to me in 2009 :-

Quote
Has any ship ever warrented such passion in her lifetime?  Maybe Queen Mary and Mauretania, but certainly nothing that has come along in our generation.   A living legend.  For now.
Passionate about QE2's service life for 40 years and creator of this website.  I have worked in IT for 28 years and created my personal QE2 website in 1994.

Offline June Ingram

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Re: Welcome stowaway2k! (Kyle)
« Reply #33 on: Dec 04, 2017, 05:52 PM »
I can verify what MiamiCunarder has relayed.
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Offline Ab Ovo

Re: Welcome stowaway2k! (Kyle)
« Reply #34 on: Jul 26, 2019, 09:37 PM »
Thinking of Kyle today, whose nom de plume, rather Internet, was from millionaire industrialist. Leo Farnsworth, of "Heaven Can Wait."  It seeming so natural to get on email and remind him tomorrow is the anniversary of my first-ever WB on our beloved QE2.  It was the home voyage of my first-ever Transatlantic B2B, leaving NYC 15 June  1987.  Rode F-Grade, Columbia dinning.   .  my 13th time aboard.  Learned something that voyage.  On sailing day after boarding I was in Columbia checking table number, having made a special request for it.  I must have looked pensive for nearby a kindly English gentleman asked if he could help …  we got to talking, I could tell he loved the ship, he asked how many times I'd been on.  Really hadn't thought about that before, had only gotten on the ship midway through her life and mine, 1982,  but knew and was hesitant to tell 13.  After all, didn't want to blow the poor guy out of the water, but I was happy that this time on was my 13th!  Well.  He could not have been happier for me, so pleased I loved the ship as he did ….. I asked had he been on before …   he said oh yes, this trip was his 73rd!   Uh-oh!  I learned then so many people know so much more than I do!    Kyle always liked the story.  We met at the Doctor''s table my next crossing, in time we kept seeing the same people on always the late-December/early-January crossings and he, with Jon, Tom and others, took to the idea of a Winter Crossing Club.  Fun years.  Soon there was a pin!  All through his time in China we did email every week.  He didn't lose his QE2 love,  His knowledge of her years was extraordinary.  "Soon" he'd be on again.  Well we all know what happened there.  He was a good man.  R.I.P.





Online Lynda Bradford

Re: Welcome stowaway2k! (Kyle)
« Reply #35 on: Jul 26, 2019, 10:24 PM »
Lovely memory of Kyle, thanks for posting. We are pleased to remember him through his posts and pictures he added to the forum- a great guy!
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank
www.qe2event.com

Offline June Ingram

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Re: Welcome stowaway2k! (Kyle)
« Reply #36 on: Jul 30, 2019, 04:20 PM »
Thank you, Ed, Ab Ovo, for your memory of Kyle !
« Last Edit: Jul 30, 2019, 04:22 PM by June Ingram »
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

 

Stowaway2k/Kyle Johnstone RIP

Started by MiamiCunarderBoard Passenger & Enthusiast Memories

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Last post Dec 06, 2017, 09:26 PM
by Bob van Leeuwen