S.S. BRITANIS at Tampa, Florida: 17 January 1998
Continuing our suite of pages on Matson Lines' ocean
liners of the thirties, Maritimematters takes you on a tour of the laid up BRITANIS
ex MONTEREY, MATSONIA, LURLINE.
When it was announced in early 1998 that the ship was sold for scrapping,
Maritimematters' contributing editor Peter Knego rendezvoused with the
BRITANIS' final active captain, AS Varsamis, and his wife Lynne, for a
nostalgic day aboard the still vibrant, grand old lady. Excerpts of that
visit go as follows:
Awaiting the captain's arrival, I began my photography of the ship's
exteriors with the aid of her patient watchman, Gerald Greaves. Capturing
the mast and twin funnels from the vantage of her top deck (shown here facing
aft from starboard), I was impressed with how fresh the blue painted decking
looked for a ship with such a dim future. Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
The sports deck area between her two funnels (shown here facing aft) had
begun to look worse for wear, with cracked blue paint revealing the the
wooden planks underneath. Many a Matson and Chandris publicity shot were
once taken in this very same place. Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
From aft Boat Deck, the view over the stern was rather sobering. Once the
center of the ship's outdoor activity with its large lido and rectangular
tiled pool, the Upper Deck fantail was now an abandoned adult playground.
Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
The sheltered promenades are lined with magnificent brass-framed windows
along their inboard length. The high maintenance brass was painted over, however,
it can be easily restored. This view is facing aft along the starboard side during
a cruise in 1992. The ample deck space is large
enough to accommodate a row of deck chairs and allow plenty of room for
passers by. Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
A refreshing contrast to the raked and windowless facades of today's cruise
ships, the view aft from the old liner's long fo'c'sle revealed a rigid
port-to-starboard panorama of wheelhouse windows and a fascinating melange of
king posts, booms, capstans, lines, and anchor chains. Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
From aft Upper Deck, the trinity of her boats and second funnel crown the
horizontal sweep of her Promenade Deck Ballroom windows. The faintly visible
circle in the foreground reveals where an opening once looked down to aft
Main Deck. Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
On aft Main Deck, the ship's auxiliary steering station was wrapped in a
protective canvas covering. With some help from Lynne (who had just arrived
with Captain Varsamis), we removed the covers for another look at the
beautiful brass devices. 'MATSONIA' is still engraved in the wheel's rim. Photo by
and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
The forward windows of the bridge extend to the ends of covered wings on
both sides that could easily be shut off from the wheelhouse by heavy sliding
metal doors. The spotless wood-decked enclosure was also covered in clusters
of familiar plastic sheets, which Lynne helped remove. The command center
(shown here in a starboard facing view) then came alive with an assortment of
sturdy brass telegraphs, a wooden wheel and binnacle, and a large gray radar
console. Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
Perhaps "finished with engines" will not be the famed ship's final
disposition, after all. The Majestic Group hopes to not only save and
preserve the former Matson liner, but to also operate her on occasion. For
the time being we are all on "stand by" hoping the ambitious plan will sail
"full speed ahead"....Photo by and copyright Peter
Knego 1998.
Click here for a look at BRITANIS'
period interiors as they look today
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