Michael writes: "The photographs were taken on my phone as the whole trip was a spur of the moment thing; I didn't even know cruises round the harbour to follow her out were being offered! QE2 was ropes off 15 minutes late at 18:15, before being pulled off the berth, and very slowly inched round clockwise to face east to sail up the channel away from Cóbh, by three tugs. She was accompanied by a flotilla of all sorts of vessels, including the Cork pilot, the Ballycotton lifeboat, numerous fishing and pleasure craft, an Irish Naval Service vessel, a coastguard helicopter, and the Cork harbour tour boat which I was on. We had planned on following her all the way out to Roche's Point, but due to the late departure, the failing light made us turn back off Spike Island."