Blogs from Pacific, Oceans and Seas - page 9

Day 156 Tuesday 18 August At sea continuing on a course of 276 degrees towards Pitcairn Island 23c cloudy Did Zumba after breakfast then Gail walked and I went on the internet and opened my account with the ship's server only to find that I did not get the 1000 free minutes that Gail got when she opened her account when we got on but only 500 minutes. This is because the leg to New York was one "cruise" and from there to Sydney a second "Cruise" with 500 minutes each cruise. Still 1500 free minutes will meet our needs. Gail went to choir then we had a cup of coffee and played cards. After cards we watched a movie called "Divergent" rubbish. Then dinner and to a show by Trevor Knight in which he sang ... read more

Day 146 Saturday 8 August At sea, southerly along the Ecuadorian and Peruvian coastlines. Seas calm 23c, cloudy We slept in and had a late, leisurely breakfast during which I saw a whale, my first sighting after 128 days at sea. We went up on deck to watch the Australia v New Zealand Rugby on the big screen. It started about 15 minutes in because they had not been able to get the satellite at the start. It was a good game made better by the fact that Australia won. Gail had to leave for choir practice part way through the second half when we were behind and was disappointed she hadn't stayed when I told her we had won. We played mahjong and then got ready for dinner and went to the Wheelhouse Bar because ... read more

Dienstag, 10.03.2015 Nuku’alofa - Auckland(1097 Seemeilen, 2 Seetage) Auf der Fahrt nach Auckland, verliessen wir den tropischen Gürtel der Erde, und sind nun wieder in den Subtropen. Die Tagestemperaturen stiegen nicht mehr über 25°C, allerdings bei strahlendem Sonnenschein. Nachts fiel das Thermometer auf 16°C. Unterwegs wurde die See wieder etwas rauher, jedoch nicht so rauh, wie nach Valparaiso. Für die Ankunft im Hafen von Auckland liessen wir uns von unserem Wecker wecken, die Hafeneinfahrt wollten wir uns nicht entgehen lassen. Bei unserem ersten Bummel durch die Häuserschluchten der Stadt fiel uns auf, wie sauber die Strassen von Auckland sind. So gut wie keine zertretenen Kaugummireste oder Zigarettenkippen waren auf den Gehwegen zu sehen. Wir marschierten die „Queen Street“, die Shoppingmeile von Auckland, entlang bis zum Sky Tower (328 m). Von ihm sprangen mutige ... read more

Another full day at sea in our velvet prison. We watch the tip of the Baja Peninsula, where Cabo San Lucas is located, pass by in the distance as we continue north. It's not nice to tease us like that. A beautiful day again. The sea is fairly calm, although there is a stiff breeze. During breakfast, we see diminutive flying fish just above the surface of the water, probably spooked by the ship's passage. It's amazing how far they travel in the air. The birds following our ship avail themselves of the opportunity to swoop down and pick them off. I spend most of the day reading and relaxing while Violet slowly roasts herself on the poop deck. We attend a presentation on the life and voyages of Captain Cook. Some bad news from home ... read more

A lazy day at sea, sailing towards Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. We sleep in and basically veg most of the day. The weather continues to be beautiful. The Ottawa Senators have been on a winning streak with young Andrew Hammond in goal. Not sure yet whether I should get excited. I spot a TV that is actually showing hockey highlights. Darn, the Sens lost to Columbus in a shoot-out tonight. That leaves them still 5 or 6 points out of the last playoff spot. But if they win all their games, and Boston loses all theirs... The show tonight features a comedian named Kevin Jordan. He's good, but I find his comedy very "American," in that it focuses on differences between people: white vs. black, rich vs. poor, old vs. young, etc. After the show, it's ... read more