Thursday 8th to 12th March 2018
Thursday
Heading roughly north towards Okinawa.
More empty sea, still hot and steamy with passing showers.
Crossed the equator again today, another ceremony this afternoon for those who have never crossed before.
Mainly just enjoyed the sun and the ship’s entertainments.
Friday
Our second day at sea of five on this long run to Japan.
Not much to report other than a rare sighting of a few dolphins just enough to keep us on the lookout.
While there is so little I will add a few thoughts about the passengers. It has been interesting and noticeable how the make up of nationalities has changed as the legs of the voyage go by and how this impacts on the feel and procedures of ship life.
The first leg was mainly British with a fair few Europeans and Americans. After our Atlantic US ports many more rather brash Americans joined us. Then in San Francisco we were joined by the first contingent of Australians and the bulk of British had left. In New Zealand and Australia the Americans thinned out and more very loud Australians joined, many of them for just a few days between Sydney and Brisbane, it felt a bit like a ferry on the way to a stag/hen party! After Brisbane many more very polite Japanese joined us, to the extent that announcements were now in three languages, English, German and Japanese. The breakfast buffet now also featured new items such as miso soup, sticky rice, pickled gherkin and pickled plums. Those few real world voyagers faces get more and more familiar as the days go by. Looking forward to see what happens next.
Saturday
Third day at sea, can’t quite believe just how much empty ocean there is around here, just one island on the horizon the only land in sight for days. Weather continues very hot with strong sunlight though slightly less humid today. It’s getting to be a habit lately for us to only just miss out on winning the trivia, very frustrating.
Today we are passing over the area of the Marianas Trench, the area of the greatest ocean depths, our track passes over sea about 9000 meters deep, the greatest depths being nearby in the Challenger Deep, being over 11000 meters deep.
Sunday
Fourth day at sea, still moving north.
Big trouble today, there is a leaking pipe this morning, all the water shut off. Amazing how many normally smoothly running systems have been impacted, having trouble getting morning coffee and the buffet is running out of crockery, dishwashers are out of action. Disaster! Maintenance crew having trouble finding the leak, isolating it and fixing it!
Weather also more cloudy, seas a bit rougher and occasional showers about. Air temperature falling, already way down at 24 centigrade.
Captain's Table in the Britannia Restaurant
Enjoyed this morning’s insight lecture by Dr Helen Doe about Admiral Rainier and his posting to the far east station during the Napoleonic War. We have previously seen her giving lectures on other nautical subjects, such as Nelson’s Navy and shipbuilding in Polruan, Cornwall.
Monday
Fifth day at sea.
Usual start to the day. Then a novel plan, we actually went for a light lunch. Followed this with attending the wine tasting, first time I managed to get to this, just never before fitted this in, far too busy!
Most of the day enjoying the sun before we get too far north and the weather cools.
Dinner tonight in the buffet, Mexican theme, all our favourites, delicious. Then off to the World Cruise Cocktail Party for a couple of drinks, a short address by Captain Inger Klein Thorhauge. Buffet table loaded with tasty goodies, ice sculptures and the same old World Cruise beautifully decorated cake. Shame we couldn’t take advantage just after dinner, except for a couple of chocolate dipped strawberries.
Clocks back again tonight to get to Japanese time.
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