7:30am, and it seems to have settled down some. Keith is awake at one to two hour intervals every night, for potty break. At about 10pm, Keith staggered a bit on the way to the bathroom. He turned on the TV, and found it was blowing 60 to 65 knots on the starboard quarter. That’s almost hurricane territory! No wonder the boat is moving about. The good news is, this motion actually helps Keith get back to sleep. Kathy did not sleep well, and said that the captain was on the PA about 9pm, apologizing for the unpredicted tempest. Keith was awake again at midnight, and the wind was down to 25, where it remained through the night. Virtually no white caps in sight this morning. Temperature 51, skies overcast.
On the way up to breakfast, we snap a photo of the elevator rug. These are changed every night, as an aid to us retired folks who can’t remember the day of the week.
Maasdam Elevator Rugs Are Changed Nightly
We continue to anxiously await developments with hurricane Bill. Keith would be on weather.com every fifteen minutes if he could afford the internet time. We plan to check weather and e-mail later this morning.
We saw the ice pilot in the Lido last night, which means there is still ice somewhere ahead. I hope he gives his talk again!
We have what would seem like a liesurely day ahead. Pick up our passports at 8; geologist talk ar 9; computer lab at 11;lunch, then the historian talks at 2, and the computer lab is open at 5. Keith is sitting on top of his dog house, sucking down coffee, and wishing it would all go away and he could sit here all day. He really wants to do all this stuff, but he is tired from two days of power touring.
View From the Doghouse Roof
There being no special touring theme for this day, I have chosen to talk trivia, including some random photos taken around the ship.
Early Every Morning, the Deck is Hosed
and the Windows are Washed
We Breakfast With a Friend Named Dave
Whom We Met on This Trip
Dave is a Regular Member of the Early Risers Club
Our Friend Liz Sketches in Her Journal
In addition to imbibing coffee, Keith is watching the water. Kathy noted a bit of a swell (maybe 8ft.) running in on our starboard quarter. On top of this we have a wind driven chop, maybe 4ft. on the starboard bow, with a few more white caps than an hour ago. The ride remains smooth, with just a bit of chatter. Is this wave action, or is a prop out of balance? Methinks the later, as I have felt this vibration before, in calmer waters. In the meantime, I provide a couple of bathroom photos to titillate your imagination.
Countertop Art, Found in all Maasdam Men’s Rooms
HAL Graciously Provides Small Hand Towels
in Place of Paper in the Men’s Rooms
Interestingly, Kathy reports that such art is not found in the lady’s rooms.
9:30, and no lecture. Seems we had the time wrong; it's at 10, and it's the history guy, not the geologist. We don't know if they have swapped morning and afternoon slots, or if the geology lecture is cancelled. We hope the former.
10:am and we learn the geologist is "under the weather”, so it's double history today.
Being a slow day, event wise, I thought I might relay some interesting information on today’s placemats, about who is cooking on this boat. Scroll down if it bores you.
The entire kitchen brigade includes 84 persons who are divided in several areas and different functions:
- 1 Executive Chef
- 1 Second Executive Chef
- 1 /innacle Grill Chef
- 2 Sous Chefs
- 6 Chef de parties
- 3 Demi Chefs (Hobbits?)
- 2 Apprentice Cook
- 18 Assistant Cook
- 14 General Purpose Attendants Pantry
- 1 Chief Baker
- 5 Assistant Pastry
- 1 Chief Butcher
- 1 Assistant Butcher
- 3 Crew Cooks
- 1 Chief Steward
- 1 Foreman
- 19 General Purpose Attendant S.A. (KP?)
After an hour sorting photos in the computer lab, we Lunch in the Lido. Kathy is excited it's fish fry day. Keith prefers the taco bar. Dessert was small cream puffs al a mode. They were delicious, but they did remind Keith of something he saw all over the Scottish countryside.
Delicious Cream Puffs
Top Off Lunch
Lido Café Art
After lunch Kathy attends the second history lecture of the day, then worked a puzzle, while the old dog laid down on the top of his kennel and slept for a few hours.
Kathy Puzzles Over the Pieces
Maasdam Librarian
Back to the computer lab at 4:30 to continue sorting photos. The instructor is teaching, so we must wait a few minutes to get a free computer.
While Kathy was puzzling, another puzzler received a phone call from his son, who informed him about hurricane Bill. She said the guy panicked, and soon had a dozen other people in near panic. Later in the evening, the captain circulated a letter officially acknowledging the existence of hurricane Bill, and reassuring us that all measures would be taken to avoid it, possibly including alteration of our itinerary.
Stay tuned.
Kathy Drinks a Toast to Hurricane Bill
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