North Pacific Crossing
Highlights
I take back all the negative comments about #Horizons. Found ourselves up there at 9 am this morning and it was so civilised. Hardly anyone in there - we got a seat by the window. Could hear lovely quiet music playing. No line up at the barista and scored vegemite with a seed covered roll. Was a perfect start to the morning.
We found ourselves there because we had an 8.30 am appointment with the crew for details on our "transit" to the next leg of the cruise. Approximately 2 500 of the 3 800 passengers on board are continuing on through #Whittier to #Vancouver. We had received a letter advising of this 8.30 information session. We were two of about 120 who turned up. The crew member presenting even delayed it for 10 minutes waiting for additional attendees. Numbers did not increase and during that time we scanned the crowd and noted that @Pesky Blunder was there - that made us groan-smile (a new word to describe our response to seeing him.) He too is travelling on to #Vancouver.
Our first #Theatre presentation this morning was with @Dan. He gave us an insight into the challenges of the cruise industry during the covid lockdown. Incredible challenges when you have 1500 + staff members on a ship. The logistics of caring for their physical and mental health as well as trying to get them home when birders were shutting down made for an interesting presentation.
Surprised with our dining choices today. We had started in #Horizons with a coffee and pastry and then took up a seat in the #Ocean Terrace for a special Sushi lunch. Had the best seats though - it only caters for 24 guests and overlooks our favourite entertainment spot in the #Piazza so it was perfect. Did have a giggle — we love the overview of the action in the #Piazza — but this certainly wasn’t any ocean view Terrace- not a water view anywhere! Not @Mac’s favourite, but he will do it again because I loved it. Only ordered one serving and shared - and accompanied by the #SakeMartini the meal was a good size - it left room for a visit to the specialty ice cream shop and a post lunch sundae chaser.
Obviously need all your layers to venture outside becuase the air remains chilled. The conditions are calm and in various vantage points, including on our balcony, there is next to no breeze. Had the binoculars out constantly scanning the water but no wildlife luck for us today. It was funny, even though the wind seemed minimal, the surface of the water was "messy." It presented lots of false alarms because there were white caps in the distance and the surface reflected differently under clouds or from a clear sky. Lots of changing weather conditions with frequent little showers of rain or light snow or even that icy hail.
Joined the whale watching group but numbers were way down this evening. @Rob had indicated that with the skies clearing and increased solar flare activity reported, we might get that elusive view of the lights.
Early dinner and it was crowded and noisy. That’s a first for us - but we had a table of six Americans behind us and then a table of four beside us. Think they were trying to outdo each other. Didn’t impact our enthusiasm for dinner though because "at last" there was escargot on the menu for @Mac and lobster for me! Their table talk perfectly camouflaged our slurping noises.
Easily scored a seat in the #Theatre for the late show. It was the last production show for this leg of the cruise and was another high energy show with the dancers and singers strutting their stuff.
A couple of nightcaps on the walk home rounded it out. Went to be bed all prepared in my long johns, just in case the phone rang for a call to Deck 16. @Mac, a little more casual in his night attire, will definitely need more layers to cover up his own version of the aurora and the Northern Lights. 😳 🙈 🙊 🐵
PS Couldn’t seem to shake him today - he was everywhere we were. @Mac could barely contain himself when @PB joined us in the lift - no joke - he got on at the #Baja level (it is pronounced by the auto elevator voice as "Ba-ha" - how appropriate.) Then for the @Naturalist, @PB arrived after us and sat three up in our row. Apparently, he had a little running commentary going alongside the @Naturalist’s presentation on glaciers and moving ice - I couldn’t hear him but @Mac caught the muttering stream. I do feel a compulsion to try and engage with @PB - need to look for a relaxed opportunity and try and have a positive moment. @Mac has tried and failed. I need to do better in this space.
Weather: 2 degrees
Steps: 4 737
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