Email from Florida: It's hard to believe that I've been around the world 26,668 miles in 108 days and this was the 173rd voyage of the M V Foylebank. W crossed the equator 2 times, once southbound and once northbound. One day was lost crossing the international dateline weatbound and we skipped a Friday. Our clocks went back 1 hour 26 times for time zone differences. Isn't that a good reason for the difficulty I had knowing what day and time everyone else was on. The tropic of cancer and capricorn were both crossed twice, once each northbound and southbound. The shortest time in port was 8 hours and the longest 66 hours. We were in 19 different ports and 13 diferent countries.
Would I do it again? Yes I would. I think it would be fun to go on a shorter voyage and experience what other ships are like.
Sunday, May 23, 2004
Thursday, May 6, 2004
May 6th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We arrived at the beginning of Elba River going to Hamburg at 12 noon 5-6-04 and a pilot came on board at 12:30. It was a 7 hour trip on the river to the docks in Hamburg. We changed pilots 3 different times to guide us to the harbor. Hamburg is a huge harbor for container and cargo ships. I think it may be the largest harbor in the world. It was a picturesque trip on the river, passing many farms with beautiful yellow fields of cannola among other lush green fields, charming German villages, many vacation resorts, loads of activity with ferries, pleasure boats and sailboats, It was very windy and cool to be outside but I dressed warmly and was up on monkey island for awhile to enjoy the scenery.
We arrived at our dock at 6:45 pm. After we cleared customs, I was taken to a hotel close to the airport since my flight was leaving early the next morning. The ship will unload cargo and then sail to Antwerp where the Russian crew will leave and a new crew will come on. Then it sails to Hull where the British will leave and a new British crew will board. Then it goes to Dunkirk to start over.
It has been a grand, memorable adventure for me. Often my experiences were so awesome I couldn't find words to describe them. The captain and crew were were very friendly which added a lot to the enjoyment of the trip. It was a little sad to say goodbye to everyone after being with them for 108 days but we were all happy to be going home.
I read somewhere that "the sea restores your soul and broadens your perspective on life" and I found this to be so true.
We arrived at our dock at 6:45 pm. After we cleared customs, I was taken to a hotel close to the airport since my flight was leaving early the next morning. The ship will unload cargo and then sail to Antwerp where the Russian crew will leave and a new crew will come on. Then it sails to Hull where the British will leave and a new British crew will board. Then it goes to Dunkirk to start over.
It has been a grand, memorable adventure for me. Often my experiences were so awesome I couldn't find words to describe them. The captain and crew were were very friendly which added a lot to the enjoyment of the trip. It was a little sad to say goodbye to everyone after being with them for 108 days but we were all happy to be going home.
I read somewhere that "the sea restores your soul and broadens your perspective on life" and I found this to be so true.
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
May 5th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We are now passing the Rock of Gibraltor at 7:30 am Sun 5-2-04. position 36N 05W. It is cloudy and not so good for picture taking but I took one anyway. They say there are monkeys all over the Rock but they didn't get into the path of my binoculars,There are lots of ships all around. Morroco is on portside and Spain on starboard. Again, I'm told that the waters at Biscay Bay can be quite rough and may slow up our progress to Hamburg-whatever will be will be. Mon. am We are sailing north along the coast of Portugal. The ship is beginning to rock and roll.
5-5-04- What everybody told me has come true.Mon aft and Tues. day and night we were sailing through very rough waters. The ship was rolling and pitching fom heavy swells because of wind and stormy weather. Everything on the ship was on the move if it wasn't fastened down and if I tried to walk anywhere I was on the move too but not always in the direction I wanted to go. AND I didn't get seasick! We will soon be in the English Channel on to Hamburg.
5-5-04- What everybody told me has come true.Mon aft and Tues. day and night we were sailing through very rough waters. The ship was rolling and pitching fom heavy swells because of wind and stormy weather. Everything on the ship was on the move if it wasn't fastened down and if I tried to walk anywhere I was on the move too but not always in the direction I wanted to go. AND I didn't get seasick! We will soon be in the English Channel on to Hamburg.
Friday, April 30, 2004
April 30th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Time is passing by and it won't be long until our voyage is completed. According to schedule we will be in Hamburg, Germany on May 7 and I have a flight May 8 Hamburg-Paris-Atlanta-Tampa.
We have been in the Mediterranean Sea for 3 days and it is much cooler and very windy. On tues and wed 27th 28th the sea was calm and smooth but on thurs it was very choppy. I had to secure things in my cabin. The drawers were sliding open and all the things on my desktop were all over the floor. The dolphins were performing on portside after lunch. They are so cute. Haven't seen many ships the last few days but as we near the Rock of Gibraltor on Sun may 2 the traffic will probably increase.
This am 4-30 I saw land on portside-Tunisia. our position 37N 08 E. The sea is calm today and I'm hoping it will stay that way. They tell me that Biscay Bay along the coast of France can be quite rough.
We have been in the Mediterranean Sea for 3 days and it is much cooler and very windy. On tues and wed 27th 28th the sea was calm and smooth but on thurs it was very choppy. I had to secure things in my cabin. The drawers were sliding open and all the things on my desktop were all over the floor. The dolphins were performing on portside after lunch. They are so cute. Haven't seen many ships the last few days but as we near the Rock of Gibraltor on Sun may 2 the traffic will probably increase.
This am 4-30 I saw land on portside-Tunisia. our position 37N 08 E. The sea is calm today and I'm hoping it will stay that way. They tell me that Biscay Bay along the coast of France can be quite rough.
Sunday, April 25, 2004
April 25th 2004:
Email from the Ship: 4-25-04 Sun. It has cooled off some and not as humid. It has been very windy on the Red Sea, sometimes too strong to be on the deck outside. We are sailing between Egypt on the port side and Saudi Arabia on starboard side. The sea has narrowed and we are close to both countries. There are a lot of oil rigs along the sidesI spent most of the day on the bridge. It was very interesting to observe how they keep watch and alter the course of the ship according to where the other ships areWe got to Suez about 7:30 4-25-04. I don't know how to adequately describe what I see. It is so awesome. It is dark and all along the shore there are many twinkling lights and all the big ships are lit up--and the stars and the moon are being as beautiful as ever. I just sat by myself on the monkey island taking in all the beauty. We are anchored here for the night 4-26-04 Mon. Position 30N 32E
I went up to monkey island at 5 am this morning to see the sun come up. The ships were lining up to go thru the canal. There are no locks and the canal is 100 miles long from Suez to Port Said. On the west side is the delta of the Nile and on the right is Sinai peninsula. It will take 12 hours togo through. The ships go in a convoy and we are #12 0f 20 ships. The first ship started at 6 am and we entered the canal at 7:30 am. There are 8 major bends and 3 lakes. After 3 hours at the first lake ships coming south and our convoy going north all had to anchor for 1 hour until a large ship coming south passed throughOn the west side there are small cities all along the way and on the east side it lookslike desert with sand dunes. There was a lot of farming as we got further north. It was a very interesting day. At 7:30pm tonight we got to Port Said and we will now keep on sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.
I went up to monkey island at 5 am this morning to see the sun come up. The ships were lining up to go thru the canal. There are no locks and the canal is 100 miles long from Suez to Port Said. On the west side is the delta of the Nile and on the right is Sinai peninsula. It will take 12 hours togo through. The ships go in a convoy and we are #12 0f 20 ships. The first ship started at 6 am and we entered the canal at 7:30 am. There are 8 major bends and 3 lakes. After 3 hours at the first lake ships coming south and our convoy going north all had to anchor for 1 hour until a large ship coming south passed throughOn the west side there are small cities all along the way and on the east side it lookslike desert with sand dunes. There was a lot of farming as we got further north. It was a very interesting day. At 7:30pm tonight we got to Port Said and we will now keep on sailing in the Mediterranean Sea.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
April 22nd 2004:
Email from the Ship: We left Port Kelang, Malaysia on 4-12-04 and have been sailing the Indian ocean into the gulf of Aden and now on the Red Sea. On starboard side we see Yemen and on port side is Somalia. As I see the land from the sea it's hard to believe there is so much conflict going on in both of these areas.We will be at Suez on Sun 4-25-04. Today is Thurs. 4-22-04.
The days at sea are the same routine. Breakfast at 7:30, visiting in the lounge while the girls clean our cabins,check emails, read, play scrabble, do some writing and go to lunch at 12:00. After lunch we lounge on the deck and read and snooze. It has been hot and humid so after awhile I come down to lounge which is the coolest place on the ship. I do make frequent trips to the bridge to keep in touch with the goings on. This morning we came upon a large flock of birds but noone knew what they were-just seabirds, Dinner is at 6pm and afterwards we entertain ourselves with reading watching videos. I go to bed early when we are on pirate alert since I can't go to monkey island to see the stars. I get up early 5 am when it is so peaceful and noone is around except on the bridge.
I'm looking forward to the Suez Canal.
The days at sea are the same routine. Breakfast at 7:30, visiting in the lounge while the girls clean our cabins,check emails, read, play scrabble, do some writing and go to lunch at 12:00. After lunch we lounge on the deck and read and snooze. It has been hot and humid so after awhile I come down to lounge which is the coolest place on the ship. I do make frequent trips to the bridge to keep in touch with the goings on. This morning we came upon a large flock of birds but noone knew what they were-just seabirds, Dinner is at 6pm and afterwards we entertain ourselves with reading watching videos. I go to bed early when we are on pirate alert since I can't go to monkey island to see the stars. I get up early 5 am when it is so peaceful and noone is around except on the bridge.
I'm looking forward to the Suez Canal.
Friday, April 16, 2004
April 16th 2004:
Email from the Ship: 4-15-04- It was an interesting afternoon up on the bridge. We watched about 20 whales blowing water spouts and playing around in the ocean. They kept a distance from the ship so we had to use binoculars to really see more than then the water spouts.
The cloud formations were gorgeous again and the wind was lovely. We sat on the deck by the bridge on lounge chairs. I listened to music and Florence read. I've been playing scrabble by myself. I alternate from being starboard to port and it's been fun seeing how high a score I can get on each one.So far starboard is winning.
4-16-04=We had a beautiful sunrise this morning as we were passing Sri Lanka 05N 81E. Sailing on the Indian Ocean we have been seeing lots of other ships. Some are going the opposite direction to us and a lot of those going the same direction have a faster speed than we do so they pass us by.This morning they seemed to be emerging from the sunrise which makes a beautiful picture. We are off pirate alert for a few days until we get to the Gulf of Aden. So last night I was able to again enjoy the stars in the sky from monkey island.
The cloud formations were gorgeous again and the wind was lovely. We sat on the deck by the bridge on lounge chairs. I listened to music and Florence read. I've been playing scrabble by myself. I alternate from being starboard to port and it's been fun seeing how high a score I can get on each one.So far starboard is winning.
4-16-04=We had a beautiful sunrise this morning as we were passing Sri Lanka 05N 81E. Sailing on the Indian Ocean we have been seeing lots of other ships. Some are going the opposite direction to us and a lot of those going the same direction have a faster speed than we do so they pass us by.This morning they seemed to be emerging from the sunrise which makes a beautiful picture. We are off pirate alert for a few days until we get to the Gulf of Aden. So last night I was able to again enjoy the stars in the sky from monkey island.
Thursday, April 15, 2004
April 15th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Port Kelang was our last port to go ashore.we are now on the ship until I get to Hamburg, Germany.
When we were on the cargo dock at Port Kelang, there was a USS warship docked in front of us us. It was heavily guarded. The ship was surrounded by a chain of smaller boats and the dock in that area was walled off with containers. As we are sailing the Red sea we won't be very far away from all the conflict. After dinner I went up to monkey island to sit and relax. The wind was blowing through my hair, the sun was setting and the sea had small white caps. It's a wonderful way to relax and I'm sure you would all love to join me if you could. It is now Thurs. 4-15-04 and our position is 06 N 86 E.We are off pirate alert until we get to the Gulf of Aden just before the Red sea. Then the outside doors will be locked again for a day or so. They really do keep us safe.
When we were on the cargo dock at Port Kelang, there was a USS warship docked in front of us us. It was heavily guarded. The ship was surrounded by a chain of smaller boats and the dock in that area was walled off with containers. As we are sailing the Red sea we won't be very far away from all the conflict. After dinner I went up to monkey island to sit and relax. The wind was blowing through my hair, the sun was setting and the sea had small white caps. It's a wonderful way to relax and I'm sure you would all love to join me if you could. It is now Thurs. 4-15-04 and our position is 06 N 86 E.We are off pirate alert until we get to the Gulf of Aden just before the Red sea. Then the outside doors will be locked again for a day or so. They really do keep us safe.
Monday, April 12, 2004
April 12th 2004:
Email from the Ship: On 4-10-04 Sat at 3 am we docked at Port Kelang at the oil dock. Because of port regulations, passengers are not allowed on this port so at 5:30 am we were taken to the Crystal Crown hotel where we stayed for 2 nights. After the oil was loaded the ship had to anchor in the harbor until there was room at the cargo dock. So Mon am 4-12-04 the ship anchored at the cargo dock and we were allowed to come back on board.
This has been my least favorite part of the trip and I'm happy to be back on ship. While at the hotel we spent one day in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.We took a 1 hour train ride to the city and spent the day shopping, going to the twin towers which are the tallest towers in the world, and we ate lunch at a Thai restaurant.. On Sun we explored a smaller town closer to our hotel- Klang. Helen leaves us today so it will be just Florence and I for the remainder of the trip. So I will miss my scrabble partner.
We are to leave here at 11pm tonight 4-12-04 but we never know for sure until we actually sail. It will take 2 weeks to get to the Suez Canal.
This has been my least favorite part of the trip and I'm happy to be back on ship. While at the hotel we spent one day in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.We took a 1 hour train ride to the city and spent the day shopping, going to the twin towers which are the tallest towers in the world, and we ate lunch at a Thai restaurant.. On Sun we explored a smaller town closer to our hotel- Klang. Helen leaves us today so it will be just Florence and I for the remainder of the trip. So I will miss my scrabble partner.
We are to leave here at 11pm tonight 4-12-04 but we never know for sure until we actually sail. It will take 2 weeks to get to the Suez Canal.
Monday, April 5, 2004
April 5th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Last night, Mon. 4-5-04 I spent an hour up on the bridge and out on the deck as we prepared to set sail for Singapore. It's very interesting to watch when and how they undo the ropes that anchor us to the dock and how the tugboats manage to get us turned around to head out to sea. Bintulu is a particularly interesting harbor because of all the big ships coming in and out all the time. They loaded tons of plywood and we are taking it to Hamburg, Germany. We left the dock at 8:30 pm and the capt said it will take 1 1/2 days to get to singapore. Already we are talking about the singapore slings at the famous Raffles hotel .They say you have to have one at least once. Now it's Tue. eve 4-6-04 and the full moon over the ocean is absolutely gorgeous.Since we are in pirate territory we can't go out on deck at night. All the outside doors are bolted shut from 8 pm to 6 am.
One of our cadets, Chris is leaving us at Singapore and flying home to the UK because he needs to be there at a certain date and we are running at least a week behind schedule.The cadets, Scott, Mark, Chris, and Phil are quite an asset to this voyage. They are kind and thoughtful and humorous. It's fun to interact with them. They always seem willing to be helpful when we have questions.
One of our cadets, Chris is leaving us at Singapore and flying home to the UK because he needs to be there at a certain date and we are running at least a week behind schedule.The cadets, Scott, Mark, Chris, and Phil are quite an asset to this voyage. They are kind and thoughtful and humorous. It's fun to interact with them. They always seem willing to be helpful when we have questions.
Saturday, April 3, 2004
April 3rd 2004:
Email from the Ship: We arrived in Miri, borneo malaysia Sat 6am 4-3-04 and had to anchor 4 1/2 miles from shore since there is no docking space in Miri.There were 4 other ships anchored around us and lots of oil rigs all around. We will not be going to shore. They brought the plywood that needed loaded out to the ship by barge. So for 5 hours we watched how they loaded from the barge to the ship. We are very near Brunei which is the smallest and wealthiest country in the world because of it's vast oil reserves. I wish we would have stopped there except they say it is very expensive to be there.
We left Miri at 3pm on 4-3-04 for Bintulu and arrived here at 9:30 pm same day. This is a harbor full of oil refineries and they were all lit up at night. We were told we could not take pictures of the refineries.
This morning it was raining but we went to town and had a great day even though it was Sunday.We did lots of things, like getting our hair cut, going to internet cafe,visiting the beautiful market (I took a picture of it because they had all the vegetables and fruit arranged so neat.When I asked the gal if I could take a picture she got so excited and invited others to come too. Since I have a digital camera I could show them the picture and they loved it. Then as we were walking along the river Kemena there were loads of delapidated ferry boats and on the spur of the moment we decided to cross the river on one to go shopping at the super market. There was one little bench for us to sit on and we were the only passengers besides the few motorbikes that went too.So we chugged across the river, browsed in the market and came back on the ferry safe and sound.We got back to the ship at 6pm just in time for dinner. We were all tired out from our busy day.
We left Miri at 3pm on 4-3-04 for Bintulu and arrived here at 9:30 pm same day. This is a harbor full of oil refineries and they were all lit up at night. We were told we could not take pictures of the refineries.
This morning it was raining but we went to town and had a great day even though it was Sunday.We did lots of things, like getting our hair cut, going to internet cafe,visiting the beautiful market (I took a picture of it because they had all the vegetables and fruit arranged so neat.When I asked the gal if I could take a picture she got so excited and invited others to come too. Since I have a digital camera I could show them the picture and they loved it. Then as we were walking along the river Kemena there were loads of delapidated ferry boats and on the spur of the moment we decided to cross the river on one to go shopping at the super market. There was one little bench for us to sit on and we were the only passengers besides the few motorbikes that went too.So we chugged across the river, browsed in the market and came back on the ferry safe and sound.We got back to the ship at 6pm just in time for dinner. We were all tired out from our busy day.
Thursday, April 1, 2004
April 1st 2004:
Email from the Ship: What an exciting morning as we were sailing through Basilan straits with Philippine islands on both sides of us. 06N 121E. There were many many little fishing boats all around us and then a freighter was coming towards us on the same course we were on.The screen was flashing a red area-collision course so since it was a little on our starboard side we altered our course to pass by. Our captain and officers are very skillful and always seem to know what to do. It was very interesting to see how it all worked out.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
March 31st 2004:
Email from the Ship: Ready for a geography lesson:
Malaysia is the largest Muslim country. It consists of 2 distinct parts--Peninsular Malaysia which is the long finger of land extending down from Asia with Singapore at thebottom tip and then to the east in the northern island of borneo is 2 malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. We are stopping at 2 ports in Borneo Malaysia--Miri and Bintulu and 2 ports in Peninsular Malaysia--Singapore and Port Klang. We hope to be in Miri by early Sat Morn 4-3-04. Today we sailed by the Phillipines.
Some more interesting info is that we are entering an area that is at risk for pirate attacks so while we are sailing at night between 2000 and 0600 all the doors to outside decks are secured and we are not allowed outside.While in port all accommadation doors secured except the one nearest the ganaway which will be heavily guarded.
At night the bridge watch will be doubled. The fire hoses will be rigged and the search lights used frequently in order that to any observer the vessel is vigilant and prepared.Should any pirates be in a position to board the ship everything possible will be done to frustrate the attempt by swamping of boats and pirates with fire hoses and dazzling them with lights.All of us passengers will remain locked in our cabins.
Actually this all feels very safe to me.We are told that the risk to a vessel like this is minimal because of size, speed and type of cargo but it's always wise to take precautions.
Our position tonight is 05N and 125E
Malaysia is the largest Muslim country. It consists of 2 distinct parts--Peninsular Malaysia which is the long finger of land extending down from Asia with Singapore at thebottom tip and then to the east in the northern island of borneo is 2 malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. We are stopping at 2 ports in Borneo Malaysia--Miri and Bintulu and 2 ports in Peninsular Malaysia--Singapore and Port Klang. We hope to be in Miri by early Sat Morn 4-3-04. Today we sailed by the Phillipines.
Some more interesting info is that we are entering an area that is at risk for pirate attacks so while we are sailing at night between 2000 and 0600 all the doors to outside decks are secured and we are not allowed outside.While in port all accommadation doors secured except the one nearest the ganaway which will be heavily guarded.
At night the bridge watch will be doubled. The fire hoses will be rigged and the search lights used frequently in order that to any observer the vessel is vigilant and prepared.Should any pirates be in a position to board the ship everything possible will be done to frustrate the attempt by swamping of boats and pirates with fire hoses and dazzling them with lights.All of us passengers will remain locked in our cabins.
Actually this all feels very safe to me.We are told that the risk to a vessel like this is minimal because of size, speed and type of cargo but it's always wise to take precautions.
Our position tonight is 05N and 125E
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
March 30th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Tuesday March 30 6am position 01N 133E traveling 16 knots.
Last evening we had our before dinner drinks on the deck so we could watch the sunset and celebrate crossing the equator again. We saw a huge group of dolphins flipping around in the ocean doing their entertaining for us.
Also I finally made a trip to the engine room. I had this picture in my mind that it would be a loud, fiercely hot,dark dungeon, the way everyone had been commenting about it. Much to my surprise it was a well lit room full of huge machinery, very clean, and quite hot and loud. There was a room with all the monitors which was airconditioned and the crew that works with engines need to take a break every so often to cool down.I took pictures to send to my website.
I think in about 4 days we will be in Borneo Malaysia. Until then we are sitting on deck relaxing, reading, playing scrabble and Helen and I go to the pool for exercise.
Last evening we had our before dinner drinks on the deck so we could watch the sunset and celebrate crossing the equator again. We saw a huge group of dolphins flipping around in the ocean doing their entertaining for us.
Also I finally made a trip to the engine room. I had this picture in my mind that it would be a loud, fiercely hot,dark dungeon, the way everyone had been commenting about it. Much to my surprise it was a well lit room full of huge machinery, very clean, and quite hot and loud. There was a room with all the monitors which was airconditioned and the crew that works with engines need to take a break every so often to cool down.I took pictures to send to my website.
I think in about 4 days we will be in Borneo Malaysia. Until then we are sitting on deck relaxing, reading, playing scrabble and Helen and I go to the pool for exercise.
Saturday, March 27, 2004
March 27th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Since there is no public transportation in Lae PNG and the town was too far away from the dock we did not have the opportunity to explore the town. We were a bit disappointed because we had 1 and 1/2 days but we were told that it wasn't safe to go off on our own. The capt. did arrange for the agent to take us to Lae international hotel for lunch but our time was limited.
While Helen and I were playing scrabble after dinner, suddenly the door to the lounge opened and 8 very talkative men came in with Dario our chief engineer.They were all business men who live in Lae but came from Australia and UK not native PNG's. They get together at a bar at night and they knew Dario. They wanted to see the ship so he brought them for a visit.there was a banker, a manager of Lae hotel, travel agent, tour organizer etc.and they were quite entertaining with their humor.They said if they would have known we needed transportation they would have provided it for us.They said that Lae is not as dangerous as the media like to portray it but you do need to be careful in some areas.
We left Lae this morning at 7 am and we will be at sea for at least a week on our way to Borneo Malaysia.All day we sailed along the island of PNG and it was a beautiful sight. We have to go north and then west to get around the island and on to Borneo.
Our position at 9pm is 04S 146 E. I was up on the bridge and the sky was very interesting. It is dark and to the west the sky was lit up with lightning and to the northeast the moon was shining on the ocean.It was fantastic.
While Helen and I were playing scrabble after dinner, suddenly the door to the lounge opened and 8 very talkative men came in with Dario our chief engineer.They were all business men who live in Lae but came from Australia and UK not native PNG's. They get together at a bar at night and they knew Dario. They wanted to see the ship so he brought them for a visit.there was a banker, a manager of Lae hotel, travel agent, tour organizer etc.and they were quite entertaining with their humor.They said if they would have known we needed transportation they would have provided it for us.They said that Lae is not as dangerous as the media like to portray it but you do need to be careful in some areas.
We left Lae this morning at 7 am and we will be at sea for at least a week on our way to Borneo Malaysia.All day we sailed along the island of PNG and it was a beautiful sight. We have to go north and then west to get around the island and on to Borneo.
Our position at 9pm is 04S 146 E. I was up on the bridge and the sky was very interesting. It is dark and to the west the sky was lit up with lightning and to the northeast the moon was shining on the ocean.It was fantastic.
Friday, March 26, 2004
March 26th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We arrived in Madang PNG at 7am 3-23-04. It is a very scenic harbor and very clean. Several dolphins were frolicking around to welcome us. We walked to town to visit all the shops and the outdoor market. They had lots of bananas and peanuts and all kinds of other greens. It was very hot and humid. We walked to the local bakery but nothing looked very appealing to me.
We walked to Hotel Madang Resort for lunch. It is beautifully landscaped with a nice swimming pool which they allowed us to use.There was a conference starting "oceana customs" so there were lots of people around.
We had a shore leave on Wed until 3pm so we went to town again and went swimming.The people are very friendly here.They want to make sure you know where you are going and they will walk with us to show us. I sat down on the cement wall for a rest with all the locals and I had my backpack beside me. A very nice lady came to me and told me I better put it on my lap so noone takes it. Most of them speak good English and also pidgin.
We left Madang yesterday 3-24 at 6 pm and arrived in Lae PNG this morning 3-25 at 8 am. We had to drop anchor out near the harbor and wait for a berth to open. About noon we were told we could sail in and dock. We had 3 tugboats helping us into a space between 2 other ships. We stayed on board because we can@t go out on our own. Tomorrow the capt. arranged for someone to pick us up for the day.
We walked to Hotel Madang Resort for lunch. It is beautifully landscaped with a nice swimming pool which they allowed us to use.There was a conference starting "oceana customs" so there were lots of people around.
We had a shore leave on Wed until 3pm so we went to town again and went swimming.The people are very friendly here.They want to make sure you know where you are going and they will walk with us to show us. I sat down on the cement wall for a rest with all the locals and I had my backpack beside me. A very nice lady came to me and told me I better put it on my lap so noone takes it. Most of them speak good English and also pidgin.
We left Madang yesterday 3-24 at 6 pm and arrived in Lae PNG this morning 3-25 at 8 am. We had to drop anchor out near the harbor and wait for a berth to open. About noon we were told we could sail in and dock. We had 3 tugboats helping us into a space between 2 other ships. We stayed on board because we can@t go out on our own. Tomorrow the capt. arranged for someone to pick us up for the day.
Monday, March 22, 2004
March 22nd 2004:
Email from the Ship: In Papua New Guinea as you pass all the people walking you notice that they are chewing and spitting out large amounts of red saliva.There are patches of red all over the ground. Everyone chews betel nut. It is the nut of the areca palm, and it is a mild narcotic. People use it as a little pick me up during the day like a mid day cup of tea or coffee. They break open the husked nut and chew until they get to the kernel inside the nut. Nuts can vary in potency and a strong one might cause you to sweat and want to lie down for awhile. After the nut is chewed, they take the kernel, moisten the tip of it into a white powdery mix of mustard and coral limestone and bite off the frosted part and keep chewing. This is when the saliva turns vivid red and you will feel a rush. They say it tastes awful.The local people offer it to foreigners but it doesn@t attract too many drug fans because of the disgusting spitting of the large amounts of bright red saliva which stains everything it comes in contact with. The local people have red stained mouth and teeth. Even the children are using it.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
March 21st 2004:
Email from the Ship: It has been raining for many days now so we are ready for some more of that beautiful weather again. We are in Kimbe PNG arrived here Sat noon 3-20-04 and we expected to load copra and leave by 6 pm Sat nite. Well, that didn't happen because of the rain. It is now Sun aft. and we are waiting for the rain to stop long enough to get the copra loaded. As I said before, sometimes if we are in a port where there is a lot to do and see, we are happy to be delayed by the rain. Here in Kimbe there is not much to do.
This morning Sun,, I decided to take a walk to town between showers. It was very muddy everywhere. There were lots of people walking and everyone was smiling and saying good morning. They were very friendly and it was a good feeling.I was not only wet from the rain but also from the heat and humidity so it felt good to take a shower when I got back to the ship. We are a little tired of the rain so we read, play scrabble and read and play scrabble some more.When it is possible it is fun to watch the loading. It's 9 pm now Sun eve and they have been loading for several hours so it looks like we will be leaving in the morning 3-22 and sail to Madang- another PNG stop.
This morning Sun,, I decided to take a walk to town between showers. It was very muddy everywhere. There were lots of people walking and everyone was smiling and saying good morning. They were very friendly and it was a good feeling.I was not only wet from the rain but also from the heat and humidity so it felt good to take a shower when I got back to the ship. We are a little tired of the rain so we read, play scrabble and read and play scrabble some more.When it is possible it is fun to watch the loading. It's 9 pm now Sun eve and they have been loading for several hours so it looks like we will be leaving in the morning 3-22 and sail to Madang- another PNG stop.
Friday, March 19, 2004
March 19th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We left Noro at 5 pm on 3-16-04 and arrived in Rabaul, PNG at 7:30 am 3-17-04. Rabaul, the once beautiful city nestled in Simpson harbor with a backdrop of beautiful volcanic mountains was destroyed in 1994 when the volcano Tuvuvur erupted. All the roads, airport, restuarants and buildings were buried under the volcanic ash.The earthquake that followed crumbled the buildings.They have been attempting to restore the city with help from the government but even after 9 years much of it looks desolate, However when we were taken to the top of themountain to the station where volcanologist have equipment to monitor the status of the volcanos, the view of the harbor and what was left of the town was absolutely wonderful. Tuvuvur is still smoking and although the day was cloudy I attempted to take pictures to send to my website. We had lunch in the hotel restuarant that was dug out of the rubble and restored.It was good chinese food.
We sailed for Bialia Png at 5 pm 3-18-04 and arrived at 7am 3-19-04. It has pouring down rain. The dock is very small and it is built a long ways from shore with a oneway path or road to get to it. Because of the rain and the difficulty getting on and off the ship, we decided to stay on board today. There is very little to see on shore.
We are loading coconut oil through big hoses so the loading can go on even though it is raining.They will be done loading at 6pm but we won't sail until tomorrow morning. The passage into the dock is too difficult to do at night. We head for Kimbe which is a short sail from here. Both Bialia and Kimbe are on New Britain island which is a part of PNG
We sailed for Bialia Png at 5 pm 3-18-04 and arrived at 7am 3-19-04. It has pouring down rain. The dock is very small and it is built a long ways from shore with a oneway path or road to get to it. Because of the rain and the difficulty getting on and off the ship, we decided to stay on board today. There is very little to see on shore.
We are loading coconut oil through big hoses so the loading can go on even though it is raining.They will be done loading at 6pm but we won't sail until tomorrow morning. The passage into the dock is too difficult to do at night. We head for Kimbe which is a short sail from here. Both Bialia and Kimbe are on New Britain island which is a part of PNG
Sunday, March 14, 2004
March 14th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We arrived in Noro, in Solomon Is. Sun Morn 3-14-04 at 7 am. The dock is about half the size of the ship so it was interesting to watch how they docked. They had to make sure that the storage holds where they put the copra are next to the dock. That means our gangway to get on and off the ship could not be lowered to the land.
The capt. called a neighboring island resort to come and pick us up for the day.They lowered the gangway on the starboard side down to the water and the boat and the boat that came for us came up to the gangway. It was a bit of a challenge getting from the gangway into the floating boat but we all managed to do it with the help of the crew. Then we took a half hour ride sitting in the bottom of the boat which wasn't all that comfortable but the ride was was so beautiful the discomfort didn't matter. We went by many islands and most of them are surrounded by coral reefs, lagoons beaches and have small villages of people living in "leaf huts" along the coast.Most of the interior of the island are toorugged and mountainous to support many people. Leaf huts have bamboo frames and roofs thatched with sago palms.There are 992 islands that make up the Solomons.Most villagers are self sufficient with their gardens and fish. The resort we went to are not like the resorts in Fl. It had 5 leaf huts and a large building with open sides and a thatched roof. It was a bar and the social dining area. We spent the day swimming with the sharks-yes the sharks swam up to the beach. They were small and we were assured they would not bite us.They feed them and treat them like pets. Maybe we should learn how to treat sharks from these people.
The owner of the resort came to the island in the peace corps and has been here 25 years. His wife Lisa is a native of the islands. She made lunch of fish and chips for us. The chips were thin sliced potatoes deep fried and tasted like potato chips. very delicious. They told us that business has not been good for the last 5 years because of all the unrest among the islands. Tourists have not been coming as much.
It is now Mon 3-15-04 and we are having rain showers. When it rains all loading ceases and they close the holds where they put the copra. So we will probably not be sailing tonight as planned. When we are in a port with lots of interesting things to do we love when it rains because it gives us more time to see things. But there isn't much to see here.
The capt. called a neighboring island resort to come and pick us up for the day.They lowered the gangway on the starboard side down to the water and the boat and the boat that came for us came up to the gangway. It was a bit of a challenge getting from the gangway into the floating boat but we all managed to do it with the help of the crew. Then we took a half hour ride sitting in the bottom of the boat which wasn't all that comfortable but the ride was was so beautiful the discomfort didn't matter. We went by many islands and most of them are surrounded by coral reefs, lagoons beaches and have small villages of people living in "leaf huts" along the coast.Most of the interior of the island are toorugged and mountainous to support many people. Leaf huts have bamboo frames and roofs thatched with sago palms.There are 992 islands that make up the Solomons.Most villagers are self sufficient with their gardens and fish. The resort we went to are not like the resorts in Fl. It had 5 leaf huts and a large building with open sides and a thatched roof. It was a bar and the social dining area. We spent the day swimming with the sharks-yes the sharks swam up to the beach. They were small and we were assured they would not bite us.They feed them and treat them like pets. Maybe we should learn how to treat sharks from these people.
The owner of the resort came to the island in the peace corps and has been here 25 years. His wife Lisa is a native of the islands. She made lunch of fish and chips for us. The chips were thin sliced potatoes deep fried and tasted like potato chips. very delicious. They told us that business has not been good for the last 5 years because of all the unrest among the islands. Tourists have not been coming as much.
It is now Mon 3-15-04 and we are having rain showers. When it rains all loading ceases and they close the holds where they put the copra. So we will probably not be sailing tonight as planned. When we are in a port with lots of interesting things to do we love when it rains because it gives us more time to see things. But there isn't much to see here.
Thursday, March 11, 2004
March 11th 2004:
Email from the Ship: What an incredible day we had on Wed 3-10-04. Now I have another favorite island Santo, Vavuatu- used to be called New Hebrides. Luganville is the name of the town where the ship docked.
We arrived here Wed @ 6:30 am and the capt. and purser arranged a tour for us to see the island.We left at 10am with Sandy our guide and he showed us all around the island. The road is not paved and is very very bumpy but it was nice to not be in a city. The island has lush green vegetation, trees, beautiful beaches, and many coconut palm plantations with lots of healthy looking cows roaming among the trees. This island exports a lot of beef to Japan. Sandy shared a lot with us about his island. We went to the local market where fruits and vegetables and kava root were all laid out in piles on the ground.We stopped by a copra drying oven and saw how the copra(meat of the coconut) was being dried.The ovens where they keep a fire going with wood and coconut husks and on top of the ovens they place the copra.We ate some of the copra and if you like coconut it was quite tasty.There is like a shed built around the top of the ovens with doors at either end, where they put in and take out the copra. When it is dried they put it in burlap bags to bring to the wharf where they dump the bags in big containers in storage sheds until the ships come to load it. We loaded 1200 tons here in Santo and will load another 800 tons in Noro, Solomon Is.
We then went to a beautiful secluded beach where Helen and I went swimming and then we ate our lunch. Sandy brought some avocados from his trees and they were delicious.
We passed by many villages and schools and all the people were very friendly. We went up some of the mountains where I didn't see a road but Sandy seemed to know how to get places to show us beautiful views of the island. We are leaving Santo now @ 3pm 3-11-04 on our way to Noro, Solomon Is.. No one from this ship has ever been there so it will be a new experience for all of us. We will be there in 2 and 1/2 days.
We arrived here Wed @ 6:30 am and the capt. and purser arranged a tour for us to see the island.We left at 10am with Sandy our guide and he showed us all around the island. The road is not paved and is very very bumpy but it was nice to not be in a city. The island has lush green vegetation, trees, beautiful beaches, and many coconut palm plantations with lots of healthy looking cows roaming among the trees. This island exports a lot of beef to Japan. Sandy shared a lot with us about his island. We went to the local market where fruits and vegetables and kava root were all laid out in piles on the ground.We stopped by a copra drying oven and saw how the copra(meat of the coconut) was being dried.The ovens where they keep a fire going with wood and coconut husks and on top of the ovens they place the copra.We ate some of the copra and if you like coconut it was quite tasty.There is like a shed built around the top of the ovens with doors at either end, where they put in and take out the copra. When it is dried they put it in burlap bags to bring to the wharf where they dump the bags in big containers in storage sheds until the ships come to load it. We loaded 1200 tons here in Santo and will load another 800 tons in Noro, Solomon Is.
We then went to a beautiful secluded beach where Helen and I went swimming and then we ate our lunch. Sandy brought some avocados from his trees and they were delicious.
We passed by many villages and schools and all the people were very friendly. We went up some of the mountains where I didn't see a road but Sandy seemed to know how to get places to show us beautiful views of the island. We are leaving Santo now @ 3pm 3-11-04 on our way to Noro, Solomon Is.. No one from this ship has ever been there so it will be a new experience for all of us. We will be there in 2 and 1/2 days.
Monday, March 8, 2004
March 8th 2004:
Email from the Ship:I just discovered that we are one day ahead of the US and 6 or 7 hours behind Fl.I'm writing this on Sun 3-7-04. Last nite-our Sat 3-6-04 we had another barbque on deck' Florence decided to be activity director and with much urging she got most of us out of our chairs and on to the dance floor. Dancing is the same everywhere, its just that I need to get better at it' It was a perfect nite for a party on the deck. The sunset was beautiful and it was full moon.Everybody had a good time even though we couldn't speak each other's language.
3-8-04 - We arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia early this morning. The pilot came on board at 4:30 am while we were still a ways out from the harbor. The island is protected by 1000 miles of corak reef so it takes a lot of skill to get a big cargo ship into the dock. So far this has been the most beautiful entrance into a harbor and I'm glad I got up at 4 am to see everything.
I love this island.It has tropical lagoons, powdery white beaches lined with coconut palms, mountains and it is a beautiful tropical island.
Today we traveled by local bus around part of the island and had lunch at a lovely restaurant by the beach. We had a fun day but I wish we had more time here. We are leaving tonight for Vanuata.
3-8-04 - We arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia early this morning. The pilot came on board at 4:30 am while we were still a ways out from the harbor. The island is protected by 1000 miles of corak reef so it takes a lot of skill to get a big cargo ship into the dock. So far this has been the most beautiful entrance into a harbor and I'm glad I got up at 4 am to see everything.
I love this island.It has tropical lagoons, powdery white beaches lined with coconut palms, mountains and it is a beautiful tropical island.
Today we traveled by local bus around part of the island and had lunch at a lovely restaurant by the beach. We had a fun day but I wish we had more time here. We are leaving tonight for Vanuata.
Thursday, March 4, 2004
March 4th 2004:
Email from the Ship: It is 3 pm on 3-4-04 and we are still in Auckland.A little behind schedule.We had a ship inspection by the New Zealand port authority which turned up some hings that need to be corrected in order to pass inspection.So after several delays , we will be sailing this eve at 6 pm 3-4-04 for noumea, New Caledonia.
We kept going to shore for short periods as they kept changing departure time.This morning we went to the seamans club(they have these in many of the ports for the sailors to relax). We had a delightful visit with the chaplain and the lady that runs the place. They gave us coffee and we spent over an hour chatting with them.
Then we wandered the streets of Auckland. It is quite a large city. We also took a free bus ride around the city to the university.When we got back to the ship at lunch they said we were not sailing until 6 pm.
It is the beginning of fall here. I went ashore this morning without a jacket and it ended up being a little chilly. As we get closer to Noumea it will be a lot warmer, probably hot.Then it will stay hot as we visit the south pacific islands. I'm looking forward to the islands.
We kept going to shore for short periods as they kept changing departure time.This morning we went to the seamans club(they have these in many of the ports for the sailors to relax). We had a delightful visit with the chaplain and the lady that runs the place. They gave us coffee and we spent over an hour chatting with them.
Then we wandered the streets of Auckland. It is quite a large city. We also took a free bus ride around the city to the university.When we got back to the ship at lunch they said we were not sailing until 6 pm.
It is the beginning of fall here. I went ashore this morning without a jacket and it ended up being a little chilly. As we get closer to Noumea it will be a lot warmer, probably hot.Then it will stay hot as we visit the south pacific islands. I'm looking forward to the islands.
Tuesday, March 2, 2004
March 2nd 2004:
Email from the Ship: We arrived in Auckland @ 1 am 3-2-04 and I was sound asleep when it all happened. I decided not to get up since I would be spending the day sightseeing in Auckland.
It was kinda sad saying goodbye to Ron and Daphne. After they left, Florence and I walked from the ship to downtown. Then I decided to take the 10 minute ferry ride to Devonport, an historical seaside suburb of Auckland. It is an interesting place to walk with all it's history, shops, art galleries and cafes. I started walking, a lot of it uphill and after quite awhile I was exhausted so I sat on a bench in a bus stop. When the bus came by I asked the driver if she was going to the ferry terminal.She was so nice. She said on the way back I will but you can get in and ride around the island with me. I was the only one om the bus and it was a delightful ride.
When I got back to Auckland I had to find the Freyburg wharf because our ship was moving from the wharf we docked at to unload the coconut oil to the wharf they unload the containers. When I finally founf Freyburg wharf the customs people at rhe gate said the shipwould not be moving for another 4 or 5 hours. So I walked back to the ferrt building and got a cab to take me back where the ship was docked. What a releif to see my home again. These docks are a bit complicated. So much activity, it gives you a feeling that you are out of place and some one is going to tell you that you don't belong there. However everyone is exceptionally helpful and pleasant in Auckland
It was kinda sad saying goodbye to Ron and Daphne. After they left, Florence and I walked from the ship to downtown. Then I decided to take the 10 minute ferry ride to Devonport, an historical seaside suburb of Auckland. It is an interesting place to walk with all it's history, shops, art galleries and cafes. I started walking, a lot of it uphill and after quite awhile I was exhausted so I sat on a bench in a bus stop. When the bus came by I asked the driver if she was going to the ferry terminal.She was so nice. She said on the way back I will but you can get in and ride around the island with me. I was the only one om the bus and it was a delightful ride.
When I got back to Auckland I had to find the Freyburg wharf because our ship was moving from the wharf we docked at to unload the coconut oil to the wharf they unload the containers. When I finally founf Freyburg wharf the customs people at rhe gate said the shipwould not be moving for another 4 or 5 hours. So I walked back to the ferrt building and got a cab to take me back where the ship was docked. What a releif to see my home again. These docks are a bit complicated. So much activity, it gives you a feeling that you are out of place and some one is going to tell you that you don't belong there. However everyone is exceptionally helpful and pleasant in Auckland
Friday, February 27, 2004
February 27th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Wow! What an afternoon! By times we got huge waves- the bow of the ship plunged way down and one time I thought it wasn't going to come back up- but it did. We had to stay in our cabins for a little while for safety reasons. Most of our drawers and cabinets have outside hooks on them for rough weather. One of my drawers did not have a hook and when I came back to my cabin the drawer and all it's contente was scattered all over the floor.
We altered our course some in order to stay away from the worst of Hurricane Ivy. We sailed around the back of it. Our position today is S 33 W 178.We hope to be in Auckland by late tonight 3-1 or early tomorrow morn 3-2.
We altered our course some in order to stay away from the worst of Hurricane Ivy. We sailed around the back of it. Our position today is S 33 W 178.We hope to be in Auckland by late tonight 3-1 or early tomorrow morn 3-2.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
February 25th 2004:
Email from the Ship: For the past 2 days ( 24th and 25th) of sailing it has been raining and the ship has been rolling the most of anytime yet. These seasoned sailors here say it's still not really bad. It's enough for me when I step forward 1 step and automatically take 2 backwards and sideways and all the things in my cabin are moving around. Taking a shower is like dancing in a water puddle with water all over the BR floor. In spite of all this I'm managing quite well. Our position today 2=25 is 23 S 160 W. We will soon cross the international date line and if I understand correctly we will go from Thurs to Sat and skip Fri.
We are traveling a little slower 14.8 knots. This morning suddenly everything was quiet because the engine had stopped for a half hour but they got it going again. This ship is rather old and I think I told you they refer to it as a rust bucket. The captain says it might be good for another 5 years. I'm glad we have knowlegeable engineers on board. I haven't seen the engine room yet but it's on my to do list.Everyone says you only want to see it once as it is very dirty and very hot. I'll tell you about it when I see it.
We are traveling a little slower 14.8 knots. This morning suddenly everything was quiet because the engine had stopped for a half hour but they got it going again. This ship is rather old and I think I told you they refer to it as a rust bucket. The captain says it might be good for another 5 years. I'm glad we have knowlegeable engineers on board. I haven't seen the engine room yet but it's on my to do list.Everyone says you only want to see it once as it is very dirty and very hot. I'll tell you about it when I see it.
Monday, February 23, 2004
February 23rd 2004:
Email from the Ship: The weekend is over and all the workers are back on the dock with lots of activity going on. They are loading trucks, containers, boats, and coconut oil.
Yesterday was Sunday and with everything being so expensive here we decided to stay aboard ship and relax. They had a lifeboat drill for the crew which was very interesting to watch as they put the boat into the water and sailed it around in circles.. In about 10 days you will see the pictures on my website. I trust the mail will go out today.
Early this morning we all took a taxi to town( Mon.) The market has an authentic polynesian atmosphere. All the vivid colors and fragrances are combined as you walk through the flower market, pass the stands of fruit and vegetables, Tahitian vanilla and perfumes and the days catch of fish. There were also crafts and souvenirs. The Tahitian cultured black pearl is the most coveted souvenir. They are very expensive-several thousands of dollarAs I said everything is expensive--c d's are 40-50 dollars, lunch $20-30, banana splits $9. We were hot and tired when we got back to the ship.
The captain ays we are leaving at 6 pm tonight 2-23 for Auckland, N Z. I'll be glad to be back on the sea where it is so peaceful.
Yesterday was Sunday and with everything being so expensive here we decided to stay aboard ship and relax. They had a lifeboat drill for the crew which was very interesting to watch as they put the boat into the water and sailed it around in circles.. In about 10 days you will see the pictures on my website. I trust the mail will go out today.
Early this morning we all took a taxi to town( Mon.) The market has an authentic polynesian atmosphere. All the vivid colors and fragrances are combined as you walk through the flower market, pass the stands of fruit and vegetables, Tahitian vanilla and perfumes and the days catch of fish. There were also crafts and souvenirs. The Tahitian cultured black pearl is the most coveted souvenir. They are very expensive-several thousands of dollarAs I said everything is expensive--c d's are 40-50 dollars, lunch $20-30, banana splits $9. We were hot and tired when we got back to the ship.
The captain ays we are leaving at 6 pm tonight 2-23 for Auckland, N Z. I'll be glad to be back on the sea where it is so peaceful.
Sunday, February 22, 2004
February 22nd 2004:
Email from the Ship: We finally arrived in Tahiti this morning 2-21-04 at 7 am with the fog and the misty rain. I got up at 5am so I wouldn't miss anything.By 7am it was clearing up.
It's so fascinating to watch the happenings of entering the harbor and docking the ship in it's designated berth. A pilot boat brings the pilot to the ship and he is responsible for giving the helmsman directions for getting the ship to the dock. The tugboats are waiting for us to push the ship turning it completely around and up to the dock.Then the unloading starts which is very entertaining At 9am we walked down the swaying crooked steps with ropes to hold on to to get to the dock to meet our taxi for an around the island tour.It was very hot and humid. The island is full of many colored flowers, lush green plants and many trees.
We ate luch at a restaurant along the water with a huge group of people attending a wedding reception. We were very hot and tired when we arrived back on ship late afternoon. We will be here until Mon eve so I'm not sure what we will do tomorrow. I'm sending more pictures but it will take awhile for them to get there.It's nice to get emails from some of you and I may not be able to answer all of them but I will continue to add to my web site.
It's so fascinating to watch the happenings of entering the harbor and docking the ship in it's designated berth. A pilot boat brings the pilot to the ship and he is responsible for giving the helmsman directions for getting the ship to the dock. The tugboats are waiting for us to push the ship turning it completely around and up to the dock.Then the unloading starts which is very entertaining At 9am we walked down the swaying crooked steps with ropes to hold on to to get to the dock to meet our taxi for an around the island tour.It was very hot and humid. The island is full of many colored flowers, lush green plants and many trees.
We ate luch at a restaurant along the water with a huge group of people attending a wedding reception. We were very hot and tired when we arrived back on ship late afternoon. We will be here until Mon eve so I'm not sure what we will do tomorrow. I'm sending more pictures but it will take awhile for them to get there.It's nice to get emails from some of you and I may not be able to answer all of them but I will continue to add to my web site.
Monday, February 16, 2004
February 16th 2004:
Email from the Ship: The last 2 days have been sunny and we are traveling along @ 17.5 knots the fastest so far. The engines must be working ok now. We saw many porpoises playing around on the port side of the bow yesterday.Our position 2-15=04 was 05 N 115 W and today is 06 N 118 W.
I haven't said much about the food we eat. I think it is very good. Often I don't know what it is by the name on the menu so the others explain it to me. Then when it comes, it seems like the food we eat in America. i.e.yesterday was savoury minced beef, chipped potatoes, and artic roll. It was sloppy joes, french fries and ice cream cake. Usually we have Russian soup(borscht) and a buffet of a salad, raw vegetables, cold cuts, cheese and crackers. One day we had a Scottish meal-Haggis, neaps and tattiea. Haggis is a mixture of lambs liver, kidney and heart with oatmeal. neaps is rutabaga and tatties is mashed potatoes. I wasn't too fond of it. The cooks are russian and the prepare 2 separate meals- one for the crew and one for us and the officers. They serve a lot of fish. There are some other unusual dishes too. That's it for now
I haven't said much about the food we eat. I think it is very good. Often I don't know what it is by the name on the menu so the others explain it to me. Then when it comes, it seems like the food we eat in America. i.e.yesterday was savoury minced beef, chipped potatoes, and artic roll. It was sloppy joes, french fries and ice cream cake. Usually we have Russian soup(borscht) and a buffet of a salad, raw vegetables, cold cuts, cheese and crackers. One day we had a Scottish meal-Haggis, neaps and tattiea. Haggis is a mixture of lambs liver, kidney and heart with oatmeal. neaps is rutabaga and tatties is mashed potatoes. I wasn't too fond of it. The cooks are russian and the prepare 2 separate meals- one for the crew and one for us and the officers. They serve a lot of fish. There are some other unusual dishes too. That's it for now
Saturday, February 14, 2004
February 14th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We crossed the equator @ 8:42 on 2-13-04. We all gathered on the bridge for a little celebration. Now our position has changed to S01 W 105. This morning we had a lifeboat drill. Those life jackets are cumbersome and we had to walk down 4 flights of steps.
We passengers decided we were not going to use the elevator so every day we walk up and down 5 flights(54 steps) at least 3 times a day. Remember the ship is rolling as we walk. Sometimes I get out of breath and other times I go right to the top. It's good for us. We have another week at sea before we get to Tahiti.
We passengers decided we were not going to use the elevator so every day we walk up and down 5 flights(54 steps) at least 3 times a day. Remember the ship is rolling as we walk. Sometimes I get out of breath and other times I go right to the top. It's good for us. We have another week at sea before we get to Tahiti.
Thursday, February 12, 2004
February 12th 2004:
Email from the Ship: We are on our way to Tahiti and expect to be there 2-21-04. Last night 2-10-04 we had a game of scrabble in the lounge. We had 4 teams of 3 people and it was quite lively with all the joshing back and forth.
It has been raining for the past 2 days and the rain pours down in the Pacific just like it does in Florida.It is hot and humid. Our position is N2 W 93 on 2-12-04. We are nearing the equator. We hear stories about what they do to people who have never crossed the equator before but since all of us have crossed before we are not concerned. By the time we get to Tahiti we will have been on the water for 29 days so we are eager to know what land feels like again.
Again for the past 2 days we are going slower 11.2 knots because of engine problems. I forget whether I said anything about this before but we have 2 giant sized engines and when one of them has to be shut down for repair it slows our speed. Ron and David can tell when this happens by the sounds but the rest of us can't tell. I'm off to the monkey deck now.
It has been raining for the past 2 days and the rain pours down in the Pacific just like it does in Florida.It is hot and humid. Our position is N2 W 93 on 2-12-04. We are nearing the equator. We hear stories about what they do to people who have never crossed the equator before but since all of us have crossed before we are not concerned. By the time we get to Tahiti we will have been on the water for 29 days so we are eager to know what land feels like again.
Again for the past 2 days we are going slower 11.2 knots because of engine problems. I forget whether I said anything about this before but we have 2 giant sized engines and when one of them has to be shut down for repair it slows our speed. Ron and David can tell when this happens by the sounds but the rest of us can't tell. I'm off to the monkey deck now.
Sunday, February 8, 2004
February 8th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Our long awaited for experience of going thru the Panama canal has finally begun @ 8 pm 2-8-04.First we had to wait about 3 hrs. along with 25 other ships in the waters around the canal. What an awesome sight with all the different ships. It took us about 3 hrs. to get thru the first set of locks Gatun locks, this includes the wait time for a ship ahead os us to clear the locks.It was dark by the time we started and it was fascinating to watch how the locks work and to see all the lights.
It was 11pm when we cleared the first set of locks. Then we traveled about 3 hrs on Gatun lake to the next set of locks which is Pedro Miguel. Tugboats and electric locomotives which everyone calls donkeys towed us thru the locks. After Gatun locks, David, Florence, Daphne bowed out and went to bed. Ron and I stayed up thru the Pedro Miguel locks and only I stayed up for the last set of locks Miraflores. As we were emerging the last set we had to wait for the ship ahead of us to clear so that's where I konked out @ 3 am. It took about 7 hrs. from start to finish. We took on some pilots to guide us thru and some of them are quite entertaining and humorous. This morning I woke up and a big fuel ship was by our side refueling us. Again I counted 20 some ships waiting on this side of the canal. The 3rd mate said we will be under way again after lunch. It will probably be another 12 hrs. at sea until we get to Tahiti.
It was 11pm when we cleared the first set of locks. Then we traveled about 3 hrs on Gatun lake to the next set of locks which is Pedro Miguel. Tugboats and electric locomotives which everyone calls donkeys towed us thru the locks. After Gatun locks, David, Florence, Daphne bowed out and went to bed. Ron and I stayed up thru the Pedro Miguel locks and only I stayed up for the last set of locks Miraflores. As we were emerging the last set we had to wait for the ship ahead of us to clear so that's where I konked out @ 3 am. It took about 7 hrs. from start to finish. We took on some pilots to guide us thru and some of them are quite entertaining and humorous. This morning I woke up and a big fuel ship was by our side refueling us. Again I counted 20 some ships waiting on this side of the canal. The 3rd mate said we will be under way again after lunch. It will probably be another 12 hrs. at sea until we get to Tahiti.
Friday, February 6, 2004
February 6th 2004:
Email from the Ship: Yesterday 2-05-04, there was a little excitement on board when we passed Monserrat- the first sight of land for 11 days. Life on ship is not boring, it is relaxing and serene. My usual day is getting up early about 5:30 am- having some alone time, visiting the bridge,going to breakfast @ 7:30, spending time in the lounge while the girls are cleaning my room,playing scrabble,relaxing, going to lunch at 12, spending time on the deck reading,sunning,chatting,looking for passing ships, walking to the bow, or simply gazing at the sea, cocktails before dinner, and a variety of things in the eve.
Last eve we had a bar b que on deck and everybody came. We had lots of food and all kinds of meat to grill. After eating it became a lively party with singing and dancing. The capt. said we will be having more of these. The prediction is we will be at the canal by 2pm Sun aft. What fun we have!
Last eve we had a bar b que on deck and everybody came. We had lots of food and all kinds of meat to grill. After eating it became a lively party with singing and dancing. The capt. said we will be having more of these. The prediction is we will be at the canal by 2pm Sun aft. What fun we have!
Thursday, February 5, 2004
February 5th 2004:
Email from the Ship: The days are passing by and it is so peaceful and beautiful as we are gliding through this great expanse of water-the Atlantic. We feel the ocean breezes sometimes more than breezes and we hear the thuddering thomping noise of the engines. Tonight 2-4-04 is full moon and it is a gorgeous sight to see the moonbeams on the water and the bright stars in the sky. I would like to stay on the deck all night.
It's very warm now so we spend a lot of time sitting on the lounge chairs on deck, reading,chatting, watching the cloud formations and just relaxing.This afternoon I walked to the bow and watched the flying fish. When I heard about them I thought they were large fish jumping out of the water. Much to my surprise they are little creatures with wings and they jump and skim across the water like when you throw stones in the water and make them skip.
Tomorrow afternoon 2-5-04, we will be passing by Guadalope and then another 3 days to the Panama canal. We expect to be there after lunch on 2-8-04. The captain said that cargo ships usually go through at night. Sometimes there is a long wait until we can enter the canal. The ocean is calmer now so the ship is not rolling as much. Our position is N 19, W 55 and we are doing 16.3 knots. Tonight we all gathered in the lounge-the capt, his wife, the 2nd mate and the 4 cadets.It was a fun time.
-Mim
It's very warm now so we spend a lot of time sitting on the lounge chairs on deck, reading,chatting, watching the cloud formations and just relaxing.This afternoon I walked to the bow and watched the flying fish. When I heard about them I thought they were large fish jumping out of the water. Much to my surprise they are little creatures with wings and they jump and skim across the water like when you throw stones in the water and make them skip.
Tomorrow afternoon 2-5-04, we will be passing by Guadalope and then another 3 days to the Panama canal. We expect to be there after lunch on 2-8-04. The captain said that cargo ships usually go through at night. Sometimes there is a long wait until we can enter the canal. The ocean is calmer now so the ship is not rolling as much. Our position is N 19, W 55 and we are doing 16.3 knots. Tonight we all gathered in the lounge-the capt, his wife, the 2nd mate and the 4 cadets.It was a fun time.
-Mim
Friday, January 30, 2004
January 30th 2004:
Email from the Ship: I arrived in London on Jan 19 and discovered my travel agent had me booked in for Jan 18 so I had to pay for the night I wasn't there.The next day I went sightseeing on "the original bus" where you can get off and on all day.I saw Big Ben, London bridge, Westminister Abbey,Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, and a boat trip on the Thames River. In the evening I saw Les Miserable at the palace theatre which was a wonderful experience.
On Jan 21 I went to Andrew Wier shipping office and met the 4 other passengers. Florence is 70 year old retired social worker from Spokane Wash. She has been on many freighter trips. She also does yearly volunteer work in Zambia. She is a nice,pleasant friendly person. Ron and Daphne are semi-retired, in their mid 60's. They are both fun-loving and enjoyable to chat with. David is a retired sea captain from Plymouth, England. He has done a lot of sea traveling. We left London 21st and traveled the English country side on our way to Dover where we boarded "Le Shuttle" van and all. We went under the English channel via euro tunnel for 35 min. What an experience!
From Calais we drove to the dock in Dunkirk and boarded the ship M V Foylebank @2 pm. The purser Valentina met us and escorted us to our cabins, 5 decks up. Climbing up the curving ladder, holding on to ropes for balance is how we got from the deck to the ship. To my surprise we got a double cabin with twin beds, dresser,closet,desk and a bathroom,with sink and a shower.I also have a living room with a couch, desk, frig, vcr player, and an electric tea kettle. The ship is an old rusty cargo ship and has clean comfortable rooms.On the coffee table was a beautiful bouquet of flowers and fruit and a can of cookies. At 5:15 we had a champagne welcome party in the lounge. We met the captain who is friendly humorous fellow, cheif engineer 1st mate, 4 cadets, and the purser. We laughed and listened to stories. The chief engineer told us about the filming of "The Castaway" where they used this ship but all one could see was the black bottom passing by. He said he never did see Tom Hanks. Then we went to dinner which consisted of wine, bread, cheese, salad, baked chicken, cauliflower, carrots, potato balls and dessert. I watched on video "The Castaway" and went to bed.I didn't wake up until 8:30 so I missed breakfast. Everbody was concerned because I had told them I was an early riser. Later we had an inside tour of the ship. There are 6 decks so we are getting our exercise. There are a group of us who meet in the lounge for a drink before dinner I spent the afternoon reading, writing,watching the loading of the ship from the dock. We were told we would not be leaving until the 23rd.
What an experience I'm having. We set sail from Dunkirk @6pm Jan23.It was dark and we all went to bridge to watch. When we left our "berth" tugboats took us to the lock and a pilot came on board to direct us out of the harbor. We passed several ships co9 of the city and the shipsming in and saw many lighthouses. It was awesome with all thelights. We sailed to Le Harve and had to anchor off shore until a berth opens up. Rumor has it that we will get berth soon. I'm learning so much about cargo ships and how they operate.
On Jan 21 I went to Andrew Wier shipping office and met the 4 other passengers. Florence is 70 year old retired social worker from Spokane Wash. She has been on many freighter trips. She also does yearly volunteer work in Zambia. She is a nice,pleasant friendly person. Ron and Daphne are semi-retired, in their mid 60's. They are both fun-loving and enjoyable to chat with. David is a retired sea captain from Plymouth, England. He has done a lot of sea traveling. We left London 21st and traveled the English country side on our way to Dover where we boarded "Le Shuttle" van and all. We went under the English channel via euro tunnel for 35 min. What an experience!
From Calais we drove to the dock in Dunkirk and boarded the ship M V Foylebank @2 pm. The purser Valentina met us and escorted us to our cabins, 5 decks up. Climbing up the curving ladder, holding on to ropes for balance is how we got from the deck to the ship. To my surprise we got a double cabin with twin beds, dresser,closet,desk and a bathroom,with sink and a shower.I also have a living room with a couch, desk, frig, vcr player, and an electric tea kettle. The ship is an old rusty cargo ship and has clean comfortable rooms.On the coffee table was a beautiful bouquet of flowers and fruit and a can of cookies. At 5:15 we had a champagne welcome party in the lounge. We met the captain who is friendly humorous fellow, cheif engineer 1st mate, 4 cadets, and the purser. We laughed and listened to stories. The chief engineer told us about the filming of "The Castaway" where they used this ship but all one could see was the black bottom passing by. He said he never did see Tom Hanks. Then we went to dinner which consisted of wine, bread, cheese, salad, baked chicken, cauliflower, carrots, potato balls and dessert. I watched on video "The Castaway" and went to bed.I didn't wake up until 8:30 so I missed breakfast. Everbody was concerned because I had told them I was an early riser. Later we had an inside tour of the ship. There are 6 decks so we are getting our exercise. There are a group of us who meet in the lounge for a drink before dinner I spent the afternoon reading, writing,watching the loading of the ship from the dock. We were told we would not be leaving until the 23rd.
What an experience I'm having. We set sail from Dunkirk @6pm Jan23.It was dark and we all went to bridge to watch. When we left our "berth" tugboats took us to the lock and a pilot came on board to direct us out of the harbor. We passed several ships co9 of the city and the shipsming in and saw many lighthouses. It was awesome with all thelights. We sailed to Le Harve and had to anchor off shore until a berth opens up. Rumor has it that we will get berth soon. I'm learning so much about cargo ships and how they operate.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
January 29th 2004:
Mim Phones In: Mim Checks In: At approximately 5:15 PM(EST), Mim called from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, to say that she is having a great experience. When I asked her how it was she said it was "Wonderful". Mim wanted everyone to know that she is doing good and having a great time. She is East of the Azores, heading toward Panama and the Panama Canal. Mim says that she is in the vicinity of 39N, and 020W. She told me that they had to redirect a little already to go around a storm, and the ship has been moving quite a bit. She also said that they would expect to be in Panama in 5 or 6 days. Live web camera from the Panama Canal
Mim has been attempting to send pictures and email from the ships satellite connected computer. However they seem to be having some difficulties with connections. She hopes to get some email to us soon, and we will post the pictures as soon as we receive them.
Mim has been attempting to send pictures and email from the ships satellite connected computer. However they seem to be having some difficulties with connections. She hopes to get some email to us soon, and we will post the pictures as soon as we receive them.
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
January 14th 2004
To those who do not receive my email, here is an update on my world travel: Mim prepares for her Journey
The freighter will now be sailing on Jan 21 from Dunkirk, France. I am leaving Tampa on Jan 18 @ 8:40pm, arriving in Gatwick airport @ 9:40 am Jan 19. I'll be staying at The Holiday Inn Express in downtown London, nearby the freighter line office and they will take me to Dunkirk via English Channel to my ship when they are more certain fo the sailing time.
I'm packed and eagerly awaiting my departure.Probably the next time you will hear from me I'll be sailin the high seas. Your desire to sail with me in spirit is much appreciated.
Love,
Mim
The freighter will now be sailing on Jan 21 from Dunkirk, France. I am leaving Tampa on Jan 18 @ 8:40pm, arriving in Gatwick airport @ 9:40 am Jan 19. I'll be staying at The Holiday Inn Express in downtown London, nearby the freighter line office and they will take me to Dunkirk via English Channel to my ship when they are more certain fo the sailing time.
I'm packed and eagerly awaiting my departure.Probably the next time you will hear from me I'll be sailin the high seas. Your desire to sail with me in spirit is much appreciated.
Love,
Mim
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