10 May 2008, The Inside Passage going North.

After our delay we breezed through the Narrows just after 3 am. and soon I had the Veendam flying through Johnstone Strait. As there was no other traffic of concern we could keep up the speed and quite quickly started to gain the lost time back. However dark clouds were gathering at the horizon. It is early in the season and the North Pacific is still producing low pressure systems and during the previous night a very low one moved towards the Alaskan Coast.

The weather radio started to squack and squeek about gale and storm warnings and I knew I was going to be in for a good bit of fun. The afternoon and evening part of this stretch of the voyage takes us through the North Pacific Ocean for about 10 hours. That route ensures that we can make Juneau on time in case the Seymour Narrows tide is earlier than average and we cannot make the tide, as happened last night. The weather reports were soon talking about storm force winds up to 50 knots and swells building up to 18 feet off shore. Not a pleasant place to be with a ship full of guests who do not have their sea legs yet. Plus that such a high swell slows the ship down considerably, as the bow starts to slam on the waves. At full speed you loose up to 6 knots and if you slow down for a more comfortable ride, you loose that speed as well.

I was just doing well in making up the lost time from last night and here was the next challenge: a very bouncy ride towards Juneau. There was one alternative available that I could take and did. Going the other way; more inside and sheltered from the ocean but it is a longer route. However if the situation is that you are going to be late due to the swell anyway and with a ship full of sick people or that you are maybe going to be late but with a ship full of “happy campers” then the decision it not that difficult. The ships agent managed to contact the pilots on time before they flew to Kake and they will now board at midnight near Ketchikan. From there we will sail through Clarence Strait and Snow Passage, the normal route between Glacier Bay/Juneau to Ketchikan the Southbound way.

In the course of the day the wind started to abate and the passage through Queen Charlotte Sound was quite pleasant with the ship just moving a little bit. The navigators were on high alert with extra lookouts posted as there were a lot of whales around. Around 7 pm. we saw a shoal of around 50 at the same time. As whales do their own thing, uninterested in any surface traffic, we change course away from them as much as we can but everybody has to keep a sharp look out to catch their location on time.

The second night on board is formal night, during which we hold the Captain’s welcome Champagne toast, which is the replacement of the old Captain’s ships staff introduction. Tonight I had something special with honoring an employee who had spent 35 years with the company. So instead of the Employee of the Month we put him in the spot light. Mr. Prijotomo joined Holland America in 1973 with the second group of Indonesians who came to the company. He started out as a GPA cooks mate and through the years worked himself up to Assistant Dining room Manager. He has been sailing now on the Veendam for the last seven years. I think it is important to give as much exposure as possible to such a milestone and therefore I like to do the presentation of the company gift during the welcome on board party as it has the biggest audience of any gathering on board.

Mr. “Tommy” Prijotomo asst. dining room manager receives the company clock and congratulatory letter from the President of the company for his 35 years of dedicated service to the company.
On the photo
HM. Kees Streuding, CE, Gerard Mensink, Captain Albert J. Schoonderbeek, CO Marcel van Zwol, Mr. Tommy Prijotomo, EO Joe Parks, Future Cruise Consultant Leslie Hockett, Cruise director Chris Butcher and Bell Boy Mr. Ronni Rohmawan carrying the 35 year clock

In the late evening the wind started to pick up again but is was a following wind. It smoothed out the waves a bit and it also meant an additional push to the ships speed. I am keeping my fingers crossed but at the moment it looks like there is not going to be too much of a delay in arriving. Most important of course is that the guests can enjoy a pleasant evening and a good rest on a stable ship.