It is good to be back on board after a nice vacation in which I celebrated and survived my 50th birthday. According to some of my (much younger) crewmembers, I am now officially an old fart. Whether that is an achievement to be proud about or not remains to be seen.
I had joined the ship in Aruba on the 12th. as that would give me a day at sea to go through all the charts and Amazon issues before taking over from Captain James Russell-Dunford, who had prepared the cruise and done the first bit including the Panama Canal. Normally captains change in between cruises but in this case, as this cruise has a length of 36 days that did not work out, so we split the cruise in half.
We were the only ship in Grenada as the cruise season for the island is just starting. If there are more than two ships, two go to the new cruise pier on the West side of the capital of the island St Georges and any other (the smallest ones) dock in down town. The Veendam just fits in downtown but as the authorities are extremely proud about their new dock and we were the only ship, we docked at the cruise pier. With most of the town and the cruise dock being in the shade of the islands mountain ridge, there was not so much wind, so it was a very warm day. Some of our guests who went to the beach for the day carried the proof with them of it being warm and sunny. They looked rather pink upon return.
I spent the morning with my colleague doing the handover paperwork and we had the official change of command at noon time. This handover is nothing compared with the pomp and circumstance that the armed forces put on display, with officers standing to attention and flags being lowered and raised. It is very low key, it mainly consists out of giving over the pager with the words “there you go, she is yours now, I am off”. A note is made in the ships logbook and $ 400 million of real estate has changed hands.
In the evening I went briefly on stage just before the two evening shows to introduce myself to the guests as it will not do, if suddenly the guests hear another voice over the P.A system and cannot put a face to it. Quite a few guests on board have sailed with me before but there are numerous who have not, so they should have the chance to see what the new driver looks like.
From Grenada it is two days sailing to the entrance of the Amazon, where I have to arrive
at high tide in order to get over the shallow entrance bar. So after leaving Grenada we put the pedal to the metal and are now going full speed south. Luckily the weather in the North Atlantic is good, wind force 5 and a very low swell and that will help to get us there on time.
Most ports on the Eastern Caribbean islands are located on the West side, the lee side of the island, hence the lack of wind in the ports and you have to sail around the south point of the island, through the passage between Grenada and Tobago, to get into the open ocean. It is a very wide passage but with some shallow patches where there is always fishing going on. The local fishermen venture out into the open waters in very small, canoe-like boats and is nearly impossible to see them in the ocean swell. Only when they ride the crest of a wave you can pick out small dark dots against a silvery sea.
But technology is now also progressing here and for the first time we observed the phenomena that they had put radar reflectors on the buoys at the end of their nets. So suddenly we saw all these echo’s on the radar, without seeing anything outside. We were used to this while sailing under Nova Scotia where the fishermen have them on their lobster pots, but for the Caribbean it is something new. However it helped to picked out the location of the fishermen much earlier and that only made the situation safer.
Tomorrow is a relaxing day at sea and the weather looks good.
October 15, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Hope you had a good birthday, and congratulations on the milestone. I am looking forward to your daily writing and your adventures. Kathy
October 15, 2008 at 1:23 pm
It is so good to have you back at the helm. I am looking forward to reading all about your successes as you make your way to Tampa. Have a safe and enjoyable trip!!! Take care.
October 15, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Capt. Albert,
It is nice to have you back blogging again. My family enjoyed two Alaskan cruises this summer on the Veendam and Volendam. You brought us superb weather on our May 23 voyage from Seward, AK. In fact, my ten-year old daughter recognized you at the pier, so you are becoming quite a celebrity. We enjoy reading your blog on a daily basis.
Waycross, GA
October 15, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Welcome back.
October 15, 2008 at 2:18 pm
On Board the veendam and looking forward to meeting you as my hubby is really an old fart he is a dutchman now aussie and is 60 in january 2009 and this is present to himself
divg
October 15, 2008 at 2:20 pm
WELCOME BACK! We’re delighted to hear from you.
Happy Birthday, as well.
Now, Carry on!
October 15, 2008 at 5:26 pm
So nice to see you and your blog back in action, happy belated birthday and enjoy your time aboard The Veendam.
October 15, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Happy to know you made it back to VEDM safe and sound!
October 15, 2008 at 6:55 pm
I also want to say that I am glad you are back at the helm , I have missed reading your daily blogs and look forward to checking in daily to see how its going…. Happy Sailing !!
October 15, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Good to have you back Captain! Het beste!
October 16, 2008 at 12:03 am
Happy belated birthday. So glad to have you back, we missed your daily blogs. They fill in the gaps between our cruises just nicely.
October 16, 2008 at 1:35 am
Congratulations on your 50th! I hope you had a really good time.
It is good to have you back and I look forward to reading your blogs.
Keep up the good work.
October 16, 2008 at 2:58 am
Welcome home! It’s always interesting and educational to read your blog.
Fifty is a piece of cake. So is 60! No worries!
October 16, 2008 at 5:28 am
I just found your blog today. I will be sailing with you on 11/30/08, can’t wait and hope to see you walking about!!
October 16, 2008 at 9:31 am
Captain Albert
Welcome back. We look forward again to the insights you provide about the ship’s operation, from as you say “The Driver!”
Regards
Roger T
October 16, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Welcome back Captain Albert.
October 16, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Welcome back .50 now !! Your an old salt now LOL. I enjoy reading your posts .Oh i was on a boat in NY to watch the QE2 go out for the last time today along with the QM2 .Very sad to see the old gal going from NYC for the last time .I saw her come in to NYC for the first time back in 1969 ! I am looking forward to doing a cruise with you .I am a very big HAL fan going back to my day”s growing up in Hoboken NJ .I spent alot of my boy hood at the old 5th st pier .Watching the big 3 .Amsterdam Rotterdam & Statendam .The Amsterdam is still my all time favorite ship .I also remember the Amsterdam last voyage from NYC .Welcome back.
October 16, 2008 at 3:30 pm
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October 17, 2008 at 6:25 am
What a pleasure to be able to read your daily reports once again. Thank you for continuing to do this. Best wishes on your “milestone birthday”. As one who just celebrated another milestone, I can tell you life just gets better.
October 17, 2008 at 10:53 am
Welcome back! I will enjoy reading your daily log again! I have missed it.
Deb
October 18, 2008 at 5:02 am
I am looking forward to meeting with you on the Veendom on 11-1 out of Tampa. My wife, Sharon and I, will be going along with other friends and family to enjoy another “BEST” cruise with Holland America.
Aart and Sharon
October 19, 2008 at 5:35 am
Captain,
Congratulations on your milestone birthday. My mother has just turned 80 and the grandkids lovingly now say she is officially a “geezer.” Something for you to aspire to…….
Sara
October 22, 2008 at 8:33 pm
WELCOME BACK CAPTAIN. I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy your detailed reports of the daily trials and tribualtaions of navigating all these different ports. It really makes for a (I don’t want to miss this or the next BLOG). THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR EXTRA EFFORT. I hope you regard your transfer as a promotion as I can’t imagine you deserve anything less. Wherever you venture in the future PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR BLOG–WE LOVE IT!