Once again the weather had a surprise for us. Now it had decided that it would rain in Santo Tomas. Somehow the rainy sector of the last frontal system had laid itself over the Golfo de Amatique, the bay that gives access to Santo Tomas, and it was releasing its watery content. It made my chief officer happy as it washed all the salt of the ship but for the rest I had 1300 unhappy campers who wanted to go ashore and had not counted on a rainy day.
Neither had I planned for it. Partly cloudy in my language still means a sun partly obscured by clouds not a densely overcast sky with a steady down pour. A plan that literally “fell in the water” now, as it was my idea to take a group photo with the whole of TEAM Veendam. Santo Tomas is our drill day, as it is a port without waves or swell in the harbor and that means that we can lower lifeboats etc. Thus we plan large drills here. One of the drills that we have to do on occasion is to disembark the ship via the gangway. When docked alongside, the fastest way to get off the ship is via the gangway but if there is only one gangway, it has to be done orderly to avoid a stampede. Thus we train the crew on this, so they can teach the guests if the situation would occur.
My idea was, as the whole of TEAM Veendam was marching ashore anyway, to line them up on the shore side and to have a group photo taken. Each crewmember would then receive a large photo free of charge for Christmas. Now with the rain coming down I could still do the drills but I had to cancel the walking off the ship part as I was not going to let all my crew get wet and maybe sick. Christmas is still a few days away, so hopefully I can still find another opportunity to get a photo taken.
This call at Santo Tomas was our last one for the next 14 days, as during the Christmas and New Years cruise we are calling at Roatan instead. The Mayans celebrate the festive season at home and basically the country closes down during this period. Thus there would be no tours available, no shops open, etc. etc. etc. Thus the company opted for Roatan instead. That is another culture and the island will be open to the incoming tourists. It means also that the cruise schedule has changed but I will explain that next cruise.
The pilot advised that Christmas was already coming closer as the number of ship calls was going down and indeed there were no ships at the anchorage during our call. Ships that are normally impatiently waiting for that cruise ship to leave, so that they can take the dock space. Not sailing and sitting in port, paying docking fees, costs the operator’s money and thus the ships are scheduled in such a way that they spend the least amount of idle time at a port. Thus over the holidays the ports all over the world will be mostly empty and the cargo ships will adjust their schedules to arrive at the ports, the moment the festive season is over.
I did my cadetship on a container vessel with a company that once was the cargo arm of Holland America. HAL sold their cargo ships in 1973 to a Swedish operator called Bostrom but they kept the ex HAL ships operating under a Dutch subsidiary called Incotrans. Thus I also spent a Christmas at sea that way. Although the camaderie was great it was a limited affair, as with only 26 crew onboard it never got get very lively. So I hope that all the cruise guests who are having a great time on a cruise ship spend just a moment thinking of the lonely sea farers on their cargo ships all by themselves. Without them you would not have petrol, you would most likely not have a car, etc.etc. Roughly 95% of the imports to a country come by sea. They are vital to the world economy and are seldom given a thought of appreciation. I wonder what would happen if all the sailors of the world would suddenly all decide to go ashore……………….
The sun came through in the afternoon, so in the end things were not that bad. We got everybody back from shore on time and headed back to open sea during sunset. Tomorrow we are in Costa Maya. It will be a breezy day but we are all by ourselves.
December 20, 2008 at 4:48 am
I have been reading your daily notes for the last few weeks and enjoyed throughly. I sailed in the 1970 and early eighties on Lake Freighters here in the great Lakes and east coast of North America. I hold Masters inland waters and the Veendam is a similar sized (a little more beam) than a full sized lake freighter. I will be sailing with you next week with my family and we are all looking forward to spending the next week on board. I remember spending Christmas’s on board and there was always a celebration but normally subdued.
Doug Galvin
December 23, 2008 at 12:25 pm
While you’re on the subject, Captain, on seldom giving a thought of appreciation to those playing a key role in our daily lives. Let’s take it all the way to the top of a Captain’s job, whether on a commercial or a mere pleasure ship. I’m aghast with the reaction to the Eurodamnews log of 5Dec08 regarding the retirement of Captain J.J. “Jack” van Coevorden. You would think that of the 100’s of 1000’s, if not millions of passengers/guests he safely sailed around the world in his 45 yrs career, perhaps 10 would have found the log and written some thoughts of appreciation and well wishes?! If all sailors would suddenly decide to go ashore you would have trillions of cooks pounding on doors of shipping and travel agencies.
I hope you still find a dry spot without waves or swells in a harbour to make your 500 plus group photo, Captain. Would you give your readers a peek of this picture?