30 Oct. 2015; At Sea, Approaching Ponta Delgada, Portugal.

And in accordance with the weather forecast the ship slowly started to become livelier after10 am. in the morning and by 10 am. the bow started to go up and down on a regular basis. It is not often that the weather operates in line with the forecast but today it did. We had the highest waves around 2 to 3 pm. and then it slowly but steadily started to abate again.  By late this evening we should be back to the regular motion of a North Atlantic crossing. As you can see from the chart, the wave field around the islands is breaking up and by the time we leave Horta (the day after tomorrow) the North Atlantic should be quiet again. There is a disturbance going North East from Cape Hatteras but it is not expected, as of yet, that its wave field will reach the intended track of the Zuiderdam. If that all works out, then we will have had a good crossing. One day of wobbly weather on a North Atlantic crossing in autumn, is not bad going.

Today we went through the deep red of the wave field. As you see they way it is curved, there was also not way to sail around it. This chart is for tomorrow morning when we will be back in the green again. (Chart courtesy surf-forecast.com)

People who do ocean voyages are a different sort of cruise passenger than those we see on the 7 day Caribbean circuit, Alaska or Europe Cruises. They have done those cruises already and they are seasoned sailors.  Therefore I was not amazed at all to see the ship full of people today. Also the reports from the Infirmary indicated that the number of sea sick people were not high. The Front Office did do a roaring trade in Green Apples but you never know if they were taken by those needing them or by those just liking them. But whether it was the Green Apples or the cruising experience, the ship was buzzing and all activities were well attended.  The Captain held a Q&A interview meeting with the guests in the worst place possible for this weather; the Crow’s nest, during the worst possible time 3 pm.  and also he had a full house.  We are sailing with a ship full of cruise veterans it seems.

The mid Atlantic ridge with the Azores on a large triangle to the East. (Chart Courtesy: www.mantleplumes.org)

The Azores are a sort of mountain ridge in the North Atlantic Ocean, there were three tectonic plates meet and volcanic activity coming out of these rifts created a large North – South mountain range, not unlike the Rocky Mountains & Andes, but then under water.  The Azores are located on sort of wider outcropping almost like a plateau to the East of this Mid Atlantic Ridge. The location where the 3^rd plate meets the other two.  There are 9 islands created by volcanic activity and because they are located near the Gulf Stream they have a very pleasant and stable climate. If they were not so far away from anywhere, then they would be a number one area for retirement. In a similar way as you have “The Villages” in the Florida but then on islands.  Half of Europe would descend on them. Now it is just too complicated to get there and those who want the milder weather settle in the south of France, The Spanish Coast or Tuscany in Italy.

We are calling at two islands here; first at Sao Miguel which is the largest one on which Ponta Delgada is located and then at the island of Faial on which Horta is located. In Ponta Delgada we will dock but Horta is an anchorage port as it only has a very small harbor.  Luckily both ports are on the south side of the islands so it is in the shelter of the wind which is still blowing and the remainder of the swell.

We are expecting a partly cloudy day as the current weather front which makes the ship so lively is pulling away and is taking all the rain with it, at least for the call at Ponta Delgada. For Horta it looks a bit more unsettled at the moment.  Temperatures of 63oF or 17oC and a moderate breeze.