Today the ship spent the day in the North Pacific Ocean, racing down the coast by following the western shore line of Vancouver Island. If you are on a ship which goes to Vancouver you follow the Northern Shore line which brings you past Alert Bay and Seymour Narrows. We are on a cruise which calls at Victoria which is located on the south side of Vancouver Island and then it makes sense to stay on the Ocean Side and return to inland waters via Strait Juan de Fuca. Going the other way, and doing both the Inside Passage / Seymour Narrows and then come south to Victoria, only works if the Tide at Seymour Narrows fits exactly in our cruise schedule. And as the tides change roughly 50 minutes every day it seldom would.
So we sail the western side of Vancouver Island and as the North Pacific was behaving itself we had a grand day at sea. Late in the morning the sun came out, the rain stayed away and on occasion there were whales around. There was still some following wind creating just enough motion to make you feel you were on a ship but not so much motion that it started to irritate. The daily program kept everybody busy and what I always find amazing is this wave that moves through the ship according to the items and times listed on the Daily Program. There is a group of guests who just relax and laze about but there is a larger group who want to partake in as much as possible, and they move with the schedule. It is quite funny to watch this. When sitting in the Atrium where you can see both deck 7 and 8 where all the public areas of the ship are located. You see the whole ship on the move.
It starts at about 9.30am when rush hour Breakfast is over and when the church service comes to an end. Then people move to computer class, get ready for bridge and mill around the shops all aft of the Atrium. Just after 11 the wave goes to the front of the Atrium, into the Show lounge where the Location Guide is giving a lecture. By 12.30 pm. the wave goes the other way again, partly up to the Lido and partly to the Dining room, both located aft of the Atrium, as it is lunch time.
After lunch it gets complicated; at 13.00 there is a cooking demonstration in the Wajang Theatre with celebrity chefs, at 13.30 there is a tournament in the Casino, both aft of the Atrium but at 2 pm there is dancing with the Stars in the Show Room At Sea. Then towel folding is added in the Explorers Lounge, Computer lessons have started again, there is a mixology class, bridge and cupcake tea. Guests are now all over the place and the wave is dividing itself in small rivers. This continues until dinner and then the regular wave starts again as the restaurants are near the stern and the Ocean Bar, Crows nest and Showroom at Sea are near the bow area. Wedged in between are the photographers who have set up “obstacles” everywhere to catch the guests going one way or the other.
In a way I have a deep respect for these photographers as they have to try to get clientele to pose and the time is not always to the guests liking. So a considerable amount of moaning and groaning goes on. Then at the same time I see the Photographers doing a very steady trade at their shop and that means that the moaning and groaning cannot be that heartfelt.
We should be entering Strait Juan de Fuca just after 8 am tomorrow morning and then sail in on the American side of the Strait. The Captain is aiming for an 11.30 hrs Victoria pilot time and then it will take about 30 minutes to get to the dock. Add another 30 minutes for putting the gangway in place and clearing the ship: so I hope that everybody will be able to go ashore by 12.30 hrs.
Tomorrow morning I am going to try and “upset” the wave as at 09.00 I will be giving my Holland America Line lecture. Fairly early but I cannot upset the wave “too much” as everybody has to go first to the stern for lunch before moving forward again to go to the gangway.
Weather for Victoria: Chance of Rain. Victoria is very British, so a bit of rain fits right in.
Ps. For those interested, the USCG has published a few photos about our Medivac off Kodiak Island the other day.
July 26, 2015 at 7:21 pm
Thanks for providing the link regarding the Medivac – it was interesting to read. It mentions a nurse with the patient, was that one of the nurses from the ship? How long did it take her/him to re-join the Statendam? Hope the patent is continuing to make a good recovery.
July 27, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Yes,
it was one of the nurses from the ship. She rejoined in Sitka, two days later.
Thank you for reading my blog
Capt. Albert
July 26, 2015 at 8:55 pm
Thanks for the link to the Medivac photos. Very interesting.
I really enjoy reading all your posts and wait for them every day. Thanks for keeping us all so informed. Love all the technical descriptions.
Helen
August 28, 2015 at 8:14 pm
I very much enjoyed your lecture on board. It was great seeing my original Captain of the Statendam on my last voyage on her. She’s still a great ship.