Tuesday, August 8, 2017
We left Red Bay Labrador yesterday evening and we’re sailing northeast from the Maritime Provinces of Canada to Greenland. The ship rolled back and forth all night long in moderate seas and I can’t believe I slept until nine o’clock this morning! I guess I was rocked to sleep like a baby in a cradle. It’s 50 degrees and still foggy with poor visibility outside. As of this morning, we’ve traveled 1438 nautical miles since Boston. According to the ship’s log which is broadcast on the cabin’s television, the depth of the water at this moment is 11,740 feet deep! I didn’t know the ocean was that deep! (I really miss Safari!!)
We moved our clocks forward 30 minutes last night as we crossed into another time zone. We had a quick breakfast before going to the theater to attend a Q & A session called “Ask the Captain.” The highest ranking member of the shipboard crew is Captain Hans Mateboer. He was an engaging speaker and very knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. He was born in Holland but now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He told us his personal and professional life story and answered questions from the audience. An interesting anecdote was his scariest sea experience when his Windstar ship caught fire and sank. He has been working for Holland America lines for 27 years and this is Captain Mateboer’s last cruise. His 94 year old mother and other family members will join him for a retirement party at the cruise terminal in Rotterdam, Holland when we arrive there.
Later, we returned to the theater to hear Barbara the Location Guide share her insights and slide show of ‘’’What to do in Qaqortoq and Reykjavik,” our next ports of call. I researched of both places before we left home, but it’s always helpful to hear from a person who’s an expert. Qaqortoq, Greenland is another tender port and the pictures of it look a lot like Red Bay, Labrador.
Although Greenland, has its own government, it’s part of Denmark: Danish currency, flag, aid, language, etc. Although geographically Greenland is located in North America, politically it’s really a European country.
Right after Barbara’s presentation, we heard Jim McParland, the geologist, talk about “Fjords.” He explained that fjords are formed by the movement of glaciers which is why they’re only found in extreme northern or extreme southern hemispheres. The most spectacular fjords are found in Alaska, Norway, Chile, and Greenland.
Since today is a long “Sea Day” the Rotterdam had “High Tea” at 3:00 o’clock. It was a fun activity! They served small sandwiches, scones, little pastries, and a selection of teas. We were joined by a couple from Washington state who had cruised all over the world. We enjoyed trading travel stories with them.
After all the sitting all day, we had to walk around the boat to get some exercise. Jeff went to take more photos of art objects on the ship and I walked around the outdoor Promenade Deck. It was chilly and the wind was blowing and the sea churned, but it was exciting and I had fun! No one was out and the only sound was the swishing of the ocean.
Tonight was “Gala Night” which is Holland America’s version of “Formal” night. Because the current trend is informal dress for every occasion, they don’t require tuxedos or gowns but encourage passengers to “dress up” for dinner. The requirement is that this can be as simple as a nice shirt for men and a better blouse for women or as formal as people want. Therefore, there is wide range of dress among passengers and some people do not dress up at all.
I enjoyed dressing up on the last cruise so I brought a couple of “dressy” outfits on this cruise. Although many people paraded down to the dining room at 5:30 for their first seating in formal wear, we made our entrance at eight o’clock. They had a special “Gala Menu” and the waiters were very cheerful.
After dinner, we stopped to hear the Adagio Duo play classical music – piano and violin. It was a quiet and peaceful way to end the day. Tomorrow we’re going to Qaqortoq, Greenland. I hope it doesn’t rain and the fog lifts, at least for a little while…..
11 PM Notes from the Bridge: Wind – N/NE 26 knots 6 Beaufort Scale, 48 degrees, sea is 11,760 feet deep, 1645 miles from Boston