February 17, 2013 Sea Day

Last night we took a walk on deck after the show and there was lightening off in the distance. This morning it had been raining and was cloudy and grey. I did get in about an hour walk on the track before it rained enough to bring me in. We showered and went to the Paul Gaugin lecture and then we were off to brunch. Another delightful spread of food with fresh salads, fruits, breads, cheeses, pates, pastas and huge butterflied prawns with drawn butter and much much more! Desserts were food as well. Chocolate covered bananas, chocolate filled cream horns and a wonderful chocolate cake were the highlights for us.

The sun found its way out so we opted to get some sun. Hot! Hot! Hot!….not much breeze. Well, there was wind, but we were traveling with it. We saw a few birds today. Some were dark ones that were fishing and a pretty Tropicbird that followed the ship for quite a while.

We are back in the cabin now getting ready for our tour tomorrow in Tahiti. Greg is getting the underwater camera ready and making sure our snorkel bag has everything we need in it.

Tonight’s show is a variety show with the 3 performers that are with us until Tahiti. (2 singers/impressionists and 1 comedian)

We set our clocks back another hour tonight. That will make us 5 hours earlier than “back home” (EST)

We have been at sea now for 10 days and ready for our next port. We hope it is sunny and nice for our tour.

After dinner we went for a walk out on deck before the show and saw a water spout (funnel cloud on the ocean) off in the distance. We watched it form and grow and then it started to break up.

Just got back from the show and it was really good. (still could do without the comedian, though he was less offensive with this act), but enjoyed the other 2 performers.

Earlier I posted more photos on the Picasa Web Albums site. I’m caught up to Pitcairn Island and will work on those on the 5 sea days after Tahiti.

February 16, 2013 Sea Day

Woke up to sunny skies! Greg saw a couple of islands early in the morning, but other than “a” bird, it has just been water, water everwhere….

We had a long walk on the track on deck this morning. A CC friend Steve, introduced me to a lady that I have seen up there every day. Sheryl and her husband Glen were to join us for Easter Island. They are from Regina, Canada. I had an interesting chat with her and an hour and 15 minutes went by in a flash. It was hot and sunny with a nice breeze.

Greg & I came back and showered for lunch in the dining room. Good food and good conversation. Then it was off to lay in the sun for me and Greg did some computer stuff and helped Duane (one of our dinner tablemates) with his iPad. He was having some issues uploading his photos to Flicker and he thought he had lost all of his pictures, so Greg helped him find them.

We had a couple of hours where the A/C was broken in our room (and elsewhere on the ship as when we called to ask about it, they were already working on it.) But all was fixed quickly.

We went to the port lecture on Tahiti right before dinner. Then like cattle to the feeding trough all the first seating diners head for the dining room. Polynesian/Pacific Rim type menu tonight. (lots of fish, shrimp, goose, corned beef and pork.)

The 2 lead singers of the production show cast put on a show last night. Each doing a solo act and singing 1 song together.

Last night we didn’t set our clocks back an hour, but tonight and tomorrow night we do.

Tomorrow is Sunday and another brunch. Don’t know where the time goes….we are 3 weeks into the cruise already. We have been enjoying our lazy days at sea, knowing that soon things will be more port intensive and sleep and relaxing will be harder to come by. Greg & I each have finished a book in between everything else we are doing.

February 15, 2013 Pitcairn Island - Scenic Cruising 10:00a to 2:00p

Today we didn’t get off the ship, but about 30 islanders came aboard and set up tables to sell their crafts. They all arrived in one of their 3 longboats in the pouring rain. There was quite a storm last night with thunder and lightning. (so we were told, we didn’t hear it)  It was very interesting to see them approach the ship and board. One lady gave a talk about life on the island and showed photos of their town. They get supplies 4 times a year and about 8 to 10 cruise ships come during this part of the year that also bring supplies. They had ordered supplies in advance that our ship brought for them.

 



Here is some background on the island:

The Pitcairn Islands group is a British Overseas Territory. It comprises the islands of Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno. Pitcairn, the only inhabited island, is a small volcanic outcrop situated in the South Pacific at latitude 25.04 south and longitude 130.06 west. It is roughly 2170km (1350 miles) east south-east of Tahiti and just over 6600km (4100 miles) from Panama. The Islands' administrative headquarters are situated in Auckland New Zealand, 5310km (3300 miles) away.

With a population of only around fifty, the people of Pitcairn are descended from the mutineers of HMAV Bounty and their Tahitian companions. Pitcairn Island is approximately 3.2km (2 miles) long and 1.6km (1 mile) wide with the capital Adamstown located above Bounty Bay and accessed by the aptly named road, "The Hill of Difficulty".

Very enjoyable day and I bought a pair of earrings and a couple of magnets. (one I can convert to a Christmas ornament). They had a lot of beautiful wood carvings and vases and they sell a lot of collectable postage stamps. You could mail a letter from Pitcairn, but they only get mail pickup and delivery 4 times a year. They are also known for having some of the best honey in the world.

There are 8 children on the island and the youngest is 2 years old.

We circumnavigated the island so we got to see the inhabited side as well as the rest. I used binoculars to see the buildings up close. There was a beautiful waterfall. The sun came out and that made for some better photos. The lecturer said they have 2 vehicles on the island, but each family has about 2 quads each that they use for transportation since there aren’t any paved roads. What an interesting way of life.

The islanders were treated to lunch on the ship and then we watched them load all of their supplies on their longboat. A lot of frozen stuff, bags of rice, onions, lots of alcohol, soda, TP and who knows what else. They worked fast and had the hull of the boat loaded to the max and then they boarded their boat for the short ride home.

It was Thai night in the dining room. Yum!

We skipped the show tonight since we weren’t thrilled with the comedian last time and got caught up on some laundry. The laundry room is packed during the day and is empty in the evening.

2 more days at sea until we make port in Tahiti.

 

 

February 14, 2013 Sea Day

Happy Valentine’s Day!

The day started out sunny enough, but by afternoon it was cloudy with a few sprinkles. The dining room was decorated for Valentine’s Day and the buffet only had pink desserts today. We had lunch in the dining room but I apparently didn’t choose well. I ordered the BBQ beef brisket with salad and chipotle dressing. It was a salad with what seemed more like boiled corned beef and the dressing had no flavor. Another guy at our table ordered the same thing and was equally disappointed. Ah well, they all can’t be good. We went upstairs and I grabbed a slice of pizza.

After lunch we went up to “cloud bathe”. Occasional light sprinkles, but still very nice out. We boiled like lobsters in the hot tub before we came back to the cabin to get ready for formal night. There was a special Valentine’s Day menu. Very yummy menu. Greg had caviar and I had veal ravioli for appetizers, then salad and Swiss cheese soufflés and for entrees I had the Lobster Thermidor and Greg had fish. Very good dinner! Love Boat dreams for dessert and we split a cherries jubilee.  

 



We had a past passenger Meet the Captain party tonight. Free drinks and they acknowledged the 3 top most traveled passengers. One couple have sailed 1046 days on 35 cruises. There was a production show this evening called Thank You For the Music. We both thought it was a bit off tonight.

There’s a champagne waterfall at 11:00 tonight, but I think we’ll skip that. We exchanged valentines earlier today.

Tonight we set the clocks back an hour again. So, we gain another hour tonight.

Tomorrow, we circumnavigate Pitcairn Island. Most of the islanders will come aboard and set up a craft market and one is giving a talk about the island and its’ residents.
 

February 13, 2013 Sea Day

We gained an hour last night and we will gain another tonight. This morning we did the usual, Greg exercised in the gym, I sleep, read or sit out on the balcony until we go to breakfast and then walk for an hour or so. We played Bingo for the first time on this cruise today. We didn’t win but Joan our table mate won the first 2 games.

We decided not to have lunch in the dining room today and opted for the Mexican buffet. Then, we went to the lecture on Pitcairn Island. Which really was more of a talk about the Mutiny on the Bounty, but since the people there today are descended from the mutineers of HMAV Bounty and their Tahitian companions, it was fitting. Very interesting!

Instead of getting sun today I have been working on pictures. I hope to have Lima day 2 done tomorrow and the photos from the ship of Easter Island.

Tonight the menu in the dining room wasn’t that inspiring, so we made reservations for the Sterling Steakhouse. It’s a $20 service fee per person, but is well worth it, (about what you would leave for a tip if you paid for a comparable meal on land)

Tonight the singer that did the Nat King Cole tribute is doing a Soul/Motown tribute. We just returned and it was a very good show.

Went out on deck and watched us sail into the sunset. Since we are truly out in the “middle of nowhere”, we haven’t seen a ship in days and today we didn’t see any birds and only 2 fish, but the water is a beautiful deep blue and pretty calm seas with gentle waves.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! What better place to spend it than with my sweetie sailing the ocean and seeing the world!

February 12, 2013 Sea Day - Scenic Cruising Easter Island, Chile

This was supposed to be our day: Easter Island, Chile 9:00a to 6:00p (tender port)

Well, today was a HUGE disappointment. Easter Island is a tender port which means that the ship can’t dock for various reasons such as the water is too shallow or there isn’t a dock large enough for the ship. We were to use the ship’s life boats to tender all passengers ashore, but the Captain didn’t feel it was safe to tender due to rough waters around the island. The water was fine around the ship, but you could see the waves crashing on shore. So, instead of our tour of the island, we sailed around it and were able to see the Moai at the landing site and we could see the row of 15 Moai from a distance with their backs to us. We also saw a whole bunch of them, some lying down and others upright. It appeared to us that it might have been the quarry site.

We started the day with a beautiful sunrise over the island and ended the day with a fantastic sunset. Deep blue waters….just amazing!



Here is a bit of background on Easter Island:

The monoliths of Easter Island have fascinated and puzzled Westerners since the Dutch seaman Roggeven made landfall there on Easter Sunday, 1722. The mystery of Easter Island's first settlers remains just that - a mystery. Today, most anthropologists believe the island was settled as part of the great wave of Polynesian emigration. (The oldest of the Moai, as the great monoliths are called, date to 700 A.D.) The society that produced the Moai flourished during the 16th and 17th centuries, but population growth, deforestation and food shortages led to its collapse. Today some 3,400 souls inhabit this 64-square-mile island, which lies some 2,200 miles equidistant from Tahiti and South America.

Here is what we were supposed to do:

“We have a private tour with Paul of Tekarera's Private Tours of Rapa Nui. The tour is based on your interests and knowledge of Easter Island. From those who only know the island as "The Island with those Big Statues - Moai" to fellow archeologists Paul Pownall has always been able to give his guests a unique and personalized tour of Easter Island.

With Paul's work starting in 1968 as the youngest member of an archeological expedition restoring Tahai and starting an island wide archeological survey, to his building of their new tour facilities in Tekarera, Paul has always been interested in sharing all aspects of this mysterious, special place and people”.

Paul came highly recommended on Cruise Critic and TripAdvisor. My tour filled up quickly and Paul said he would find guides for a second or third van.

On our tour we will visit the restored Ahu complex of Tahai, which Paul helped restore in 1968 as a 16 year old field hand with Dr. Mulloy; from there to Rano Kao volcano with its giant crater and on to Orongo village where the bird man contest was held, then down to Ahu Vanuatu, then over to Rano Raraku the Moai quarry that shows status in all stages of being carved, then to Ahu Tongariki with its 15 Moai, around to Te Pito Te Kura and Anakena beach and Ahu Nau Nau. 

Joining us today are Rick & Janie and Steve & Karen. Paul will be our guide. 

Marianne volunteered to lead the second van with Lorraine & Charles and Lois & David. Peter will be their guide. 

Tom & Ken volunteered to lead the third van with Sue & Andrew and Dale & Janet. Patricio will be their guide. 

Of all the tours I set up this one was the most trying. It’s a small island miles and miles from anywhere and of course internet/phone service is spotty. Add to that, the limited  resources (vehicles, guides/drivers etc.) on the island. I originally had set up 3 vans of 8, but that became problematic and someone else on the CC boards set up a tour with another company. A week before the cruise was to start they had to cancel due to illness and Jeff & Julie on their tour stepped up to lead it and take on the people I had left over from my tours. This one was a real group effort and I really appreciate Jeff & Julie taking on the challenge.  

The ship’s tours also filled up and they were trying to find additional vehicles and guides, but again there are only so many on this island. 

So, despite our efforts, Mother Nature had other ideas and we had another sea day. It was a shame we couldn’t tender as the day was beautiful. 80* and about 5 mile an hour winds. There were lots of disappointed people that we weren’t able to tour the island. It is the most remote populated island and very unique with its’ huge Moai statues and is on many people’s bucket lists. Hopefully, we will be able to return some day to see the island. 

After we were about finished viewing the island from our balcony we went in for lunch and then exercised and sun bathed for a while.  

Had a nice dinner and the show was Tony Pace who did a completely different show for us tonight. Another enjoyable show. (unlike the comedian last night that got very mixed reviews.) 

 So, now we have 5 more sea days until Papeete, Tahiti. We do have a day of scenic cruising of Pitcairn Island in a couple of days and if the conditions are good many of the islanders will come aboard for us.  

We also gain an extra hour tonight. Whoo Hoo. I think we will gain time for a few days now.  

I wanted to post pictures tonight, but the internet is a bit slow, so will try tomorrow.