August 12, 2025 – Labrador Sea – Overcast and cold – 48F

August 12, 2025 – Labrador Sea 

For some reason, I really felt the time change today. The Café is opening a t 7:30 AM lately – maybe to give the crew more rest time and more time to set up. 

A good view and a good breakfast including coffee to start my engine.

There was a Q&A with the “Ice Pilots” at 9:30 AM.  These are the folks who get the ship through any sea ice that may be out there.  I was simply too tired to drag myself to the Cabaret Lounge for that. 

Lunch was in the Windows Café – standard – had Pistou Soup plus Tuna.  Real Pistou Soup has a blob of pesto-like stuff added on top but my soup came out of the big bucket so it was just very good vegetable soup.  I kept it light because I was speaking later.

I am scheduled to give my next talk at 3:00 PM – “Open Unsolved Cases: Forensic Genetic Genealogy”.  I had gone through this talk and pulled some slides and modified others to make the talk flow better.  It did and it didn’t – I always feel that, contrary to feedback, that this talk doesn’t quite go smoothly.  The attendance continues to be great - another full house. When I was done, my legs felt like cement – probably due to lack of sleep.  I still stayed awhile and chatted with guests.

We got Table 18 for dinner in the Discoveries Restaurant.  It's gray and gloomy out there but still a nice view.

Tonight our Special Meals were Spaghetti Bolognese for Ellen and I had Chicken Schnitzel – The schnitzel was white chicken meat breaded and baked – it was actually pretty good.  It came with some orzo and some marinated stuff that looked like white onions but tasted like cabbage.  I finished all of that.  We shared both meals. We found out that tomorrow night will be “Taste of Italy” so we won’t need to order anything special. 

Took in the “Majority Rules” game with Bernardo in the Living Room and passed on the show for tonight – “Britrox” (saw it on the first cruise).

Time Change: Clocks move forward one hour tonight.  I’m going to try something different – I’m not going to change clocks until I am ready to call it a day.  That way I go to sleep on the current schedule and it feels a little more normal.