Saturday, Sunday, Monday – February 12-14 – At Sea – Coast of Haiti and Cuba – Partly Cloudy – 70s

We are now on our way back to Miami.  Our course will take us between Haiti and Cuba and then along the Cuban coast into Miami.  The weather is pretty good – a little chop here and there – and temperatures in the 70s.  Who can complain.

February 12, 2011

Choppy seas.  The ship is listing a few degrees to the starboard side due to some winds across the decks (below).  This make for plenty of seats in the Windows Cafe for breakfast.  I have made a change in my standard breakfast – waffles replaced by pancakes made to order (still with cottage cheese and fruit).  Much better choice.

 

In the morning, we went to hear Tony give a presentation on how a Seabourn Spirit Cruise ship dealt with a pirate attack in 2005.  Lots of interesting pictures and information on how ships then dealt with pirates (head strait out to sea and use acoustic cannons as weapons). Nowadays, they avoid dangerous itineraries and courses.

Today’s talk: “DNA Testing:  Secrets of the Royal Families” is scheduled for 3:00 PM in the Cabaret.  The talk went very well and the crowd was near max – over 250 people with very few seats available (photo below). The only issue with the talk is that the two side screens are not large enough to effectively display some of the numbers in the presentation.  All in all, the audience did get the important points of the talks.

February 13, 2011

A little less chop and a beautiful day to have breakfast on the back deck. 

The ship is off the west coast of Haiti at the moment (below).

I am speaking today at 11:15 AM so I spend the morning tuning up for the presentation.  This talk:  “DNA Testing: Solving History’s Mysteries” also draws a full house.  The color coding of King Tut’s genealogy information does not project in color so I have to explain what the audience should be seeing.  Again, it worked out.

This presentation contains 9/11 material so after the talk I did a small survey of passengers on whether this should have been included.  They also said “yes” so it stays for future presentations.

The benefits of giving the morning talk is having the rest of the day off.  The best way to spend that time is on deck 5 (below)

February 14, 2011

Cloudy day with some chop.  I spot an old friend, the NCL Pearl, off in the distance.  The good old days.

Today is my last talk - “Forensic Science: Novel DNA Testing”.  Another packed house and another appreciative audience.  The presentations have all worked out well – no glitches (except for the lack of the central screen) and great support from Chris, the Activities Manager. 

Got to pack – there is no express walk off on this ship.  We will be in Miami tomorrow.

Friday, February 11, 2011 – Cartagena, Colombia – Sunny – Mid 80s

Change in itinerary…

This was supposed to be a sea day with the ship docking in Cartagena on Saturday.  Because there would be several ships in Cartagena on Saturday (overburdening the taxi and transportation capabilities of the port), the captain decided to steam full speed to Cartagena arriving at 1:00 PM on Friday (along with a Midnight departure).  

A Spanish Fort guards the entrance to Cartagena Bay

Above, gleaming new and white condos dot the skyline of new Cartagena. 

We are on tour today – I am on the “City Tour and Shopping Stop” and Ellen is on the “City Tour and Bay by Boat Tour” (How did that happen?).  Our first stop is the largest Spanish Fort in the New World, San Felipe de Barajas.  We only have a photo stop here (Ellen will be climbing the stairs of this fort).  The stop is quick – 10 minutes or an hour in “vendors-all-over-us” time.

Our next stop is a shopping stop at the Dungeon vendor stores.  I’ve been here before (got coffee – too expensive today). 

From the Dungeon Stores, the bus takes us to colonial Cartagena for the walking portion of our tour.  We start on a classic street, Calle De Baloco (very New Orleans like).  My job is keeping track of 40 passengers.

Calle De Baloco

Our walk takes us past several street vendors including a popular one making instant oil paintings on glass ($10).  Several passengers buy paintings – I hope they don’t smudge before they get them home.  Inquisition Palace is about a 20 minute walk (no one is lost along the way).  This building is where the Inquisition operated when the process arrived in the New World.

Above:  Inquisition Palace; Gallows, Guillotine

Across the street from the Inquisition Palace is a large plaza and, as is usually the case, a statue of Simon Bolivar – El Libertador. The Square is nice with plenty of trees for shade.

 

The walk then takes us to the Church of San Pedro Claver, a priest who brought religion to the locals.  We don’t go into the Church but I did appreciate the interesting metallic sculptures in the courtyard next to the church.

  

The three pictures below were taken by a passenger on Ellen’s tour.  these are from the water portion of the tour.  Very nice especially the mangroves with their resident birds.

My tour’s final stop is the large shopping mall, which is actually a collection of jewelry stores specializing in emeralds.  I take this opportunity to find a nearby internet hot spot.  It turns out there’s one right across the street ($2 for 40 minutes) so I check in with the kids and check e-mails.  The hot spot is located inside a bakery, an unusual symbiosis during our travels.  It does work, though.

When I get back to the bus, I am informed that Ellen was looking for me but that her bus has already departed for the pier.

After dinner, we decide to attend the deck party up on the pool deck. 

Cartagena from Deck 10

The ship is still docked and it is warm with no breeze – perfect for dancing and enjoying the entertainment.  Music is provided by Tony and the Cabaret Singers.  We do our share of fox-trotting and other dances to the very good music.  We also spend some quality time with new friends, Jim and Debbie, and Irving and Bookie. 

 

Above:  Tony and the Cabaret Singers provide the entertainment 

Chef Lisa oversees the feast and mingles

Above: Jim and Debbie try out some new moves; Below:  Ellen and Debbie rock out.

   

Irving and Bookie get into the act – Is Irving’s cane glowing?

    

Three straight seas to go…can’t wait.

Wednesday, February 10, 2011 – Transit of the Panama Canal – Mostly Sunny – 84 F

Distance from Puntarenas, Costa Rica to the Panama Canal: 486 nautical miles

Excellent weather for the transit…

We spent most of the day on the port side of Deck 5 listening to Bill Fall’s excellent narration of the trip through the canal.  Bill is up in the Crow’s Nest (can you see him?)

The transit should starts about 5:40 AM (Panama Canal Pilot boards) and will take about 11 hours to complete. 

  

Ships waiting in the Gulf of Panama for their turn to to through the canal

The Journey paid a premium to get priority through the canal and to keep the cruise itinerary on schedule.  As we pass through the channel to the first lock (Miraflores) – an 8.2 mile distance – Panama City and the marina are clearly visible.

 

Top:  Panama City; Bottom: Panama City and Marina

The Journey passes under the Bridge of the Americas as it approaches the locks.

On deck to get the best view

From the stern: Bridge of the Americans

 

Entering the Miraflores Locks

 

From the Looking Glass Lounge: Miraflores Locks

Stern View: Multilockage (more than one ship in locks)

In the Miraflores locks, the ship is raised to 54 feet above sea level in two stages.  It is only one mile to the Pedro Miguel Locks, which will raise the ship another 31 ft to the level of Gatun Lake. 

Front view of Pedro Miguel Locks

In the Pedro Miguel Locks there is a car carrier (thousands of cars) Panamax ship in the adjacent locks.

Top: Stern View: Pedro Miguel Locks Open; Bottom: the Locks are closed for the 31 foot float

Exiting the Pedro Miguel Locks, we enter the Culebra Cut (narrowest part of the Canal) for 7.8 mile ride to the final set of locks.  The Culebra Cut slices through the Continental Divide (85 feet above sea level).  In the Cut, the Journey passes under the Centennial Bridge. 

Centennial Bridge

Dredger in the Culebra Cut

Near the Continental Divide

The Cut opens up into Gatun Lake, an artificial lake formed by Gatun Dam.  The Lake is 15 miles across and ships line up here as well for entrance into the Gatun Locks.

The final set of locks, the three stage Gatun Locks, will lower the ship 85 feet to the level of the Bahia Limon and the Caribbean Sea.

Top: Entering Gatun Locks; Middle: Relaxing during the Transit; Bottom: Gatun Locks door closed.

The total trip through the canal: 47.9 miles.

The Captain indicates that the seas will be rough once we reach the open waters of the Atlantic – Dramamine for all.

Another nice dinner and we take in the show: Timm Metivier – comic magician. 

The seas are a bit rough – we’ll see who shows up for breakfast.