Tuesday 8 September 2009

The Schedule

Still at sea on the White Whale.

Today, the fuel pump packed in.

No biggy - got a spare !!

The engineers will change it.

Most of the people that go on a cruise have no conception of the medium.

They think of a ship as a moving hotel. A top class hotel where the scenery moves overnight.

They have no particular love or even an interest for the sea.

Loosely termed a cruise, it is in fact, more of a high speed dash.

The ship's top sustainable speed is 24 knots. We need to maintain an average of 22 knots betwee ports to maintain the schedule.

Severe weather, having to change course to avoid other ships and God forbid, having to heave to or divert to rescue poor souls in distress, all take their toll on the schedule.

As one Greek captain said on our little sojourn through the Corinth Canal, "No Man at Sea and no entering the boats without the Captains say-so".

I think he meant no man overboard and if we have to take to the lifeboats, wait for his approval as he wants to go first.


 

1 comment:

  1. You're probably right about cruisers not appreciating the sea. I'm booked on a week long 'soul' cruise next May so I shall be sure to take time out and appreciate the ocean. Probably help me to sober up too if I spend time on deck the morning after the night before lol

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