This sure isn't the South Pacific...

Saturday, April 5. Cool, blue sky, moderate seas.

We are proceeding north at a slow rate as we are moving more westerly than northerly. And north means warmer south of the equator and after three months of warm weather 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler makes a big difference, no wonder natives in Maui wear toques in January when it dips down to 76F! It is amazing, we are roughly at the same latitude as we were in the South Pacific Islands but the sea and temperature certainly are not the same.

We are in the first of three sea days to our next port St. Helena, which I will advise on maybe tomorrow. After St. Helens we were scheduled to go to West Africa and visit Dakar, Senegal & Gambia, but due to a bit of a problem in West Africa with Ebola we will avoid it even though none of our scheduled stops have been affected. I think the term is 'An overabundance of Caution'. I am OK with it even though we had never been to the scheduled ports. However there is a zillion countries that we have not been to and that is not a priority in my life. The change in itinerary does make for some limited excitement and no doubt, lots of conversation, which is running a bit thin after being so long in the same setting aboard the ship.

We will have, as a consequence of the change in itinerary, shall I say an 'overabundance of sea days', five in a row then two days in Cape Verde then four more crossing the Atlantic. There will be some bitching and griping for sure. Even I, who enjoy sea days, will be looking forward to a port, any port, after that long stretch of sailing. I am sure that this is not how Holland America would want to end this world cruise, but it is what it is. I pity the people who boarded in Cape Town specifically to sail home to America from Africa to see a bit of the West Coast of Africa which is not seen by a great deal of travellers. A good way to see it is from the safety of a cruise ship.

Speaking of excitement, we saw a butterfly today, [does that give you some idea of where we are regarding intellectual stimulation! Having said that, when Fellette and I were doing some laps today in the brisk Canadian-like air in the much reduced foot traffic on deck this morning, we came across a resting butterfly on the deck, just sitting there resting, slowly moving its wings. We speculated on its fate and where it came from. I thought of scooping it up and keeping it on our deck or cabin until we got to St. Helena in two days. But that would be interfering with mother nature. It was not there, nor was it squashed our next lap.

If it was a Monarch, that it resembled, I know that they migrate great distances, but I wonder if they do it over water as there is absolutely no chance of resting, drinking or getting nourishment out here when the nearest land is some 1000 miles or more away. I do suppose that that is how many insects and indeed butterflies did get transported around the world, as birds, by resting on passing ships. Certainly the same with rats.

Inasmuch as we are a little over three weeks from home I am beginning to appreciate the balcony we have here, and that soon it will not be part of our life anymore. As a result, I asked Fellette to join me out there this morning as the light of day began to make the world come to life, the sun rising over distant Africa. We can only do that about 14 times more on sea days and not at all if we run into rain, winds or foul weather that take away the pleasure of it. However, at home we often have our second cup of tea/coffee out in the garden planning our day, so maybe there is not too much difference in our procedure after all. Yes, pyjamas and gum boots if there is a dew!

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Nautical terms in everyday usage.

By and large: From the nautical: By meaning into the wind, and Large meaning with the wind. As in By and Large the ship handled very well.

Pics.

- Tranquility Base this morning.

- Our errant resting butterfly this morning.

- Inspirational note on a neighbour's cabin door today.

- Craig's sun room. Zebra skin rug, rattan furniture and impala horns awaiting hanging. Not bad for a bachelor I would say!