Third Report From The Ship

A friend wished me the equivalent of “Calm seas and prosperous voyage.” Problem is, if the seas are calm, there isn’t any wind and the voyage won’t be very quick or prosperous. You needed action to keep those famous tea and spice clippers moving along and that means some rough seas and high winds. No drinks by the pool.

Which brings us to the last day of our cruise when those familiar little white bags appeared in and outside the elevators. You know the poem: “The bags were hung by the elevators with care / in case the nausea was too much to bear.” It was for my roomie, as well for some guy in the middle of the Lido.

My family’s belief, as maritime people for 370 years, is something on the order of “It’s not rough until the engine bolts tear loose.” I didn’t think it was rough at all; rather, it was boringly calm most of the time. My opinion may, or may not (…not…) have been shared by the pax from Kansas, but their “green” was my “smile.”

The tender rides were not tender on our sitting parts. At least, the second day (the “down” trip on my b2b) in Bar Harbor, which was the only port where we had to rock and roll in the chartreuse yacht from ship to port.

I really wanted to see some water over the ship’s bow.