Friday, October 12, 2012

All At Sea




Before setting sail, we have to be immersed in a safety drill.  The main point is to watch your step and mind your head and everything should be all right.  Although, just this past week, there is a report of a 70 year old woman who apparently walked off a Dam boat somewhere between Charlottetown  Prince Edward Island and Halifax Nova Scotia.  It is felt that she was neither a victim of foul play (at least not on the boat) nor did she fall/jump overboard.  But she is missing, along with some items of necessity...such as what I'm not sure.  Perhaps a life ring or immersion suit?



so many ways of being "at sea"



but we are not lost--




we're heading north to Alaska!

24 comments:

  1. Oh, how exciting! So happy to join in your adventure!!! It's a Dutch liner, the Rotterdam???? I love the signs!!! (Except what in blazes is an assembly station? The people in there don't look too happy, and there are bubbles emanating from them.) I'm so looking forward to this voyage, Lynn.

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    1. jann,
      The boat is the Zuiderdam, registered in Rotterdam. All the boats in the Holland American line have names ending in "dam", hence the reference to dam boats. The assembly station is the area where you assemble...in front of lifeboats in case of an emergency evacuation! That's likely why the people in the picture don't look too happy, and that there's bubbles emanating from them is definitely not a good sign! Glad to have you aboard, jann!

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  2. Yahoo - Scooby-Doo! :) We didn't get our safety drill until the morning after we set sail. It was foggy and we had to put our life jackets on. I kept thinking, what if this is not a drill! Poor lady! We had a guy go missing on our ship too. We left Skagway and he didn't make it back to the ship. Never heard what happened to him. Now remember, never ever disembark without your "items of necessity." Guess that means you'll be wearing your life jacket the whole time! :)

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    1. MM,
      It's no longer required to wear your life jacket to the practice drill, thank goodness. I wasn't too sure exactly what to do with it and it was no clearer after the inaudible demonstration that took place at the drill, behind several tall people that I couldn't see over or around. I think I'd prefer to wear the immersion suit rather than the life jacket as an item of necessity.

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  3. I love the signs! How exciting to be going to Alaska. We lived there when I was a child..and I still remember how beautiful it is. Enjoy!!!!

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    1. Danielle,
      That must have been an inspirational and exciting place to spend one's childhood. I didn't get to see much of the land, but the sea/mountain views were pretty spectacular. More on that later.

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    1. Lucia,
      Wait...you are coming along for the voyage aren't you? I know how fond of boats you are.

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  5. Did you enjoy the ship's artwork from warmer climeas than those in which it sailed?

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    1. DCW,
      You know, with 20-or-so New Brunswick winters under my garter belt, late summer in Alaska didn't really seem that cold.

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  6. I'm happily aboard and can't wait to see more of what your cruise brings!

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    1. Bonnie,
      Welcome aboard, matey! I can promise you pea soup on the poop deck!

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  7. We were right you are en route to Alaska cruising along - have a wonderful time - the scenery is fabulous....

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    1. Catherine,
      So right! Lovely soft cool colours and mountains fading below into the briny depths and above into the shrouded heavens.

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  8. What a dream ! Please enjoy your journey ! Must be wonderful to breath such air. Always two hands of water beneath your keel.

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    1. Robert,
      It was a dream that was granted to me without my ever having to wish for it!

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  9. Alaska? Yay! I can't wait to see what this journey brings! :)

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    1. Gypsy,
      Put on your sheepskin coat and your boots of Spanish leather...things could get a little chilly before this cruise is over. Glad to have you along!

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  10. This looks exciting,I look forward to travelling with you!

    Ruby

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  11. North to Alaska!!!!!... Anyone who I have met that has gone on a cruise up that way has LOVED it... you will see northern Lights for sure, right? we had a show of them the other night, mostly white here but they were moving in streaks up and down the sky.
    Enjoy!!! ....and make sure you hang on to the rail.. we want you back safe and sound.

    Love your Moody photos... gorgeous!

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    1. Gwen,
      I've heard the same thing from anyone I know who has cruised to Alaska. This was my mother's third trip, in fact. We didn't see Northern Lights, no, but I have seen them in Vancouver before, though certainly not as intense as they would be in the north. As compensation, perhaps, we were treated to a magnificent sunset on our last night at sea.

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  12. I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date....

    So late... arriving here breathless... just in time to see you sailing into the bar for a rdv with the bar stools. Guess you saw a lot of gray water out there... but the way you dress it up here, just want to be there. But gosh, Vancouver to Alaska, that's a long way, no ? Any totem poles still visible on the shores ? Any bears come swimming out the boats for handouts ?

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    1. Owen,
      Really, a cruise is not the best way to see Alaska but certainly, as you say, an excellent chance to see endless tonalities of grey sea and mountains. We saw some whales in the not-too-far distance, and a few seals. To see bears, you would have to sign up for a land excursion ($$$). I was disappointed to miss out on an paid foray into a forest to view a stand of old totems, but a series of unfortunate circumstances (teeming rain and inadequate gear, for example) did not permit me to join in. The highlight of the trip for me was viewing the glaciers (more to come on that!)

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