From Half Moon Cay we sailed north and then followed the coast line of Eleuthera Island which guides in a sort of boomerang shape to where we have to go. Then it was a straight course sailing south of Freeport until we cleared the last cay in the Bahamas near the Great Isaac Lighthouse. A very important lighthouse as it guards the corner of the last reefs of the Bahama Banks. Keep Great Isaac in view and it is hard to run aground. From there it was a hop across the Straits of Florida and by 0600 hrs. we were at the pilot station of Ft. Lauderdale. It being a Friday it was not so busy and we were in port with only a RCI ship and one from Silver Seas.
By 07.00 hrs. the ship went into controlled mayhem mode which we call a change over day. Luggage off, followed by guests off while down in the bowels of the ship provisioning started. This had an extra challenge today as it was heavy loading which means that nonperishable items are loaded in larger quantities. Also the ship started to load materials for the coming dry dock to ensure that we have everything before it goes into dry – dock in Freeport Bahamas. We only managed to get it all in, just before sailing time.
Disembarkation took a bit longer than expected as there were only 2 CBP inspectors available until late in the morning and all the guests had to exercise a little bit of patience. The law is the law and if there are no more inspectors then it just takes a bit longer to get everybody processed. This can happen on occasion and therefore a wise word to those who read this: Make sure that you do not book any flights until midafternoon. We had a couple onboard who had flights at 11.20, did not want to do self-disembarkation (e.g. carry all you luggage of yourself) and most likely missed their flights. Then there can be traffic jams to the airport as it is not a weekend day, and if you happen to have a cruise with a bit of wobbly weather the ship might be in late. So mid-morning flights or very early afternoon flights are always a gamble.
Today we also had a captain’s changeover. Captain Robert Jan Kan went on a well-deserved leave and Captain Jeroen van Donselaar took over for the next 3 month period.
He will now take the ship on a 10 day cruise via the Bahamas to the Dutch Islands in the South Caribbean Sea.
Then there will be dry dock which is always a busy time for a Captain. Officially you have nothing to do; no sailing and the department heads have to do the work; but you are very very busy with trouble shooting and keeping oversight to ensure everything keeps marching to plan.
The Noordam docked at Pier 26 which is our normal home, laying along the Inter Coastal Water Way, which runs all the way up the East coast. Even on a Friday it can be very busy with small yachts and power boats, quite a few of them who can be defined as six – pack navigators. On the departure I saw twice that the Sheriff’s department (who escorted the Noordam with two boats) had to race over to avoid a certain disaster. Once with an idiot planning to sail through the bow thruster wash and the 2nd time by somebody not much wiser stopping in front of the ship with the plan to take a self-fie. Yes, they are out there, you just have to find them as my father in law used to say. I do not know if the sheriff would fine them but if I had a say in it, I would confiscate the boat as it does endanger the lives, not only of the driver but also of those on board as passengers; quite often children.
But the Noordam managed to get all the provisions, stores and supplies onboard on time and without undue delay we sailed out of Port Everglades. We will now retrace our route exactly the opposite way as when coming in, as tomorrow we are back in Half Moon Cay.
Only this time we are not going to be by ourselves but together with the Eurodam, which is the first ship of the Signature Class.
Weather for tomorrow: Partly Cloudy and temperatures in the high seventies.
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