And so the good ship Statendam sailed towards Panama for the final crossing of the season. The weather was as the previous weeks, following winds, strong trade winds, and following swells. This caused the corkscrew motion again that we always have on this stretch and which will last until tomorrow morning 3am when we come under the lee of the Panamanian coast. Luckily the guests have been on board for a few days already and they are used by now to a moving ship; It should not cause too much of an issue. The stabilizers are working overtime (most appropriate on Labor Day I suppose) but they can only counteract the rolling part of this motion. The sudden tilt that occurs when the following swell lifts up the stern is something we just have to live with. Continue reading

Life would be boring if everything always went as predicted. This morning we found out that what was predicted does not always happen.  The Island Princess kept up the speed and stayed ahead of us and arrived at 06:00 at the pilot station. Whatever happened to their 10 am we will never know.  Not much of an issue as the port authorities changed the docks around and now put the IP on cruise terminal B and us behind her on C., as she was already sailing at 12.30 while we were staying the whole day. So I could keep my planned pilot time for 07:00 hrs and be docked at 08:00 as required. It worked out even better for us this way as now we were at the terminal closest to the town and that saved the guests another half a mile of walking. The 3^rd ship on the schedule never showed up and when the IP left at 1 pm (having to wait for late guests) we had the town to ourselves.  Most of the larger shops were open until 1 pm and there several activities going on in the city that could be watched by our guests.  Our pilot was involved in kite fighting on the beach and was not very happy that he had all day duty and would have to sail us out at 18:00 hrs. It was a great day for the Queens Birthday celebrations as there was no rain and the wind was not too strong. Continue reading

 By 23:00 we entered the Windward Passage and from there sailed into the Caribbean Sea. Losing our lee from Haiti by 06:00 in the morning we got 35 knots full on the port beam. The good thing is that in this area the wind is always blowing from the East and the Trade wind and the swell that it generates is as a result full on the beam. With our stabilizers in operation it means that the ship is very steady as it can compensate for the roll that might be caused by this swell. The bad thing is that 35 knots is a lot of wind. A wind like this, that has been sustaining the swell for a few days is also enhancing the current and that is not good. As a result we suffered for most of the day a current of more than 2 knots against us and over a 24 hour period that is 48 miles which we have to make up by sailing faster. Not good for the fuel consumption and it means also more wind on deck. Therefore again I kept  the doors to the bow closed; but after Aruba and until Cabo San Lucas they should be open all the time during the day. They are being kept closed nowadays during the night to avoid guests falling over the threshold and to avoid the navigators getting blinded by somebody using a camera with flashlight. Taking pictures of the moon is a very popular pastime on the bow but when the moon is above the bridge then the navigators get the full flash and that does not help with their night vision. We will be aiming for 07:00 pilot tomorrow morning. Continue reading

The wind and current we had with us coming up the coast, were now against us. Wind force 6 to 7 blowing from the East and the ship going against it with a wind force 6,creating a combined wind force 13 on deck at times. Thus I kept the doors to the forward observations decks under the bridge carefully closed. Wind force 13, is too strong to stand up to and I do not need it to have senior citizens being blown all over the place. Still it did not bother anybody as the only thing that really has an influence on shipboard life is ships movement. Apart from the fact that most guests are not used to it, it is also annoying in the long run as your body gets tired from adjusting to it all the time. Nothing of that luckily, the ship remained as steady as a rock as the Grand Bahama Bank acted as a natural buffer to prevent the wind from whipping up the waves into swell. That will be different late tonight when we will have a few hours of exposure to the North Atlantic when we leave the shelter of the Bank behind. That will not last that long as we will turn into the Windward Passage and then we will be under the lee of Haiti. Continue reading

We had a very strong Gulf Stream during the night and by the time we passed Miami we were doing about 22 knots, e.g. four knots of current with us. Ahead of us was the Island Princess with a pilot time of 05.45, the Maasdam with a pilot time of 06.00 and the Statendam with a pilot time of 06.15. These times being chosen as it worked the best for a smooth sail in for everybody. The IP had to go to berth 4 which is a tight fit, so she was given the first slot, the Maasdam had to swing around and go stern in to berth 26, so she was given the 2^nd slot and as we had a straight sail in, starboard alongside pier 25, we were scheduled as number 3. All worked out as we liked it and by 07.15 all the ships were safely docked and ready for operations.  The centre of the port was taken up by 5 warships as part of Fleet week. A Helicopter assault vessel of which I could not see the name; a submarine and another warship hidden by the terminal building and in front, the US Jacinto and the USS De Wert. On the Assault vessel they had built up a complete Marine Corps display with Humvee’s, helicopters, anti aircraft guns, jeeps and troop carriers and by 0900 the public was streaming all over the ships.  For us it was the other way around, all the guests were streaming off the ship after a cruise with very good weather all the way. Continue reading

 The weather was not behaving according to the forecast. Only the general direction was correct. For the rest there was too much wind, too much swell and too much rain. When the ship came out of the lee from under Haiti, while exiting the Windward Passage, it became a bumpy ride for about 2 hours. When we turned North West into the Old Bahama Channel, it became a following sea & wind; then peace and quiet descended on the ship once more. However it remained with us for the whole day and the remainder of the night while we travelled North of Cuba and into the Straits of Florida. Luckily this was the last day of the cruise and then all the guests focus is on the activities inside. Disembarkation talk, crew farewell, last minute shopping. Plus the unsolvable problem of getting the contents of three suitcases into two and all those things together keeps a cruise passenger happily occupied during the last day. Not everybody of course, we have another 115 who will travel with us back to San Diego having booked a back to back. If you have the time that is a great idea, as the cost of flying can come quite close to the cost of booking the additional 14 days. Continue reading

 Today we crossed the Caribbean Sea on an almost northerly course (007) that will bring us eventually to the Windward Passage and from there into the North Atlantic above Cuba. A sea day to enjoy for all on board. I started the day with a more unusual item, ANZAC day. 25 April is the date that Australia and New Zealand are remembering their fallen and they use the 25th. as it is this the day of the ill fated campaign at Gallipoli. As we are getting more and more guests on board from down under, it makes it possible for us to organize a small remembrance service. This cruise we had 55 antipodeans on board and that was more than enough to arrange something. So at 0900 we had a service in the Crows nest. In Australia and New Zealand they have a ritual called the “Dawn service”. That is sort of moment of remembrance that sprung up spontaneously in the past and only loosely followed a certain routine. A routine varying from group of Ladies in a back garden, or a school class on the beach to a full memorial service with all the pomp and circumstance of Regiment flags, gun salutes and bugle calls. That made it easy for us to put a short service together and remember those who gave their lives so we could live in freedom. It was a good start of my morning. Continue reading

During the night the lousy weather abated somewhat and with only at stiff breeze left we arrived at 08.30 at the Boca Chica pilot station which is located at the entrance of the bay leading to Cartagena. Port Control was not very much in control at all, as although we had been cleared for a direct sail in, we were advised 10 minutes before passing the sea buoy that there was a ship coming out. The fairway is already almost too small for one ship going in or out, let alone for passing each other between the buoys. So we were told to slow down and wait and pass Red to Red (port to port). The out coming ship went south and thus ended up on our starboard side, Green to Green. So I refused to move until the situation was cleared up about what this ship was going to do, as port control had ordered Red to Red. The ship did not answer on the VHF when we tried to raise them and thus waiting was the best answer. See what she does. This was not up to the liking of Port Control who now suddenly started screaming that we had to proceed which I refused to do until it was completely clear what the other ship was up to. The pilot who had arrived on board took up the cause and with a lot of Spanish screaming going on, we eventually sailed into Cartagena Bay. I thought it wise to do it all myself this time, so the pilot could keep a close eye on the communication with a less than helpful Port Control. That turned out for the best, as while I was conning, the Officer of the Watch detected two other large ships moving in the bay. They could be in our way when we came closer to the dock. So the pilot went back on the phone again and eventually everything was sorted out. But all the excitement cost me another 15 minutes and in the end we were docked just on time, instead of my 15 minutes (or more)early which I prefer so the authorities can clear the ship before the official arrival time is due.

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Late yesterday the schedule arrived and I was not a happy person. Due to congestion in the Canal, the convoy was made up of all big – panamax -boys; we were selected to be number 23. Nearly the end of the day convoy and putting our pilot boarding time back to 06:00. Resulting in a planned sail by time of Cristobal at 17:00 hrs. During our last few Northbound transits we had a fast crossing which helps with making a timely schedule to Cartagena. I asked to be bumped up a few numbers but it was not possible. Then during the night we were advised that the pilot was coming another 30 minutes later and that was going to put the transit time even later. Good for my sleep but it meant that we would be doing the whole Canal in the burning sun. At least certainly until the Continental Divide. By being a bit early you pass under the Bridge of the America’s during dawn, which is a very picturesque sight and by sunrise you are in the first locks. By the time it is getting warm you are through the Pedro Miguel locks and then you can sit in the shade or behind the windows in the cool air while we go through the lake. Not today. In the end the pilot showed up another 20 minutes later and that did not help very much either. Continue reading

 This is our 2nd day at sea, which will last until 1800 when we will be at anchor at Fuerte Amador for the evening. The weather chart is showing no rain, so I hope mother nature will act accordingly as it would spoil a nice evening ashore if you come back drenched. Because if it rains here, being in the proximity of the rain forests, it pours. Sometimes the down poor is so heavy that it impairs the visibility. I went once through with the Rotterdam V, when we ended up in such a heavy shower that the pilot had to abort the approach to the Gatun locks (the locks on the Atlantic side) because he could not see anything anymore. Also our radars were of little help and we let the ship drift slowly towards the anchorage area while waiting for the rain to lift. Normally you talk about the very low clouds “to lift” but in this case we needed the rain to “lift” as the result in reduced visibility was exactly the same. It also made so much noise that we had to raise our voices to be heard over the din. Luckily we had a few captains in the old days who were always raising their voice so that it did not make that much difference. Things have improved considerably since then. Although………. I tend to sing on the bridge, so I do not know what the OOW would find worse. Continue reading