Cruising, part 7

So, the second last day of the cruise. Well, I guess third, as we get into port on January 2nd. However, we’re going to try and disembark as early as we can. I see no reason to stay on the boat until noon or so when we could get off around 9 a.m. and then spend the whole day puttering around Fort Lauderdale instead. I think Beowulf is playing at a local theatre in 3-D IMAX, and I would love to see that.

It feels hotter today than it has when we were further south. I understand why, of course. In our other ports of call we had the trade winds, air conditioning and a dip in the ocean to keep us cool. On the boat you still have the air conditioning, but most of the places where you would lie out in the sun is shaded from the wind. So it’s very easy to roast. I tried lying out and getting a tan for a bit today. I lasted about 40 minutes and cried uncle. Yes, the Vitamin D is lovely and all, but I was beginning to feel like a roasted pig. As for dipping in the ocean, well, I think they frown on that when we’re moving at 20 knots. And the pools are, of course, packed.

There was also a hairiest chest contest on-board today. I take great comfort in knowing I wouldn’t have won if I entered.

The other highlight...flying fish. I don’t know how we didn’t notice them before, but there are schools of flying fish racing alongside the ship for short bursts. I know people down here think nothing of them. It would be like me making a big deal of seeing a cod. But they’re kind of cool to watch. It’s like they’re surfing on air for short bursts of time before wiping out into an ocean swell.

It also brought back a memory of when we were in St. Kitt’s. I went to a little place on the beach looking for some food. A woman next to me asked the counterperson what kind of fish was in the fish sandwich. Apparently it was flying fish. I had the image of the woman trying to take a bite of the sandwich and the fish making a break from the bun and flying off to the ocean.

Yes, my brain in strange.

This evening, of course, is New Years. That means I suspect very few of you are reading this right now. But hey, I write because I like it. They have some things planned, but it doesn’t look like there’s a lot of activities going on. A party on the upper deck starting at 11 p.m. A formal supper and a few other activities. We’ll be celebrating New Year’s somewhere off the coast of Cuba. I suppose I shouldn’t complain, although some part of me wishes we were back in Newfoundland for our traditional New Years at Anne’s (now Karin and Andrew’s). The warmth is nice and all, but it would be good to have some family and friends around to celebrate New Year’s with.

Anyway, tomorrow I’ll do a wrap up of what we thought of the boat and which islands we would recommend and want to go back and visit again.

I hope you all have a Happy New Years, where ever you are in the world today.