Cruisin' - Day 2 - at sea

We were warned last night that we were due to hit some rougher weather, and indeed we did. From around midnight onwards, and due to last until tomorrow morning sometime, we’ve been bouncing around a bit. There have been a few thunks and judders when the up-and-down of the boat got out of synch with larger waves, but mostly it’s just been a gentle rocking (in all directions). The recent captain’s update advised that the wind is at 30 to 40 knots, and the swell is around 5m. He also said they have the stabilisers fully engaged, to smooth out the worst of it. And it’s going to get worse (as we get closer to the low pressure system centre), before it gets better. I’ve seen a few green people about, but we’re all doing okay (thank goodness).

The swimming pools, on the top main deck, immediately above ours, are sloshing around like wave pools. I tried to get a few pics of it, but couldn’t really capture it. Like a micro-tsunami, the water would draw back, the level dropping nearly a metre, before sloshing back the other way, crashing up against the wall of the pool, sending water and spray everywhere. Meanwhile, the horizon was lurching up and down, as the ship bucks on the sea. (This was the only time I’ve felt queasy, and so did JD and the boys.)

A bit cold, grey, and sloshy

I heard a fair bit of banging and crashing above us in the very small hours of the morning, presumably the staff quickly packing up the deck chairs, and tables-and-chairs on the deck, and fastening nets over the pools as the weather hit. There were a few hardy souls at the tables and chairs when we went for a wander after breakfast, but I would imagine most of them have gone back in as the weather worsens. I managed to spend a pleasant(ish) hour or so sitting on the balcony reading this morning. The air temp is mild, despite the wind (we’re on the windward side), but the rain started falling, driving me back inside.

We had highlighted a few things on the activities list for today, but have scotched most of them. Learning ballroom dancing is tricky enough, but when the floor keeps moving unexpectedly, it would be damn near impossible. The golf putting class and deck boules would be similarly difficult. The wine tasting at 11am was a bit early even for my alcohol tolerance. And the ‘Burn Fat Faster’, ‘GoSmile Teeth Whitening’ and ‘Secrets to Wrinkle Remedies’ seminars had surprisingly little appeal.

Like most people aboard today, we spent much of the time in our rooms, including having an afternoon nap as a way to deal with the fairly rough movement of the ship. I spent a bit of time writing up a few posts, including this one, and a bit of reading and dozing.

Tonight is one of the two formal nights, so I’ll need to iron the boys shirts (to be worn with their school trousers, being the only formal-ish pants they have); JD will don his suit and I my emerald-green cocktail frock, both of us hoping that we still fit them (comfortably might be asking too much, but I hope we’re both decent). We’ve booked at the posher of the two main restaurants (which I’m guessing is a la carte) for dinner tonight, given we’re required to make the effort to dress up.

UPDATE: By 3pm, we had blue skies and deep blue sea. But there was still a fair bit of wind and swell, so the boat was still rocking about, but not as bad as at lunchtime when even the staff were having trouble keeping their feet.

FURTHER UPDATE: We had a very pleasant dinner, helped by two exceptionally capable staff (shout out to Daryl and Alcris), who after waiting on us as well as I’ve seen anywhere, then entertained us with napkin folding and toothpick re-arranging tricks. And the advantage of white cloth restaurants is that I don’t tend to massively overeat, as I do when presented with a buffet. On the other hand, we chose to order a bottle of wine each (we didn’t finish them that night), so what I save from over-eating, I make up for in over-drinking. Eh, it’s not like I’m driving anywhere, and even if I were to get drunk, you couldn’t tell whether my wobbling gait was due to the grog or the ship. (In fact, the only night I’ve been drunk at all was on the first night, after four long island iced teas in about two hours. Even JD was tipsy on that.)