Aruba - January 24th, 2019

From the Encyclopedia Britannica, 2013 edition:

Aruba, pronounced ah ROO bah, is an island in the Caribbean Sea that is part of the Lesser Antilles island group. Since 1986, Aruba has been an autonomous (self-governing) country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Previously, it was part of the Netherlands Antilles, which was a largely independent part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba covers 69 square miles (180 square kilometers) and has a population of about 108,000. Oranjestad is the capital and largest city. 

Aruba is a hilly, rocky island that supports little agriculture. However, it has coral reefs, white sand beaches, and a warm, dry climate that attract many tourists. Aruba's population is predominantly mestizo (of mixed American Indian and European ancestry). Dutch and Papiamento, the local Creole language, are the official languages. 

Aruba is one of the most prosperous islands in the Caribbean. Its chief industries include tourism, financial services, and oil refining. 

American Indians were the first inhabitants of Aruba. The Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda claimed Aruba for Spain in 1499. The Dutch gained control of the island in 1636. A gold rush in the 1820's and the opening of an oil refinery in the 1920's contributed to Aruba's prosperity. After World War II (1939-1945), Arubans became increasingly uncomfortable as part of the Netherlands Antilles. There were constant disputes between Aruba and the nearby island of Curacao. Arubans began seeking independence from both the Netherlands and the other islands of the Netherlands Antilles. An agreement between Aruba and the Netherlands resulted in Aruba's separation from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986. Aruba has local self-government, but the Netherlands retains responsibility for its defence and foreign affairs.

  In port

 Stormy seas along the way

Sargasso, Sea  pronounced sahr GAS oh, is an irregular oval-shaped area of the North Atlantic Ocean. Its center is about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) west of the Canary Islands. It lies roughly between the 20th and 40th parallels of north latitude and between the 35th and 75th meridians west of Greenwich. No land boundaries mark off this body of water from the rest of the open ocean. It is set apart only by the presence of seaweeds that float on its surface. It is also a region of slow ocean currents surrounded by a boundary of rapidly moving currents, such as the Gulf Stream and the North Equatorial Current. The Sargasso Sea derives its name from sargaco, a Portuguese word for seaweed. Christopher Columbus is given credit for the first reliable report on this region. He took tests in 1492 to make sure that no rocks lay beneath the sea's weeds.

Scientists believe that the seaweed first came from the shores of the West Indies, after it had been torn loose by wind and waves. Parts of it adapted to living and growing in the open sea. The weeds developed a method of reproduction that enables them to multiply and grow without producing seeds. Waves break off sections of the mature weeds. These fragments then grow into full-size seaweeds in the same way that a cutting from a grape plant grows into a large grapevine. The weeds are supported by air sacks which resemble tiny grapes and grow as a part of the weeds. Sargassum weeds grow in many ocean regions. One variety is used as food in Japan.

The first sight of sargassum

It was usually in great patches but the strong winds prevented that

First sight of Aruba

The tourist bus I took during the last visit

 A tree, growing on a sandbar

Back in the ship, almost alone

Planes landing every 15 or 20 minutes

The colours of water

January 23rd, 2019 - Wednesday

We have dinner every day in the main dining room - the Britannia restaurant.  There are tables for 2, 4, 6 (the usual) and 8.  This is the first time that we have had a table for 2.  I had such a table twice when I was travelling alone and enjoyed it immensely.

The assigned table in the dining room is, of course, voluntary.  The buffet on deck 9 serves wonderful meals, 22 hours a day.  However, P likes to eat in the dining room and until 3 days ago, we had a wonderful waiter.  His 6 month contract was over and he has gone home for his vacation but will be back in Hong Kong.

Quite often people aboard, guests and crew, do not speak about time using dates as such but about the ports.  So, Brian will be back in Hong Kong, our acquaintances will leave in San Francisco, and we are on until Hamburg.

Today, during dinner, the Deputy Captain came on the PA system, throughout the ship, saying that there was a medical emergency and asking for blood donors, especially type O+ or O-.  Any guest willing to donate blood should go to the purser’s desk with their donor cards.

Later, the Captain came on to thank the donors and to say that the guest would be evacuated via helicopter about 11 pm.  Although we were travelling at maximum speed, we could not reach Aruba as quickly as the helicopter.  So, the room stewards brought all our balcony furniture into the stateroom and we were requested to stay inside, keep the room-darkening drapes closed 

and not, under any circumstances, to use flash photography which might blind the pilot.

The horror is that we are experiencing gale-force winds:  up to 60 knots and the vessel is rolling quite a bit.  We can only cross our fingers and say a little prayer.

*

The evacuation took place about midnight and the patient was taken to Aruba.  

Note the wind speed - imagine a helicopter having to hover

over the open deck, then having to drop a line with

a stretcher and winching stretcher, patient and rescuer back up.

FLORIDA and U.S. Immigration

The United States requires all passengers and crew to leave the ship at the first port of entry.  There is face-to-face immigration but no one is allowed back on the vessel until everyone has been checked.  That meant I had to leave at 07:30 and was not allowed back until after 2 pm.

I had several good books with me and would have enjoyed the time had the temperature in the terminal been above "frigid".  It was barely warm in Canaveral but it was unpleasantly cold in the terminal.

I did, however, learn a lot about the Roman Republic and its demise.  Lessons for our time.

The pilot coming aboard about 5 am

Canaveral sunrise

Moon over the Atlantic - 21 January 2019 - I missed the eclipse the night before.

Passing Cuba today so I got a phone signal - thanks, Raul.

Sunrise today, January 23rd, on the way to Aruba

Morning of 22 January, 2019 , ca. 05:20 -  Venus, Jupiter and Mercury

What Venus looked like with 120 zoom



Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019

We are rocking and rolling with 5 meter waves at the moment.  The dining room began to clear quickly this evening.  Once we are in the passage between Cuba and Hispaniola, the weather will calm down - the Captain promised!

Bermuda - January 17th, 2019

Bermuda

Cunard vessels are registered in Bermuda, apparently so that weddings can be performed aboard.

Well, no weddings today, just glorious weather for a short stay.  The reefs are so tricky that arrivals and departures must be during full daylight hours.

Hibiscus bushes used as hedges

Bermudan wildlife - they kept me company while I sat on a bench and wrote the postcards.

Part of the original stone buildings, now a gallery of shops

One clock tower shows the current time - the other shows the time of high tide.

The glass bottom boat on the way to the coral reefs

 View from our balcony

Our satellite communication

Back "home"