Equinox

Equinox


May 7, 2011

Mid Atlantic – Raining



We are well into the routine of days at sea. I have not had one moment to rest. The sea days are filled with one activity after another. We rise at 8 and immediately get our cappucinos. Then it is off to breakfast followed by twelve times around the jogging track (no kidding), followed by the golf competition. We have eaten at fabulous brunches. We have gone to several parties, including wine tastings, slot pulls and meet and greet with fellow passengers from the Cruise Critic message board. It is like one big, happy family. Trans Atlantic cruise are different. People are much more friendly and conversations start up immediately. We have found several friends who we enjoy being with who are mostly from the UK. Love those Brits! Each evening we meet for drinks in the Elite passengers lounge, followed by dinner at any time we chose to eat. The shows have been quite good. There is a hypnotist aboard who is the funniest thing alive. We have seen two of his shows and I have been beyond hysterical both times. I am very pleased with the entertainment so far. The other night we attended a chocolate and port wine buffet. I bounced off the walls from all that chocolate but it was worth it.



Last night there was great excitement aboard. The captain made an announcement that he had received an SOS distress call from a catamaran which was out of food, water and fuel and needed help in a squall with rough seas. They were enroute from Germany to the Azores and were very lost and floating around with a broken mast for three days. Somehow they wound up hundreds of miles off course. The Coast Guard in Bermuda decided that our very own Equinox was the ship closest to this vessel in great distress. So, the captain altered course and approximately one hour later there appeared a tiny white dot on the horizon which turned out to be the struggling vessel. We approached it carefully. It was dark, raining, windy and the seas were quite rough. This 30 or so foot catamaran was bouncing about like a cork. The five sailors aboard, all dressed in foul weather gear, cheered us heartily. Our crew then proceeded to transfer the provisions and fuel they needed to continue their journey, which they did. They did not want to board our big, beautiful ship, crazy persons that they were!



It was quite something to see. Everyone on our ship was out on deck cheering. We all got soaked to the skin. I looked like a drowned rat for the rest of the evening. Fortunately, we got the entire proceedings on video as well as still photos. It was certainly a memorable experience and wonderful to see how fellow sailors take care of each other.



This morning it is raining pretty hard and the seas are moderate. I went to the hated gym because I couldn't walk outside, and this afternoon I will turn on my Kindle for the first time since I boarded. Maybe I can get some R & R before High Tea at 3:30.



More to come from the Mid Atlantic.