port (window). I took a few night pictures of the city and the French
Quarter from the Pilot Deck.
Discovered the elliptical exercise machine in the Recreation Room. I'm
pretty sure it doesn't get much use. Maybe I won't have to do those
pushups after all. There was also a set of drums. I believe there is a
party scheduled for the last night in port in the US.
Cleared the river channel during the night. The gulf is not as smooth
as the river channel. Doors, cabinets, and other things creak or rattle,
unless properly secured.
Thursday. It is cloudy all around, with patches of blue above. Had
thunder early. There were a few light showers during the morning. The
air is so clean, and the sky is so blue. Turned to overcast by early
afternoon, and then to fog. I remember days at a time like this crossing
the Pacific in 1968.
The swells look to be 3 to 6 feet, and as is often the case at sea,
come from more than one direction. Had an unexpected twinge of nausea
and clamminess before breakfast. Took half of a Dramamine with my
vitamins, and then went down to breakfast. There are 2 tables in the
officers' mess. The Master(Captain), Chief Mate, Chief Engineer, and 2nd
Engineer sit at one table. The Electrician, 2nd Mate, and 3rd Mate sit
with me at the other table, when watches and duties permit. The mates
stand 4 hour watches, twice a day, on the Bridge, operating the ship, but
also have other duties.
I spent over 2 hours on the Bridge this morning. This is at the
Captain's discretion, by passenger. When the ship is sailing at full
speed, the wind whips up and over the Pilot Deck. The Bridge obviously
provides shelter from the wind and the weather.
They took my picture in the afternoon for a ship's photo ID. That's
probably a good sign.
Saw only 3 other ships this morning. It is far less congested here.
When a ship approaches from the opposite direction, seems like it passes
from horizon to horizon in only 20 minutes. The ships and barges I have
seen so far have had a very wide variety of shapes and configurations.
One of the ships I saw today had its bridge and superstructure on the
very front of the ship, with only the stacks on the aft.
