Reykjavik, Iceland to Halifax, Canada

Our first of four relaxing sea days between Reykjavik and Halifax, and after the late night tours and departure from Reykjavik last evening, the ship was completely dead early this morning. When I started walking at 06:00 I didn’t see anybody on deck or in the lounges. This morning, we found a few things of interest in the Patter, so we are planning for a busy morning followed by a more relaxing afternoon watching The Open golf, then the late show after dinner.

Temperature: High 11C/52F, Low 7C/45F

Wind/Weather: N’ly winds of about 30 kts, generally overcast.

Sunrise/Sunset: 03:27/22:00

Clox: Z-1 (clox back an hour last night)

Navigation

Throughout the day Sea Princess maintained SW’ly courses at a speed of 20.5 knots across the North Atlantic Ocean towards our next port of call in Halifax.

Activities

I slept in slightly, since bedtime last night was after midnight, and didn’t start walking until 06:00, so only completed 5 miles or 15 laps. On returning to the cabin, I started working on the over 300 photographs I took on the tour yesterday in Reykjavik, until Judi awoke about 08:30. Breakfast was most enjoyable, the food was at least warm and the conversation was excellent. At the table this morning we had a couple that also joined in Sydney that we hadn’t met yet and another couple who joined in Southampton.

After breakfast I ran to the cabin for the camera, meeting Judi in the Atrium for the Chef’s chocolate demonstration. The Executive Chef and Chief Pastry Chef demonstrated how to make chocolate cookies followed by a chocolate mousse.

The Executive Chef on the right is melting the chocolate, while the Pastry Chef is mixing the other ingredients. The Pastry Chef, as seen above has the whisk moving much faster and used the same arm throughout the entire demonstration, while the Executive Chef had to change hands repeatedly. Once can only assume the Executive Chef doesn’t do much cooking.

Pouring the melted chocolate into the other ingredients for making the cookies.

The Executive Chef made the fruit, but tried to cool it by placing a round frying pan into the tray of ice. The frying pan was bigger, so it didn’t fit. The Pastry Chef brought another pan and installed it over the ice, so the Executive Chef again tried to place the frying pan into the ice, to no avail. The Pastry Chef had to show him to pour the fruit from the frying pan into the pan, as seen above. Really bad show that a subordinate has to teach the Executive Chef basic cooking skills, but that really sums up all the issues we experience with the quality control from the galley.

Completed cookies and chocolate mousse deserts

On completion of the chocolate demonstration they invited everybody down to try the samples they provided. You guessed it, no sooner had they made the offer and the stampede started, with the mousse deserts going quickly and people walking away with a handful of cookies.

I then headed to the Princess Theatre for today’s lecture on Mini Submarines and the Attack on Tirpitz. The Princess Theatre smelled of epoxy paint fumes, which are rather unhealthy, so I elected to forgo the lecture, returning to the cabin. On arrival, I called the Purser’s Desk and had a tough time trying to explain the issue of paint fumes. However, by the evening show they had eliminated the smell.

Next up was the campers and caravaners get together, which was well attended with a couple of dozen attendees. We all introduced ourselves, giving some information on the rig and where you travel. We then broke into smaller groups and had some local chats. Very interesting the differences between North America and Australia. Australia appears more like UK with smaller, more basic caravans and most seem to prefer boondocking in the bush rather than staying at caravan parks.

After about an hour we broke up, so Judi and I headed to pub lunch in the restaurant, sitting at our dinner table, and we even had one of the couples from breakfast. Judi had her usual fish and chips, while I tried the bangers, mash and onion gravy, washed down with Guinness. By the time we finished lunch we missed the next activity we planned to attend – Olympics at Sea, battle of the sexes. So we headed back to the cabin, where I watched what should have been the final game of the golf. “The Open”, as the British Championship is called is taking place at St Andrews, so it brings back some great memories of my years living in the town. Today should have been the final round, but due to previous rain delays, this was only the 3rd round. Brilliant, even more golf tomorrow from the Old Course in St Andrews.

Dinner was a full table and we were in fine form, re-establishing our position as the liveliest table in the dining room. The meals were at least warm and were reasonably tasty. After dinner we all attended the late show consisting of a pianist and banjo player. What a duo, playing some great music, with the pianist covering the keys for the last couple of songs and playing some intricate music without apparent mistakes. 

As another day closes, we bid you farewell, till tomorrow and hope for fair skies and following seas.