New York, USA – 00:00 to 17:00

Our 2nd almost full day in New York and our plans were for Judi to have a quiet day resting her back after yesterday, and I planned to visit the USS Intrepid Museum, an aircraft carrier berthed a couple of piers down from us. In addition to the carrier they have about 18 aircraft on deck, a space shuttle, concord and a submarine. Alas, the plans changed and I wasn’t able to leave the ship today. Wasn’t the greatest of starts to our final 40 day segment of the World Cruise.

Temperature:High 27C/81F, Low 20C/68F

Wind/Weather: Lt Airs alongside, freshening to 30 kts outside the Bridge. Partly cloudy to overcast.

Sunrise/Sunset: 05:46/20:17

Clox: Z-4 (No change)

Navigation

With the lines let go shortly before 17:00, the Captain thrust Sea Princess off the berth and backed her into the Hudson River. Once turned around we commenced the transit down river, through the harbour, under the Verrazano Bridge and out to the pilot station. Once the pilot disembarked, Sea Princess set S’ly courses along the New Jersey coastline at a speed of about 18 knots.

Activities

This is one of the days I eagerly awaited, where I could participate in two of my real interests – marine and flying, by visiting the adjacent aircraft carrier museum the USS Intrepid. Prior to embarking on a career at sea my first preference was joining British Airways flight school down in Hamble, but when I when I finished school, BA shut the school down and wasn’t hiring or training any pilots. Hence, my 2nd choice of career, the marine industry. The museum opens at 10:00, so my plan was a leisurely breakfast with Judi, then head out shortly before 10:00 for the short walk down the river to the adjacent berth.

Alas, was not to be, as I awoke this morning to find the sinus and eye infections have returned. Nurse Judi has everything for the sinus infection, but we didn’t bring eye drops, so off to the medical centre again. I saw one of the baby docs, a young lady from South Africa, who was excellent and very thorough. Completing the eye test, she started with the huge letter at the top, when I mention they normally start me on the 2nd bottom line. Considering my age and absence of glasses she figured no way I could read the 2nd bottom line. Must admit, it’s becoming tougher with age, and no way I can read the bottom line any more. Needless to say she was somewhat surprised when I completed the 2nd bottom line, thankfully she didn’t venture to the lowest line. I am taking Judi’s supply of antibiotics for sinuses and the doc provided eye drops that she wants every 2 hours today. Hence, the reason I can’t visit the carrier, as no way I could put them in myself.

With nothing on the brief port day schedule, we had a late breakfast and chilled down in the lounges, Judi reading and me working on photographs, until the passenger drills at 16:15. Yet again, some of our fellow passenger are beyond belief. In the Muster Lounge, a couple of ladies threw their lifejackets on the step, using them as cushions, to sit. Wow, this is a lifesaving appliance that may be required to save their life and they treat it like a pillow or cushion. They also talked throughout the entire presentation. In addition, next to Judi was an older lady, who read her book throughout and refused to don her lifejacket at the end. Having worn lifejackets for almost 40 years at sea, I still listen attentively and put on the lifejacket as instructed.

On completion of the drills, we returned to the cabin and sat on the balcony for the entire departure out of the harbour and under the bridge. Goodbye NYC, an incredibly dirty and noisy city, but one with some amazing points of interest, which we would be interested in visiting in the future.

For dinner, we had met Bob & Christine earlier and they were heading to the dining room, although the new ladies Vonnie and Faye were having an early night. We also planned on going to the dining room until Bruce phone asking if we wanted to hit Horizon for a casual dinner, so we called Bob to check on their preference. Basically, the 6 of us met up in Horizon for a casual meal. After dinner, nobody was interested in the comedian, so we all retired for an early night.

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