Oil Platform in the North Sea
Today is another day at sea. This morning there was fog, with the steady drone of the ship’s foghorn. Now the fog has lifted to low clouds and it is quiet. The sea is calm.
In the morning we went to hear Location Guide Barbara give her hints for upcoming ports. She is very well informed.
Veendam Showroom at Sea
After her, there is often a lecture by Captain Eschenfelder, someone whom I first thought was a historian. This man is actually a recently retired airline captain from Delta Airlines, and is not only well informed about history, but geology, geography, navigation, politics— you name it.
This morning he gave a lecture on modern air travel— very little to do with our cruise, but very interesting. He used to captain an Airbus 330. He compared being an airline pilot twenty or more years ago, with today. All kinds of details about route planning, GPS, long-range twin engine aircrafts (such as the Airbus 330 and Boeing 777), and the tremendous improvements in engine reliability.
Only 4% of airliner diversions are due to technology issues. The most frequent cause is not even weather, because they have a better handle on forecasting as well. It is passengers becoming unwell and needing immediate medical attention. So, pretty soon, be prepared for your TSA medical exam before boarding an aircraft.
Otherwise, for me, days at sea get old fast. I don’t have the feeling I am on an adventurous trip, but more that I am living in an old age home.
Rotterdam Dining Room
The more interesting July 24 entries by P.J and me were also uploaded today.
Photo © 2014 P.J. Gardner. All rights reserved.