February 21st,22nd,23rd.

Wednesday, 21st February. After our exciting day yesterday it was a lazy day at sea because we were quite tired. Alan attended two lectures whilst I wrote up my blog and sorted through the numerous photos we had taken. The temperature was 25 degrees and the sea was calm as we sailed in a northerly direction about 9 miles off the north eastern coast of Australia; now in the Coral Sea and passing the Great Barrier Reef with a depth of only 65 metres under our keel. The ship was quiet, as is usual when we have just picked up new passengers, but they will soon find their way and the ‘buzz’ will build again! Even the gym was quiet; perhaps the new passengers are not the energetic kind? We had taken onboard new acts for the theatre and this evening was a group of performers from the West End musical scene; we weren’t that impressed, but we will see when they appear again. It was a formal black & white evening and Alan wore his new scarf and hanky just for you Mark D.
Thursday, 22nd February. I had a late breakfast before my Spanish class (I will try to reply in Spanish to the ‘comment’ I received!) and Alan went to a lecture by a South Pole scientist, Dr. Jerri Neilson (female), who talked about life over a twelve month period where there are six months of daylight and six months of darkness. At lunch time we were 140 n. miles due east of Whitsunday Island heading north towards the Solomon Sea, east of Papua New Guinea. The air temperature was 28 degrees and the humidity was 91% as we neared the equator again; (my hair curls when I step outside!) The theatre show time was Jonathan Kane, as Sir Elton John. He started off badly, but soon gained our enthusiasm with a very professional act. (He also had a video of Kiki Dee so that he and she did the Elton John double act – your club singing friend of yesteryear, Peter!) We are chatting to the new passengers now that they have settled in and most are Australians taking the short cruise to Hong Kong. Watches went back another hour so we are now 10 hours ahead of you.
Friday, 23rd February. We are now sailing in the Solomon Sea and continuing in a north, north westerly direction. Well into the tropics with temperatures rising, our latitude is currently matching the suns declination, as its daily path will now arc through our sky on a perfect east to west line passing directly overhead, through the zenith at noon. During the morning we were winding our way between numerous small uninhabited tropical islands with clear emerald green lagoons where waves gently lashed the sandy beaches. I longed to stop and enjoy their tranquillity but we kept a steady course. (My camcorder lens steamed up when I tried to film them.)To our west is Papua New Guinea and the sea is like a mill pond with not a ripple to be seen. Alan is at his lecture on ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’. There are plenty of activities on board and we are never bored, but I got a film out of the library and intend to have a quiet afternoon before the gym and swim. This evening’s theatre will be two acts, magical dance and comedy. We should cross the equator about 10.00pm tomorrow evening, but no doubt Alan will give us an acurate time when we do!