February 21, 2019 – at Sea
We lost a day crossing the international dateline and turn the clock back another hour tonight.
Another nice warm day cruising on the Pacific. Breakfast, gym, trivia, lunch put us back in our lounge chairs for the afternoon.
Tonight we had dinner in the Pinnacle Grill and were guests of Captain Mercer. We didn’t do anything heroic like point out an iceberg. Everyone on the ship eventually gets this invitation. The Pinnacle Grill serves better food and has a nicer atmosphere. There is an upcharge for having dinner here at any other time.
Each table was hosted by a crew member. Ed was at our table. Ed is the Environmental Compliance Officer. He is in charge of all what is discharged into the ocean and into the air from the ship. Different areas of the world have different laws and he needs to communicate that to the engine room and the Captain. I know that at sea we burn diesel fuel with at least a 30 percent sulfur content. This is taken care of with scrubbers. 10 percent is is burned closer to shore in most countries. New Zealand doesn’t allow any sulfur and a different fuel is carried on board.
Three other guest joined us at out table. Ava, Mary Lee and Beth. Ava was a college professor. She was pretty soft spoken and it was very difficult for me to hear her. I do know that she is from Colorado and her son wanted to be a band director but now teaches 4th grade. Mary Lee did teach at one time but is currently working with her son who owns a towing company. She is from Seattle. Her sister, Beth, is also from Seattle and did spend 30 some years living in Alaska. She started teaching and then worked with autistic children. Her career was all in some form of education.
Ed is from England has been working on ships since he was a teen.
We talked about the Brexit quite a bit. It was nice learning about this from someone who is actually experiencing it. He did talk about the immigrants coming to England for a handout. They then send it home and put the other hand out.
He kept climbing up the ladder until his present position. He had some great stories to tell about some of the people he has met.
Tomorrow we are in Tonga. This country sees the sun rise before anyone else in the world.