Day three at sea found very few folks once again in the Pinnacle for breakfast. Or they plan on attending the Sunday Brunch in the dining room. This last week or so has really wiped out the passengers between safaris overland and several days in the fabulous ports of South Africa. As for us, we sure like these days at sea where we don't have to be anywhere at a certain time or line up for customs and immigration checks, etc. One nice thing about few customers for breakfast, we had a chance to talk to our buddy Don without strangers over- hearing every word we say.
The weather is getting warmer and more humid the closer we get to the Equator again. Actually this will be the fourth crossing for this world cruise. Captain Frank came on with his noon talk and said we were sailing along the coastline of Angola now. We have to travel 2631 nautical miles to reach Cape Verde. Traveling in a northwesterly direction at a speed of 20.5 knots, we are sailing over sea depths of 80,000 feet. The weather is good with partly sunny and partly cloudy skies, and no rain. The temperature is 78 degrees with 12 knot winds and a 6 foot swell. Can't ask for anything better. And there will be no changes predicted for tomorrow except the temps may be a bit warmer.
Captain Frank likes to add a story or an idiom that relates to where we are sailing at the moment. There is a special current that travels up and down this coastline called the Maquelado Current. Or at least that is as close to what we heard. Anyway, due to these currents coming from the south and the north, it creates a particularly prolific area for fishing. And for the African countries that border this current, their main industry is fishing.
Most of our day involved computer work. We are getting closer to being up-to-date with the daily blog. While working we got caught up with a TV movie about an Australian family and their lives in the outback. Any movie that involves the outdoors and animals always gets our attention. About the time it ended, one of us had an appointment for a men's haircut in the spa. One of the operators had left the ship back in January, but returned in Durban or Cape Town. Her name is Bianca and she is a very good barber as well as a great hairdresser. The appointment was for 5:15pm and ended up lasting for over an hour. Looks sharp.
Tonight was a formal one in the dining room and any other table service restaurant which is the Pinnacle Grill. According to Presty, our Maitre'd, putting a reminder about the dress code in the Daily newsletter as well as posting a reminder outside the dining rooms has solved the problem of people coming dressed inappropriately. Even Kimberly mentioned the dress code in her 5pm talk. Presty admitted while he stopped by our table for a chat, that the pressure is off of him now, because he was the one that had to confront the folks that should be in the Lido. We can share a little secret we heard and that is most of the people that do not comply with the formal dress code are usually the segment folks. They do not wish to pack formal clothes for only two or three nights. That's fine, but have common sense and go to the Lido. Lots of full world cruisers that we know prefer the Lido over the dining room every night. The food served is usually close to the dining room anyway. And the service from the waiters is good there as well.
So for our formal dinner, we ordered shrimp cocktails with aioli sauce for a change. Other starters were one Caesar salad and one bowl of tomato bisque soup. The surf and turf entrée was lobster and a tenderloin steak. One of us had the lamb chops with quinoa and salsa. A good combination. Dessert was one flourless chocolate cake using the Lindt chocolate. And finally, one scoop of strawberry sorbet finished the meal.
Instead of entertainment in the World Stage, there was a "Grand Ball" starting in the Crow's Nest at 7:30pm, followed by the Rolling Stone Lounge at 9pm. This is a different concept since usually there was one ball in one venue, usually the World Stage. It always began during the second seating dinner time, which did not make everyone happy. This is a better idea to give everyone a chance to attend one or the other. Or both if you so wish.
And so ends day three on our way to Cape Verde.
Bill & Mary Ann
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