Day 102 – Tuesday 22nd
April 2014 – At Sea
Today we are
passing along the transit corridor off the Yemen coast; this is a designated
area for ships, passing close to the Somali coast to the south. This area is patrolled by a NATO naval task
force, with many countries sending their navy ships, as a protection against
piracy. During the whole of this hot,
sunny, clear day, I saw only four other merchant vessels and no naval escorts.
Dancing the
tango in today’s lesson, and cannot seem to master this one, so watched the
dancers in the Queens Room in the evening, to see how it should be done.
Stargazing
at night with the ship at its furthest south on this sector of the voyage, at
latitude twelve degrees north, I could see the Plough and once again the Southern
Cross. When in the Pacific in February,
and we had an astronomer Howard Parkin on board, we would sometimes be the only
ones left on deck, looking at the night sky.
He asked me to say goodbye to the Southern Cross for him, when I knew, I
would be see it for the last time, and I passed on his sentiments.
I don't think the Yemen/Somali coasts are on my bucket list, however, the star gazing would have been if they could oblige by showing up earlier in the evening.
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