REGAL PRINCESS: ROUGH DAYS AT SEA!

Regal Princess/At Sea, A distance off the Coast of Morocco
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Clouds and sun, 70F

 We have been at sea without seeing land since 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The sea has been very rough, but we are fine.

On Thursday, TK commented that there has been a temperature change of one degree per day since leaving Cobh, but we have to amend that because now the temperature is about 70F. 

On Friday the Captain announced that we were headed SSW on the Atlantic Ocean.  The depth of the sea on Friday was 16,000 ft. deep, that is over 3 miles, or the distance from our house near Grandview to the Bayfront Highway!  I cannot wrap my mind around a depth of water like that, and we are not in the deepest area of the Atlantic.  The captain also told us that yesterday we were in gale winds at 30 knots per hour, about 34 mph. Thankfully the ship is well stabilized.

Today, Saturday, we are still headed SW with 265 more miles to get to Madeira (at noon), but the sea is only 14,800 ft. deep—whew, not quite 3 miles deep. That’s a relief.  The 3^rd Mate who spoke today at noon said that Funchal, Madeira Island, Azores will be about 72F tomorrow. We will be warming right up!

Keeping one’s balance is a challenge in such a sea, and the waves today are even bigger than yesterday, about 14 ft swells.  We are working on the art of being graceful as we walk along, but TK had plenty of experience on the USS Columbus, a heavy cruiser--4 years. I had my share of practice on the U.S. Brig Niagara when I sailed as crew on the Atlantic years ago when a hurricane chased us up the Atlantic seacoast.

So that has been our excitement for the past several days!  Tomorrow Funchal, Madeira!  

This probably doesn't look like much, but!

TK’s Takes: He thinks the menu in the dining room should have pictures, so you know what you are getting. And, he says the sea is rougher than he remembers for a long time.