Cunard tell me that I have spent 510 days on board their ships in 40 voyages, not including the cruise I am enjoying right now.
I have been through some tempestuous waters and on my first foray across the Atlantic on Royal Caribbean’s Splendour of the Seas back in 1997, waves of forty feet were talked about. Following QM2 across the Atlantic in 2004, (prior to the Historic Tandem Crossing eastbound), QE2 encountered sea conditions that demolished the souvenir shops. But I don’t ever recall an ocean so turbulent as that from the exit of the English Channel to where we are now, on a “storm avoiding” diversionary route towards the Azores. Except, the storm was not avoided altogether, not by a long chalk.
During the night, Queen Victoria battled waves and winds of up to 69 knots. I was displeased at being woken up frequently by some horrendous crash as the ship tackled the oncoming waves. Were these “40 footers?” No information was immediately available. The Navigational Channel confirmed winds between 54 and (at one point) 69 knots. Whether these are the most extreme I have experienced, I am not sure. What I am sure of is that I recall no bumpier a ride. Medication has negated the effects of sea-sickness, and this afternoon, a low sun is reflecting of now, less boisterous waters. Inconvenient, it may have been, but wonderful to see, it certainly is. And even after 510 days on Cunard ships since 1988, the sea remains a spectacle one never tires of.
Captain Connery assures of decreasing turbulence, and increasing warmth. I thoroughly enjoyed the “worst of it” and will be ready for when we cruise by Cape Horn. The adventure has hardly begun!
Thanks for reading, David.
David's Cruise 