Bit of a Blog : B2B2B : SoA : embarking 20/01/22

[NorbertsNiece]

Tested Covid negative this morning.

 

Getting ready for sun.

Can see the Azores from deck 14.

Saw a small flock of Shearwater flying low of the port side. Way too fast and far to grab a pic.

ORCA identified them. They have seen dolphins this morning.

 

2 spa staff have tested Covid positive so the spa is closed until further notice. Hope all who are currently confined make speedy recovery.

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

1020 update from Captain Darin with Ponta Delgada facts.

 

Then the Covid update. 13 guests on board have tested positive for Covid, 12 B2B. Daily precautionary testing for guests in contact with staff which is currently reporting 39 crew with Covid who are being tested daily, 9 who tested negative yesterday tested positive today.... believed to have been incubating from previous cruise.

[NorbertsNiece]

Almost there.

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Interesting cloud formation through a dirty window.

Cold, wet and windy from deck 13.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Absolutely knackered.

Fab day out in the jeep. Catch up tomorrow x

[NorbertsNiece]

Day 39 / 67

Day 6 Caribbean 

Sea day

 

Good morning and thanks for following.

 

I will catch up with yesterday's pics later.

 

Today there are many planned activities and talks. Where I am concerned three activities clash!! There's a guest choir rehearsal, an actors workshop and crafts..... it has always been my cruising philosophy to participate in at least one new activity. I trained to teach Drama, have sung in guest choirs..... so crafts it is. Wish me luck as this really is stepping into the unknown. If they can teach me to cut in a straight line I'll have made a huge leap forward.... if they let me loose with scissors.

 

LFT shortly. Three cabins were called for their occupants to return to their rooms during dinner last night.

 

 

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[Glenndale]

Linda, not wanting to be a Debby Downer but aren't some of the Caribbean Islands refusing landing to ships with over 1% Covid cases on board?

Has the Captain given any indication of alternative destinations?

Enjoy your craft works, I made a silk bead necklace last time I was on board with the Super Crafters. 😁

[NorbertsNiece]

Werner Povoden, the previous Hotel General Manager, boarded yesterday. He reached out to me prior to initially boarding in January with help and advice. Super to meet him in person.

 

LFT done.

[NorbertsNiece]

Yesterday.  Ponta Delgada. Apparently I've been skiing!!

 

Link to live from video here

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Sailing into Ponta Delgada. The pilot.

 

The sailing ship that was berthed behind us in Ponta Delgada.

 

Views from the back bench of a jeep, sat and belted in so limited views.

Hydrangea proliferate; sadly not in flower. They are used to define field borders etc so the island must look especially gorgeous in season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

2 hours ago, Glenndale said:

Linda, not wanting to be a Debby Downer but aren't some of the Caribbean Islands refusing landing to ships with over 1% Covid cases on board?

Has the Captain given any indication of alternative destinations?

Enjoy your craft works, I made a silk bead necklace

time I was on board with the Super Crafters. 😁

 

Hi 👋 

Yes re : 1%

Re capt : Not as yet no.

✂️   lol

[NorbertsNiece]

We are in convoy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Captain Darin's lunch time announcement :

 

We left Ponta Delgada shortly after 11pm last night. Turned SW. Weather is good 3-4 metre swell. Low pressure system to the north of us. Take care around the ship.

 

In the last 24 hours 6 crew have tested positive, cases are reducing significantly, their protocols are clearly working as crew are coming out of close contact isolation and quarantine. Service should improve over the next few days as cases continue to reduce.

 

Regrettably in the same period 12 guests have tested positive causing a massive spike. That's 25 guests in total and reporting miild symptoms. Most crew are asymptomatic. 

 

Isolated B2B who have tested negative have been released.

 

3-7 days incubation. There is a shore side team supporting us and HGM Werner is leading the task force to take the burden off onboad operations. They're using sophisticated software to help with predictions.

 

The premise is that many boarded virus.

 

We're currently at 6 days incubation. Caribbean is 5 days away. The need to reduce cases is imperative; masks wearing, social distancing strongly advocated.

 

Update later this afternoon. 

 

Prayers for common sense to prevail in Eastern Europe.

[NorbertsNiece]

ORCA update 

 

 

[paulatsea]

2 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

We are in convoy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many in the Jeep ? Was the guide driving or was it self drive ? Sorry I quoted all the pictures again !

Edited February 27, 2022 by paulatsea

[NorbertsNiece]

4 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

How many in the Jeep ? Was the guide driving or was it self drive ? Sorry I quoted all the pictures again !

5 guests plus 1 driver, Saga support travelled in one of the other jeeps.

[NorbertsNiece]

First photo stop.

More information about the area can be found here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Captain Darin's afternoon Covid update.

 

Total 28 passengers and 54 crew testing positive = 6.87% of people on board.

 

He is concerned and consults with his exec team and covid management team on board as well as twice daily with the onshore support team and CEO Nigel Blanks.

 

Working with Caribbean ports the next 24/36 hours are critical. Crew and isolating guests tested daily. Close contacts tested and if negative they can continue their day. 

 

Next update tomorrow lunchtime.

 

Thanked us for understanding, support and assistance.

[NorbertsNiece]

Am struggling to upload a video  Basically the view from the back of a moving 4x4 on an unmade up track.

 

More pics on the move and on foot. There may be an odd cow. Cows outnumber humans 3:1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

Link to video here

 

There's a blue lake and a green lake created in the crater of the volcano Sete Cidades Massif (seven cities). The twin lakes are so called due to how they were formed and their composition.

 

On our way along this 'track' we pass hikers, quad bikers and cars. The rule here is those going up hill give way to those going down.

 

A solo cow 

 

Wild garlic.... intoxicating aroma!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

So. A guest in another jeep suggested I put my hand over the lens of the camera phone as I was shooting into the sun. The first pic is the result. The others are point, shoot and keep your fingers crossed that there's something there!

 

There's a village right on the edge of the dormant volcano!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viewpoint of the ridge

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

We drive to the town we had seen from the viewpoint. Sete Cidades. Cows graze precariously on steep volcanic terrain. We have time to walk around. There's a café. I give the last custard tart to a lady in another jeep. 😭

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

A small neo-gothic church with views straight down to the lake.

Beautiful depiction of the stations of the cross on the interior walls.

 

 

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WiFi playing up. More tomorrow  

Edited February 27, 2022 by NorbertsNiece

[Astrajet]

9 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

A small neo-gothic church with views straight down to the lake.

Beautiful depiction of the stations of the cross on the interior walls.

Beauty in its simplicity. 

[paulatsea]

Heading back to Azores according to cruise mapper ? Somethings up ?

Edited February 28, 2022 by paulatsea