It is a rough riding Sunday morning! Clay pointed out that this is the first Sunday since we started the trip that we have not been ashore. It got very rough late last night and we were happy to be in bed when things started falling and slamming. We were still in sight of the coast of Australia off our starboard side until after breakfast. Around 9am, as the captain made his announcements, we could see the coast fade to cut west as we continued south. We could also see the big white tops of waves on the horizon as we started across the current of the Bass Strait losing the protection we'd had from the continent. It is much colder today at 59 F this morning. We've been surrounded by rainbows though! The captain says we are in hurricane force winds with the speed of the ship combined with the headwinds. He continues to maintain the waves are topping out at about 10 feet but they look taller to us than what we've observed when he said 10 feet before. He forecasts that about 6pm when we reach the lee of Tasmania that it should be much calmer. He says the forecast high for Hobart tomorrow is close to 70 F but the website Clay checked was close to 80 F. In any event, it won't be the near 90 F of Sydney.
This is supposed to be a live view from Serenity's onboard cams. Scroll down & click live view! It isn't moving video like we see onboard but I guess that doesn't mean it isn't a current still view.
We got an invitation to the Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle for the evening of the 12th. We didn't get one last segment even though I was registered. I know I was registered because I got an email from Cruise Critic about it before we boarded and after they thought we were home. I don't know where that went wrong. They got it right this time. It is for 5:15pm on the day we depart Hobart at 1pm. That next day is described as Cruising the Bass Strait. Looking at a map cruising the Bass Strait is not the shortest distance to get from Hobart to Kangaroo Island. I guess sea conditions will determine our attendance.
Clay says I have to report that the first waiter onboard who I had a conversation with was working in the Marketplace section we usually sit in today. He greeted us and as he pulled a chair out for me complimented my nice new haircut. I had to laugh. I pointed at Clay and told him, Clay'd cut it for me and I'd cut his. He very politely told us he'd noticed the haircuts and wouldn't have known we had given us other haircuts unless I'd said so.
Today the shops announced they'd have Australian souvenirs on sale at 10am. We went down about 10:45 am and were sorely disappointed. Also unadvertised, about half the products were from New Zealand. We went by Destinations hoping for the latest Hobart port handout but the rack was empty. Not out yet or all gone? We staggered back to the cabin where Clay opened his NZ box of Manuka Honey Creme chocolates. Quite good! After my mid-morning shops foray, I was not feeling up to braving deck 12 for lunch and didn't need the wait-staffed deck 5 Waterside ordeal. I asked Clay if he'd minded bringing me a grilled cheese sandwich & chips from Trident Grill. He left immediately as they are open at 11:30 am. I thought he'd eat there and bring my sandwich down after, but he brought a plate with mine plus a burger for him. Our cabin fridge is stocked with water, Coke, Coke Zero, Diet Coke and Heineken, so drinks were covered. It was a perfect lunch.
The movie "Lady Bird" is in Hollywood Theater at 2:30pm if we can stand the seas. Oops. We'd already seen it, so nix that. We didn't care for Waterside's menu and made reservations for Silk tonight.
I expect no other news today, so I'll post this now.
Little Bob hits the road
Little Bob hits the road
