ON THE TASMAN SEA ON OUR WAY TO SYDNEY

 DAY 48/138  February 6, 2024     Sunrise 6:48 AM   Sunset: 8:28 PM 



Day 48 on the Viking Sky sailing on our way to Milford & Doubtful Sounds. We're back in the little red circle. Originally we were to sail down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand and then up the west coast to Milford Sound but Cruise Mapper shows us heading west and then hopefully down the west coast to Milford Sound. John says that Windy.com is showing gale force winds going down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. I just looked at that site and the west coast doesn't look much better. Weather predictions has become so good that I'm wondering if we might not be headed to Tasmania straight away. The sky outside is cloudy and gray.

Change of plans. A funny thing happened on our way to Tasmania. Well, not so funny. The Tasmanian marine pilots who steer large boats into port have gone on strike, so we have changed course and are heading to Sydney. We will get to spend an extra day in The Harbor City. We have already missed one port of call due to a barnacle problem and another port due to high seas. The mayhem in the Red Sea is likely to necessitate major changes in the itinerary. Many passengers are disappointed, but most recognize that having to change course on a world cruise hardly compares to the challenges of day-to-day life in many parts of the world.

From Linda and Jim Driver: Got news today the pilots who would guide us into the port at Hobart, Australia are on strike so we cannot get into the port this afternoon change of plans. We are going to miss the Tasman Sea and Tasmania but we will get into Sydney a day early and have an extra day there. We wanted an adventure and between world events, labor strikes, weather and various governments we are getting one.
Who knows what our route in going to be because the Red Sea and Suez are out and Viking is expected to announce a new route by the end of February or sooner so we will see. The adventure continues and we are still loving it though if it happens, it is going to be a long way around Africa with a lot of sea days to get to London May 6th. We will see.
In the meantime in the middle of the South Pacific we have moderate seas, gorgeous views, new friends, good food, even better wine, lots of activities, and best of all we have each other.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CARPE DIEM

Image
 This world map of the 2023-24 Viking World Cruise was enticing enough to pay down a deposit and start making plans for 138 days on a cruise ship with 900+ other passengers.  The big day for the start of the cruise is December 20, 2023 in Ft. Lauderdale.  We will fly there from Phoenix and spend two days enjoying the gorgeous Atlantic Ocean  beaches of Ft. Lauderdale before boarding the ship.  
Read more

WHAT A CRAZY RIDE THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS HAVE BEEN

Image
We're finally on the Viking Sky and  sailing south has begun.  No photos tonight but there will be more later.  The last several days have been crazy.  Saturday the 16th we rented a car, Sunday we did the final check on the house and made sure everything was locked up, and the last thing that John always does is turn off the water to the house.  We drove to Phoenix, turned in the car, and stayed overnight at the Drury Hotel and then the next day their shuttle took us to the airport  where we boarded the plane to start our journey.  Fortunately our luggage arrived in Ft. Lauderdale and we checked into the Westin Hotel, our home for two nights. We explored Ft. Lauderdale and began meeting other people who were going on the cruise.  On the evening of the 19th we began meeting many, many people whom Fran had met online on Cruise Critic.  Big gathering in the hotel bar where Fran lost her voice talking to all these interesting people who had previ...
Read more

ROTORUA SECOND DAY

Image
DAY 44/138    FEBRUARY 2, 2024  Sunrise 6:29AM   Sunset: 8:27 PM Rotorua (Tauranga), New Zealand   One of Tauranga's first European visitors was Captain James Cook, who in November 1769, sailed past Mauao.  James Cook's explorations paved the way for european settlement.  Traders in flax were active in the Bay of Plenty during the 1830's; some were transient, others married local women and settled permanently.  The first permanent trader was James Farrow, who travelled to Trauranga in 1829, obtaining flax fibre for Australian merchants in exchange for muskets and gunpowder.  Farrow acquired a land area of 0.5 acres in 1838 at Otumoetai Pa from the chiefs tupaea, Tangimoana and Te Omanu, this is the earliest authenticated land purchase in the Bay of Plenty.  OUR EXCURSION TODAY WAS SCENIC BAY OF PLENTY Rolling Farmland and Kiwifruit Orchards -- Meet your guide and board y...
Read more