Cap'n Dave had warned us that we were making an early start to the passage through the Panama Canal, bit of a shock for those of us who have fallen into bad habits. We don't often hear the sparrows clearing their throats, or whatever else it is they are reputed to do early in the morning these days. But we made an effort today and were up at the crack of sparrows, well it felt like that to us. However, you will not be surprised to know that as we emerged on deck...

As we write we have to keep getting up to watch the antics of the large numbers of turtles swimming close to the ship. They are close to the surface and appear to be basking in the hot sun with one flipper (?) sticking up out of the water as if they are waving to us. they are not very big, probably 50cm or so across. Just like the dolphins, impossible to photograph. Probably should be on Deck 7 closer to the sea. A keen photographer close to us has a marvellous s...

The journey from San Francisco down the California coast was a whole lot more comfortable than our last sortie in the Pacific Ocean - much calmer seas and temperatures increasing up to 22c. Again the dolphins - dozens of them have been entertaining us, usually mid morning and early evening - leaping high out of the ocean. But without a rinky dink camera and fancy lens they are almost impossible to photograph, so you will just have to take our word for it! Same g...

The four day crossing to San Francisco, something over 2200 miles, is not a journey we would care to repeat in a hurry. We had expected seas to be rough, potentially, in the Bay Of Biscay and such places, but not here in the Pacific. Cap'n Bob, God bless him, has altered course to try to skirt the worst of a deep depression. Lord knows what it would have been like on the original course! Very spooky to see no shipping at all for four days. By Saturday (17th) wi...

Everywhere in Honolulu you are greeted with Aloha! We arrived bright and early at 8am after 4 pretty rough days at sea - thought it would never end. Force 8 winds and a 4 metre swell don't make for a comfortable ride. Quite rainy too so we couldn't even sit outside - all the chairs etc. were roped down and all decks closed outside. Mr Giggle app on the iPad got a bit of hammer but I am breathing down Claire's neck for a top score very soon!! Nine homeland secu...