The Pacific Crossing: beauty in blue and white

Crossing the Pacific Ocean is a little different from crossing the Atlantic. For one thing, it is a lot bigger; therefore, the crossing takes longer. If we were not planning to stop at Rapa Nui and Pitcairn Island, then we could probably do it in seven or eight days rather than the five or six that the Atlantic takes. I thought it might be interesting to learn about some of the things one does on an ocean crossing since you can’t just say “I’ve had enough sea and sky, I’m getting off!”
We have been listening to lectures, playing bridge (and for our bridge-playing friends, we have been scoring points!), eating, drinking, socializing, and just loving the sea and sky. The other evening we were invited to have dinner with the Captain and his Senior Staff. Wow! Then we found out it was in the crew mess… However, this turned out to be one of the highlights of the cruise so far. Last year we also had a crew mess dinner, but I do not remember it being such fun and such great food.
We began by making a stop in the crew bar for a cocktail and a nibble. Then we proceeded to the crew dining room and laid out on each table was an antipasto (after all, this is an Italian line). That was followed by fresh-made pasta and sauce. Pasta was followed by dinner! Dinner was a buffet of ethnic cuisines representing most of the eastern nationalities on the ship: Thai, Indonesian; Philippine; Indian. Dessert was, of course, Italian: tiramisu; cannoli. We were fortunate to have been seated with the Captain and the Hotel Director. 
We sit on the pool deck to read each day for a while and sometimes I just put my book down and look at the passing scene. The sky is usually bright robin’s-egg blue with tufts of fluffy white clouds looking like so many spurts of KoolWhip. Sometimes one feels like one can just reach up and pluck a handful right there on deck. The sea is a much darker shade of blue; somewhat like a royal blue or even a navy blue. Always with little white-capped wavelets. Since the seas are fairly calm – 3-5 feet most times – we can just relax and loll around as much as we please.
Here are a few pictures of the views from our veranda:

The view on the left is from our veranda about mid-afternoon. On the right, it is beginning to get dark about 9:30 PM. As we sail west and as we change time zones, it stays lighter out later. This was on the night of the full moon in January.

The view on the left is a sunset about 8:45 PM. The sub has just sunk below the horizon and it is twilight. On the right is the full moon at about midnight over the water.
Sunday evening is “Family Night” in the Italian-themed restaurant on board. We were asked by some friends to join them for a table of eight. What fun! Again we started by browsing a buffet of antipasti – hot and cold. One could easily make a meal on that in about two passes (OK, maybe two and a half…). To do so would, however, be a BIG mistake. After the antipasto course, came – you guessed it – the pasta course: fresh-made spaghetti and meat balls served in large platters family-style. The spaghetti was perfectly al dente and the meatballs were just right. Again one could gorge on that, but be making yet another mistake. The pasta course was followed by the main cours(es). That evening it was eggplant parmigana and shrimp gorgonzola, again served in large platters family-style. The main course changes every week as does the style of pasta. Dessert was again the ubiquitous tiramisu and cannoli.
By the way, every meal is accompanied by the appropriate white and red wines. All Italian meals are also begun with a flute of Prosecco sparkler. Every meal is ended with coffee, cappuccino, or other after-dinner drink of one’s choice, if desired.
Enough about food!
Among the things to do while whiling away the days at sea are listening to enrichment lectures by people with some rather impressive credentials. Thus far we have had a series of lectures on an eclectic mix of topics from a British journalist, Michael Bruert. Michael has been around the world in journalism for almost fifty years and gives a rather unique perspective on some of his adventures – and miss-adventures. We have also heard from Bruce Riedel – not of wine glass fame, but a 30-year veteran of the CIA – not the Culinary Institute of America, that other CIA. He has some interesting things to say about ISIS, the Middle East in general, and most recently, the Saudi Royal Family. We also have my friend Jon Fleming, the Destination Lecturer. Jon is a young – by most standards, since I do not believe he has yet passed the 50 mark – historian by training who has been traveling for over twenty-five years. He writes, blogs, lectures, and in recent years, serves as the Destination Lecturer for many of the Silversea cruises – especially the World Cruises. Jon is entertaining, educational, and most importantly, very approachable for questions, suggestions, and restaurant recommendations.
After the bummer with Easter Island, we hope to be able to actually land on Pitcairn Island. We have been told that that landing is just about as dicey as Easter Island. After all, Pitcairn was chosen not only for its remote location, but because it has no natural harbor – merely a small cove – to allow safe anchorage for ships of any real size. Actually, Pitcairn was originally plotted almost 140 miles from its actual position when it was discovered. That was an error of the skills of the times, rather than deliberate. Today we know exactly where it is, but it sure came in handy for Fletcher Christian and his band.
Here’s one last look at the sunset from our veranda:

Stay tuned for our adventure on Pitcairn Island and its lively capital of Adamstown, alive with the hustle and bustle of all 48 inhabitants of the island…