March 12, 2019

March 11 - St Lucia

We share the port with two other cruise ships. The smaller P&O Cruises Oriana and the much much smaller Windstar Cruises Star Breeze.

The Serenade has launched a few lifeboats for crew training.

Most of the crew from the Star Breeze are on the dock beside the ship, wearing life vests, I also must assume for training.

The weather is perfect, about a 15 knot breeze with mostly blue sunny skies.  There was a two minute shower about 9, just enough to get the decks wet.

Much of the morning several local divers are under the stern of the ship. Something needed inspection or a quick repair.

The others are ashore, I stay aboard and enjoy the peace and quiet.

About 2:00 the containership Tropic Carib pulls into a dock across the harbor. A smaller containership, she slips into the dock smoothly. A tug is standing by, but isn't utilized.  The Tropic manuvers as if she has Azipod propulsion instead of older technology shafts and propellers. It would certainly make sense on smaller commercial vessels, but I know the largest container ships still use drive shaft propulsion. So far they have been unable to scale up azipod technology to take the thrust required for the largest ships. Within a few minutes she is unloading containers onto the dock.

Several mechanics are working on one of the lifeboats that was used in the drill earlier today.  Several push/pull control cables are being replaced. When the work is complete the engine is started and the propulsion and steering systems exercised while hanging in the launch assembly.

Several passengers appear to be missing at all aboard time, and are paged to the front desk. It is possible they were missed when they returned to the ship. It has happened to me.

As we prepare to leave port, another brief shower drives the passengers lining the rails for sailaway to cover. The rain quickly gives way to a pretty sky as we head towards Antigua.

Elisa, as with most babies, gathers lots of attention wherever she goes. Chester sings to her delight, servers stop to interact, the wait staff give her lots of attention. Grandparents missing grand children back home are thrilled with her. Eliza even eats a fraction of a gram from the plate with two big scoops of mashed potatoes brought to her by our waiter Hurry.

No show tonight, I listen to Chester for about an hour and call it a day.

The seas remain calm as we head to Antigua.