Day 5 Aruba

We arrive in port early, not a difficult task since Aruba is only about 70 miles from our previous port.

We make the decision to stay on the ship today. The weather is great with the temperature about 80. Some clouds and one or two brief showers during the day. The wind is brisk at 20 or 25 most of the day.

I spend a few hours doing train club stuff and a few more writing my blog.

Most importantly my first task is to check on my sand bar trees. When I first came to Aruba about 14 or 15 years ago I noticed a few trees growing on the sandbar in the harbor 100 feet from the ship. At the time I thought they would be gone before I ever would return.

Much to my surprise a year later they were still there and  doing well.

In the years that ensued I kept track of "my trees". They may have even become the reason for a cruise or two over the years. Ok I really don't need much of a reason to cruise.

I step out on the balcony. All that remains are a few dead branches.  My trees have fallen victim to climate change and pollution. I guess I can no longer use them as a reason to cruise to the Southern Caribbean. But I could just come to pay my respects!

Breakfast as usual in Chops. There are only 69 "Pinnacle" level passengers so Chops is never busy for breakfast. Ship crew members are so good. Despite only sering us once a day, 2 passengers amongst the hundreds they encounter, they remember the details like I usually have orange juice and Lynn uses honey with her coffee.

After breakfast we head to the Suites lounge where I tend to spend lots of time. Uncrowded and quiet.

It is a training day for the crew. There is a reported fire.

A crew member needs to be extracted from an enclosed space, I only can assume a confined area in the engine room, and other crew members are guiding invisible passengers in an exercise to remove everyone from the ship. All in a days training which is conducted every week or more frequently.

Dinner tonight is a strip steak. Tender and properly prepared. As with most meals the portion is large and I am unable to finish it.

Tonight's entertainment is the Ice Show. Again one of my favorites.

The show ends about 10:30 and we head to deck 16 to watch as we set sail. The lights of Aruba fade into the night as we had northwest towards Coco Cay.

The next two days we will be at sea.