Steve and Cathy's Blog

We awaken to another Sea Day. Moved the clocks forward again, so we are on Greenland time, which makes sense since we are practically there. We are now two hours ahead of time at home. 

The weather is beautiful and the ocean is calm. We have breakfast in the Grand Dining Room as usual, and take little note as to our precise location. We are scheduled to sail all day and night until we reach Paamiut, Greenland.

But at 9:00am, an announcement is made that will change everyone’s day. Because the weather is so favorable, and the seas so calm, the ship will transit Greenland’s Prins Christian Sund from 10am for six hours before returning to the ocean to continue our journey. Here are the maps that are available on our television that show our planned route through the strait and its location in Greenland:

This is wonderful news. We have entered the strait, and already we can see that it is spectacular topography – a veritable landscape treasure. Cathy is set on going to the library as scheduled, but Steve is going to accept the cruise director’s invitation and join hundreds of other guests on Decks 9 and 10 to take photographs of this awesome scenery. 

Oceania is going to provide some narration, and has set up a table to dispense hot chocolate. After all, this is Greenland. It may be sunny, but it’s also only 39 degrees with a steady 10 mph breeze. 

For the next hour or so, Cathy does spend a lot of time looking out the library window. Steve is up in the bow on Deck 10, taking picture after picture. He and a hundred others, all of us delighted to take in the beauty that is surrounding us and determined to capture it “on film,” so to speak.

He is there for almost an hour and a half, but finally decides that seventy-five shots in quite enough. Around every bend is another breathtaking view. It’s hard to stop, but maybe he’ll come back later.

Back to the room for both of us. Lunch and naps are in order, after which Steve loads the photos he has taken on his laptop and happily edits them all. Cathy has been assigned a task by the Cliff Island librarian to find thriller/horror books for next summer, so she is eagerly devouring books from the ship’s library in search of just the right ones.

The remainder of this post will be examples of what we saw this exciting day. We feel so fortunate to be able to share this day with you in pictures.

Our journey through Prince Christian Strait was unforgettable. The ship moved at no more than 5 knots/hour through the six hour passage, giving the day serenity that is so rare in today’s hectic environment at home.

We have dinner in the Grand Dining Room, as usual. What is not usual is that it’s Steve’s birthday. Apparently, it is the custom of the dining room staff to present a cake to someone having a birthday and sing Happy Birthday to them, to the applause of all the diners. Fortunately, our waiter David forgets about it until we are leaving. He apologizes, and Steve says “Are you going to get in trouble? Just tell them that I told you that I didn’t want the ceremony. That would be true.”

When we get to the room, we get a call from Debster, the Head Waiter, telling us he has Steve’s birthday cake and would like to bring it up to our stateroom. Sure, bring it up. As he hands it over, he apologizes, and again we tell him that we really didn’t want a fuss made over Steve’s birthday, so all’s well that ends well. End of subject. And the end of a beautiful day.