At Sea

December 17^th, 2024

Although we don’t actually cross the equator until the day after Sao Tome, due to the adverse weather forecast the crossing the line ceremony was held today.

I first crossed the line by ship as a baby and there is evidence of this on 8mm film as my mother dunked a screaming baby into the pool. Clearly, I didn’t enjoy it. As I recall as a child the crossing the line ceremonies in the 50s and 60s were very elaborate affairs, and I was quite glad that I had been there, done that and I didn’t need to participate again. It was all excessively messy.

Today’s ceremony was a much more refined affair, if you can call seeing the entertainment staff Dereck and Georgia, dressed up as King Neptune and his wife, refined. Nick was the judge, and did a very good job at coming up with amusing crimes that the Pollywogs were alleged to have committed.

A fun time was had by all, but as always after all of the participants had jumped into the pool covered in goo, the pool had to be drained as it was quite disgusting by the end of the ceremony.

No swimming this afternoon alas. I wondered around the promenade deck instead. Although it doesn’t go all around deck 5, it has beautiful teak decking, and it is wider than Queen Anne’s promenade deck. Not bad for a smallish ship. I really am getting to like the Sojourn more and more.

The Grand Africa cocktail party in the Club was fun. It is amazing that we seem to have met almost everyone who is on the whole 90 day cruise, that’s over 100 people. Everyone is so friendly. The canapes are really delicious at these parties, I hope they have more parties.

Tonight’s entertainer was a very talented pianist, Panos Karan. He played several of my favorite piano pieces and gave a fun and interesting talk before each piece. Not only is he a wonderful performer he also travels around the world sharing his love of music with disadvantaged children. I was also fascinated by his hair style. How does he get his hair to stay in that style?