Last Day at Sea

[Originally posted by e-mail from the ship and edited on my return to the UK]

Friday, 29th April

I woke up during the night due to a change in the engine noise at about twenty past two in the morning. The single engine we were still running on for economy slowed and then stopped. Checking through the porthole confirmed that we were no longer making progress and the ship became more 'lively' as she responded to the moderate waves. I considered getting dressed and trying to get more information but, in fact, I stayed in bed and dropped off to sleep again. Waking some time later, I was relieved to discover that an engine was running again and that we were once again making 'way'. So I went back to sleep again.

Friday was our last full day at sea so it was necessary to make preparations for landing on Ascension. The 'Ocean Mail', the ship's daily 'newspaper' contained, in addition to details of the days activities, information on the collection of luggage for transhipment ashore and details of the procedures for landing on Ascension.

At ten o'clock, a Galley Tour had been arranged. The Chef conducted a party of about eight around his stainless steel domain. With a staff of six, the sheer hard work involved in catering for passengers and crew was impressive. The chef himself starts at 5.00 a.m. preparing soup and, with short breaks, continues throughout the day. Various types of bread are baked daily, using 24 kg of flour a day. Each 'station' within the galley caters for a different type of food. The variety of menu and the consistent quality of the food has been an outstanding feature of this trip.

The public address advised us that there would be a Crew Drill at 10.30 a.m., not involving passengers. Sure enough, the Ships Alarm sounded and the crew moved to their appointed stations. The scenario was that thick smoke had been seen coming from a 'Reefer' (refrigerated container) on deck on the port side. A little later, supplementary information came over the public address that the smoke was toxic and only crew wearing 'BA Sets' (Breathing Apparatus) could approach the incident. From a suitable vantage point, we could see two crew members lying on the deck apparently incapacitated by fumes after having run out a red canvas fire hose prior to tackling the problem. Eventually a rescue party arrived, helped the casualties to their feet and they slowly made their way inside. A party of three firefighters appeared on deck and one was in touch with the bridge by mobile radio. A second fire hose was run-out, fitted with a long nozzle tube which appeared to finish in a spray head. One member of the party opened the container door whilst the second used the spray head to address the supposed fire. Of course, there was no actual fire and no water was used but it was still a fascinating simulation.

There was a Shuffleboard Contest in the morning but I didn't see much of it because I'd agreed to join Roy from Bath in the pool. By the time I was ready for the water, some youngsters who'd joined the ship at St. Helena were making use of the pool so it was a little bit crowded but quite good fun. The water was warmer than on any of the previous occasions I'd used the pool. After the swim, I had a quick shower and then it was time for lunch. My Texan friends and I were joined by a British lady doctor who'd just completed three months working in the hospital on St. Helena and was also hoping to be on the Saturday evening flight from Ascension.

Documentation for landing on Ascension is every bit as complex as at St. Helena. I had to complete a Landing Card and Customs Form in addition to being in possession of an Ascension Island Entry Permit (which I'd obtained before I left the UK), a valid passport and adequate travel insurance. They also charge an £11.00 fee. The Purser issued me with 'Landing Permit No. 3' intended to ensure transfer ashore in the first launch. Apparently, at Ascension the landing by launch also attracts a fee of £5.50! The Texans and I hoped to be taken to the Obsidian Hotel where Day Rooms had been reserved. If all went well, we hoped to get a whistle-stop tour of the island before showering at the hotel and being transferred to Wideawake Airstrip for our flight back to the U.K.

Sailing to Ascension pictures.< /p>

All my pictures from the trip are here.

Sailing to Ascension

[Originally posted by e-mail from the ship and edited on my return to the UK]

Thursday, 28th April

Last night, the ship set sail just before 6.0 p.m. and headed NNW towards Ascension Island with 67 passengers and 58 crew. On this leg, the majority of the passengers are 'Saints' (inhabitants of St. Helena) travelling to work on Ascension Island or the Falkland Islands or perhaps the U.K. Only a few were, like me, tourists. The 'feel' on this part of the voyage was a little different, slightly more that of a passenger ferry. But the splendid standard of meals and service was unchanged. With fewer passengers, only one dinner sitting was required and this was at 7.30 p.m. I had been placed on a table with my two friends from Texas and three 'joiners' - entymologists who had been conducting a preliminary study of the unique insect life to be found on St. Helena with a view to specifying follow-up studies to be carried out later. The entymologists, the Texans and I all hoped to catch the 1815 hours flight from Ascension to Brize Norton on Saturday. Originally, I was to stay on Ascension for 3 nights and catch the Tuesday flight but we had all been told some time ago that the flight had been cancelled and this still appeared to be the case - an English couple who had hoped to return to the UK on the Tuesday flight had now been told they would have to stay on Ascension until the subsequent flight on Friday. We were all aware that these RAF flights are subject to delay or cancellation at short notice and we were keeping fingers crossed that our arrangements worked out.

I gathered that we'd been running on one main engine for some time (with the other variable-pitch propeller 'feathered' to prevent drag) both for fuel economy and to ensure that we didn't arrive at Ascension in the middle of the night.

Breakfast on Thursday was the usual full English spread I'd become accustomed to. I realised that returning home would be something of a shock to the system. During the morning there was another cricket match between the Passengers and the Officers. Although the Officers won again, the margin was much closer this time.

After a bit of pottering about, checking e-mails, sorting photographs and completing my write-up for yesterday, it was time for lunch. During the afternoon, I decided to have another swim. The sea was definitely a little more active than it had been south of St. Helena and the movement of the hull meant that the water in the pool was regularly 'sloshing' from one end to the other. The shop had discounted its Easter Eggs, so I decided to treat myself!

Dinner on Thursday had been advertised as a 'Fish and Chip Supper' on the Sun Deck. Around 6.30 p.m. the crew started to set up a serving line in the Sun Lounge and tables with red and white check tablecloths on the open Sun Deck. The Chef had prepared a vegetable soup to start. Fish was served with proper chips, peas and (if you wanted) various other vegetables. There were various sauces and (for the purists) Sarsons malt vinegar. The chef told me they'd cooked 24 kg of fish! There was a dessert to follow, completing another splendid meal.

After the meal, many of the passengers remained at the tables as the evening was very mild. We were joined by a young couple, Marcus and Crystal from Canada who had boarded at Cape Town and were travelling to Ascension where they intended to join an RAF flight to the Falklands. Crystal hadn't been very well on the first part of the journey but recovered sufficiently for them have a Civil Wedding on St. Helena. One or two passengers had given them bottles of champagne or similar and the newly-married couple kindly insisted on sharing a couple of bottles with my table.

Sailing to Ascension pictures.

All my pictures from the trip are here.