Thursday, February 10, 2022 

Coffee, tea and biscotti seem to be the new standard fare in Cabin 7138.  We added protein bars and sat on the verandah watching the wake as we approached Cartagena.  The cabin stewards came and went and even vacuumed the balcony to rid us of bird feathers.   These were new, not remnants of our visitors the other morning. 

When it got too hot, we came in and read.  MA was still tired, so, while she rested, D tried to see if there was any reason for either of us to leave the ship.  He walked around the outside deck but saw only a herd of buses waiting for passengers to disembark for tours.  if each of the fifteen bus was full, then over 600 of the 735 on board were on tour.  Certainly the Lido buffet was deserted. 

D could not see any vendors or entertainment on the pier but went to the Crow's Nest for a better view.  There were pedestrians walking away from the ship acting as if they knew where they were going, but nothing was obvious.  After a 1/3 mile walk in the heat and humidity, they seemed to disappear into some trees.  D decided he was not desperate enough for a t-shirt to follow them. 

We had been warned by our friend Jorge, a native of Colombia, not to go into town.  He told us that crime in Cartagena is rampant because of immigrants from Venezuela who have left home for their own safety.  Since there were no taxis in sight, we could not have gone anyway. 

We ate inside at the Lido for a change.  The heat and humidity reminded us of Jakarta so the Indonesian staff were happy.  We read more after lunch. 

Shortly before 5 p.m., while MA was napping, D went out on the verandah to watch as we sailed out of Colombia.  He saw the mooring lines loosened and hauled aboard and then the ship began an excruciatingly slow reverse to clear the dock.  Once clear, the ship did a very slow-motion 180 degree turn to it was heading away from the city and proceeded, again at a snail's pace, to inch its way seaward.  We were accompanied by two tugboats until we cleared the harbor.  Once the ship left the channel, she picked up speed. 

The captain said that we were about 1100 nautical miles from Ft. Lauderdale and that we would be making headway at 19 knots, close to the ship's maximum speed.  He warned the passengers that the ride would be rougher in the Caribbean than it had been in the Pacific and he was true to his word.  We didn't feel the potholes and speed bumps too much in the casino on Deck 2, but we bounced around a lot on Deck 7.  Usually we book cabins on low decks and mid-ship where there is the least motion; now we are on a high deck at the very back of the ship.  It really makes a difference.  All we can do is hope that tomorrow is smoother. 

Tomorrow -- A Sea Day