at the beach at sunrise..

some things never change.. and that's for the good..  a few sunrise lookers snapping some pics.. but all in all nice and quiet.. stopped by the lake on the drive home and wet a line for 20 minutes.. nada..zippo.. not a bite.. it's off on our next journey on a drive up to the 'badlands'--that's Brooklyn ..leave tomorrow morning for a week's visit for easter holiday to see some relatives....

back at it

spring just won't get with it as freeze warnings were posted..34* with sunny skies this early AM..not what I was expecting after having been in nice 85* weather last week

end of cruise--Ft Lauderdale.. heading home

arrived well before sunrise in Port Everglades on this disembarkation day..all went smoothly in the terminal as we were on the road by 9am..hit lots of rain from north Florida thru Myrtle Beach on the drive home ..plenty of heavy traffic as this was 'snowbird weekend'-- all the snowbirds heading back up north from their winter stay in Florida

 

  

 

 

Day 14--at Sea--Half Moon Cay

as we pulled up to the anchorage at Half Moon Cay under cloudy skies the winds and seas built up to a point that after trying to do the necessary tender arrangements the Captain made the call for safety reasons to bypass Half Moon Cay.. we were as usual looking forward to being there..can't have it all .... we were there 2x in January and February.. it has happened in the past in the many times we have been there..  so it was off for a slow ride back to Ft Lauderdale for tomorrow's disembarkation... the 2 weeks went way too fast for us on too short of a cruise.. the traditional Maasdam ship's crew farewell song at Dinner.. a video https://youtu.be/9PMlS1vuaBY

Day 13--at Sea

a nice sunrise.. then a bit of unplanned excitement as the Captain announced at about 830am that we were about to do an Emergency Med-Evac with the US Coast Guard Helicopter off the northeast coast of Cuba .. the patient was in need of immediate medical treatment.. the Helicopter made the rescue as planned using their drop basket off the bow of the ship.. all went well... by 930am another announcement 'Brightstar' the ship's code for immediate emergency medical  onboard response..  this patient didn't make it and passed away.. we found out that it was one of the regular every nite Blackjack players who we've been playing with.. a sad story as we sailed with Mark a number of times in the past and we knew him..   after that we stayed on the Navigation Deck-aft for the rest of the day sunny 85*.. our last formal nite in the dining room--surf and turf... followed by a great show in the showroom with two of the ship's cast's singers..

Day 12--at Sea

another sunny 85* day at sea as the ship heads back north toward Half Moon Cay, Bahamas our last port...Navigation Deck-aft ..a Mariner's reception in the showroom followed by lunch at the Captain's Table..super nice..it was back on the deck for the afternoon with Margaret Peter Howie and Phyllis..

Day 11--Curacao

a nice sunrise arrival in colorful Willemstad, Curacao this early morning.. been here many times since our first time here 42+ years ago.. walked the town then back over to Rif Fort for some refreshments and some more wifi.. a picture taking paradise