Great Western Coffee Shop

We missed out our call at Corner Brook on the way "into" New York because there was too much wind - we went back out to sea to avoid the hurricane.  And we have just missed out on going ashore at our last booked call of Sydney, Nova Scotia - a thick, thick sea fog has decended on the place and an absolute stillness.  And that increased the risk from running tenders the 1.7 miles from where the ship was moored up to the quayside.  So much so that the shore visits were cancelled.

We talk at times, somewhat cynically, of a "fair weather railway" which doesn't run too well in the event of extreme cold or extreme heat - well, here we have a "fair weather cruise" which skips port calls in the high winds or dead calm or rather due to the effects thereof.  Everyone on board (well, everyone we have been speaking with) is very understanding, and the entertainments team has quickly laid on the "sea day activities" that take place when we're not docked, so I write to you having had s further bridge lesson - now in the "intermediate" group. I can take in a quiz or classical music concert this afternoon, or attend a talk on some subject or other should I wish.  But actually catching up on writing this and looking forward (yes, really) to five sea days of activities I've elected to take part in at around 4 hours per day.   I do hope it's not to windy or too still to dock at Southampton on 1st October - but in reallity I suspect that our home port is rather more robust in its ability to operate in extremes of weather, just as main lines around the South West seem far more robust in operation that the line through Melksham in the snow, or the line at Cowley Bridge after an over-heavy shower.

(http://www.mrug.org.uk/lib/syd_01.jpg)