4056 This is passing through the Torres Strait. Lots of whitecaps but no large swell or waves. Very smooth for this area. That’s Prince of Wales Island in the background.
4075 The Red Rose Fabergé Egg. I’ll have to see if I can get them to open it so I can take a picture of the inside.
4102 The Fabergé Cinema Egg. Not a classic style egg but unusual.
Nov 4 to 6 – At Sea.
The 4th was a wonderful day of staying cool inside the ship and doing all those things I do on sea days. It was a formal night, the Captain’s Black and Gold Ball. I don’t really have anything gold to wear so I put on my tux pants, white dinner jacket, my black cummerbund and my loudest bowtie. It’s a medium blue (quite a nice shade actually) red, green and white plaid that the city of Edinburgh, Scotland designed to celebrate the changing of the century. I was at a small clothing shop in Edinburgh and wanted a tartan tie but didn’t want to fly under false colors. The very friendly clerk suggested the Edinburgh Millennium tartan because as a city design anyone can wear it. I really liked the colors so I bought it. I try to keep my souvenirs practical. Except for the Fridgies, of course. They’re just small, mostly unbreakable, light, easy to pack and fun.
The 5th was another uneventful day so far. It’s just before dinner time and I’m caught up on my journal so I’m typing concurrently. Today we passed through the Torres Strait. It can be a nasty piece of water if the tide and wind team up against you. It’s a narrow passage between the northern tip of Eastern Australia and the Island of New Guinea. If the tides are right the water runs so fast that a ship can go full speed ahead and if it’s not a swift ship it will not make any headway. It’s usually windy and often the winds blow quite strongly and since the landmasses north and south funnel the wind it picks up more speed and the waves can be impressive. This time, lots of whitecaps and some swell but really pretty smooth.
Just before entering the narrowest part of the strait we passed through the Prince of Wales Islands. That was very scenic.
Our travel agent’s escort, Tom Mullen, is treating us to dinner in the Pinnacle Grill this evening. Our friends Evelyn and Eric are also invited with another couple I’m not sure I know but since they’re CSI clients I’ve probably seen them before and will recognize them at dinner. I knew one of the other people at dinner, but one couple was new to me. I don’t think they get out much or at least we don’t frequent the same places at the same time.
The 6th (Nov 6 –Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea was cancelled due to security concerns) We are currently sailing almost directly south along the east coast of Australia. We’ve reached 16 degrees south latitude and the weather is getting much more pleasant. It’s in the 80s but with the breeze the ship is generating it’s very comfortable. It’s not nearly as humid either.
I was watching Monday Night Football at 11:30AM today, Tuesday the 6th of November. It’s still the fifth there.
The Aussies are all atwitter today because it’s Melbourne Cup Day. What’s the Melbourne Cup you ask; well I had the same question the first time it was mentioned. Apparently it’s a horse race, something like their Kentucky Derby. I think they’re surprised to find out that the rest of the world, at least those of us not in ‘The Commonwealth’ have never heard of it.
The jewelry store on board has a display of Fabergé eggs. The collection includes the last egg designed by Theo Fabergé, the Red Rose Egg. It’s red enamel ornamented with gold and silver roses and vines with green enamel leaves. The finial is a golden Romanov Dynasty imperial crown set with a cabochon ruby. Inside is a gold and silver rose tree in full bloom with red and green enamel and 10 diamonds sparkling in its branches. I think it’s for sale but I was afraid to ask how much it is. They also have some of the more modern eggs. The Cinema Egg is an example of these. It’s not actually egg shaped although it does have an oval shaped dome on top. The base has arches and columns around it’s circumference with a large grand staircase at the front. Inside the cupola created by the arches and columns are a director with his megaphone and chair and an old cine type reel film camera on its tripod. Of course, the Romanov Imperial crown sits atop the creation which celebrates the first 100 years of cinema.
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