Day 2 Thursday At Sea

For some reason, I didn’t sleep particularly well but it is lovely to watch the sunrise over the North Sea, at what was either 5.30am or 6.30am, depending whether or not one had already adjusted their watches. We are sailing with the Netherlands on our right, although the coast is too far away to be seen but we spot the occasional oil rig. There is just the slight sensation of movement, so perhaps the predicted ‘lively’ weather is still to come. The phone isn’t working but maybe I need to be on land, so we shall see.

I sample an odd looking combination of crushed biscuits, very sweet yoghurt and fruit for breakfast; I probably won’t be sampling it again. Here the butter is officially rock hard. We go to a presentation about the procedure for excursions. Apparently, you are not allowed to be early if your assembly point is on shore; I am going to struggle with that. Next, a video about our first port, Alesund; I will impart what I learned when I get to that day. Two women behind us are finding plenty to moan about.

Then a lecture from Martin Lunn aka the rambling astronomer, formerly of Yorkshire Museum, entitled The Sun and the Northern Lights. As with all my imparting of ‘facts’ that I learn along  the way, I take no responsibility for any errors in the information that I pass on. The phenomenon known as the Northern Lights was named by Galileo; Aurora being the goddess of the dawn and Borealis the wind of the north. The Chinese were recording the Northern Lights in 997-957 BCE. The Vikings thought they were the sun reflecting on the shields of the Valkyries. The different colours relate to different heights and different gases. It is caused by flares from sunspots. The amount of activity goes in cycles, peaking every eleven years; we are now experiencing a peak. In 1607, Kepler was drawing pictures of sunspots. When there are few sunspots, the temperature drops, for example during the period known as the little ice age in the second half of the seventeenth century. Solar wind also increases the likelihood of the Northern Lights, as does the equinox, which occurs whilst we are away. It does of course have to not be cloudy.

By the afternoon, it is a force 8 gale, with wind howling past our balcony door and a fair amount of rolling, hopefully, better weather is on its way. Another video tells us what to expect at Åndalsnes, on day five.

After lunch, during which I bemoan the lack of cookies, we listen to retired Detective Chief Inspector Rod Repton recounting anecdotes of his career. Next, we arrive early for a talk about whales and dolphins, not early enough it seems, as almost all the seats are taken. Some people are sitting on the floor, including those whose mobility suggests that it may be difficult for them to ever get up again. The talk is given by Alexandra Brown, an ocean conservationist from the charity Orca. There are over ninety species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoise), the largest being the blue whale, which can be thirty-three metres long. These can be divided into two types, those with teeth and those without. The ‘blows’ that are visible are not water but an expellation of air.

The possibilities of the cabin television are limited. We enjoy watching the ship’s progress and the view from the bridge. One channel is non-stop BBC news, which, especially at the moment, I would like to avoid, although my travelling companion would happily watch continually. I have to keep dissuading him from opting for that channel. There is a channel that shows the videos we’ve already seen and something called BBC Earth which is watchable but one can have too much of unremitting David Attenborough.

Our evening meal choices are roast lamb and salmon, not together I hasten to add. My travelling companion is setting out to consume his body weight in custard during the trip. The swell increases with the evening, sending glasses sliding off tables.

Day 3 Friday At Sea

The day dawns with cloud and rain, although it is considerably calmer.  There is a slight struggle with the shower, which today seems to vary between incredibly hot and boiling. I do like my showers hot but I’d like to have some skin left. I join Pam in the craft room to make an AB necklace, which is apparently an Aurora Borealis necklace and Pam is annoyed that it hasn’t been billed as such. Pam is aided by her ’glamorous’ assistant, Paul.  There are about a dozen participants. One lady on my table is from Devon and has an identical notebook to mine, another is the sister of someone I’ve come across in the family history network. We are supplied with lengths of ‘tiger tail’ (wire) and crystal roundels (oval beads) to make a choker-style necklace and Pam compliments me on my crafting prowess. We pay a nominal sum for the materials. This is my fourth cruise and this is the first time I’ve ever charged anything to a cruise card. The day brightens considerably and we are now off the south Norwegian coast, although still too far away to see it.

I’ve missed the video about Trondheim in order to join Pam but I’ve learned that, if you are patient, these appear on channel 6 on the cabin TV, so have resolved to catch up there. I do listen to the one on Tromsǿ. By staying put after this, I am able to reserve seats for the showing of the film Hamnet, which is understandably popular. A man near the front is trying to attract the attention of his other half, to direct her to the seat he is saving for her. He does this by standing up and clapping loudly; the poor woman must be mortified. To be honest, despite its many awards and nominations, I am a bit underwhelmed with Hamnet. I was aware of the story and had read the book, so I knew that it wasn’t going to be sweetness and light but there was a great deal of angst-ridden screaming. There was also quite a bit of arty, mood lighting, or rather lack of lighting, authentic for the period but a bit overdone I felt. What really jarred were anachronisms such as the use of dialogue like ‘okay’ and a shot of a very modern looking graveyard, complete with gravestones that would be unusual until the eighteenth century at the earliest. Although the cast looked realistically grubby, I wasn’t convinced by some of the costumes; I am sure I spied a zip fly for example. The heroine did seem to wear the same dress for fifteen years, probably not likely for someone of their social standing. I did warm to it a bit more with the sections from Hamlet but overall, I’d say overrated.

Then up to Borough Market for what is billed as ‘tea’ but for me was lunch, as I’d been seat-keeping over lunch. A very acceptable egg mayonnaise roll and some pound cake. Back in the cabin, we managed to catch the Trondheim video we’d missed early. Evening meal today is spaghetti for me and plaice and mash for my travelling companion. Inevitably, we are eating far too much.

It transpires that one of us now has a suitcase with only one of two working wheels. I’d like to put it on record that that isn’t me. We are debating the logistics of how we might get a one wheeled suitcase home.