In a nod to old maritime tradition, Captain Sasha delivered his final daily update: ship’s options, speed, heading, weather and sea conditions, distance traveled, and distance remaining. He reminded us that this would be the last such announcement of our voyage.
Historically, the noon announcement marked a vital navigational moment, when the ship’s position was determined using celestial navigation. Noon is the optimal time to use a sextant to calculate latitude. These days, GPS has rendered that process obsolete, but the tradition lives on—the captain still logs all this information daily.
Birds of the Cape
Malcolm gave a delightful introduction to the birdlife we might encounter around Saldanha—where we’ll be docked for three nights—and in Cape Town, where many of us will spend a few days post-cruise. The list was rich and varied: canaries, flamingos, tits, weavers, bishops, starlings, kingfishers, sunbirds, coucals, hoopoes, chats, mousebirds, bokmakieries, apalises, grassbirds, pelicans, and more.
I’m thrilled at the possibility of seeing these unfamiliar species. Take the African pelican, for example: unlike the California variety I know (which dive powerfully for their prey—a striking sight from a kayak), the African pelicans work together, herding fish with their feet before scooping them up with their yellow gular pouches. Fascinating!
Art on the High Seas
Yvonne’s watercolor classes were a hit, with many guests attending every session. I only made it to one, but today’s exhibit in the Panorama Lounge featured the full range of participants’ work. It was a joy to see the onboard talent on display—paintings of penguins, whales, seascapes, birds, and fur seals filled the room with color and creativity.
Watercolor is an unforgiving medium—you can’t just paint over a mistake like you can with oils or acrylics—which made the results all the more impressive. Some artists clearly had prior experience, but even the beginners created pieces that captured the spirit of our voyage.
Chef Pia Pulls Out All the Stops
Today, Chef Pia outdid herself with a spectacular seafood buffet: lobster stuffed with shrimp and more lobster, cracked crab, mussels, shrimp, sushi-grade salmon and tuna, seafood risotto, and more. I usually avoid the buffet, but I couldn’t resist this bounty.
It made me wonder—was this a culinary celebration, or are we helping clear out the remaining stocks before disembarkation? Either way, I savored every bite.
It also got me thinking: over a voyage this long, how much of the following have we actually consumed?
Still and sparkling water
Champagne, red, and white wine
Lettuce
Lobster
Ice cream
(And surely much more)
Captain’s Farewell Reception
Toward the end of every expedition, it’s tradition for the Captain to offer a short farewell and thank the many people behind the scenes who make the voyage possible. Tonight, we witnessed a stunning number of crew members fill—and overflow—the stage: galley staff, engineers, navigation officers, housekeeping, laundry, sommeliers, expedition staff, and more.
Not everyone could attend the reception—many were still working to keep the ship running, clean, and safe. Seeing this outpouring of dedication was moving. This journey has been remarkable, and though it’s winding down, it’s not quite over—we’re anchored off Saldanha for the first of three nights.
Crew Talent Show
The evening ended on a high note with a performance from the crew—a showcase of hidden talents far outside their daily duties. My favorite was a soulful singer from the Galley—someone we passengers might never meet, yet who helped nourish us every day at sea. It was a wonderful reminder of how much heart is aboard this ship.
Closing Thought
As the anchor drops and our journey nears its end, I find myself grateful not just for the places we’ve seen, but for the people, the moments, and the quiet rituals that turned this voyage into something truly memorable.
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