Aurora is an awesome ship that oozes class. I'll upload more photos soon. There is so much ship to see and so little time. She's huge. 272 metres long and over 76000 tonnes. I'm wondering if i can bribe the captain to change course for us for a couple of weeks. What do you think?
Here’s a quick video of the demise of a Piñata that our friend Jo Smith gave us for Xmas 2007.
Everyone had a whale of a time trying to crack it open.
It also records the demise of our broom handle, which was never the same after everyone used it to bash the living daylights out of the poor hapless piñata.
Xmas 2007 on our deck was a lot of fun, and low impact for everyone because we bought all the food (cold meat and seafood platters) rather than cooking a roast. (What crazy person decreed that you had to have a hot roast for Xmas in Australia in the middle of summer?)
Full marks to Josh for busting it open. We knew you would, Joshie.
We are staying at a nice hotel. So when they gave us fresh towels this evening, I couldn't resist my happy cruising memories and made this towel animal!
My Dad, Bruce, was a crew member on the maiden voyage of the original SS Oriana in December 1960.
Why am I uploading this? I must be crazy.
Here’s a copy of a video that my mate, Simon, took of me singing at the “Pop Stars” Karaoke competion aboard Pacific Star last October.
Simon moves the camera around alot, and even turns it on its side, so the editing was a bit of an ordeal, and I made a massive blooper in the first line of the song. But apart from that it was a hoot.
Thanks, Simon, for doing the recording for me.
Would I do it again? Maybe!
After we arrived back at Portside in Brisbane, we had a great view of Sun Princess in the drydock on the opposite side of the river.
Unfortunately I was sound asleep when we sailed past her before sunrise, so this was as close as I got.
Most large ships must not enter a port until a locally authorized pilot joins the ship to guide her in. The pilot’s knowledge of the local conditions is essential.
This is an amazing event to watch, especially at night. The ship is travelling at about 18 knots (33 km/h) and the pilot boat pulls alongside. The pilot jumps from one vessel to the other – in the middle of the night, about 20 miles out to sea – pretty amazing.
It’s pretty sad too, as we realize that the end of our cruise is getting closer.
P.S. I was really happy with this photo that I took with our new Canon EOS 400D, and the 150mm portrait lens. I used the portrait lens because it’s exceptionally quick, and doesn’t need much exposure time – so you don’t get any blurring, even at night, without a flash – like with this photo. Downside of the portrait lens is that it’s very narrow angle, but it worked here.
Around midnight on the last night of the cruise, you can see the coastal lights of the sunshine coast. It’s a sad moment as you see the lights grow rapidly brighter by the second, and realize the cruise is almost over, and reality is rushing back to you.
Isaac and Anya joined us on deck to watch the lights, and wait for the pilot boat to meet us.
