I do not know what it is with New York but it is always something. The city is noisy and busy and so is the approach to the pilot station. Lot’s of noise on the VHF and lot’s of ships in and around the Ambrose light and the pilot cutter. There is always something going…   read more of “29 September 2007,…”

……………..And then on departure from Boston the fog descended. Pea –soup fog with less then 100 feet visibility. And that meant no Pinnacle dinner for my wife and I on my birthday. By 8 pm. I was in bed awaiting that dreaded phone call near mid night from the chief officer, advising that it was…   read more of “28 September 2007,…”

After another hazy night, we approached the Boston pilot station at 5.45 am in the morning. Ahead of us the Crown Princess who had to deeper into the port and somewhere behind us the Norwegian Spirit who for some reason came in quite late. This ship would later on have to pass the two of…   read more of “27 September 2007,…”

When we left Bar Harbor last time, we were advised to follow a special track that supposedly was free of lobster pots. According to the pilot and an agreement had been made between the port and the fishermen. I said supposedly, as there was as many lobsterpots on the intended track line as outside of…   read more of “26 September 2007….”

As if somebody had turned the switch. The moment we made the turn into the direction of Halifax sea buoy, the wind fell away and the sun came out with a glorious sunrise. We were first at the pilot station and set for Pier 22. Behind us was the Norwegian Spirit who was scheduled for…   read more of “25 September 2007,…”

Well, my worst fears came true. During the night it blew up to 50 knots in North Humberland strait. That is the stretch of water between Prince Edward Island and the north side of Nova Scotia. Although less so in the morning, it was still very windy and choppy when we arrived at the pilot…   read more of “24 September 2007,…”

With a heavy heart I arrived at 04.30 at the pilot station west of the Confederation Bridge. Wind around us was gusting up to 30 knots from the WNW and things did not look good. The pilot came on board and also he admitted that it would be a very breezy day for being at…   read more of “23 September 2007,…”

Today we sailed down the St Lawrence River and via the Laurentian channel into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The weather forecast had predicted very windy weather and that prediction came true. The wind blew all day long. First with us, so on deck it was quite pleasant as the relative wind over the deck…   read more of “23 September 2007,…”