FISH AND CHIPS ON THE VERANDA

Today we were back at sea and my painting classes resumed.

We were running a little late when we turned up at The Grill for lunch (it was almost 12.40pm). As a result, we found ourselves joining a very long queue to get in. It looked like we might be there some time, and we even contemplated the possibility of having to go downstairs to the restaurant for lunch, when the waiter on the door offered anyone interested the chance to jump the queue by opting to eat on the Veranda, where fish and chips was being served. Fish and chips it was, then… and very nice too.

It’s not as warm as it has been, noticeable when we went for a walk around the promenade after lunch. Up on deck 14 (pointy end), we paused to chat to the Orca people who are in residence, who confirmed that a few sightings this morning included a minke whale off the port stern and what was possibly a humpback earlier in the morning. All sightings are marked up daily on a white board for all to see their progress. These mostly include birds, but it would be nice to see a whale doing a backflip… I wish…

We’re now in the Arctic Circle where, at this time of year, it never gets truly dark. From midnight to about 2am, the sky remains light – like twilight. We have seen some spectacular skies…