Monday, April 8th The Pacific Ocean ms Koningsdam Voyage of the Midday Moon Day 3 Sunny - 72 Degrees
A total eclipse is the ultimate astronomical magic trick. A disappearing act. Planets align, (and suns and moons), day becomes dusk, the atmosphere cools, the wind stills. Some say it is a spiritual experience. Cool!!! But, first, the protection.
Thanks to Dr. Chen at Virginia Mason for the definitive advice from the JAMA Patient Page. Sun gazing is serious business, and can do serious eye damage. The article linked to NASA and the American Astronomical Society for more information and eye protection recommendations:
Professor Adam Burgasser of UCSD and the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences is onboard Koningsdam to narrate the eclipse and lecture on his other areas of expertise. He is brilliant and a gifted presenter. We are enjoying, if not fully understanding, his talks very much. As the Director of the Cool Star Lab, he has to be the hippest nerd since Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Holland America provided paper eclipse glasses, but we came equipped with our own authentic plastic eclipse glasses, and a solar filter for the camera, that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard. The ship in position along the path of totality, hats on heads, sunscreen applied, eclipse glasses and camera at the ready, we went up to Panorama Deck, Deck 10 Aft, to join our fellow travelers and amateur astronomers, for this cosmic darkening, and spiritual awakening.
And, here it is, the Midday Moon, the best of our series of photos as the eclipse advanced, and then receded, the moon moving right to left across the face of the sun.
With more than four minutes of totality between 11:01 and 11:06 AM, we removed our eclipse glasses, and basked in the glow of darkness.
Magic? Yes! Spiritual? Yes!! Cool? Yes!!!
For this NASA simulation of the eclipse as we saw it, enter Mazatlán, MX at:
USA Today quotes one observer saying that viewing a partial eclipse is like being partly pregnant. Tres agrees. He watched the 2017 eclipse from the roof of Plaza Lake City, well outside the zone of totality. It was a beautiful day, but not much of a show. Now we know. A total eclipse is totally worth it.
Next Up: 6 Days in Port, 11 Days at Sea, 17 Days Onboard, then Vancouver.
It has been a long road, to get back out on the road this time. Tres fell and suffered a right tibia plateau fracture in July of 2022. It took five surgeries over a year to repair the fracture, and eventually a total knee replacement. The leg is now solid, but recovery has been slow. He has spent the last nineteen months in a wheelchair, staying in an accessible room at the Satybridge Suites Seattle - Fremont. I have been driving him to doctor appointments and physical therapy, lifting the wheelchair in and out of the car, and it has been hard on both of us. Jose, Iris, Tre, Emily, and the staff and ownership of the Staybridge were incredible hosts, extending a medical rate to make it affordable for Tres to be safe and comfortable. He wasn't really ready, but it was time to move out. With help from Ted and Chryssa, we moved Tres home last week.
So, what to do with this new-found freedom? It's time for a cruise. We are sailing aboard the ms Koningsdam on a repositioning cruise from San Diego to Vancouver, by way of Mexico and Hawaii.
We last sailed on the Koningsdam to Norway in 2017. There are two ironies in being back onboard this ship, at this time, for this cruise. The first is our accommodations. In 2017, we were "upgraded" to a handicap-accessible cabin, which we didn't need, and didn't want. In 2024, when we probably should have an accessible cabin, we do not. The second is the theme. The 2017 cruise was the "Voyage of the Midnight Sun" to see the sun that never sets North of the Arctic Circle. This cruise is the..."Voyage of the Midday Moon." We are going to see the total eclipse from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico on April 8th. Maybe for the first time ever, this cruise is truly about the journey, not the destinations. We may not even get off the ship
Wooo-Hooo, and cue the music. Yes it's cliché. In fact, Bonnie Tyler performed live aboard Royal Caribbean during the solar eclipse of August 2017. But, come on, "turn around, Bright Eyes," it's a great song.
We spent the last three mostly sunny days in San Diego. Tres amassed more than 900,000 points with IHG while in residence at the Staybridge, so we cashed in for a free stay at the Hotel Indigo San Diego - Gaslamp Quarter. The hotel was nice enough, fully accessible, with made-to-order breakfasts served by the singular Sergio. It is well located just a couple blocks from Petco Park during the Padres season-opening homestand. We even had a peekaboo view of the stadium from our room. The Padres lost this one to the Cards, 5-2. The view was better the next morning.
The highlight of San Diego was an afternoon of wide-ranging conversation with our favorite UCSD gentleman and scholar, Nick. He is interesting and smart, funny and compassionate, and a total countercultural iconoclastic badass. Almost 21, and almost a college graduate, it has been an absolute joy to watch him grow up. We can't wait to see what comes next.
We had a memorable, fun, and fine Baja coastal Mexican dinner with the pre-game revelers at the Blind Burro the first night (the hostess was from Bellingham), and an expensive and utterly forgettable seafood dinner at the Waster Grill the second night. That left the third night for the obligatory pilgrimage to In-N-Out. Nick offered to deliver it to the hotel via bike and trolley, but we couldn't justify the effort. So, it was an Uber-Uber Double-Double trip to hamburger heaven. Total cost: $83.27, but worth it.
The cabin may not be accessible, but we have done everything possible to ensure a successful trip. We brought the wheelchair, and arranged for wheelchair escorts at both airports and the cruise terminal. Tres rented a scooter to get around the ship. It was waiting for us in the cabin when we arrived, and will be picked up from the cabin in Vancouver. 22 days. $375.00. Crazy!!!
This is another Friends and Family cruise courtesy of Holland America and the De Lijn Association. We booked a Neptune Suite category guarantee, took a chance on the cabin assignment, and got lucky. We are in cabin 8186, an aft corner suite, port side, on Navigation Deck, Deck 8. These aft suites are unique to each deck. They are essentially remnant space, and you get whatever is leftover. People either love them or hate them, but this one is perfect for us. Plenty of room, even with a wheelchair and a scooter, a five-piece bath, windows on two sides, and a huge, covered, wrap-around veranda. It has a table and four chairs, a pair of arm chairs with ottomans, and two chaise lounges. The view of the wake and the sound of the churn make it the ideal private oasis. There are trade-offs. We are at the very end of a very long ship. Tres is riding in style on the scooter, but I have to walk. It's right below the Seaview Pool and the open deck aft of the Lido, so the stacking and scraping of deck chairs starts early and ends late. And, it's far removed from the rest of the Neptune Suites and the Neptune Lounge, so the service is not quite what it is midship on Deck 7. Still, Clair and Ciarra are amazing at the concierge desk, and a great value-add. We love this cabin!!!
San Diego sailaway is now behind us, and embarkation dinner at the Pinnacle Grill awaits.
Thursday, September 23rd Poipu, Kauai Partly Cloudy - 83 degrees
We had a long, and glorious, day today, touring the South of the island in and around Poipu, passing through the Tree Tunnel along the way.
The first stop was the Spouting Horn. The spout was more of a sputter today. We've seen bigger. Still, a beautiful view, and I love the wild chickens.
"Allerton Garden is part of the National Tropical Botanical Gardens, a network of botanical gardens, preserves, and research centers in Hawaii and Florida perpetuating tropical plants, ecosystems, and cultural heritage since 1964. Itis a living masterpiece named one of the ’50 Places of a Lifetime’ by National Geographic Traveler. Guided tours of Allerton Garden are part garden tour, part art exhibit, and entirely unique. Visitors are guided through expertly crafted garden rooms that feature tropical plants, sculptures, and water features. Allerton Garden also has a rich history as a Hollywood film location for many notable movies and TV shows. See the towering roots of the famous Moreton Bay fig trees featured in blockbusters like Jurassic Park. At Allerton Garden we honor Queen Emma who nurtured beauty in this cherished place and celebrate Robert and John Gregg Allerton’s landscaped dream that you see today. Experience the love story that continues between people and plants, art and nature in this storied garden."
This is a spectacular place, unlike anything we have ever seen. Our 631 pictures don't do it justice, but we will share what we can.
We ended the day with an early dinner, seated in the open windows, at the iconic Beach House.
