Oahu

Wednesday, October 10th
South Pacific
Day 11
ms Westerdam
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
Arriving:  8:00 AM
Partly Cloudy - 78 Degrees

Even at first glance, Honolulu has surprised us.  Maybe our image of the city is rooted in the 1960s and hasn't been updated.  Maybe we don't believe you can "Hang Loose" and still be serious about industry and commerce.  Maybe it's the notion that paradise is no place for a real city.  But, a real city this is.

We are docked at Pier 9 in Honolulu Harbor at the Aloha Tower, a 1926 "Hawaiian Gothic" landmark lighthouse that was for forty years the tallest structure in the city, and now anchors a newer, and mostly empty, Marketplace at the foot of downtown Honolulu.

The city skyline rises in front of the ship to the East, the hotels and resorts of Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head beyond to the South, Pearl Harbor to the North.  Honolulu proper has a population of about 350,000, but Honolulu County, which encompasses the entire island of Oahu, has nearly a million people.  On an island, with land scarce and views abundant, it makes sense to build up, not out.  And they have.  The skyline of Honolulu, stretching from Downtown to Diamond Head, has 470 high rises, fourth-most in the United States behind New York, Chicago, and LA.  A real city, indeed.

This is an overnight port of call, with two days to see all we can see, and we are going to need every minute.  Today, we are focused on history and the city.  Tomorrow will be about nature and the island.

We started with a tour of Downtown Honolulu, the major financial and commercial center of the Pacific Islands, and the capitol of the state of Hawaii.  While the drab and dreary civic architecture of the 1960s is well represented, there are many lovely older buildings of note, and many more modern additions to the skyline.

Our first stop is in honor of King Kamehameha, the first ruler to unite the islands of Hawaii in a single kingdom.  His statue stands in front of the new "Hawaii 5-O" headquarters.

Across the street is Iolani Palace, the royal palace built by Kamehameha III to rival any in the world in comfort and convenience, if not size.  It was plumbed and electrified long before many more famous palaces.

Many of you may have made this pilgrimage before us, but this is our time to pay our respects to the memory of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

You know the history...

The United States has had a relationship with Hawaii, and a presence in Pearl Harbor going back to the whaling era, as early as the 1820s, but a naval station was not established there until the turn of the century.  The strategic value of an outpost in the middle of the Pacific was obvious, but Pearl Harbor offered the additional advantage of a narrow entrance making it easier to defend.

In 1941, with war raging across Europe, Japan had joined the Axis and was moving aggressively to take control of Asia.  The United States was making every effort to stay out of "Europe's War," and to negotiate a peaceful end to Japanese aggression in the Pacific.  President Roosevelt moved the homeport of the Pacific Fleet from San Diego to Pearl Harbor as a deterrent to the Japanese, making it the largest US military installation in the world, but Japan was undaunted.  With negotiations continuing, but at a standstill, the United States ordered an oil embargo to starve the Japanese war machine.  It was clear to the Japanese that they would have to neutralize the United States Pacific Fleet to successfully prosecute the war in Asia.  War planning in anticipation of a conflict with Japan had been in the works for many years.  The impending attack was not unanticipated, but it was not expected at Pearl Harbor, and it was not expected from the air.

On the morning of December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Japan launched an attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor.  The Japanese launched 5 midget submarines, and 350 bombers in two waves, from their fleet in the Pacific.  One submarine was detected and sunk near the entrance to the Harbor, but it was dismissed as an isolated incident.  Radar detected the incoming threat from the air, but it was misidentified as a squadron of US planes en route to Hawaii from California.  First, the bombers targeted the military installations surrounding Pearl Harbor, taking out US air defense batteries and land-based bombers neatly lined up on the tarmac.  Then, the Japanese targeted the fleet in Pearl Harbor.  Of the entire fleet, only the aircraft carriers were at sea.  Every other US naval asset was in port, docked two-by-two around the harbor, once thought easy to defend, now impossible to escape.  The USS Arizona suffered a direct hit to the forward munitions magazine.  It sunk in nine minutes, its crew of 1,177 going down with it.  Every ship was hit, most listing and sinking, the water on fire with a sheen of burning oil.  In less than two hours, it was all over.  The final tally was devastating: 19 ships damaged, grounded, or sunk; 347 airplanes damaged or destroyed; 2,402 dead; 1,247 wounded.  Civilian casualties totaled 57 dead and 35 wounded.

More unprovoked Japanese attacks on nations throughout the Pacific would follow:  Malaya, Hong Kong, Guam, The Philippine Islands, Wake Island, and Midway Island,

The next day, the wreckage of the USS Arizona still burning in the Harbor, President Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress:

"Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

The President asked Congress for a declaration of war against the Empire of Japan.  The United States had entered World War II.

The WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument was renovated and rededicated just three years ago.  The grounds are a living museum to the events of December 7th.  The monument is anchored by three historic vessels:  the remains of the battleship USS Arizona, the submarine USS Bowfin, and the battleship USS Missouri.  They represent respectively:  the attack that began the war, the war that avenged the attack, and the surrender that ended the war.  Two indoor exhibits tell the stories of the lead up to war, and the war effort.  A widescreen theater movie tells the story of the day.  A wall of remembrance is dedicated to the 2,402 service members killed in action that day, and the ships and bases on which they served.

The USS Arizona Memorial sits above and astride the wreckage of the Arizona at the bottom of Pearl Harbor, some 900 of her crew still entombed within.

The ride out to the Memorial is a solemn 10 minutes.  The Memorial is overcrowded, but starkly beautiful and deeply moving.

From the bottom of the harbor to the top of the hill.  We finished our tour at Punchbowl Crater, high above Honolulu.  Those lost on December 7th, and many heroes more, are honored and remembered at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.  It is Arlington West on a grand scale with a great view, 34,000 graves, the lives lost in the Pacific fighting World War II, and the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.  A moment of silence, the offer of peace, for those who are here, and those we hope never will be.

We wasted the afternoon and early evening devoted to our own pursuits:  walking, shopping, seeking out the best Hawaiian Plate Lunch, mai tais at sunset on Waikiki.

We met back up, joined by the ultimate Northwest Expatriate turned Hawaiian Insider, Justin, for a late dinner at Alan Wong's eponymous restaurant.

Zagat gives it high praise, and the top food score in the city.  "The place where “Hawaii Regional cuisine was born and still reigns”, Alan Wong’s longtime McCully standout garners Oahu’s No. 1 Most Popular honors thanks to “inspired” cuisine, an “exceptional” wine list and “gracious” service that make it a “must when in Honolulu” for many, including President Obama; though some find the space otherwise “pedestrian” and the location “hard to find”, most agree the “heavenly experience” is “well worth the effort” and “pricey” tabs."

The chef himself promises "Hawaii Regional Cuisine at its finest — a menu inspired by the diverse ethnic cultures found in Hawaii and by the freshly farmed ingredients from our islands."

Many star chef restaurants fail to live up to the hype consistently from visit to visit and course to course, but we came here to “Taste Hawaii!," and this is the place.

There was not a single disappointment, every bite an inspired creation perfectly executed.  The signature onaga was crusted crispy and aromatic, lush and lovely within, creamy corn and mushrooms providing pop and circumstance below.  This dish first among equals, the rest was just as good.  This was the best meal of the trip, and we don't need the next three weeks to prove it.

Alan Wong's Menu:

“Soup And Sandwich”
Chilled Vine Ripened Hamakua Springs Tomato Soup Grilled Mozzarella Cheese, Kalua Pig, & Foie Gras Sandwich

Chopped Ahi Sashimi
Wrapped in a Crispy Won Ton Purse, Avocado, Spicy Aioli and Wasabi Soy

Kona Lobster Dumplings
Chili, Garlic, Lemongrass, Black Bean Veloute

Nori Wrapped Tempura Ahi
Tomato Ginger Relish, Soy Mustard Sauce

Seafood “Lasagne”
Poached Lobster Tail, Mushrooms, Herb Oil

“H.R.C.aesar Salad," Crispy Parmesan Cheese Basket
Baby Maui Romaine Lettuce, Creamy Anchovy Dressing, Kalua Pig, Lomi Tomato Relish

Ginger Crusted Onaga, Long-Tail Red Snapper
Miso Sesame Vinaigrette, Organic Hamakua Mushroom & Corn

Twice Cooked Short Rib, Soy Braised and Grilled “Kalbi” Style
Gingered Shrimp, Ko Choo Jang Sauce

“Mini Coconut”
Haupia Sorbet in a Chocolate Shell, Tropical Fruits and Lilikoi Sauce

Waialua Chocolate “Crunch Bars”
Layers of Milk Chocolate Macadamia Nut Crunch and Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse


Thursday, October 11th
South Pacific
Day 12
ms Westerdam
Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii
Aloha Tower Marketplace
Departing:  5:00 PM
Partly Cloudy - 78 Degrees

We are getting out of the city today, for a tour of island life au' natural.  On the way, we hit Waikiki, where very little is local and virtually nothing is natural.  Kalakaua Avenue is the Rodeo Drive of the Pacific.  The shops are European, the money is Japanese.  Even the sand is imported.

Diamond Head is holy high ground, a burial site, a navigational landmark, a former military installation, and a public park.  Diamond Head is the hot girl of Honolulu, nice to look at, but ugly and empty on the inside.

Hanauma Nature Preserve is all natural, but the Preserve is at risk.  3,000 people a day come to swim in the calm waters of the sheltered bay, snorkel over the coral growing just off shore, sit in the soft sand, and look up at the cliffs that frame the view on more than three sides.

Just up the coast, we came to Halona Cove and the Halona Blowhole.  The Cove is the secluded pocket beach that inspired romance in the lovers "From Here to Eternity."  The Blowhole is more power than passion.  As the surf surges into shore, a lava tube traps the water and channels the rush in and up, accelerating through the black rock, until it thunders out the top of the tube in an explosion of foam and spray.  It is something to behold.  We're told.  But today, the Blowhole Show is a no go.  All burp, and no boom.  Still, a beautiful place.

The drive along this side of the island is Oahu's finest, twists and turns, ups and downs, expansive views out to the water and vertical looks up the cliffs.  Makapuu Point is the Eastern tip of the island, where a lighthouse clings to its perch on the rocks.  North of the Point, hang-gliders leap from the cliffs above aiming for the beach below.  Seabird sanctuaries on Manana and Kaohikaipu islands are just offshore.

Our last, and longest, stop on the coast was Kaiona Beach Park, another landing spot for hang-gliders.  Sadly, some who fly with the birds are destined to swim with the fishes.  So it was for the man remembered at a funeral in the park today.  Aloha, friend.  Life's a beach.

Turning inland, and inward, our tour continued on sacred ground.  Polynesian polytheism was traditionally practiced on vast temple plateaus of limestone, each stone quarried, carried, and placed by hand.  These "Heiaus" were both spiritual and civic, gathering places for all things communal.  Ulupo Heiau dates from 500 A.D.  Now it is just a pile of rocks, the detail and the meaning lost to time, but sacred is forever.

The Pali cliffs of the Koolau Mountains bisect the island, dividing windward from leeward, wet from dry, 18 miles of vertical ridges and ravines, each one a windward waterfall in the rain.  The Pali Highway cuts a pass through the cliffs and emerges at the Pali lookout, a windy panorama of the Windward Coast from an elevation of 1,200 feet.  It is said, that it was said by Mark Twain to be "the most beautiful place on Earth."

Interesting note of the day:  Trees in Hawaii don't have rings.  Rings are caused by the variations in growth from season to season.  There are no seasons here.  It's growing season all year long.  Hawaiians have to use carbon dating to judge the age of their trees.  Fascinating!!!

Back in Honolulu, Justin had a recommendation for lunch.  He joined us at Nico's Pier 38, an open air seafood stand on the working waterfront.  It's in fancy new digs now, but it started in a shed on the pier, serving the daily catch to daily catchers.  It's that fresh, and they make a damn fine Plate Lunch too.

At sailaway just shy of sunset, the Aloha Tower bid us farewell as the "Shining City on the Beach" justified and solidified our changing view of Honolulu, gateway to paradise and major metropolis.  Downtown, Waikiki, Diamond Head.  Aloha.

Next Stop:  Hilo, Hawaii

Maui

Tuesday, October 9th
South Pacific
Day 10
ms Westerdam
Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii
Arriving:  10:00 AM
Departing:  11:00 PM
Partly Cloudy - 78 Degrees

Aloha!!!

After four long, but happy days at sea, we have finally arrived in the Hawaiian Islands, and Maui no ka 'oi - Maui is the best!!!  It is the "Valley Isle," the second-largest, and third-most populous, island of the Hawaiian Archipelago.

Maui is not to be done in a day.  It takes time for Maui to work its magic, to ease your life, slow your heart, calm your thoughts.  But we only have today.

The VOG lingered (Volcanic Originated Gas), the day not yet what it would become, when Westerdam anchored off the dry, leeward, West coast of Maui at Lahaina this morning.

King Kamehameha the Great united rule of the Hawaiian islands in 1810 and established Lahaina as the seat of the throne.  It was the homeport of the Pacific whaling fleet, reaching a peak of more than 400 ships in the 1840s.  Herman Melville worked the whaling ships, and jumped ship to stay in Lahaina, the inspiration for Moby Dick.  By the 1860s, sugarcane started to surpass whaling as the dominant industry.  By the 1960s, sugarcane gave way to tourism.  And here we are.

We spent the afternoon up the coast from Lahaina in Ka'anapali, a mile-long arc of spectacular public beach, and luxe private resorts.

We started at Whalers Village in the heart of Ka'anipali, an open-air mall Hawaiian style, and lunch at the Hula Grill, where cement meets sand under thatched roofs and tiki torches with live music and views of the water.  It was an authentic tourist lunch of mai tais, pupus, and locally-sourced meats and fish.

A landscaped walk runs the length of the beach fronting the resorts.  We walked North to the end and the sprawling Sheraton that climbs the rocks.  We toured the hotel, walked in the sand, and dipped toes in the water.  The shade of the Beachwalk was all but gone and the sun intense for the walk back down the beach.

Back in Lahaina, we took a walk down Front Street.  It still has the look of an 1840s whaling village, with a ramshackle grittiness that lends a little local authenticity to the upscale boutiques and art galleries, bars and chain restaurants, curio and T-shirt shops, but the best of Front Street is the view to the water from the spaces in between.

Still hot and humid in the late afternoon, we sat in plastic chairs in front of a street-side jewelry stand, and had a shave ice.  Ululani's Hawaiian Shave Ice is the best on Maui, and if you've never had the real thing, you have no idea.  This isn't crushed ice, it's soft as first snow.  The small is huge, the large must be the size of your head.  We had extra smalls.  Ice cream lines the bottom of the cup, a soft landing for the fluffy snow shaved from a single block of ice.  It's trimmed, compacted, molded, perfected.  Holes are drilled through to the bottom and then this soft white snowball of love is saturated in sweet, fruity, vibrant color.  Dozens of flavors, hundreds of combinations, a rainbow in your cup.  It starts with a spoon and ends in a straw, and it is so good.

Back to the ship for a rest and a shower, and then back into Lahaina for a late dinner.  The Lahaina Grill is by far the nicest room in town, and the iconic locally-inspired cuisine has earned the highest island food score in Zagat.  Signature dishes, and our favorites of the evening, include a trio of seafood cakes called "The Cake Walk," and a Kona coffee crusted rack of lamb.

The last tender back to the ship leaves at 10:30.  On the dock at 10:00, they pulled up gangway behind us.

Next Stop:  Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

The Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Archipelago extends 1,500 miles and is comprised of 132 islands, atolls, and other formations, the largest of which are the eight major inhabited islands:

Hawaii
Maui
Oahu
Kauai
Molokai
Lanai
Niihau
Kahoolawe

We will be calling at Maui, Oahu, and Hawaii over the next four days.

Pacific Crossing

Friday, October 5th
South Pacific
Day 6
ms Westerdam
At Sea
Cloudy - 62 Degrees

Saturday, October 6th
South Pacific
Day 7
ms Westerdam
At Sea
Partly Cloudy - 68 Degrees

Sunday, October 7th
South Pacific
Day 8
ms Westerdam
At Sea
Mostly Sunny - 68 Degrees
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANCY!!!

Monday, October 8th
South Pacific
Day 9
ms Westerdam
At Sea
Mostly Sunny - 73 Degrees

The Pacific Ocean is the largest body of water in the world, almost 65 million square miles from the Arctic to the Antarctic and Asia / Australia to the Americas, covering one-third of the surface of the Earth, and nearly 50% of its water surface.

It has been a smooth and easy Pacific Crossing, South-by-SouthWest from San Diego to the Hawaiian Islands, the seas mostly calm, the skies mostly sunny.  The sun has risen and set from stern to bow, off our Port-Side verandahs, leaving us awash in light from dawn 'til dusk.  Sunrise over water is a joy uncommon on the West Coast of the Mainland.

Wind and waves have been low, but swells have been high.  Waves are generated locally in concert with prevailing weather conditions.  Swells are generated far away by major weather disturbances.  Ships can cut through waves, but swells can cause problems.  These swells are from Alaska and they are slowing our progress.  We will have to make up time to get to Lahaina as scheduled.

In these conditions, the water is like molten glass.  It looks blue gel viscous.  There is almost no texture to it all.  The ship appears to be standing still with nothing against which to measure our speed.

We have continued our exercise regimens:  miles around deck and laps around the pool.  Ted and Tres make daily pilgrimages to the Hydropool & Thermal Suites.

Dr. Jack Hardy, Professor Emeritus of Western Washington University, has expanded our knowledge of the seas, lecturing on:

"The Tropical Pacific:  Oceanography & Marine Ecology"
"Daredevils: Underwater Longer & Deeper"
"The Amazing Coral Reef"
"Pirates: Ancient Egypt to Modern Somalia"

The ship gets ESPN via satellite (intermittently), so we were able to watch the Washington / Oregon game.  What an epic disaster.  It couldn't possibly have been worse.  Not a game-changer.

We celebrated Nancy's birthday in style Sunday night with two happy hours and dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.  In her honor, we poured Little Black Dress merlot.  It was a party!!!

2,200 nautical miles of open ocean behind us, the islands of Hawaii in front of us, we are looking forward Maui in the morning.  Aloha.

Next Stop:  Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

San Diego

Thursday, October 4th
South Pacific Day 5
ms Westerdam
San Diego, California
Arriving: 7:00 AM
Departing: 5:00 PM
Clear Skies - 70 Degrees

We awoke this morning to a perfect day in San Diego, Westerdam docked alongside her sister ship Zeiderdam and the Star Princess. Three ships in paradise.

Everybody loves San Diego. Great weather and the laid-back easy lifestyle to enjoy it. We are embracing both today, with a quick and quiet visit.

We walked up Broadway, with a stop at the grand and gracious US Grant Hotel, and took a stroll down 5th Avenue, the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter.

"What's the best Mexican restaurant in San Diego?"

It seems like an innocent question, but it's the best way to confuse and frustrate a local. The best answer we've received so far: "There isn't one." OK. In Old Town, they cater to tourists and in the Gaslamp to hipsters. Somewhere they must cater to Mexicans, but we couldn't find it. Zagat, however, always has an opinion:

El Agave Taquileria
Old Town

An “escape from the touristy tortilla chip–giant margarita experience” so common in Old Town, this “upscale” “favorite” is rated the No. 1 Mexican in San Diego thanks to its “sensational” moles and other “mind-blowing” “gourmet” dishes served up in an “unlikely” location “above a liquor store;" it also boasts a “magnificent” tequila selection that’s “perhaps the largest” in town, a “stellar” staff and an “inviting," “unique” interior that ensure its prices, considered “expensive” for the genre, are declared “worth every cent.”

We rode the San Diego Trolley to Old Town, walked right past the state historical park, and up the hill to El Agave Taquileria.

It's an unassuming and uninspiring location, but it's all inspiration inside with ceramic tiles, dark woods, and an encyclopedic collection of tequilas backlit on shelves lining the room. We had a very nice lunch, beginning with the aptly named Perfect Margarita.

El Agave Taquileria Menu:

Perfect Margaritas
Chips & Salsa - Red, Green and Black Bean
Tampiquenas
     Grilled Tender Flat Filet with Enchilada Roja, Poblano Chili Strips,
     Guacamole, and Black Beans
Tacos de Pescado
     Deep Fried Sea Bass Strips "Baja Style" Accompanied by Pico de
     Gallo, Chipotle Chili Cream, Agave Rice, and Black Beans
Tacos de Arrachera
     Carne Asada with Onions and Cilantro, Served with Poblano Chili
     Strips, Guacamole, and Black Beans
Mexican Chocolate Crème Brule

We returned Downtown to the Santa Fe Depot on the San Diego Trolley with some very interesting people, and then made our way through the construction zone, that will someday be a very nice waterfront boulevard, and back to the ship.

Sailaway was late today, provisioning for 30 days at sea takes time. We pulled away from our berth at the Port of San Diego at 6:30 sunset, the modest downtown skyline fading as the Navy's bugle call to dinner rang out across the harbor.

Next Stop: Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

West Coast Express

Tuesday, October 2nd
South Pacific Day 3
ms Westerdam
At Sea
Mostly Clear - 57 Degrees

Wednesday, October 3rd
South Pacific Day 4
ms Westerdam
At Sea
Overcast - 62 Degrees

We are getting our sea legs and settling in to life on board Westerdam as we cruise down the West Coast to San Diego.

Our Cabin Stewards Solihin (Sol) and Ipunk are taking outstanding care of us.  As are Concierges Margaret and Jane in the Neptune Lounge, a comfortable and tempting oasis at sea.  They serve continental breakfast, midday snacks, afternoon tea, and evening canapes, literally just a step away.

Four decks down, 3 strolls around the Promenade Deck is one mile.  We are walking it and rocking it.

Ted and Tres have passes to the Hydropool and Thermal Suites, showers running hot and heavy tempered by a cool mist, steam rooms scented with eucalyptus, and a mineral-enhanced saltwater pool with jets aimed at every part of the body.  It's just one big wet heaven.

The enrichment lecture series debuted with Dr. Jack Hardy, professor emeritus of Western Washington University, and his "Half Century Exploring the Underwater World."  Small world.

The ship gets CNN International via satellite, so we were able to watch the presidential debate tonight.  What an epic disaster.  It couldn't possibly have been worse.  Game-changer.

For those who think cruising is all about shuffleboard and buffets, you are missing the boat.  It's the vastness of the sea from horizon to horizon, the gentle pitch and roll of the ship, the surge of the whitecaps, the infinite shades of blue in the churn of the surf, the dance of the sun and the moon in the waves.  It's the sense that the whole world is out there, but always just out of reach.  It's the journey. And it's ours until the next port of call.

Astoria

Monday, October 1st
South Pacific Day 2
ms Westerdam
Astoria, Oregon
Arriving: 12:00 PM
Departing: 8:00 PM
Clear Skies - 66 Degrees

As one person put it upon hearing of our itinerary, "Well, clearly Astoria is the highlight of the trip!"

Not so much, but not so bad.

Lewis and Clark made camp for the winter here early in November of 1805. It rained every day but twelve until April of 1806. We drove through Astoria this winter, on a bleak and blustery February day on the heels of the last lowland snowfall of the year. We didn't even stop.

In 1811, the American Fur Company established trading posts along the lower stretch of the Columbia River, this one named for its founder, John Jacob Astor. It is the oldest American settlement West of the Rockies. Scheduled for arrival in Astoria at noon, it was a beautiful late morning cruise around Cape Disappointment and into the mouth of the Columbia River, the "Graveyard of the Pacific."

The Columbia River runs 1,243 miles from British Columbia to the Pacific, the fourth largest river by volume in the United States, and the largest to empty into the pacific. The Columbia drains an area the size of France, parts of seven states and one province. Fourteen dams block the flow of the river, unfortunately, the Dam Ship doesn't offer any Dam Tours. In the immortal words of the late, great Woody Guthrie in the official folk song of the State of Washington, "Roll On Columbia, Roll On"

Westerdam docked at the Port of Astoria just downriver from the long and low 4.2 mile Astoria-Megler Bridge that crosses the Columbia linking Washington and Oregon.

Ted and Tres walked a mile and a half along the Riverwalk from the port into town. The train makes this run as well, but it's more folly than trolley. Main Street Downtown Astoria is Commercial Street, and also Highway 30, the Columbia River Highway. Traffic is thick, if not swift, but the architecture dates from the 1920s and has retained its small town charm.

We walked and shopped. Ted and Tres stopped for lunch at the Fort George Brewery, well-crafted beer, burgers, and house-made sausage. Nancy bought a smoking-hot dress for formal night that zips up the front from top to bottom and bottom to top. It leaves nothing to chance and even less to the imagination. Go Nancy!!!

Next Stop: San Diego

Vancouver

Sunday, September 30th
South Pacific Day 1
ms Westerdam
Vancouver, British Columbia
Arriving: 7:00 AM
Departing: 4:45 PM
Chance of Rain - 60 Degrees

Vancouver is our favorite World City, and sailing into Vancouver under the Lions Gate Bridge is one of the great cruising experiences. We aren't going to miss it. We set the alarm at 5:00 to check the ship's position. Still well out to sea. Back to sleep. Up again at 6:00. Time to go up top.

It was an extraordinary morning. The top deck wet and the air still heavy with dew, the full moon low in the Western Sky, the faintest light of daybreak to the East, Venus and the stars above. First light had yet to penetrate the dense canopy of Stanley Park, dark in silhouette. The Lions Gate, lithe and graceful, cables and towers lit against the dawn. It looked like we would barely clear as we glided safely under and beyond. Making the turn into Coal Harbor, the sun rose to Port as the moon set to Starboard, the sleek steel and glass skyline of Vancouver got taller as we drew closer. Approaching the pier at Canada Place, the captain spun Westerdam 180 degrees and backed her into the slip, smooth and silent, 82,000 tons of grace.

As much as we love Vancouver, we've been here and done that, many times. It's just like a hang out Sunday at home. Ted and Tres walked down into Gastown to find a sports bar with the Seahawks on TV, but they came up a little short (pun intended) against the Rams today. Nancy and I toured the new Fairmont Pacific Rim. We did our errands and had the last great cup of coffee for the trip. Cafe Artigiano baristas have won every Canadian barista championship ever contested and have placed in the top ten in the World Barista Championships five times. Yes, it's that good.

United States Border Control was in full force at Canada Place. Think about that for a minute and you will understand why we didn't understand. Since our next port of call is in the United States, USBC required that all passengers disembark the ship to be cleared, even if they didn't intend to disembark the ship in the first place. Tres offended the border officer, though not in the way he intended, but we were all cleared to reboard the ship.

The sun appeared and disappeared through the streaky clouds, but the chance of rain never materialized. We sat on our verandahs and watched the sea planes take off and land against the backdrop of Stanley Park and the Coast Mountains until sailaway as Westerdam pulled away from the pier and the city, rounded the park, and slipped back under the bridge bound for the ocean.

Next Stop: Astoria, Oregon

South Pacific

Saturday, September 29th
Seattle, WA

Got out of town on a boat
Goin' to Southern islands.
Sailing a reach
Before a followin' sea.
She was makin' for the trades
On the outside,
And the downhill run
To Papeete.

Inspired by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, we are off again, this time in search of the Southern Cross.  This isn't about discovery or adventure.  It's not about natural wonder or urban splendor.  Not a glimpse into the past or a peak at the future.  This is all about rest and relaxation.  Sun and sand, soak and surf, novels and naps.  It's a slow boat to nowhere, and we are onboard.

We are sailing aboard the Holland America Line ms Westerdam.  HAL is the hometown cruise line and the Westerdam has homeported in Seattle for the summer Alaska cruise season.  Seattle is the Gateway to Alaska and the Portal to the Pacific.  Holland America has always been my favorite line to sell as a Travel Agent, and now I am part of the team as a Pier Agent.  I have been working the docks at Pier 91 seeing passengers on and off the Westerdam, and the other Dam ships, as they come and go to Alaska.  It has been a fun and rewarding job, but the payoff starts today, Day 0 of 35, from Seattle to San Diego, via the South Pacific.

This is a Friends and Family cruise, and we are both.  I am bunking with Nancy, Tres and Ted are two doors down.  We are on Deck 7, the Rotterdam Deck, in Deluxe Verandah Suites, sailing in style with double-wide cabins, five-piece baths, walk-in closets, and deck seating for six.  We are just aft of amidships, across the hall from the Neptune Lounge.  It's not a bad way to be.

We are looking forward to a month at sea, but we will miss you all and hope you will follow us along the way.  We will see you in November sporting suspiciously dark tans, and the wide grins that only the ultimate escape can inspire.


Saturday, September 29th
South Pacific
Day 0 - Embarkation
ms Westerdam
Seattle, Washington
Departing:  4:00 PM
Clear Skies - 70 Degrees

Boarding the ship was like the last day at camp.  This is the final weekend of the Seattle summer cruise season, and I am taking off early.  Hugs and well wishes all around as I said goodbye to my ShoreOps friends and colleagues for the off-season.  It will be an extended goodbye for some sailing with us as far as Vancouver.  Hope they have enough crew left to work the docks tomorrow!!!

It is Indian Summer in Seattle and the Gods have graced us with just one more perfect day for our Seattle Sailaway.  Just enough clouds to add interest to the sky, streaks of sun still kissed with the warmth of summer, crispy-cool fall air with a taste of the sea.  Paradise is still well ahead of us, but it doesn't get better than this.  We climbed up to the Observation Deck to see the backdrop of the city as Westerdam turned out of Elliott bay and North up the Sound.  For one night only, we have front row, Port verandah seats, for the golden glow of sunset.  It's all downhill from here, sunrise to Port heading South.

Next Stop:  Vancouver, BC