I could feel that our ship has been a full speed for the last few days since we left Mumbai.
Pirates from notorious Somalia would be the main reason.
There are six sea days before we arrive in next port Safaga, Egypt.
Captain had sent every passenger on board a letter in response to few concerns.
He wanted to assure us that we are less likely targeted by pirates.
First of all, our ship is too tall from the waterline, and we are sailing fast with over 20 knots of speed.
On top of those, he pointed out few more precautions the ship is taking.
· Our ship is reporting to UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime trade Organisation) in Dubai regularly.
UKMTO co-ordinates all of the coalition warships in the area assigned to anti-piracy operations.
· Our ship is being tracked during the transit and warships will be in our vicinity.
· During the sail of Gulf of Aden, we remain in the IRTC (Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor) and the coalition forces will be tracking us all the way.
· A close radar watch is kept on the ship’s bridge.
· Extra security guards are watching in 24 hours.
· There are two LRADs (Long Range Acoustic Devices) rigged and ready for the emergency use.
· There are charged water hoses on deck three both sides.
And gave us an instruction what to do in case of event of an attempted boarding.
I have noticed that there are continuous barbed wires and water hose guns placed around the deck three on lower promenade.
I was not really worried about the possible pirate attack but it gave me a peace of mind.
As a result of higher speed run, our ship will arrive in Safaga, Egypt earlier.
Instead of arriving in the morning of 5th of April which is scheduled, we will be expected to arrive around 4pm on 4th.
But, we learned later the Berth of Safaga will be ready for us to dock at 11pm on 4th.
Until then, we will have to anchor for more than 6 hours.
At the end of the day, there is not much of change for us at all!
Feel like half the passengers on board have been sick with terrible flu since Mumbai.
Guess who got that, too.
Lucky me! L
This is my fifth day in bed quarantine myself in the cabin.
Thanks to John and Diane for the stronger pain killer pills they got in Mumbai, I have been able to have sound sleep and painless in my every joints.
I know I will be better in few more days as the symptom that I have right now indicates the last stage of my virus infection.
Wishful thinking but I am an optimistic person. ^^
Our ship is already slowing down the speed.
We went through narrow straight in between southwest of Yemen and African country Jibuti not long ago.
Jibuti is a tiny country just north of Somalia.
We are in Red Sea and safe!
To celebrate that, every passenger was offered complementary wine tonight with lovely note;
A night like this with a nautical theme
Calls for a “bell” that will make you all gleam
Pirates away at long last we know
Another good story you now can let go
On this fifth day of our travels at sea
Let’s uncork some wine and have it set free
Celebrate safe passage is what we would like
Enjoy our good life and let sympathy strike
So to good health and fortune we say
Let all those hurdles tonight fade away
Captain Jonathan Mercer
Hotel Manager Henk Mensink
Staff and crew
Written by HMV
Pirates from notorious Somalia would be the main reason.
There are six sea days before we arrive in next port Safaga, Egypt.
Captain had sent every passenger on board a letter in response to few concerns.
He wanted to assure us that we are less likely targeted by pirates.
First of all, our ship is too tall from the waterline, and we are sailing fast with over 20 knots of speed.
On top of those, he pointed out few more precautions the ship is taking.
· Our ship is reporting to UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime trade Organisation) in Dubai regularly.
UKMTO co-ordinates all of the coalition warships in the area assigned to anti-piracy operations.
· Our ship is being tracked during the transit and warships will be in our vicinity.
· During the sail of Gulf of Aden, we remain in the IRTC (Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor) and the coalition forces will be tracking us all the way.
· A close radar watch is kept on the ship’s bridge.
· Extra security guards are watching in 24 hours.
· There are two LRADs (Long Range Acoustic Devices) rigged and ready for the emergency use.
· There are charged water hoses on deck three both sides.
And gave us an instruction what to do in case of event of an attempted boarding.
I have noticed that there are continuous barbed wires and water hose guns placed around the deck three on lower promenade.
I was not really worried about the possible pirate attack but it gave me a peace of mind.
As a result of higher speed run, our ship will arrive in Safaga, Egypt earlier.
Instead of arriving in the morning of 5th of April which is scheduled, we will be expected to arrive around 4pm on 4th.
But, we learned later the Berth of Safaga will be ready for us to dock at 11pm on 4th.
Until then, we will have to anchor for more than 6 hours.
At the end of the day, there is not much of change for us at all!
Feel like half the passengers on board have been sick with terrible flu since Mumbai.
Guess who got that, too.
Lucky me! L
This is my fifth day in bed quarantine myself in the cabin.
Thanks to John and Diane for the stronger pain killer pills they got in Mumbai, I have been able to have sound sleep and painless in my every joints.
I know I will be better in few more days as the symptom that I have right now indicates the last stage of my virus infection.
Wishful thinking but I am an optimistic person. ^^
Our ship is already slowing down the speed.
We went through narrow straight in between southwest of Yemen and African country Jibuti not long ago.
Jibuti is a tiny country just north of Somalia.
We are in Red Sea and safe!
To celebrate that, every passenger was offered complementary wine tonight with lovely note;
A night like this with a nautical theme
Calls for a “bell” that will make you all gleam
Pirates away at long last we know
Another good story you now can let go
On this fifth day of our travels at sea
Let’s uncork some wine and have it set free
Celebrate safe passage is what we would like
Enjoy our good life and let sympathy strike
So to good health and fortune we say
Let all those hurdles tonight fade away
Captain Jonathan Mercer
Hotel Manager Henk Mensink
Staff and crew
Written by HMV
Barbed wire around the deck three
Water gun
Indian Formal Night
From left, Rene, Renee, Greg, Woody, Eloise, Susie and Sky
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