Bora Bora

Or not, as the case may be. The entry to Bora Bora is through a gap in a coral reef. It is VERY shallow – around 10 metres – and our draught is eight. It is also only as wide as the ship is long, so we would not have much leeway on either side. One strong gust of wind would be devastating.  We were going to have to tender ashore anyway. We’re not. It’s far too windy and rough (wind about 40 knots (50mph) allegedly), so even if we got through without doing any damage to ourselves or the reef, we couldn’t put the tenders down anyway, because the wind, waves and swell are too great. In fact, the whole ship has been juddering against the force of it all for a couple of hours, so it was going to be a long shot. If the weather was predicted to improve later in the day, the Captain might have tried to wait it out, but this looks pretty set in, so we’re leaving.

So farewell Bora Bora. It was nice looking at you through the raindrops on the mastcam channel on the telly.

No postcards from Bora Bora, people, sorry.

No land now til Tauranga on Thursday. Just seven more sea days.

SMALL VICTORIES: Dad asked the Hotel Manager why, when he asked to clarify what time we were leaving a port, he was told he “shouldn’t have that list” which we had been given showing the (provisional) departure times for every port on the cruise. We are the passengers. If anyone has a right to know what time we are leaving a port, it’s us! We have been photocopying the list and handing it out to our mates, but last night, after dinner, EVERYONE got a proper printed copy from the Hotel Manager delivered to their postbox. We won one.

FEELING GUILTY: For something that is entirely without my control, but still. It bothers me that the bottled water now being delivered to the cabins is no longer Uruguayan local, but now labelled by Nestlé, and bottled in Chile. I hate Nestlé. Have done ever since the baby milk boycott at uni. I still feel uncomfortable every time they get my money, and I try to keep such instances to a minimum. But in this instance, it has already been purchased and brought on board, so Nestlé have already had their cut, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

I might question the claim on the front that says ‘Libre de Sodio’, when the ingredients list on the back says 1mg per 100ml. My Spanish ain’t all that, I’ll grant you, but I find those two statements incompatible.  It is also past it s Best Before date. By a month. Now, I know the difference between Best Before and Use By, but, as I paid for it, it could be argued that P&O have broken UK law. They’ll claim they’re not covered by UK law, OBViously, but it’s an interesting point, if I fancy stirring. Frankly, not sure I can be bothered.

OW: So much swimming is playing havoc with my eyes. The chlorine seems to dry them out and no amount of eye drops seems to help. May have to rest the laps for a day or too, to give them a rest.

By ‘eck it’s bumpy. It seems the weather system hanging over Bora Bora is either wider than expected, or possibly actually deteriorating.

Went for a siesta after lunch. Woke just in time for dinner! Everyone I spoke to in the evening had also been sleeping a lot. It’s so hard to stay awake when it’s rocking so soothingly. Still very rough, so staying still is the preferred option. If you’re not standing up or walking about, the ground cannot move out from underneath you. Not much internet signal.

A quiet day, all in all. I think today was Day 40. We have done one third of our total voyage already. Doesn’t time fly when you’re enjoying yourself?