3rd October 2023

Another sunny and calm day. Overnight, we steamed north at a gentle pace. We were travelling through known whale waters, and by maritime law, all vessels must proceed slowly, no doubt to give the creatures of the sea ample time to avoid the clamorous mechanical goliaths that ply this coast. I suspect, however, that smaller vessels, such as the many tourist and fishing boats, pose a far greater danger to marine life than our great lumbering brute of a metal can.

Our usual routine has been slightly adjusted due to Sue’s painful knee, no doubt due to yesterday’s marathon march around Halifax. I walked my deck miles alone, while together we used the lifts onboard, as climbing stairs had become too difficult for her.

In the evening, we dined at the Cielo restaurant. It was new to us and took a little while to locate, but the company was amiable, and the menu was much the same as in other dining venues. Still, it made a pleasant change of scene and allowed us to discover a bit more of this vast ship.

The evening’s entertainment was vocalist Andrew Bateup from Macclesfield, who once appeared on The Voice. Sir Tom Jones once remarked, “You were born with a wonderful voice, and it’s a God-given talent.” However, in my humble opinion, perhaps coloured by the fact he used to play rugby, his singing didn’t strike me as sufficiently outstanding to warrant a career change.

A Rant: The current headline dominating the news is the removal of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives after Republican Kevin McCarthy was unexpectedly ousted by a right-wing revolt within his party. The rebellion was spearheaded by Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz after McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to pass a short-term spending bill, thus avoiding a government shutdown.

Surely, the role of the Speaker in any government is to remain neutral and fair-minded, doing whatever is necessary to ensure the continued functioning of the administration for the benefit of its citizens. McCarthy, a Republican and not especially popular with the Democrats, has nonetheless received their support for the sake of national stability. Sadly, Mr Gaetz seems to be a self-publicist in the mould of Donald Trump, someone who thrives on controversy at the expense of others.

What the American people need now is common sense, tolerance, and compromise. The only winners in this political pantomime are likely to be Putin, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, and, quite possibly, Donald Trump himself, as the drama may deflect attention from his fraudulent behaviour while in office.

The phrase “cutting off your nose to spite your face” seems most apt.

4 October 2023
A warm, sunny morning and calm seas eventually gave way to a cloudy and chilly afternoon. Sue returned to walking her mile, though she opted for the lift when moving between decks. We continue to sail at a snail’s pace to avoid colliding with any whales, though we’ve heard that some have been sighted in the distance.

Over lunch, we met a couple who, like us, had noticed the large number of homeless tents scattered across Halifax’s parks. They had even spoken with one of the couples living in a tent, an act of quiet bravery, I thought. It turns out the tents are provided free of charge by the city in response to the rising number of citizens who can no longer afford to rent or buy a home. The couple they met are both employed, she’s a nurse, and he works in the tourist industry, yet they’ve been living in a tent since being evicted during the pandemic due to a drop in income. It is both tragic and shocking that the Canadian government appears unable to protect its citizens from such dire circumstances.

The evening show featured an interview with actor and television presenter Warwick Davis, best known for his roles in Harry Potter and Willow. It proved a thoroughly entertaining insight into his life and career, and how he managed to turn his dwarfism into a remarkable asset, becoming one of the highest-grossing supporting actors of all time.