Day 2 4/1/2017 First Sea Day to the Azores

Breakfast in the Conservatory on Deck 12 is a busy affair.  Too many people wanting breakfast at the same time. People staking claim to seats and a bit of pushing and shoving.  Of course I'd prefer a more relaxed alternative, but for now I can only hope that numbers spread out over the morning and people find their own comfortable mealtime.

The captain  spoke to us at around 9 a.m. and told us we have already done about 300 nautical miles. I am so excited.  The temperature has risen to 10 degrees C.  We are heading south west to the Azores, and will be entering depths of several thousand metres as we clear the European continental Shelf (where depths are only 50m)

Then as advertised in our daily timetable at 10 a.m. we found our art class on deck 13 in the Crow's Nest. Of course we forgot to that to secure a seat it's important to get there early. We were right at the back, almost in another room, but not tomorrow!  The teacher is a very impressive Canadian woman called Deborah Arts.  She's organised and clearly very generous.  She has evidently planned the whole 28 sea days and produced coloured photocopies of all the artworks we will be attempting. She has also included all the materials we will be trying techniques with - masking fluid, salt, clingfilm.  We started our first class with a view of the Thames to practise water and sea using different washes. We are going to enjoy this.

We had another captain's update as per tradition at midday, and Khachik found the source of daily newspaper and daily crossword puzzle.  It's already home, which is good, because we'll be here for 7+ weeks

After art we found our new low mobilty activity, singing with the Oriana Vocalists.  This is the ship's choir who are led by Jon James of the Ship's Jon James Trio, and on piano is the orchestra leader Andy.  We began with three songs - Lightning Tree, an old children's tv programme theme tune, then two Irish tunes together Danny Boy and You Raise Me Up sung as a medley and lastly, from Oliver, Food Glorious Food.  I knew it would be good.  We've always until now been spectators of the vocalists, but now it feels even better to be a participant.  We are separated into groups of soprano,alto,tenor and bass voices, get our music (well words, really), warm up and work slowly through the songs.  A very quick hour, good fun, and with a view to performing for the passengers halfway through the cruise, somewhere in the Caribbean.