Azura A322N - Black Sea - Part 7

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Gill W
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Azura A322N - Black Sea - Part 7

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Post by Gill W »

Day 17- Mytilene (or not)

This port is on the Greek island of Lesbos. It is a tender port, and our general plan was to tender over to the harbour and have a walk round to town.

We arrived off the harbour at about 8.15, and we could clearly see some of the points of interest from our balcony. We were about to go up for breakfast at about 8.30, when Mr Gill commented, 'oh, we've moved off again- but I expect they know what they are doing!'

Whilst we were eating our breakfast, the captain spoke over the PA system.

The call had been aborted due to high winds, and winds forecast to get up to 40 knots, which would make tendering unsafe.

So we've had had an unscheduled day at sea, sailing slowly past Greek islands. It's hot and sunny, and pleasantly breezy. It's a bit disappointing, but I don't think anyone can say the sole purpose of going on this cruise was to visit Lesbos!

I'm not in the business of saying that the Captain is wrong, blah, blah ....... But I would say I've tendered in far worse conditions than we've had today!




Day 18 -Piraeus

We docked at the unearthly early hour at 5am, in order to avoid any problems with Greek strike action. We also entered and left the port without a pilot, due to this strike action.

Our excursion today was the Corinth Canal transit. The time of the excursion was 8am, and we had to pick up our stickers from The Playhouse at 7.30. More time than normal was needed, as the terminal is some way from the ship, and we had to get a shuttle bus to the terminal. Whilst we were picking up our tickets, there was a miserable passenger verbally laying into the tours staff, complaining that he had to pick up the stickers 30 minutes prior to the tour, rather than the usual 10 minutes.

I could understand it if he'd missed the tour, but he was there in perfect good time. The staff really do have to put up with a lot of crap from some passengers.

Anyway, Corinth Canal transit was very interesting - when you are married to a civil engineer, you get interested in canals and stuff!

An additional entertainment team Sailaway was arranged on an impromptu basis as the Captain had some very exciting news for us - he announced the name of the new ship.

Personally, I think Britannia is a really good choice. I was living in dread of them calling it Canberra. At least the 'it wasn't like this on Canberra brigade' won't have anything to moan about!
Gill

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Meg 50
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Re: Azura A322N - Black Sea - Part 7

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Post by Meg 50 »

when we did the Black Sea cruise in 2011 only the brave were allowed ashore in Myteline - so OH went and I stayed onboard!

Praps the conditions are common?
Meg
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Jan Rosser
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Re: Azura A322N - Black Sea - Part 7

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Post by Jan Rosser »

Hello Gill - enjoying the latest episode of your Black Sea cruise. My late husband and I did the Corinth Canal a few years ago and like your husband he too was a chartered civil engineer and found things like that very interesting - I think they look at things in a different way to the lay person. If I remember correctly there was a strange feeling as you were travelling along the canal that you were going uphill - sort of an optical illusion I suppose and there was a bridge that people used to bungee jump off.

Have you sailed through the Panama Canal - that was his favourite - he spent all day sitting on the deck as we sailed through - we did the full transit. Funnily enough both "canal" trips were on Celebrity ships.

Since then I have sailed through the Suez Canal sadly without him but I'm sure he would have enjoyed it too :)
Janis

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Gill W
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Re: Azura A322N - Black Sea - Part 7

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Post by Gill W »

Yes, we did the Panama Canal in 2010, and it was one of those unforgettable experiences and a fabulous feat of engineering.

I'm very keen to do the Suez Canal. We docked at Port Said in 2007, so saw the entrance to the Canal, but I'd like to experience that feeling of sailing through the desert.

In a couple of years we hope to start doing the odd 'leg' or two of Worldies, so maybe we'll get the chance to do it then.

This summer we did a short cruise on the Regent Canal in London, but I'm not sure if that can go on the list of great canals of the world!
Gill

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GillD46
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Re: Azura A322N - Black Sea - Part 7

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Post by GillD46 »

Really enjoying your posts in anticipation of next year.

Having done the Panama and Suez, I must admit I hadn't really considered the Corinth in the same league, but maybe we should give it a go. I actually found the Suez even better than Panama. Desert one side, lush green fields the other.
Gill

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