Friday October 16, 2015 At Sea Between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Sydney, Nova Scotia

Our tour today isn’t until after noon.  So we went to the Horizon Court for a late breakfast.  We were on the side of the ship opposite the dock and had a good view of much of the town of Halifax.

The Lighthouse at Peggy's Cove

Our tour for the day was a drive to Peggy’s Cove.  The drive to Peggy’s Cove was about an hour.  We spent an hour an there and then drove back, making a large circle.  Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city in the maritime provinces.  

Welcome to Halifax

Some color change

Peggy’s cove is a scenic area formed by glacial action.  Besides the wild and rocky shoreline Peggy’s Cove features a lighthouse.  Peggy’s cove is a small fishing village with a permanent population of 38.  It is the most popular tour in Halifax.  With 4 cruise ships in port today the population is almost doubled by the arrival of each tour bus.

The village of Peggy's Cove through
he bus windshield

Wild coast line

A seafarer memorial in Peggy's cove.

More wild coastline

Before the tour started I had gone out before Gerri and Neva and found a nearby cache.  This was my first cache in Nova Scotia.  I have now done caches in 6 of Canada’s 10 provinces and 1 of its 3 territories.

Back at the ship, I took the computer to the Internet café to complete our computer chores.  Gerri went with me and Neva went to appointment with the ship’s doctor.  The doctor extended the antibiotics for her and is to continue daily visits to cleanse and evaluate her wound since she is very slow to heal. 

At 7:15 Gerri and I went to see a comedian, Tom Briscoe, appearing in the Princess Theater.  After the show we met Neva in the Palm dining room.

After diner we went back to our cabin and we were in for the night.

Thursday October 15, 2015 At Sea Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia

Our tour started later today than yesterday so we slept in until 8.  We ordered our coffee and light breakfast from room service.  We couldn’t get an internet connection in the cabin.  Internet service had been spotty in the cabin, I called and was told that service in cabins on this ship was poor and would be better in public areas.  I carried the laptop and my iPad to the internet Café and caught up on yesterday’s computer chores.

At 11:50 we disembarked and met on shore for our tour.  Our tour for the day was, ironically. a boat cruise of the St. John River.  

There was a trolley ride to the marina.  The trolley ride took us through much of the city.  Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in North America.  We saw some new and old area.  

Neva and one of the tour guides

The trolley stopped for pictures at a park where we could see the “Reversing Rapids.”  This is where the river meets the ocean and in this part of the bay of Fundy there is a 28’ tide,  The tide was rising so the rapids were running up river.  The water was flowing rapidly with a lot of hydraulic action where the salt water was trying to sink below the lighter fresh water.

A pulp plant at reversing rapids

Our guide Pam

A landmark called the Boars Head, the snout has fallen off

A close up of one of the few remaing lighthouses

One of 60 covered bridges in New Brunswick

Gerir, me and Neva enjoying the ride

Bi lingual traffic signs

A longer view of the lighthouse

The boat cruise started at the Saint John’s Marina and took us around the shore area dotted with large homes.  We saw one eagle nest, the guide told us the eagle population is making a comeback.  We saw a couple of the remaining lighthouses on the river system and one of the 60 covered bridges remaining in New Brunswick.

On our return trip we again stopped at the reversing rapids.  The tide was now flowing out.  It was at about the same level  as it was on our first stop, only in the other direction.

We got back to cruise terminal at 2:20.  There was a cache on my list less than 400’ away.  I went and found it while Gerri and Neva  boarded the ship.  As I entered the terminal, Gerri called to remind me that all aboard time was 4 and that my watch was an hour slow.  Even with the wrong time I was back on board in plenty of time.

Gerri and Neva went to see the ship’s doctor at 4:30.  Neva is return again to see the doctor tomorrow for a cleansing of her wound.  The doctor is also to make a decision on whether to have her take another round of antibiotics.

Gerri and I went to the Captain’s Circle reception at 7:30.  The dress was supposed to be smart casual,  I wore slacks and a sports coat with a tie.  There were a  lot of people there dressed much more casually.  It wouldn’t surprise me if shorts are soon allowed in the dining room.

Neva and our waiters

We went to our regular dinner time and table.  The ladies from New Orleans were missing again tonight.  After dinner we went to the Crooners Lounge and listened to the piano player, David Williams, until after 11.  Back at the cabin I was quickly asleep.

In the Crooner's lounge

Wednesday October 14, 2015 At Sea Between Portland, ME and Saint John, New brunswick, Canada

A sailing ship that seemed to tour the
 harbor and sail past the Portland Head Light

We got up at 7 and ordered our breakfast and coffee.  Today we have a tour pf Portland, ME including visits to Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and the Portland Head Lighthouse.  Our tour meets at 9:10 in the Princess theater.  Our days are starting earlier as we progress on this cruise to Quebec City.

Zoomed in

We got to the theater just in time to start for the gangplank.  Even though we are docked there was a very long walk to the terminal and the buses.  Fortunately, the port authority had a courtesy shuttle for us elderly and the handicapped.  We met our tour guide and boarded the bus for the day.  This coach was a new Setra and was very nice with a very smooth ride.  Our driver Alice was very good at maneuvering the narrow streets.  The first part of the tour gave some history of the area.  Portland was a very important port during t

he 18^th century and was one of the largest cities in the colonies.  We were shown the homes of sea captains that have become condos.

On the way to the Portland Head Light we were shown some remains of forts that were built during the War of 1812 to defend the harbor.  The lighthouse and keepers cottage are reported to be the second most visited light house in the US and it is also one of the oldest.

The Portland Head Light

Another view of the Portland Head Light

Next we drove to Kennebunk, not to be confused with Kennebunkport which is across a bridge.  We had free time for lunch.  We went to the Pilot House which was adjacent to the parking lot.  We had the a rigor food for the area, lobster roll and clam chowder.  I should say that Gerri and I had that food.  Neva doesn’t care for lobster so she had fried shrimp.  I tried to find a nearby cache with no luck.  I hesitated to even try a 4.5 difficulty.

Neva's view of the lighthouse

Peak colors are here on some trees

After lunch we headed back to the ship.  Once on board, Gerri and Neva went directly to the cabin to get ready to make Neva’s appointment with the ships doctor.  I put in an explanation of geocaching for the shout out I had submitted yesterday.  Report from the doctor was that the wound was looking no worse, no temperature and vitals were good.  She is to come back again tomorrow for another checkup.

A regatta in the harbor

As we departed the harbor the sunlight played on the harbor making some interesting sights as we sailed away.  There was potential for a great sunset but the ship turned east away from the sunset.

We didn't get the name of this small fort

We had dinner at our usual time.  Tonight the ladies from New Orleans were not there again tonight.  I hope we didn’t lose them in Boston.  Neva and  had filet and shrimp and Gerri had seafood Skewers.  After diner I returned to the cabin and Gerri and Neva went to deck 7 to see the piano player at the Crooner’s Lounge.

I went to bed at 10:30, Gerri and her mom were up a little later.

Houses over looking the harbor

Tuesday October 13, 2015 At Sea Between Boston, MA and Portland, ME

We were up earlier than yesterday.  We ordered our coffee and breakfast from room service and caught up on some computer chores before leaving for our tour.  Since we were in port we were able to use the Verizon MiFi, although it was slow. 

Paul Revere

Our tour was scheduled to meet in the Princess Theater at 10:10 AM.  We debarked via the gang way on the 5^th deck and boarded the bus. Yesterday while I was waiting for the line to board the tender I saw a man I thought I knew.  Today he boarded the bus after we were seated.  It was indeed Burk Smith, a now retired FBI agent that I had worked with in Las Vegas.  Even more surprising they are in the cabin next to ours.

Inside the Old North Church

A Pew in the Old north Church

Barkers with the Smiths

Our tour was Boston highlights and then on to Concord and Lexington and then Harvard University.  The town tour cover sights and historically important places and events.  We had lunch at Quincy Hall near Faneuil Hall. While at lunch I walked to a nearby cache.

Walcott home

After Lunch we drove to Concord and stopped on the Common where our guide PJ gave a talk on the first meeting between colonial militiamen and British soldiers.  Then it was on to Lexington and another talk about the battle at the Old North Bridge.  Between Concord and Lexington we passed the homes of Louisa May Walcott, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Minuteman Statue

The Bridge where the "shot Heard round the World" was fired

John Harvard

At Harvard we visited the common surrounded by the freshman dormitories and other famous buildings. 

Home of the Harvard Lampoon

Turkeys on the street in Cambridge,
one is wild

The tour had involved quite a bit of walking and we were all tired when we got back to the ship. I went directly to our cabin.  Gerri and Neva went to visit the ship’s doctor to have her foot checked as we had been instructed by the doctor in New Jersey.  Her foot was red around the stitches and the ship’s doctor gave her new care instructions and wants to see her again tomorrow.

We went to our dinner at the regular time.  The ladies from New Orleans didn’t show up so we dined with just our family.

Monday October 12, 2015 At sea between Newport, RI and Boston, MA

We all slept well our first night at sea.  When we got up Gerri ordered our coffee and a light breakfast from room service.  They were very quick this morning.

We have started seeing some color changes

Our tour meets at the bus park on shore at 12:20.  Since we were tendering ashore we were ready by 10.  My having the walker and Neva having a cane we by passed the stairs and were taken down an elevator to the tender deck.  I was seated and the boat started moving away without my walker.  I got the crew’s attention in time.  Using the walker has the advantage that I have a seat with me when I need it.

We looked around the area and there were several shops and hotels near the dock.  The nearest cache was .3 miles away.  Too far to walk in the time we had.  We boarded the bus a few minutes later, Neva and I got front seats.  Our tour took us around the island where Newport is located.  In colonial times Newport was one of the largest cities in the colonies and an important port in the Triangle Trade; slaves from Africa to the West Indies, molasses from the West Indies to New England to be made in to rum.  Newport had 17 distilleries.  The British burned the town and Newport never recovered until the “Gilded Age” in the early 1900’s.

Typical Mansion

The land part of our tour took us passed numerous mansions that were built in the early part of the 20^th century when Newport was a sort of playground for the rich and famous.

The boat part of the tour gave us some better views of  the mansions from the water.  Also on the water tour we saw some of the 12 meter sailboats that helped make Newport famous for the America’s Cup.

Pell Bridge

Our tour guide

A mansion as seen from the water

Fort Adams, once the largest port
defense fort in North America

We tendered back to the ship at about 3:15.  We had snacks in the International Café and then rested for a while in our cabin before getting dressed for our first formal night.  We watched the champagne water fall being poured in the Piazza and then went to the dining room.

All of our table mates were there.  We had a pleasant time visiting while enjoying the meal.  After dinner we went back to the room.  I think I was the first asleep at about 10:40.