Inside Passage, August 6

A nice calm day at sea. We slept late, grabbed a little breakfast, then eventually grabbed a little lunch. At various times we ran into Jim or Marcy. We had missed most of the close-in part of the Inside Passage in the morning, but through the afternoon and evening there were still enough islands farther out to keep the seas really smooth. Connie saw a pod of orcas. I, of course, did not. I have warned everyone that if they want to see whales, seals, dolphins, porpoises, otters or anything else that swims in the sea, they should go to the opposite side of the ship from where I happen to be. I never see anything of the sort as I am always on the wrong side. Pfui.

Jim and I met for a drink in the late afternoon. I had my ritual Myers rum and coke in honor of all my past and present cruising friends. Since I had a small sandwich for lunch, that one drink just about did me in.

We had an early dinner at Caneletto's which is the Italian Specialty restaurant along with Jim, Marcy and Matthew. It was a fine dinner with massive amounts of really superior garlic bread. Connie and I haven't had garlic bread that good since the summer of 1986 when we drove all the vampires out of Delaware with our own garlic butter recipe (those of you who were there will remember it well).

I must say, though, that I am disappointed in Holland America for the first time. The Zaandam is in really dire need of a major, major refit. She is only about 12 years old, but is tired and even grimy. Table tops warped and coming loose in the Lido restaurant. Wall papers and veneers coming loose elsewhere. Really grubby windows everywhere on public decks. Dirty corners in the public restrooms. Dated and tired upholstery and carpets. And, at least so far, the service personnel seems rather dispirited...not that the service is bad, but it hasn't been particularly cheerful as I've come to expect on the Prinsendam. And I am not the only one who has noticed these things, but I do certainly plan to be one of the ones who tell HAL about it.