The Sail Away Party was in full swing, the Captain had announced that all were aboard and we were just waiting for the pilot. 5.00pm came and went, 5.15pm and still no sign of the ship departing. 5.30pm the Captain announced that the ship’s agent had forgotten to tell the pilot we were leaving this evening and so he had gone home!! It took another hour before another pilot could be found and he had a 40-minute drive to get to the port so in the end we left at 8.00pm with a none too pleased Captain and since it was dark by this time we were deprived of a spectacular sail out through ‘The Narrows’ entrance to St. John’s harbour.
As I write this last posting we are about halfway back across the North Atlantic with a Depression following us but not causing us too much trouble. On the whole an interesting cruise and I am still in love with Canada well at least the Maritime Provinces and British Columbia but with the exception of Quebec City I am not so keen to return to French Canada and certainly not to Montreal but I would still like to take the Trans-Canada train and see Toronto and Ottawa.Although everywhere we have been we have received a very warm welcome, and clearly the ports along the St Lawrence are working very hard to redevelop their economies away from pulp and paper making to tourism.
I must not forget that our journey began via Kinsale andthat has wetted my appetite to explore Ireland in more depth and in particular southern Ireland.
It is a pity we had to miss out so many ports to avoid the hurricane but better safe then sorry.
My most memorable image – the sail back past Quebec City on a sparking early autumn morning with the maples just beginning to show their autumn hues.
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