STILL HERE

 Thats us chilling at breakfast, we have a nice spot at the back of the boat. Captain Leo tells us little aphorisms from his grandfather during his daily talk. I noticed that when the going gets tough, grandfather doesn't appear, recently granddad has been ever present - good news. We are the only Celebrity ship at sea with passengers, yesterday we received video messages from crew of sister ship Equinox, wishing us all the best. I have never seen such a level of ship cleaning since we have been on board. Even the walls are regularly scrubbed, the seats must get cleaned 4 or 5 times a day. Everything appears spotless. The cabin man has a different cloth set for every cabin. Still no flights. Entertainment is now produced fresh from the entertainment staff we have on board. We haven't had a repeat show or lecture in 27 days.

POLLYWOG OR SHELLBACK?

That is the question. We were already Shellbacks, but now everyone else on board are also since 9:45 this morning. That is when we crossed the equator. Sailors use those names to refer to people who have not, or have crossed the equator & paid tribute to God Neptune. We held the ceremony of kissing the fish at the swimming pool, we had done it before & it was so crowded we went for strawberry daiquiris to pay our tribute. It worked, the sea's been really calm. We called in at Manta, Ecuador to pick up some medication and drop off a heart attack passenger. All passed relatively smoothly and we have been sailing steadily north, still expecting to arrive in San Diego on Monday 30 March. This is now the longest we have been at sea without going ashore - some 11 days. Saw our old compatriot, Azamara Pursuit in the distance. Celebrity have been trying to arrange flights for us when we get to USA. Some bad news for 170 of us who won't be getting off but are going back to Mexico. I can only guess that these are folks who don't meet US entry requirements.

DOLPHIN DAYS

Yesterday was work day, I spent most of trying to sort out the disaster that is the remainder of our trip - cancelling hotels, car hires, speaking with trip organisers, the whole nine yards. Today was day of rest, up later, leisurely breakfast, lecture on the battle of the Atlantic, paying tribute to the health workers around the world then after lunch a restful lounge on our balcony. It's nice warm & sunny and our doze was interrupted by a large dolphin school (see, they're not all shut down) several hundred, all spinning and jumping & putting on a show for us. Just to calm down we had to have strawberry daiquiris. Our captain Leo always gives us one of his grandfather's anecdotes. Today was, don't forget Leo, you are very special, just like everyone else.

GOOD NEWS VIEW

Well, we're finally off. That's us powering 22 knots away from Chile, after 6 days enforced stay. We found it difficult to get the medical supplies required for the journey home. Apparently we are making a stop at Manta, Ecuador(I think) to pick up medication. I gather it is insulin that is needed. Captain Leo advises we should arrive in San Diego on 30 March. Fingers crossed. So far we are still well & handsomely provisioned & entertained.

ECLIPSE THEME SONG

Otis sings...

Sittin' in the morning sun
I'll be sittin' when the evening comes
Watching the ships roll in
Then I watch them roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' in Valparaiso Bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
I'm just sittin' in Valparaiso Bay
Wastin' time

I left my port in B.A.
Headed for San Antonio Bay
Cuz I've had nothing to sail for
And look like nothing's gonna come my way

So, I'm just gon' sit in Valparaiso Bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
I'm sittin' in Valparaiso Bay
Wastin' time

Looks like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same, listen

Sittin' here resting my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone, listen
Two thousand miles I roam
Just to make this port my home, now

I'm just gon' sit in Valparaiso Bay
Watchin' the tide roll away, ooh
Sittin' in Valparaiso Bay
Wastin' time

LIMBO...

that's the land, not the dance. Well we sailed up from San Antonio to Valparaiso once we were not allowed to enter harbour. We have dropped anchor, but are still not allowed to dock. All the Chileans got off. You can see the guard boat keeping an eye on us. The Azamara Pursuit in the same situation has been following us around. I hear they're on their way to Miami. Because we are not docked, refueling a provisioning is all from barges which a difficult & slow process. To make things worse our provisions were in the wrong port & it has been slow getting them transfer & customs cleared. This has been  going on for 2 days but the captain announced this should be complete overnight and we should set sail to San Diego USA, where we have permission to dock. What happens when we get there is anyone's guess. Bussed to airport & straight on evacuation plane or quarantine on Alcatraz. There is a sort of wildness on board with lots of odd costumes - it's certainly very lively.

WHAT NEXT........?

Well, no sign of us getting off. The Captain reports he is preparing to sail elsewhere. Meanwhile mood on ship is good, food hasn't run out yet, the drinks are all free, the internet is free, entertainment continues while the rest of the world has gone nuts. It has the feeling of Nevil Shute's book On The Beach. Weather's good, sea's calm, what more could you ask. (Perhaps I could dance a bit better)

HELL IN A HANDBASKET

B2Backers lost their run to San Diego, the ship cruised up to San Antonio, we were due for early off for city tour and then airport drop off. Rudely awoken by Captain on tannoy advising the ship had been denied entry to the port & we had been circling the port since 2:30 while negotiations were conducted. I then received email saying Peru was cancelled, the gov FCO said no travel to & from Peru & USA, our next destinations, Hong Kong was to put us in 14 day quarantine as was Australia. Japan seems OK, just can't get there! Free booze, WiFi & phone to get things sorted, let's see what tomorrow brings. One woman went trekking in Puerto Montt yesterday & fractured her wrist. Off to clinic, then Santiago for flight home. Now that's what you call a lucky break

TURMOIL WITH A CAPITAL TEE

Yesterday, Puerto Montt, today turmoil. We started off with bucketing rain that cancelled our tour up the the volcano and waterfalls, road washed out. So after some debate on the coach we went for the alternative of German village, town of roses and the fish market. All were great. We had coffee & German kitchen in the village which had been founded by Germans I'm the 19th century. Lutherans in a catholic country - wow! It was very nice there with an opera house on the banks of the massive lake, 50 klicks wide with the volcano on the opposite bank, but invisible in the cloud. I think it is really a Chilean marketing ploy, it doesn't really exist. The town of roses, Vargas was also very scenic, but the real star was the fish market. This was the proper job, local fishing boats quality fish, smokers, massive shell fish & they were selling veg - monster garlic & potato varieties you will not have seen before. All in all a lovely place. The turmoil, that's for tomorrow, cruise cancelled for b2backers ...turmoil.

CHILEAN FJORDS

Couple of sea days cruising through the fjords. It is quite scenic, but also desolate. We have seen no sign of life for 2 days apart from the entertainers. The clients all seem pretty exhausted. We have seen glaciers, icebergs, rainbows & the odd albatross. We have been staggering around the dance floor, learning tango t.a.n.g.o. merengue & chacha. Lin wants to do them all at the wedding with the sons-in-law, what do think? Tomorrow, we are up early for a tour, & we're tired now!

GLACIERS BY THE BUCKET

Left Ushuaia to cruise along the Beagle Channel, a narrow water passage that takes you to the Pacific without having to round the Horn. It has very treacherous, sudden strong winds called the weeweewind. I understand this 'cos when I get bad wind I weewee! It's the old age you know. Sailed past 5 glaciers, not on Alaskan scale but pretty spectacular. Fancy night tonight. Been meeting interesting people - US naval intelligence officers - NY cop - millionaire Miami property developer who sings on other cruise ships.

PUNTA ARENAS

Now in Chile, weather still wonderfull. Nice town but looks in the grip of a massive recession with all the shops & banks boarded up. They're actually open but boarded against the rioting that's going on on Chile. Walked around the town visiting Sarah Braun's swanky house. She was a German who came here in 19th century, married & made a fortune. Funny place, the statue behind us is a national hero, Bernard O'Higgins. You remember we got 50% off tits in Montevideo, well in PArenas we got 2 for 1 on Corona. I took my virus in & got 2 to take back on board. Everyone is twitchy, we have a Princess ship in port with us.

USHUAIA

We're at the end of the world, the southernmost city. We are so far South that when at sea south of Cape Horn, the GPS on the phone wouldn't work properly, it kept saying I was in Alaska. Ush is a really nice town in the foothills of the Andes. The weather has been brilliant, we expected high wind like the 50mph we had at sea the night before, but it is sunny & warm. Why am I lugging all this cold weather gear about? Went on a Spooner Tour around the town ending in a museum that was formerly a recidivist's penal colony. All the bad boys were shipped down Buenos Aires, bit like an Argentinian Botany Bay. Nice place that had art, local history, & Antarctic stuff as well as prison history. That guy we are standing next to is big feet Mexican Pete - you see Linda has the prison uniform on. I didn't think they were going to let her out. Hope nobody gets a cold on board, they may quarantine all the b2b guests in San Diego. That little ship in front of us is our next cruise in October.

END OF THE WORLD

We are down at Cape Horn, the scene of numerous disasters, especially under sail. There is  lighthouse, a weather station and a sculpture of albatross. It's very bleak here. We saw albatross, there are a lot circling the ship. I am the ancient mariner. I have to say it is hell & dangerous down here - the shampoo was a little warm for Lin & we were down wind of La Boreal, a French ship - you could see Corona virus drifting in the wind. Off to dinner & then Ushuaia - bless you!

PUERTO MADRYN

Back in Argentina but way south now after 2 days sailing - there are penguins & whales here. Spent a leisurely day in town & at local museum in a beautiful position looking over the town out to sea. Not much to do here, all the tours take you on a 2 hour drive to get the national park. Not for us. Seems a lot of the town fought in the Falklands, they were repatriated on the Canberra. That giant squid is for Leo to see. Now got 2 days at sea to get around the Horn.

PUNTE DEL ESTE

Still in Uruguay, PDL is a very upmarket seaside town. Great, fine sand beaches, lots of public artwork, good pedestrian & cycle paths all around the town. Very laid back with nice beach bars which we took advantage of. Moored long way out, 20 minutes on the tender.