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February 8,9,10, 2012 – Across the Pacific toward Easter Island

February 8,9,10, 2012 – Across the Pacific toward Easter Island

Day 34, 35, 36

The rough seas are over and we are looking forward to smooth sailing westward – nothing but blue skies and rainbows on our way to Easter Island.

As I have mentioned there is a huge contrast between sea days and port days – and thus it is reflected in this blog. Port days are filled with sightseeing and tours and a plethora of photo opportunities. Sea days are filled with enjoyable, but less photogenic activities – reading on the deck, attending lectures, playing cards, etc – not the most exciting photo material.

However, there are some opportunities for interesting subjects at sea, also. For example, Sally took the Galley tour, and found it most interesting.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

She gathered some interesting information from the tour. The galley, from one location, supports most of the dining venues on the ship. I say most of them, because the Terrace Grill, next to the pool, cooks its own fare – hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and a Mexican buffet. The food in the Lido (the casual buffet on deck 8), the main dining room (on decks 4 & 5) and the specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill on Deck 5, is all cooked in the main galley, which is in the center of the ship on deck 4.

The Pinnacle Grill – Elegant Dining

I think some preparation or cooking is done on the deck 8 Lido, but I am not sure how much. The crew Galley is located next to the crew quarters on deck A. No matter where it is prepared, there is an enormous amount of food stored and prepared on this ship. Here are a few of the weekly statistics:

Meat 8500 lbs, poultry 4000 lbs, fish 2000 lbs, butter 1100 lbs, fresh vegetables 12000 lbs, potatoes 4500 lbs, 18000 eggs, rice (for crew) 2100 lbs, flour 2900 lbs, ice cream 200 gallons. PER WEEK! No wonder we all gain weight on these things.

The Executive Chef has 92 employees, including 15 with a “chef” title, 4 bakers, 6 pastry cooks, 2 butchers, 19 assistant cooks, 16 pantry workers, and 22 stewards.

 

Mutiny on the Bounty. As we are headed across the South Pacific, it was most appropriate for the showing of Mutiny on the Bounty in the movie theater. I am sure I saw it in the sixties when it first came out, but I had forgotten it entirely, and it was most enjoyable. The next day the lecturer, Revell Carr included a section in his talk on Pacific exploration which compared the movie to historical fact. The differences were:

  1. Fletcher Christian (Marlon Brando) was not forced on Bligh – he was actually a protégé of Bligh’s and had sailed with him on several voyages.
  2. Christian was not a “foppish gentleman” as portrayed in the movie; he was a hardworking seaman, the son of an attorney.
  3. There was no abuse of the crew on the outward bound leg of the journey.
  4. The primary cause of the mutiny was not the mistreatment of the crew after leaving Tahiti, it was a rift between Christian & Bligh, aggravated by the crews’ desire (and perhaps Christian’s)to continue the idyllic life they had enjoyed on shore in Tahiti for 5 months.
  5. Christian didn’t die immediately on Pitcairn Island; he lived for 3 years and fathered several children with his Tahitian wife. He died in a mutiny attempt by the Tahitian men they had brought with them. Several of his descendants live on Pitcairn today.

Tomorrow – Easter Island – Home of the funny looking statues.

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