Copper10-8

Hi Lenda; Yes, the Mississippi sounds inviting, especially the northern portion going up to, or from St. Louis/St. Paul, and also the music cruises visiting Memphis and Nashville

Hi Pete; I worked for HAL for almost 8 years as a ship security officer and was extremely fortunate to have worked one full and two partial grand world voyages. Great memories and awesome people to have worked with! I miss the camaraderie the most Yes, Capt. Albert "Appie" Schoonderbeek's latest book is one excellent read!

Hi Ann; always good to hear from you. We finished our first ever river cruise - down river the mighty Columbia River from Clarkston, Idaho to Portland, Oregon a couple of weeks ago. Awe inspiring with outstanding scenery! A very positive experience so much so that we booked another one for next year 😉 All the best to Pat, please give him Maria and my regards and best wishes!

This is a legit pic of USAF Thunderbirds pilot Captain Chris Stricklin ejecting from his F-16C Falcon aircraft (Thunderbird No. 6, the opposing solo aircraft) at the airshow at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho on September 14, 2003. Capt. Stricklin suffered only minor injuries from his ejection. This incredible pic was taken by an Air Force photographer standing on the observation deck of the Mountain Home control tower. No one on the ground was hurt! Chris Stricklin, now a Colonel, is still in the Air Force and is the vice commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale AFB, CA Here's the story https://www.ejectionsite.com/thunderbird6.htm

Hoi Tony, met mij gaat het goed, hoop ook met jou? Het beste! 😉 / Hi Tony, I'm doing good. hopefully you are also! All the best!

These incredibly tough men, and now also women, are called rescue swimmers because that is their MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) in the USCG, officially Aviation Survival Technician! Swimmer because these are the individuals who jump from their helicopter into the ocean to rescue drowning victims, persons stranded at sea, pilots who have had to leave their stricken aircraft over water, etc. They're also the ones who get lowered by hoist from their helicopter down to mountains, cliffs, glaciers, etc. under all sorts of inclement weather conditions or, as was the case here, down to a cruise ship to get a passenger, or crew member, off that ship and to a medical facility ashore. In order to become a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard, they have to successfully pass and complete one of the toughest training courses in the US military (and I'm saying that as a US Marine Corps veteran), the 24-week Aviation Survival Technician/Rescue Swimmer School in Elizabeth City, NC. I've added some more pics of actual medevacs by rescue swimmers from HAL ships that I worked on, and assisted with. On HAL ships, the security officer is also the rescue team leader as a collateral assignment so we work all medevacs when they occur Here's a 9-minute video of some of the aspects of that school

Great pic, although those are our cousins, the Red Arrows, from Britain's much older Royal Air Force 😉 Here ya go!

Good morning all! Just a bit of a different look at Noordam's stern from the perspective of a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, AK being lowered for a medical evacuation/Medevac in Chatham Strait

Bodo, the town and the military air base on the top! It is the capital of Norland County and can be found just north of the Artic Circle. Not too many cruise lines offer it as a stop however, Norwegian coastal ferry service/cruise line Hurtigruten does on it northbound and southbound routes on both Kong Harald and Nordkapp Two shots of Bodo hovedflystasjon / Bodo Military Air Station

Ha, my lovely wife Maria and I took up Yoga three weeks ago at the local Y! Interesting concept! 😉

Gotta be some of Canada's best, Gerrie! Wayne Gretzky (although I think he was part of the torch relay), Chris Hadfield, and Celine Dion would have fit in nicely in that group and, I'm sure there are others! But there's not always space for everyone

Carrying the Olympic flag (front right) at the Vancouver, BC 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Yes Sir, and more specifically the currents, which can be strong at times, requiring tug boat assistance for departing/arriving cruise ships, as well as being able to sail under the Laviolette Bridge at Trois-Rivieres (three rivers) and the Quebec and Pierre Laporte bridges, west of Quebec City

Thanks! 🙂

A later than originally listed departure time for "operational reasons" does not affect boarding of new pax. That completely depends on the disembarkation process of the pax of the voyage before you and the turnaround time needed by the HK stewards and galley crew. Boarding time in Montreal for the OP and fellow "incoming" pax will still be the same as originally listed. Enjoy that Montreal to Boston voyage!

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Zaandam ten meters to come ahead for good position

About to take her berth in between Quantum and Miracle, out of view, out of mind

So yes, correctamundo! Zaandam is named after a pretty city located on the river Zaan north of Amsterdam. And yes, the "Zaanse Schans" working windmills is a major tourist attraction! The current Zaandam is the third ship in HAL's long history that bears the name of that city Zaandam I ((1882-1897) Zaandam II (1938-1942) Zaandam III (2000-present)

Port agent Ryan is happy with Quantum's position, no blockages of shell doors and gangways

Zaandam about to enter the port proper