On the Pursuit - The Kimberley Coast, Indonesia & PNG - and a really keen choo-choo train!

[shark b8]

Maintenance guys have come to our suite for the third (fourth?) time, trying to get the temperature control unit to work.  This time the guy unscrewed the faceplate, messed with a few wires.  I asked if there was perhaps an electrical short somewhere, which caused the control unit to stop functioning, and he appeared to agree.  Let’s hope the “fix” lasts more than a few days, this time.

 

I do find it astonishing that, apparently, the thermostat is directly connected to the handle of the veranda door - second pic.  The door handle must be latched and locked (handle facing upwards) for the thermostat to work. This is presumably to make sure that the temp control is not working hard while the veranda door is standing open, but with the necessity of it being *locked*….that means, if one person wants to be in the suite and one person wants to be on the veranda while the temp control is heating/cooling, the person on the veranda will be *locked* out there, unable to freely come back in.  Just seems….odd to me.

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Maybe first time we’ve ever selected the dinner venue based on dessert listing - Colonnade has this:

 

CARAMELIZED HAWAIIAN MANGO AND CREAM CHEESE SHORT CAKE Malibu Anglaise and Banana Ice Cream

 

hmmmmm.  We shall see.  Your faithful Hawaiian scribe will earnestly and relentlessly search out the facts and report back.  

[highplanesdrifters]

Ohhhhh Shark B 8 - Have your forgotten the soup incident. 

[shark b8]

22 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Ohhhhh Shark B 8 - Have your forgotten the soup incident. 

 

never forget.   never forget.   🤭

[shark b8]

Ok, back to the real stuff.  The Raja Ampat area is generally considered among the most biodiverse areas of the world’s oceans.  These aerial (internet) photos give a better overall idea of where we are.  (Which is Misool Island)

 

 

[shark b8]

Zodiac exploration…

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

also, single cut lamb chops in The Restaurant, with Arabic spices (I think that’s what they said). -  really good.  We mostly think The Restaurant (on any given ship) is consistently good but maybe not so often great.  This one was a winner.

 

[shark b8]

”the Seabourn chef is shopping the seafood market.  run, little guy, run!”

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Pretty great.

 

 

[shark b8]

Welcoming committee on the beach.  Just in case your personal champagne level needed to be topped off.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 16 by shark b8

[Robisan]

8 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Welcoming committee on the beach.  Just in case your personal champagne level needed to be topped off.

 

 

 

 

It's the Seabourn Help! Champaign?! rescue team in action!

[highplanesdrifters]

13 hours ago, Robisan said:

It's the Seabourn Help! Champaign?! rescue team in action!

 

The most important team on the ship.😀

[shark b8]

On 8/15/2024 at 8:33 PM, shark b8 said:

Maybe first time we’ve ever selected the dinner venue based on dessert listing - Colonnade has this:

 

CARAMELIZED HAWAIIAN MANGO AND CREAM CHEESE SHORT CAKE Malibu Anglaise and Banana Ice Cream

 

hmmmmm.  We shall see.  Your faithful Hawaiian scribe will earnestly and relentlessly search out the facts and report back.  

 

Guess I didn’t follow up on this.  Well….first of all, my personal bias is that mangos are better than all the other fruit put together.  (Several months ago, I planted 5 different teeny-tree varietals in our back yard, to maximize the months of the year that fruiting will happen.  Two years from now, I’ll report back)

 

When mangos are tree-ripened with no fibers….just heavenly.  That said, to my way of thinking they’re a little like avocados - you have to wait patiently for them to be exactly ripe, and then they’re ripe for about an hour and a half, before they degrade in the other direction.  Anyway….wait, what was I saying?  Oh yeah, the dessert.  Meh. 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Saying goodbye to Raja Ampat.  It was pretty great.

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

*sigh*

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Galley tour with the Chef.

 

 

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

1 hour ago, shark b8 said:

When mangos are tree-ripened with no fibers….just heavenly.

 

You're speaking my language.  On tropical stops we have even sought out farmers markets to bring some on board.

 

1 hour ago, shark b8 said:

Saying goodbye to Raja Ampat.  It was pretty great.

 

Was there any snorkeling on offer. If so, how was it? Thanks.

[DTtravelers]

On 8/12/2024 at 9:50 AM, shark b8 said:

Unforced errors in the Colonnade.  Captain Sharkbait loves him some French onion soup, so that was ordered as a starter.

 

It arrived….

 

 

Hi shark b8.

 

Great new to share from Venture: French onion soup had both crouton AND Gruyère!!

 

Polee says to say hi.

 

They have strict rules about not petting them.  He was about 100 meters (yards) away from the zodiac.

[SLSD]

21 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Galley tour with the Chef.

 

 

 

 

 

I've enjoyed all of your posts!  And we have loved galley tours. 

[shark b8]

21 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Was there any snorkeling on offer. If so, how was it? Thanks.

 

Yep, we’re in synch on mangos.  Just the best.

 

Snorkeling in the Raja Ampat area was offered, but as it turned out, it was very windy for the days we were there. And of course windy = choppy seas = less than clear ocean conditions.  I saw lots of wonderful coral, both hard and soft, but it didn’t compare to the fancy schmantzy underwater pictures you’ll see, advertising the area.  We also, I’m quite sure, never went to the really pristine reef areas.  Understandably and wisely.  (Unfortunately, a high percentage of newbie-types were vertically-struggling and thrashing their fins into what’s below them).  Always a cost-benefit thing - maybe some people will newly get excited about the prospect of snorkeling or scuba, which would be a great thing, but the early lesson is learned at a bit of a cost to the reefs.

[shark b8]

4 hours ago, DTtravelers said:

 

They have strict rules about not petting them. 

 

Hahahaha, yes, I should think so.  I think the deal they’d make is…”If you pet me, I’ll eat your face.  OK?  Are we in agreement?”

 

GREAT photo - we saw a Mom & 2 cubs in Alaska but they were so far away.  Good for you to be so close!

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, shark b8 said:

 

Yep, we’re in synch on mangos.  Just the best.

 

Snorkeling in the Raja Ampat area was offered, but as it turned out, it was very windy for the days we were there. And of course windy = choppy seas = less than clear ocean conditions.  I saw lots of wonderful coral, both hard and soft, but it didn’t compare to the fancy schmantzy underwater pictures you’ll see, advertising the area.  We also, I’m quite sure, never went to the really pristine reef areas.  Understandably and wisely.  (Unfortunately, a high percentage of newbie-types were vertically-struggling and thrashing their fins into what’s below them).  Always a cost-benefit thing - maybe some people will newly get excited about the prospect of snorkeling or scuba, which would be a great thing, but the early lesson is learned at a bit of a cost to the reefs.

 

Thanks much for all the answers and details, very helpful.  I'm in the process of planning Indonesia for 2026. My research tells me  it will require several trips. 😃

 

I've had a few too many noodles and fins knock my snorkel mask. I feel for the coral.

[shark b8]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

I've enjoyed all of your posts!  And we have loved galley tours. 

 

Oh, SLSD - I’m ashamed to admit I’m only now catching up on your thread - I guess when we’re sailing I can go into tunnel-vision mode and only go back and forth on my own thread but…..so great to read your stuff, and hope the covid thing becomes the least important memory of your trip!

[SLSD]

10 minutes ago, shark b8 said:

 

Oh, SLSD - I’m ashamed to admit I’m only now catching up on your thread - I guess when we’re sailing I can go into tunnel-vision mode and only go back and forth on my own thread but…..so great to read your stuff, and hope the covid thing becomes the least important memory of your trip!

I'm the same Shark B8.  I'm just now catching up on your thread--and yours are always my favorites.  Our Covid was so minor and treated as such by the ship even after we reported it.  I call isolation for 36 hours with a sea day involved very minor!

[shark b8]

Lunch on deck at the Patio.  I killed a fly by smacking it with my fork.  First time for everything, I guess.  😝