DAY 92 - AT SEA - APRIL 29, 2010

WE CHOOSE TO GET UP EARLY TODAY TO AVOID THE CHAOS IN THE BUFFET AFTER THE MORNING EXERCISE. I SHOULDN’T MISLEAD YOU, IT WAS A DRILL. WHEN WE LEAVE MUSCAT TOMORROW NIGHT WE HEAD TOWARD THE GULF OF ADEN, THE PIRATE AREA WE HAVE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

WHEN THE BRIDGE ANNOUNCED CODE PAPA SIERRA ALL PASSENGERS WERE TO STOP WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND HEAD STRAIGHT TO THEIR CABIN. WE HADTO KEEP THE DOOR PROPPED OPEN, AND, FOR THOSE PASSENGERS WITH BALCONIES, DRAW THE CURTAINS AND STAY AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS. THE STAFF TOOK HEAD COUNTS BY CABIN. ONLY ONE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE FOR MISSING PEOPLE OR AN EMPTY CABIN. OVER ALL THE CAPTAIN WAS VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE RESULTS. ALL 670 PASSENGERS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR IN JUST FOURTEEN MINUTES.

THERE HAS BEEN EXTRA SECURITY OVER THE LAST FIVE DAYS. THERE ARE STAFF MEMBERS STATIONED ON DECK 11, FRONT AND BACK, KEEPING A CONSTANT WATCH ON THE HORIZON. WE SHALL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AS WE STILL HAVE THREE MORE DAYS AT SEA. WE WILL HOWEVER, GET THROUGH THE GULF OF ADEN TOMORROW, PASSING BOTH YEMEN AND SOMALIA ON OUR WAY TO SAFAGA, EGYPT.