Dateline:

NCL Majesty 200 miles off the coast of the continental US, at the latitude of New York, returning to Boston, having spent the last week sailing to Bermuda and now back to Beantown.

I am currently pretty astonished that I am able to log this entry right now, right here, on a cruise ship computer (the 4 computers which go online, plus the other 3 which do in-house stuff, are all in a small, stuffy room on deck 2, right next to international mess. You pay $20 for a card which has user numbers on it alllowing you to log on, and the rate is 10cents per/min).

I'm sailing for just one week - down to Bermuda and back. A nice getaway/working vacation. I've been really feeling the need to get out of New York and enjoy a change of pace.

I have not done a cruise ship in 5 years (I'm playing bass in the Majesty showband) and communication was always limited to long awaited letters or expensive phone calls in port.

Consider that I am on a vessel which is currently slicing northwesterly through the Atlantic at 20 knots and am able to post this blog in real time on the web. My how things have changed!

One timely benefit of this technology today was the ability to check the blog of my brother Clyde who lives not far outside of Ft Myers, Fl which is today beginning the cleanup after Hurricane Charley just blew through there last night. They're saying it's the worst storm to hit there in 40 years.

I was watching the footage and updates on CNN here on board (we get CNN, ESPN, TNT, and some movies), and it seemed bad. It was a helpless feeling of not being able to contact them until I searched out this internet option.

(Its especially ironic that such a rare storm would hit now because Monika and I are going down to Ft Myers in a week to visit Dad and Clyde and take some vacation.)

Clyde had indeed been writing about it on his blog up to about 3:00pm yesterday - just before it hit. Concerned, I emailed Monika and had her call Dad and Clyde and confirm that they are ok.

I just heard back from her and evidently they are alright.

Many things to touch on. A great week (well, ok, 3 days) in Bermuda. Its an amazing island with an equally amazing history. More later.