Singapore from a distance

Yesterday, we arrived in Singapore harbor just before daybreak.  This was a bunkering stop (taking on fuel) and the rumor was that this is one of the top fuel stops for tankers in the world, with high quality fuel.  We spent most of the day here with two bunkering tugs while anchored outside Singapore.

We also got a load of supplies and equipment as well as a couple of new crew members who nimbly climbed on from a "cast" boat.

One item that came aboard was a Singapore Newspaper that announced a heightened terrorist alert for tanker ships.  That probably explained the Coast Guard cutter that cruised  back and forth around the ship while we were stopped.  More were seen as we left. 

This was all great to watch in the early morning and at lunch, but we had classes and work to attend to as well as a few activities.

 

Saturday night is the opening ceremony for the "Sea Olympics" where the various seas (or sections of the decks) on the ship will be competing in various sports like synchronized swimming, tug of war, wheel barrow races, etc.  The faculty/staff team, aka "the sea monkeys" will field our own team, and I think our six-year old has a lock on the limbo.

 

Each team is creating its own banner which will be judged.  The housekeeping folks seemed a little concerned about the painting, but they have done this before and were ready with plastic to cover the floor.

 

The joke on this one is that, early on in the voyage, we were taught that we are on a ship--not a boat--so when anyone says "boat" in a presentation, they get corrected by the shipboard community.  Our consular folks learned that lesson in the Vietnam pre-port.

 

This is an important academic stretch of the voyage when faculty get a week without interruption of a port to teach and give exams.  I watched a lot of papers getting finished up in the library, and people were up earlier working and spending deck time studying.  And, the chef recognized the pressure and had raspberry sherbet for dessert last night.  The steward who was serving realized that a lot of people were taking two helpings, so he started putting two scoops in every bowl.  Things just get better and better.