a life on the ocean stave

Thursday 24th May 2007

5:22 p.m. GMT I am sitting typing this in my cabin having just done my first two nights aboard the Pride of Rotterdam, the other of the two P&O ships covering the Hull to Rotterdam route. My first couple of nights went quite well, although the first night was a bit of a struggle, as is often the case, the sound system wasn’t performing as well as I could have hoped, but I spent an hour yesterday sorting it out and it is sounding pretty good now.

Saturday 26th May 2007

11:06 a.m. It seems I ended my last entry rather abruptly, I think I ran out of time! As you’d probably be able to work out from the dates I have done another round-trip since then, but I’ll try and carry on from where I left off…

I have several new songs in my repertoire since my last contract, which I have been including in my sets since coming on-board. During the first round-trip I played I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) by the Billy Taylor Trio (more commonly known as the theme tune to the BBC’s Film programme), Better Be Home Soon by Crowded House, The Way You Look Tonight (old jazz standard), and during the last round-trip I also played Handbags and Gladrags by the Stereophonics, She’s Always A Woman To Me by Billy Joel, and Unforgettable, another jazz ballad. I’ve got several more new songs in the pipeline.

Generally the audiences have been a bit reticent during the week, but last night was probably the best so far. There were several attentive groups and couples sat nearby throughout the evening, and I had many requests.

As it is early summer the sea has generally been very calm, with the only exception being some slight movement during the first few hours of last night’s crossing. As before when I was on the Hull, we don’t leave until later (usually 9pm from Hull, and up to 10:15 p.m. from Europort), and I hear that we tend to arrive around 7am each morning, not that I have ever been up to witness that!

Gareth is resident Entertainments Manager on this ship, although he is currently on a week’s break (he got off after I had done just one round-trip), so the new relief Ent’s manager Marie (who coincidentally is also from Nottingham) is covering.

During my induction on Thursday we were taken up to the bridge, which seemed even more high-tech than the one on the York.

Apparently the Seafarer’s Mission on the port has been closed, hence why it has taken me longer than expected to update my blog. In a moment I am going to investigate to see if their wireless network is still operational. If not I think I will either have to go hunting for hot-spots this afternoon!

12:16 p.m. Update: the Seafarer's Mission is indeed closed, but their wireless network still appears to be very much operational, hence how I have managed to publish this! No jaunt into town necessary.