At this time of year I am all too aware that time (and Leave) is passing too fast.  It’s approximately 2 weeks before I and Karen begin to think about packing suitcases, getting all the tasks (that we have been putting off for far too long), completed and gradually getting back into the ‘zone’ of another Grand World Voyage and all that it involves, (including writing these posts).

Not that I haven’t been busy; spending time in Europe, (Netherlands and U.K.).  The ‘Netherlands’ refers to Training courses.  I (and many others) are continually required to update our qualifications.  The Carnival Group of companies have a Training centre just outside Amsterdam, in the city of Almere. I’m a frequent visitor to the establishment, as are hundreds of fellow officers from the Group Lines.  

My particular course involved being exercised in Emergency procedures; Loss of propulsion, steering, fires and suchlike.  They all occur at the most inopportune times, (but of course  🙄 ) and require the Bridge team to react accordingly.  Bridge Resource Management is the official term.

This is done on a simulator and very realistic too, I may add.  They are so realistic that one finds oneself processing events as if one was on the Bridge of a ship, the attendant increase in heart rate,  sweating palms ever present.  The purpose being to assess the Bridge team’s reaction and how they work.  My rank dictated that I was always in ‘charge’ and therefore had the burden of directing and organising teams to react.  After a week of this I found myself finding no challenge in sleeping, each day involving 8-9 hours of simulations and critique.

The photos below were not taken during the exercises; (one hasn’t time to manage that).  They were taken during a lull in the proceedings and the instructor kindly ran a brief simulation for me (and therefore, you  🙂 ) The programmer obviously had a sense of humour, a convoy of Carnival Group vessels were passing south through the Tongass Narrows as our vessel headed north. 

The ‘control centre’, where the exercises are loaded into the simulator

The Sim, empty at the moment,

A ‘convoy’ of Carnival Group ships pass in the Tongass Narrows, Ketchikan AK

2 Princess vessels are docked on berths 1 & 2 Ketchikan

I could not complete this post without updating you on ‘family’.  Violet, Emily and Olly are growing up fast, communication is improving  🙂  and the girls are nattering away in understandable phrases.  Olly is excelling at school and loves every minute of it.

Emily with her calculator

The girls together

Violet and Liz with Santa

Sam and Emily with Santa

No-one is going to get their biscuits!

Gramps with Violet and her new hat.

Olly’s school Nativity play, Olly centre back

I look forward to posting during our travels around the globe and wish you and your loved ones, a Happy and Joyous Christmas and a prosperous, healthy 2016.