Hello? This is The Bridge.

“Hello? This is the Bridge.”

At Sea, July 27 & 28, 2019

Kushiro, Japan, July 29, 2019

As the captain promised, we sailed for two days parallel to the islands that stretch from the end of the Kamchatka peninsula towards Japan. Or we think we sailed parallel to the islands. We awoke on Sea Day 1 to the intermittent blast of the horn. Maritime law requires that in a fog with visibility of less than something I forget, a moving ship must sound a horn every two minutes so nearby ships are aware of another vessel.

The sea is calm which is always a good but you can’t see a thing! The fog is thick and with us for the entire two sea days. Our only real task was setting the clocks back again. One more hour back and we’ll be on Japanese time as will all the iPads and Phones that are beyond confused. 

But there is always a list of activities, movies, musical performances and on and on. And, for many, a chance to tuck away in a quiet corner read another book. Or work a jigsaw puzzle. There are several of those in the library with small groups quietly working away. I must confess that I have a jigsaw puzzle game on my phone which is such a good time waster.

The first foggy sea night Jim and I went to the special Japanese dinner prepared by the guest chef, Naomi Kakiuchi. She called it a Home-Style Japanese Washuku. Just one sitting, a 6 o’clock. And it was also a wine pairing dinner. They started us out with a Kir Royale. I’d forgotten how good those things are. Then on to the Amuse Bouche of a savory steamed egg custard studded with chicken and various vegetables. With a French rose. Just delicious. Our bouches were amused. 

Naomi explained every course and why the courses were served in a certain order and then the cellar master talked about the wine choices. It was all heavenly, especially the grilled Sablefish infused with sake and miso. It was ethereal. Naomi assured us we could make it at home,  took  our email addresses and promised to send the recipes. That’s the mystery of the dish. It seems so easy but you just know the ingredient list is endless and half of the stuff isn’t in your neighborhood Publix. Every once in a while one of the vegetables on the plate would be in the shape of a little star. We asked Naomi who cut them and she said, “I did.” Then she told us it was a gizmo like a cookie-cutter, available in a range of shapes on Amazon! (Already in my Amazon cart with the fancy ice ball and cube making machine that Marty told me about. I do love a clear cube.)

Remember this is a wine pairing for each course. Five courses, five wines and the lads are generous with the topping off everyone’s glass. The volume and gaiety in the room seems to be wracheting up a notch with every glass.

We all took it easy the next day.

But then about 5 o’clock our stateroom phone rang. That phone never rings. 

Me: Hello?

Other person: Hello? This is The Bridge.

Holy #$%&! It was like being called to the principal’s office. What did we do? Or didn’t do?

He was calling because there was an alert that the smoke alarm in our cabin had been activated. Once again, Holy #$%&. Nothing was plugged in to our outlet (note singular—the classic HAL ships have one American outlet on the desk/vanity and one European under the same desk/vanity that I couldn’t reach on a bet.), the TV wasn’t on, I was just reading a NYT Sunday magazine from last May. The officer said that sometimes steam from the shower activated the alarm and he would reset it at The Bridge.

Then I braced myself for a knock on the door and three guys standing there in fire-fighting mufti, fire extinguishers at the ready. But the problem was solved with a switch flipped somewhere and we got down to the paperwork required to enter Japan.

We all need: Passport, ship key card, immigration form, customs form. Tomorrow when we dock, we will all be required (whether going ashore or staying on board) to meet the Japanese inspectors for face to passport examination, fingerprints of both hands AND a facial photograph. AND they will punch a hole in our ship key card. It’s comparable to a stamp on your hand for re-entry into a show or club. Pretty simple solution to know who’s been cleared and who hasn’t. We’re not quite sure why the prints and photo. Not being on the lamb from the law I agreed to both. When you do leave the ship, all bags will be inspected for fruit or vegetables. 

Sunday night was the last Gala Night of this leg of our trip. We sat with people from Maine and San Diego. Maine people approved of our choice years ago of buying a lobster roll and (best ever) ginger ale from a food truck in a Portland park. Maine man had a slick cane with a silver head. He bought the head and turned the stick from a piece of wood he found. San Diego Allison is a professional organist who plays the big one in Balboa Park in SD. Her husband was an oncology research guy. Everything he said went w.a.y. over my head, but Maine lady, a retired microbiologist, seemed to think he was doing important work so I nodded occasionally as if I understood it all. Sometimes that’s the secret to a successful dinner table experience; keep your mouth full and nod.

As sunset approached the fog finally began to lift and we could actually see the setting sun. The water was soft and rippley, reflecting the colors of the sky. A living impressionist painting.

Everyone perked up when the fog horn finally stopped and the blue sky appeared.