October 12, 2024

Sea Day - Friday October 11th

Sea Days are great ones to catch up on things - sleep, paperwork, blog, to do list...etc. We are still skirting the edges of Hurricane Kirk as we sail south in the Atlantic Ocean from the Bay of Biscay. Earlier today we were hit with wind gust up to 55 knots and 15 foot waves, was a tad bumpy ride and breakfast was noticeably quiet. Now the sun's out and waves calmer. 

WOW! Last night around 2am we hit a patch of rough water and wind that had the ship rocking!! My TV was swinging out over the bed and banging on the wall from side to side. I quickly used my newly purchased bungee cords ( to hold my balcony door )  to tie it down. 

(see below)  Then I thankfully got back to sleep hearing the one in the next door room, bash against my adjoining wall. We also had a brief patch where the wave would lift my head off the pillow, and you had to figure out if you stayed up waiting for the pillow to come to you or if you lowered to meet it. Thank goodness I fell back to sleep, so I don't think it lasted long. Others talked about their dresser draws opening and closing, and bathroom doors swinging out. Farewell KIRK! We awoke to beautiful weather in Lisbon, Portugal.

SHIP SHENANIGANS - CLUE PARTY

By Pat Patrick • September 16, 2026
It's never a dull Sea Day on the Odyssey! We have such creative residents, that are always coming up with new ideas to entertain ourselves and have a good time. This plot was the calculating of Eddie and Michelle - a Game of Clue! The rules were simple - find the party venue at 8:30 pm, come dressed as a character, weapon or room from the game and solve the mystery of who stole the Ship's bell.

TERRACOTTA ARMY - XI'AN, CHINA

By Pat Patrick • September 16, 2026
In March of 1974, some local farmers outside Xi'An, China are digging a well and accidentally hit one of the great archaeological sites in the World! They were paid one day's wages for the find, roughly 4 USD! The Terracotta Army was dubbed the 8th Wonder of the World by France's President in 1980 when he came to visit and wanted to meet the farmers, the oldest was then, 89 years old.

XI'AN, CHINA - WALLED CITY

By Pat Patrick • September 15, 2026
Xi'An, China has been on my must do list , for awhile. The story of the Terracotta Army has fascinated me, since I first heard it. What I didn't know too much about, was the actual City of Xi'An and the walled inner City that remains today. It was built from 1370 to 1378 during the Ming dynasty on top of the older Tang dynasty foundations. There are 9 miles of City walls, they are 39' high, 45' to 50' wide at the top and 55' to 60' at the base. There are four main gate towers and the only draw bridge restored is at the South Gate. There are 98 ramparts, watchtowers, battlements and a wide surrounding moat. It one of the oldest and best preserved fortifications in China .