Not much wind to ruffle the Bulgarian flag.
We have really been blessed with good weather these past few days. An area of high pressure giving us blue skies, warmth and sunshine sits over the western Black Sea.
Yesterday we were in Varna, Bulgaria and today we are in Constanta, Romania. Both are major ports in their respective countries. Both are also great opportunities for families of crew to visit the ship. We like to show off the ship to proud mums and dads. It is not only good for the souls of the crew members but you can see the pride on the faces of those coming on to see them. After all, there are not many ships of this ilk plying these waters.
A calm day in Varna port.
Equally calm morning in Constanta port
Constanta is probably the biggest port in this area. It also connects directly with the River Danube. The delta lies a few miles north of here but two canals have been cut from the port to join the river so that cargoes can be shipped into the heart of Europe up and down the river directly. Constanta, being part of the European Union is also the port where we uplift our fresh stores and supplies that come by truck from our warehouses. It is a logistical jigsaw puzzle keeping these ships supplied with first class produce throughout the world. As I write our Provision Master and his team are busily unloading the contents of a number of large trucks and pigeon holing them into the storerooms and fridges throughout the ship ready to be used. We are stocking a small floating town of over 800 people with anything from lobster and champagne to toilet tissue, paints and reams of paper for the computers. It takes a bit of planning for it all to work seamlessly.
We will sail this evening back for the Bosphorus waterway.