Saga Ruby Captain's blog

Bergen has a degree of notoriety as being the rain capital of Europe. That was very far from the truth as we made our arrival in a clear blue sky, not a cloud in sight. We berthed directly opposite another large modern cruise vessel, painted with a distinctly questionable motif around the bow, and watched as numerous bicycles came out and were lined up on the jetty, presumably for any of her passengers to use. I can’t say who suggested that was what their passengers were supplied instead of a free shuttle bus. There didn’t appear to be many takers though and they were eventually rolled back aboard.

We were conveniently tucked just inside the entrance to the old fish harbour, with an uncluttered view of what is now the favourite tourist area. Arriving shortly after was a German submarine, conveniently docking directly opposite. So apart from the usual tours on offer, there was plenty to watch for our passengers who stayed on board, although we were some what overshadowed by the 2000 passenger job, many of whose passengers took advantage of their balconies, fitted with hammocks, to watch us pretending not to watch them.

The fine weather remained and we departed towards the bright evening sun, which reflected somewhat uncomfortably off the sea directly into the wheelhouse. The ‘big job’ followed, I think somewhat frustrated by the fact that we had been given departure clearance first, not that it mattered. For two and a half hours we had the pleasure of watching the last, for this voyage at least, of the Norwegian fjords pass by until we reached open waters. Our pilot departed with a happy wave as he hopped into his boat and we increased speed. North Sea tomorrow, Dover on Tuesday.

We left Flam just before 7pm in order to cover the 54 miles to Skjolden in the last of the Norwegian late evening light. There is a new berth recently completed and we were to be only the second ship to go alongside. Skjolden is really only another village, however it is far as one can go up the Sognefjord, almost 120 miles from the sea and far closer to the border of Sweden.

So we settled down to an overnight alongside and when the morning came, it did so in absolute stillness. There was not a ripple on the water and the reflections were truly dramatic. To greet the departing tours a local brass band played in the little, still incomplete terminal. The relatively short walk to the village had to be covered over as yet an unmade road, surrounded by great stones and heavy earth moving machinery. I can only assume that, because we were alongside, all works had been halted for the duration of our stay.

A shuttle bus provided transport for those that wished in order to reach the village where festivities happened to be taking place. There were stalls selling wood carvings and odd antiques, pony rides, baby lamas on display, and the helicopter that a few of our passengers were taking a flight tour came in a few times during the afternoon. With a spare seat in the offing I managed to get a ride, chat with the amiable pilot and get him to circle the ship in order to get a few aerial shots of the new berth for our records. He then took the machine up to 6,000 feet, over the Jostedalsbreen glacier, then back down to the Sognefjord to land on the village football field. The three ladies in the back were beaming as they disembarked, as well as trying to clear their eardrums at the same time.

The weather remained very pleasant throughout and when it came time to depart we had a flag waving send off from a few of the locals. Our three fjord pilots had gone down to two and they chatted away together as we picked up speed back towards the open water far away to the west, an eight hour scenic journey through the heartland of Norway.   

A six-hour passage back into the Norwegian Sea took us up to the entrance of the Sognefjord at Holmengra, and then a further 126 miles before we reached Flam just before breakfast. Numerous narrower ‘sub’ fjords branch of Sognefjord, Flam is at the head of Aurlandsfjord and famous for it’s railway that comes down from Myrdal on the main line between Bergen and Oslo. For well over a hundred years it has been a very clean and pretty tourist destination.

From our vantage point up on the bridge we could look down on a scene that reminded me of some sophisticated Marklin model railway layout. Alpine style houses and hotels, neat walkways between freshly mown grass and a smattering of tourists to make the place look active but not to busy. The occasional small ferry came into the wooden jetty ahead and electric trains arrived and departed on their 12 mile journey high into the mountains, taking many of our passengers for the incredibly scenic ride. The mysterious maiden that dances among the rocks at the waterfall of Kjosfoss was on duty for every train when it made its customary viewing stop halfway to the top. A tiring job I assume.

Meanwhile, back on the quayside, our Filipino crew were competing in their annual basketball competition. Several teams, all in individual and very smart outfits, were enthusiastically letting off steam in a very positive way.

A third Norwegian pilot joined us just prior to leaving; apparently the two we already had on board were not licensed to take us up to our next destination at the very head of Sognefjord. I’m not sure if there is collective noun for Norwegian pilots, if there is, it must be as ‘singy-songy’ as their chatter. 

The North Sea crossing was, for most, very comfortable as there was just a low swell from the north and the weather was decidedly clement. Arriving to Stavanger in bright sunshine, however, was a little deceiving as the air temperature, despite next to no wind, was low. As usual we berthed right in the heart of the city, although part of our horizon was blocked by one of those modern ‘icebergs’ that we see more and more of these days. Plenty of balconies, but from our perspective they seemed like multi-story sheep pens.

In the opposite direction I could see directly into someone’s lounge, a penthouse flat with three sides of full height glass in a contemporary block behind clapperboard houses and the ‘Victoria Hotel’, built in1900. Out in the bay numerous small craft and ferries bustled around throughout the day, and in the distance, impressive great working ships from the oil industry replenished their stores and cargoes prior to another voyage back to the Norwegian oil fields.

Being a one-week cruise we have many newcomers, so the tours were busy, and there were several who stepped ashore seemingly impressed with the fact that they could walk straight on dry land after their first voyage into the unknown. Apart from an early start, a crew emergency drill and internal auditors completing their three days of ‘investigation’ took up my day.

With our fjord pilots on board we sailed slightly ahead of schedule, just in time to avoid being blocked in by the ‘iceberg’ slowly manoeuvring back into the turning basin. They were delayed, ‘as usual,’ claimed the pilot, by late returning passengers.  

Having completed one of our perhaps more unusual cruises, one with no stops, I believe I can safely say that it was a great success. In five days we circumnavigated much of the British Isles and Ireland in calm seas and, for the most part, in superb weather. No doubt to the joy of those passengers who booked a port side cabin, we sailed antic-clockwise, first up the east coast then, on the second morning, rounding Duncansby Head and getting a good view of John-O-Groats.

As we passed the Butt of Lewis the cloud began to descend, sufficiently so that we could only just make out the lighthouse on Eilean Mor in the Flannan Islands where, in 1900, three lighthouse men mysteriously disappeared. Passing between the high cliffs of Boreray and Stac Lee off St.Kilda must have sent the bird watchers into seventh heaven, as we passed the world’s largest gannet colony at just a few hundred meters.

The third day took us to Staffa and Fingals Cave, around the Western Isles through the Sounds of Mull and Islay, stopping for ten minutes or so off Tobermory and later passing through Corryvrecken. Here the tides can be treacherous for small craft, and for a few minutes our speed went up to almost 25 knots.

Throughout, the scenery was delightfully typical, being shown off at its best in the sunshine, heathy hillsides, yellow gorse in the countryside closer to the water and multi coloured Azaleas in the gardens. During dinner we had a fifteen minute stop off the Giant’s Causeway, where late tourists ashore gauped at our unexpected presence.

We hugged much off the western coast of Ireland the following day. The unusual geological formation of the Aran Islands, the towering cliffs of Moher and the fabulous Dingle Peninsular with the Blasket Islands reaching out into the Atlantic all went past during the day. No doubt to the further enjoyment of our bird folk we passed between the Skellig Islands, leaving the gannets on one side and the monks stone habitation built around 600 AD on the other.

The final day took us first to Lundy Island and then down the north Cornish coast, with views of Tintagel, Doc Martin’s house and the beaches of Newquay. I had had a live telephone interview with Radio Cornwall in the morning so I believe the folks of St. Ives were expecting our arrival. We did not disappoint, and in glorious sunshine the ship was stopped a few hundred yards off the harbour.  For over twenty minutes hundreds off beach goers, tourists and locals had the spectacle of Saga Ruby filling their horizon as our superb Welsh tenor belted out Rule Britannia and Jerusalem from the after deck.

With three long blasts of the ship’s whistle and the enthusiastic union jack waving passengers lining the boat deck, we slipped away. Now that’s what I call advertising.  Land’s End, St. Michaels Mount and Lizard Point completed the visual feast and we settled down for the overnight leg back towards the Needles Channel and Southampton.

‘Last port of call?’ the VTS operator asked as we announced our arrival. ‘Southampton’ we replied. I detected by his delayed response a momentary confusion.  

Saga Ruby voyaged through a reasonably mild North Atlantic, past Cape Trafalgar, and into the River Tagus to Lisbon. Set on seven hills, Lisbon has been the inspiring capital of Portugal since the 13th century when the Moors were vanquished. It is a city strewn with majestic architecture, old wooden trams, and historic Moorish features. As we entered the harbour we had excellent views of the Belem tower and the Monument to the Discoveries, and as we passed under the huge suspension bridge, we were ‘watched’ by Christo Rei – a monument to Christ that is similar to that in Rio.

Lisbon is an elegant city with wide boulevards and a delightful square, Praca do Comercio. As regular readers will have gathered I enjoy seafood. There are some exquisite restaurants in this city, and the Atlantic catch from the cold offshore waters is certainly worth savouring. A glass of Port to finish is a must!

As has become the norm on this cruise, the sun shone throughout our stay with afternoon temperatures reaching 21C 70F. Lisbon has an attractive promenade along the banks of the river. There are footpaths, fishing areas, and cycle routes. Stretching 10km it’s a great place for a slightly chubby Captain to get some exercise on a bike, and so I joined the throng of exercising Portuguese. There was a ladies fun run taking place too, with TV crews on the ground and in helicopters capturing the sight of 10,000 ladies dressed in pink as they jogged along the waterfront.

As we sailed I was joined by some passengers in the wheelhouse. It’s always nice to have some company to share the experience of departing such ports with great views. As they sipped on champagne, I took care of the manoeuvring and navigating of Saga Ruby. Leaving the berth, I turned her around in the river, and she passed under the 25th April bridge. Soon the pilot was away to his awaiting cutter, and I steered Ruby through the narrow entrance channel and to sea.

With 884 miles to run along the Portuguese coast, across the Bay of Biscay, and into the English Channel, we looked forward to gentle seas and sunny skies as a high pressure weather system was dominating conditions. Our route will take us past Nab Tower off the Isle of Wight and into the Solent, eta Southampton Wednesday morning at 0630. For me it will be the end of my final Saga voyage as I bid farewell to friends, colleagues, and passengers.

This is my final Saga blog, and as Porky says “That’s all folks!”

Saga Ruby berthed at the base of Gibraltar’s famous Rock at 0800 on a breezy but sunny day. This landmark stands guard at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea and has been British territory since 1704. Gibraltar’s position has meant that it has served as a strategic allied naval base since WW1. In those days it also served as a coaling station to re-fuel the coal burning steam ships of the day. The naval military presence remains with a large navy dockyard. Coal has given way to fuel oil but Gibraltar remains an important fuel bunkering port. Imagine it as a ‘petrol station’ for ships. Huge vessels of all types pull in here to ‘fill up’ whilst plying the world’s oceans.  A fleet of small tankers manoeuvre amongst the anchored ships, tying up alongside them and pumping tonnes of fuel into their tanks.

My passengers were of course oblivious to the operations taking place on the offshore side of the ship. Their sights were on the large Rock and the British town at its base. From the moment they stepped from the gangway they were greeted in English by bobbies in their familiar uniforms. Along the pedestrianised high-street familiar UK stores like M&S, British Home Stores, and Morrison’s make them feel at home. It’s also duty free, real duty free! My passengers generally return aboard accompanied by the sound of clinking bottles as they maximise their UK customs allowance.

Soon after docking, my passengers began disembarking, some on tours to the Rock, its caves, guns and history. The Rock is also home to the Barbary Apes, the only wild tail-less monkeys of Europe. Should you ever visit them don’t bring gifts of food, nor wear your jewellery. These little monkeys are known to jump on the unsuspecting tourist in search of anything that tastes good or sparkles.

We sailed at 1300, by now the wind was quite strong and a couple of tugs were used to haul Saga Ruby away from the quayside. Heading through the Gibraltar Straits she entered the Atlantic once more. With Morocco to port and Spain to starboard, course was set for Lisbon, 320 miles away.

Mahon, on the island of Minorca in the Spanish Balearics, is an attractive natural harbour. It is well protected with bastion walled fortresses guarding its entrance and a large naval base. My passengers were out on deck as we navigated the channel from sea to berth, enjoying fine views of historical buildings and rows of expensive yachts. Once alongside they streamed ashore to enjoy this pretty town full of history and a certain Britishness in this former outpost of the Empire.

For me, it was a chance to get on my bike and have a ride around this pretty town with stunning views. After riding around the harbour I took the steep ride to the town center. Traffic was quiet and I covered a few miles in the hour that I was away.

Sailing at 1700, the old pilot seemed happy to take a back seat and let me navigate Saga Ruby out of the tight confines of the port. Weather remained good, and it was a pleasure to cruise back to sea. The rows of passengers beneath the bridge jumped as I sounded three long blasts on the ship’s whistle to say goodbye to Mahon. Next stop Gibraltar on Saturday morning.

In the evening we had a special treat. As this is a jazz themed cruise we have a number of musicians traveling with us. Tonight they got together to form a big band, belting out favourites from Glen Miller, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Ted Heath, Woody Herman, and Buddy Rich. This was probably the best entertainment to ever perform aboard Saga Ruby and it will be remembered for a long time by my passengers who awarded the artists with a standing ovation.

It was a wonderfully sunny morning as Saga Ruby negotiated the small harbour at Iraklion and berthed alongside the quay. Heraklion is Crete’s largest city, modern and busy, with remnants of Byzantine and Venetian architecture.

Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, is situated between Europe, Africa and Asia. It has a relaxed Mediterranean ambience with fine beaches, an abundance of olive groves, and a warm climate making it a favourite amongst European holiday makers. As the land of the ancient Minoan civilisation, which flourished here from around 3000BC, the island is home to several significant historical attractions, including the beautiful Palace of Knossos, and it is imbued with ancient Greek mythology.

Aboard ship things were soon quiet as my passengers departed for tours. I also set off on my own tour, astride my bike. I managed an hour and a half of cycling, using coastal paths and roads to explore the wide bay and beaches in the glorious weather. I was back aboard by 11am and before the day got too hot. Temperatures reached 28C/82F by mid-afternoon and there was hardly a breath of wind.

As we cruised into the calm blue Aegean at 1700 the Covent Garden Piano Quartet played works by Bach and Handel. With such a tranquil evening I decided to hug the coast of northern Crete, following the 50 -etre depth contour that skirts the shores at around half a mile. My passengers were afforded great views of the rugged cliffs and small sandy bays.

Dinner was followed by a fashion show in the Ballroom. The super-models were selected from our passengers who looked great on the catwalk. To round the evening off, singer Elaine Delmar entertained with the beautiful songs of George Gershwin and Cole Porter.

It was an early start for me as Saga Ruby entered the Bosporus on her approach to Istanbul. We’d passed this way last week as she entered the Black Sea, but now we are southbound and on the return part of our journey. Last time it was dark, the lights of the city illuminating the narrow channel that divides Asia from Europe. This time we had the benefit of sunlight, but an early morning mist made for slow progress as I relied upon electronics to safely guide the ship. After about 6.30am the fog began to dissipate and the early risers amongst the passengers had a good view of our arrival in Istanbul.

The currents are strong in the straits and to ensure precise steering a rather fast, possibly gung-ho, approach to the berth is required. Everything went to plan, and with a hefty full astern on the port engine as we neared our intended position Saga Ruby stopped and the fast flowing counter-current moved her gracefully sideways into dock. The harbour pilots do this style of manoeuvre frequently, but I recall some years ago my first visit to this port being the day that I grew my first grey hair!

Previously known as Byzantium and later Constantinople, Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey with a population of almost 13 million. Its natural harbour on the Bosporus is known as the Golden Horn and has been a trading centre for thousands of years. The city is a cultural and ethnic melting pot and as a result there are many historical mosques, churches, synagogues, palaces, castles, and towers. Highlights for my passengers to visit were the Maiden’s Tower, Topkapi Palace, the vast Roman Hippodrome, and the Blue Mosque. There’s also a lot of life to see in Istanbul, and there’s plenty going on at the Grand Bazaar with 50 streets crammed with thousands of shops and inns, and also at the Egyptian Bazaar, heady with fragrances of the exotic East as it contains every conceivable spice.

Saga Ruby remained alongside into the evening before sailing at 2300. It was a chance for some to dine ashore and to see this lively city after sunset. For those that chose to dine aboard Executive Chef Dirk Roessler prepared an East meets West menu selection, featuring favourites from the continents on either side of the Bosporus. On the bridge-wing I was able to entertain my officers and staff with drinks and food. Our Nepalese security team, under the guidance of Chief security Officer Krishna Gurung, prepared a feast of curries and breads using recipes from their homeland.

Prior to departure, a local show was performed by Anadolufolk Kimlic. As well as traditional music and dance, we were treated to the delights of a belly-dancer. Known as ‘Sahara’ she is a popular celebrity in these parts, and was clearly a hit with some of the gentlemen aboard too!

With another fine day beckoning, Saga Ruby arrived at the anchorage off the Russian port of Sochi. Staff Captain Andy Boyd did the honours this morning, gingerly threading the ship between the other anchored vessels before letting go the starboard anchor when we were close to the breakwater. Saga Ruby’s draft of 8.6 metres precluded her from entering the shallow port of this Black Sea resort town.

Lying to the south-west of European Russia, Sochi is blessed with attractive beaches, mineral springs, shady trees, and parklands that stretch for a hundred miles along the coast. Add a warm climate and it’s no surprise that Sochi has been a luxury spa retreat for Russia’s wealthy for over 100 years. It is backed by the Caucasus Mountains, and tea, tobacco, and citrus fruits flourish on the lower slopes. The upper elevations make for good winter sports and Sochi will play host to the Winter Olympics in 2014. My passengers went to visit some of the grant summer residences of Stalin and former Russian elite. They visited tea plantations too, a chance to have tea and cakes Russian style

Some passengers chose not to venture ashore today, with such a long run of ports I think a few were in need of a rest. Cruise Director Jo Boase had a busy schedule aboard however, with a destination lecture by John Skinner, traditional ship’s games, a display of close up magic by Brett Sherwood, quizzes, and music. In the evening our newly embarked singers and dancers performed their show called ‘Big Top’, a circus theme apparently, and not a burlesque review!

As it was polling day in the UK we held our own general election. Each course on the evening menu represented one of the three main parties plus the Greens – salad of course! With courses including Cameron’s Fishy Promises, Chicken Gordon Brown, and Nick’s Snippets there was some tasty voting. By the end of the main course the Lib-Dems were out in front. Tactical voting then took place as the majority of orders for dessert were placed for ‘Cameron’s Grand Gesture’ a Grand Marnier and mint parfait with a conservative serving of blue meringue! The Conservatives were declared the winners with a clear majority at the close of polling.

Saga Ruby pulled into the tiny harbour at Yalta in fine weather. Calm seas overnight, and a few welcoming dolphins this morning had made for another pleasant sea passage. We were docked by 7am, allowing plenty of time to deposit another treeload of paper with the Ukrainian government.

Yalta is a resort town with many health spas. It was built by the Tsars of Russia and enjoys a spectacular setting on the Crimean coast. Backed by lush mountains overlooking the Black Sea, Chekov and Tolstoy both lived here, and Nicholas II, the Vorontstovs, and the Romanovs all enjoyed their summers here. Bustling with life and a convivial atmosphere, there’s a palm-lined promenade dotted with amusement arcades, shops, cafes and bars, and today it’s twinned with Kent’s resort of Margate.

Yalta is also a favourite of world leaders. The famous documents of the Yalta Conference were signed here, when Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt outlined the future of post war Europe in 1945 and adopted the guidelines for the foundation of the United Nations. More recently the leaders of those same great nations continue to visit where they can stay in sumptuous palaces away from the paparazzi.

Passing the Swallow’s Nest castle, I visited the Alupka Palace today. It was built for Count Vorontstov and designed by Englishman Edward Blore who co-designed Buckingham Palace. This where Churchill stayed too, he was particularly fond of the stone lions that ‘guard’ the gardens. One lion is sleeping, Churchill remarked to Stalin that it’s face resembled his own and would like to have it. Stalin stated that it was not his to give away as it belonged to the people of Russia.

I also visited the Massandra Wine Company which produces sweet wines, vermouths, and ports from the sugar rich grapes that grow in this region. Their cellars are astonishing. All hand built and containing over 20 million litres of bottled wines dating back to the 18th Century. Their oldest collection is from 1775, one bottle was purchased back in 2001 for a mere $50,000. And the cost of building the astonishing cellars was 1 million gold Rubels, around the time when the state of Alaska was sold to the US for 7 million.

We departed at 5pm, Saga Ruby backing out and swinging outside the breakwater, heading towards Russia. There are 243 miles overnight to Sochi, in calm seas once more. In the evening the Covent Garden Piano Quartet entertained with Mozart, before the crew of Saga Ruby performed their ‘Crew Voices’ concert.

For our second port in Ukraine we have relocated to the Crimea peninsula. It was necessary to arrive much earlier than scheduled as I had learnt that the streets of the town would be closed by mid afternoon for, and I quote, ‘a full dress rehearsal for the commanding staff of the Black Sea Navy prior to the gala performance to take place on 9th May on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of victory in World War II.’

Following another cruise ship into the port, we anchored and made fast the stern of Saga Ruby to a mooring buoy. Tenders were soon despatched to fetch another platoon of uniformed officials, before my passengers could begin their short ‘harbour cruise’ to the landing stage in the heart of Sevastopol.

Until 1996 this naval base was closed to the public. The imposing ships and nuclear submarines of the Ukrainian and Russian fleets are still stationed here. Sevastopol is an elegant city with historical forts, cathedrals, squares, and a beautiful waterfront promenade. There are many monuments to the turbulent past of this region. The Crimean War with siege of Sevastopol and the well-known battle of Balaclava and the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade, the Russian revolution, and the two World Wars, have all shaped this strategically placed city.

I was delighted to be off the ship for lunch again. This time I was invited aboard the other cruise vessel to meet up with a few old shipmates. It was great to catch up on some industry gossip over good food. As usual I tasted the fish, not so locally caught grouper this time.

It was a late sail, previously organised to allow the Black Sea Naval Marching Band to perform after dinner. Unfortunately they were all marched-out at their dress rehearsal earlier and weren’t able to make it here. Instead, vocalist Paul Emmanuel stepped in and crooned a few more favourites from the 50s, whilst I steered Saga Ruby to sea once more.

The weather is getting rather predictable as sunshine and clear skies welcomed us to Odessa. Many passengers were up and about early to watch our arrival this morning. Odessa is an old naval port and particularly tricky to enter as it’s not really designed for large, dare I say ‘lumbering’, passenger ships. They have had the foresight to invest in a new highly manoeuvrable and powerful tug. The tug skipper was clearly very experienced, and between the two of us we were able to make a complicated manoeuvre look child’s play.

Once alongside the pier, the arrival formalities commenced. Being a former Soviet block nation, Ukraine has some very outdated arrival formalities, designed I’m sure to keep as many of the proletariat employed as is possible. The reams of paperwork would probably never be read, but each member of the uniformed ensemble seemed to require their own paper mountain. Looking very unfriendly and snapping their demands for yet more copies of mundane documentation, they managed to stay all day, devouring copious quantities of food and drink, and delaying our departure before leaving with shopping bags full of ‘presents’.

Known as the ‘Pearl of the Black Sea’, Odessa is one of Ukraine’s most remarkable locations. It was established by Catherine the Great in the late 18th century and she imagined Odessa to be her St. Petersburg. In time a great city emerged with beautiful neoclassical buildings and statues built on a grid of avenues. Pushkin was exiled here. And the mutiny on the battleship Potemkin took place here at the start of the Russian revolution of 1905. The great stone staircase leading down to the port are known as the Potemkin Steps.

Odessa has lost none of its charm, energy, or beauty. It is a green and organised city with tree line boulevards, long beaches, and leafy parks. At the centre is Deribasivska Street with its array of shops, stalls, and street entertainers. I was last here 6 years ago, then it was looking rather jaded, scruffy, and untidy. Today things were very different, and it was a delight to be back.

I travelled not too far, to the top of the Potemkin steps and to a local, rather fancy, restaurant. With the company of one of my passengers we dined al fresco, watching the locals and tourists enjoying the sights and the sunshine. I was served some fresh salad with locally caught Black Sea fish, which was excellent.

Prior to departure traditional Ukrainian music and dance was performed by the group Veseli Muziki. By all accounts it was a splendid show and very much enjoyed. After departure and after dinner, master magician Brett Sherwood astounded the audience with his own style of illusions.

It was supposed to be a straightforward approach to the Romanian port of Constanta. The man at port control had other ideas as he bombarded us with instructions about how best to approach the port. Things got more interesting when the pilot joined in with conflicting advice. As the port is well protected with a wide entrance channel, neither needed to have been involved in our approach. In the end I turned down the volume of the VHF radios, letting the pilot and harbour-master squabble amongst themselves!

Eventually the pilot boarded and continued his vocal enthusiasm. I was able to calm him down with a coffee, permitting me to get on with manoeuvring the ship. He seemed rather at peace with himself when he left, possibly the first bridge that he’d worked on for a long time where the Captain docked the ship and not a voice was raised. He still requested 200 cigarettes to see him on his way however.

The passenger terminal was bright and clean, but the old docks seemed to be decaying, a victim to the modern container terminal a few miles to the south. In the terminal my crew began to muster with laptop computers in hand. The sign said ‘free wi-fi’, an opportunity to communicate with loved ones back home for as long as their break from work, or their laptop batteries, would allow.

According to the guide book, Constanta is the third largest city in Romania. It was settled by the Greeks and then the Romans, who named it in honour of Emperor Constantine. Today the city is a fledgling tourist resort with museums, historical monuments, ancient ruins, shops, and a Grand Casino. My passengers boarded coaches to visit Bucharest, the Danube Delta, and the locality. The Delta has is a nature lovers paradise with a host of flora and fauna, it has been one of those UNESCO sites since 1991.

Departure was rather more mundane than arrival. The pilot had perhaps heard that things were calm aboard Saga Ruby. The man from Port Control had presumably gone home. I manoeuvred the ship. The pilot left. Saga Ruby was without another carton of cigarettes.

Oh, what a lovely morning as we sailed into Varna. With blue skies and a golden sun, the white beaches looked so inviting. Hardly a breath of wind enabled a smooth docking, and it wasn’t too long before my breakfasted passengers meandered ashore to walk off the calories.

Today of course is May Day. Not the distress type, but the day for the workers to celebrate work by taking a day off! Varna is a busy resort with an attractive beachfront park, pedestrianised town centre, and a host of cafes and restaurants. It forms a part of the Bulgarian Riviera and I was rather impressed. Being a holiday there were plenty of folks about enjoying the weather, there were bands playing in the park, a water polo game at the lido, and brightly dressed folk dancers entertaining in the square.

Being the ‘driver’ of the biggest yacht in the marina I was interviewed for local TV. My pretty interviewer enquired about life aboard such a fine vessel, and also what my impressions were of Varna. My responses where all very positive, I just hope that it translated well as I don’t know a word of Bulgarian.

The evening was one of oldies but goldies, vocalist Paul Emmanuel performed the ‘unforgettable’ songs of Nat King Cole, whilst in the cinema Audrey Hepburn enjoyed Breakfast at Tiffany’s.