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The PK POV (A Peter Knego Blog)
Mediterranean Magic On The MONTEREY: Page Two
REPORT TWO: Saturday, September 16, 2006, 1:30 PM:
By Peter Knego
Endless blue seas follow MONTEREY in this view overlooking her spacious lido. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
I have just returned to our cabin to catch up with the log. MONTEREY is gently lurching through piercingly blue seas off the rugged shores of Sicily, enroute from Palermo to Palma de Mallorca. It is warm outside and the sky is broken up with a strata of clouds in a range of hues from bright white to ominously gray.
A beautifully proportioned funnel in action. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Every few minutes a plume of brown smoke belches from her shiny blue funnel, casting a translucent blanket of shadow over the lido area. The pool is filled with waders of all ages and the water is sloshing about in its white tiled confines. Most of the adjacent deck chairs are filled with sunbathers, while other passengers linger with their lunch on the Cafe de Paris balcony. The smell of fresh garlic and Parmesan emanates from the al fresco pasta station overlooking the stern.
This is MONTEREY's longest segment of the week and she will have to work extra hard to maintain an 18 knot speed to reach her Balearic destination on time at 7:00 PM tomorrow. This will give us over 24 hours of dedicated sea time: a perfect coda to a week of non-stop port hopping.
When I signed off two days ago, my intent was to spend the afternoon at Civitavecchia documenting MONTEREY's outer decks. Unfortunately, a front descended upon the port, bringing with it torrential wind and rain that lasted with us overnight. The seas beyond the breakwater were quite ominous, sending surges of white water over the stone embankment.
Top to bottom: The tiki, as viewed facing down from Boat Deck; the gym; and the disco. Photos and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
I used the time to photograph MONTEREY's interior spaces, beginning with the wonderful metal tiki tower. On A Deck, there is the gym, a remote, if well equipped facility. Perhaps, tomorrow, there will be a chance to use it? Perhaps not.
On B Deck, there is the mostly original Matson Theater. An excellent double deck space with large seats and wide proscenium, it is curiously devoid of activity. This would be a great setting for movies and/or enrichment or port lectures.
Way down on C Deck, there is the Disco, a space that goes unused throughout the daytime, but apparently has a good following after midnight, especially with the Spanish crowd.
The reception area, facing port towards the shore excursion office. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
There was time to document the entrance lobby on Aloha Deck and the Restaurant with its sunken center alcove and remote aft appendages. Certain vestibules retain a nice Matson aura with polished brass elevator porticoes and that All-American brushed steel railing.
Generally, time to linger and explore the details on my favorite old ships can often reveal areas of neglect and deferred maintenance. On MONTEREY, nothing could be further from the truth. Everywhere, there is great care taken with her upkeep. From the deckheads above the promenades to the smallest light fixture in the stairtowers, there is not a flaw or speck of dirt to be found. The ship's condition is absolutely stunning!
On the port promenade as I did various video takes, I ran into Travelwithkaty.com's Katy Hoey and her husband, William, who are hosting a small group of American ship enthusiasts on this voyage. They, too, chose to resist the charms of Rome in order to spend some time on board the MONTEREY.
At the very end of the quay at Civitavecchia, the 1988-built ferry LOGUDORO looked somewhat forgotten. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Finally, the tour coaches pulled alongside at 5:00 PM, just as the ship was due to sail. Sheets of diagonal rain drenched the passengers as they returned to the ship. Shortly afterwards, with attendant tugs pushing and pulling and thrusters at full force, MONTEREY backed into the channel past the dazzling OCEANIC, turned just across from INSIGNIA, and sailed toward the open seas past the sad-looking train ferry LOGUDORO Êat the very end of the quay.
Once out of Civitavecchia's protective breakwater, MONTEREY met with a fierce storm and surging seas. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
We cut through the swells at an angle as MONTEREY made course for Tunis. With a slight starboard list from the pounding seas and wind gusts sweeping across the wet decks, most passengers chose the safety of indoors. On the starboard side' the waves were swirling only a few feet away from the open promenades. Although the ship rode admirably, the dreaded corkscrew motion began to affect my sealegs. I spent the rest of the night a slight shade of light green, doing my best to avert the sea's ill effects by eating gluttonous amounts of bread and fresh pasta and going to bed.
By yesterday morning, the swells had died down considerably and the sun began to break through the cloud cover. In the late morning, the temperature was again summer-like. Soon, the shores of Tunisia were visible off our starboard bow. Light turquoise seas hugged the coast, giving way to the midnight blue of the deeper water we were now slowly cutting through.
A trio of ships awaited us at Tunis, from top to bottom: Cotunav's 1999-built CARTHAGE, Travel Dynamics' 1992-built CORINTHIAN II, and the 2000-built, 34 passenger CALLISTO. Photos and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
The ferry CARTHAGE was the first passenger ship to come into view. Behind her, the relatively small CORINTHIAN II (an ex RENAISSANCE) and the diminutive, yacht-like CALLISTO appeared.
We took an excursion to the ruins of Carthage and the shopping area of Sidi Bou Said. The latter was a pleasant surprise, with its cobblestone streets and blue and white buildings. Warm mint tea at a cafe overlooking the harbor was a special treat before returning to the ship. The skies portended an almost mythological doom with black anvil clouds bringing with them frequent and regular rumblings of thunder. The storm we outran last night had caught up, showering us with hail as we drove back to the ship.
The MONTEREY departed at 7:30: dinner time. Over her stern, the last remnants of the African sun lingered on the horizon. On either side of us, the towering clouds crashed, offering up a fantastic show of light. The seas picked up again, but not as roughly as the prior night. After dinner (where I indulged with more Parmesan-covered, perfectly prepared pasta), hordes of spellbound passengers gathered in the enclosed promenades to watch the distant lightning.
This morning, I awoke at 7:00, as we neared Palermo. The rounded domes of the city's ornate churches were just beginning to catch the first rays of sun. We pivoted after entering the harbor's mouth and backed into our berth. Another handsome SNAV ferry was off in the distance, as were two Tirrenia ferries. Soon, the towering 2006-built COSTA CONCORDIA appeared beyond the breakwater. Growing ever larger, she entered the harbor and with the assistance of her twelve thrusters, maneuvered backwards into the slip on our starboard side. Her mass was so much that she obscured the sun that had moments earlier been shining on us.
COSTA CONCORDIA towers over MONTEREY at Palermo, Sicily. Photos and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Following breakfast and coffee in the Cafe de Paris, Christopher, Michael, and I ventured off to visit metropolitan Palermo. A walk through some of the main city streets and a cappuccino gave us a taste of Sicily before we returned to MONTEREY.
Even from a safe distance, the CONCORDIA overwhelms Palermo as MONTEREY exits, stage north. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 2006.
Our noon departure was postcard perfect with just the right amount of sun and clouds and the sound of our ship's whistle. Now that this blog has been updated, I look forward to some time in a deck chair.
End of Part Two
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