PCS (’s): I will try to find an “economical” rug for the deck foyer. That was a good idea on your part. Best shopping should be in Izmir. Have you let GDW guide you to the blog yet? I am sure he would be happy to do so. Also, have your folks gotten any e-mails this trip? I am glad you are so busy- that way you will have no reason to feel guilty when we play hookey upon my return. Probably now due NWK on July 18th. We are not to ALEX dock yet! L ACiao & RWC Skee

This is the warmest day of the Med cruise to date. High temp was 84 degrees. Of course we are anchored offshore of Al Iksandria (Egyptian spelling) Egypt where there is a nice light NNW breeze.I am sure it is over 90 ashore this afternoon. A/C is working well on the bridge. I hope to call from the Dock. Last word was berthing 6-28 @ 2200. Now it is 1600 6-27. We’ll see. Warmly> Your Eastern Correspondent> RW

Hi Fellas: There are times when I include several friends in an e-mail address. They are done intentionally. They are not “just for Johanna”. My access to e-mail computer is limited. Therefore, I choose to at least stay in touch by including several people in e-mail address box. ALL my e-mails will be strictly vanilla. There is a ship full of people with access, then it goes thru server, then NY office etc. You will never see anything other than vanilla- rest assured. We are experiencing a delay here. We are anchored off Alexandria, Egypt.
It is now 1100 on 6/27. We are told berthing will be 2200 6/28 quite a delay! You never know in this part of the world. Last time on the Argonaut we anchored twice off Kuwait expecting a long delay and BOTH times we were sailing toward the dock in 2 hours- go figure. Your Eastern Correspondent> Ron

There are pluses and minuses to the digital and DVD revolution. Now we have this fantastic DVD library that is building every trip. This encourages all crewmembers to get their laptops up and running and check out movies at theirleisure - in their rooms. I haven’t sat with an engineer or brother deck officer and watched a movie all trip! There is a lounge with 8 beautiful lounge chairs that get almost no use- that I can see so far. Its good- and its bad. My “reading” this trip has been Crabwalk by Gunter Grass. Also J sent me the World is Flat on CD. I am at CD #5. I want to travel to India with J and see if she can use the accounting revolution there to lighten her load. She SHOULD be overseeing a staff of well trained Indian Accountants rather than doing all the “heavy lifting” herself.

Here are the distances involved on this trip and the times between ports:

Charleston - Algeciras, Spain 3712 NM 9 D 9 Hrs
Algeciras - Alexandria, Egypt 1809 NM 4 D 14 Hrs
Alex - Haifa, Israel 298 NM 18 Hrs
Haifa - Izmir, Turkey 648 NM 1 D 15 Hrs
Izmir - Gioia Tauro, Italy 665 NM 1D 16 Hrs
Gioaa Tauro - NY/NJ 4372 NM 11D 11 Hrs

We are currently about 8 hrs behind schedule but C/M advises we could be right back on schedule if they deploy two cranes to our ship in Alex.

Hi Folks: We had a cook out tonight. There were steaks, chicken, great salads etc etc. I ate too much but everything was great. Imagine a professionally prepared cook out. It was a misty evening in the Med. Ships, fast and slow, very large and small fishing vessels slid past as we ate great. I Love this country! I guess we will do it again for the 4th of July. That will be between Izmir and Gio Tauro, Italy.

Love to all,

Dad/Ron/Skee

Hi Folks: I was able to get ashore for a couple hours here in Espana. I had a very enjoyable 10K walk (r/t) to a nice beach. No where near as nice as Pt Pleasant, NJ. Also full os spanards! I bought a few trinkets and came back early to rest up for watch. No Paella this time. I thought I might eat ashore but I checked the menu 1st. There was chicken Parm here that was great. I had 2 breasts and a salad. THEN after walking I was tempted to indulge in very good spanish helado (ice cream). Very good but the Italians put the world to shame with theirs. I will be sailing manana en el Tarde (tomorrow afternoon). It will be full ahead to Alexandria.

Keep writing- Best always

Ron/Skee/Papa

Hi Folks: I am brushing up on my Spanish. I thought I would have devoted more time to that already but the movie library here is too good. I have been keeping busy with Safety inspections as well. I will try to call using phone cards from Spain.

Best Regards,

Ron/Dad/Skee

Hi Guys: I am enjoying the gym here. Almost every day. I use exercycle and I have hoosen to integrate wt training along with it. I am using 12 lb handweights. I try to cycle between 19-20 mph. While cycling I do sets of curls (20 reps) and Overhead presses ((20 reps). I repeat the sets 5 times for a total of 100 reps. You will definitely bust a sweat as I cycle for 30 minutes. It could be a summer olympic event. Hey, who linked skiing and shooting and called it BIATHELON. We could link cycling and weight training and than hit golf shots for closest to the pin. I think it could catch on.
Ciao & M & CM LA> Papa/Skee

Hi Guys: I am writing to you folks because sometimes the mails I send or you send are getting lost in cyberspace. I can tell by your references.

For the sailorron blog: SAILORRON SEZ: “The only thing keeping this ship from perfection is the lack of an elevator and a Basketball Hoop!” There is a 6 flight schlepp from the main deck (that is where you are if you walk UP the gangway to the bridge. Kind of like my life at home where all things are at least 2 decks apart. I am off to the gym to try to stay fit! DO keep those e-mails coming!

Ciao Papa/Ron/Skeedaddy