Better than I could have hoped.

Last night, after a gray and rainy afternoon, the weather started to clear, and as we sat down to dinner, sun broke through.  We were at the mouth of the Strait of Juan deFucca, so the change to open ocean and the late afternoon light hitting the water made such a beautiful picture!  Luckily, our table is right near the window, so I was able to feast my eyes,  And then, in the golden afternoon light, I saw a whale blow. And another!  And another!!  There was a whole pod of whales.  One rolled.  A little one flipped his flukes!  There was a swirl where it looked like a pair were bubble-netting. (they swim in circles around a school of fish, blowing a curtain of bubbles and driving the fish close together and up to the surface.  Then they swim right through the bait ball with their mouths open.  Smorgesbord!  The gulls were going mad above them!  It Was So Cool!!

We passed on by, and turned south into the Pacific.  There was a heavy bank of clouds along the horizon, cumulo-nimbus pilled up in stacks and towers.  The sun set behind them, limning all the edges in liquid gold.  Then the few cumulus clouds overhead began to pick up color, going from cream to apricot to rose.  The ocean took on the reflected color and turned almost lavender.  DH and I sat in a quiet little bar with big windows, sipping wine and savoring the sunset.  It was perfect.  It was magic.  It was one of those things that you are glad to have lived long enough to enjoy.

We are experiencing 10 ft swells and full sunshine.  It's about 80 degrees outside, but the ship is rolling so much that half the passengers are in bed with mal-de-mere.  I don't mind it at all, except for getting thrown into walls, furniture, and other passengers as I trip merrily about the ship.  DH toughed it out as long as he could, but finally took a Dramamine and is napping.

I had miso soup and grilled salmon for breakfast (Japanese breakfast) and sushi for lunch.  And as I trot around the ship, I keep snagging a cookie here, a croissant there - - you can't get away from the food on a cruise ship.  If you're feeding a teenage boy, it might pay to bring  him on a cruise.  You might, possibly be able to fill him up - at least temporarily.

Tonight is formal night.  I love seeing what people are wearing.  I can hardly wait!