Adventure OTS cruise, Portland, Maine Day 9

Our port of call today was Portland, Maine from 7am to 5:30 pm, a full day. The weather was mainly sunny 11C (52F) with winds up to 35 mph. We planned on biking the bike trails around the city. Its still very cold and windy, but the sunshine was a nice mood lifter.

Pano of Fort Allen Park lookout

Tug Boats in the Harbor off Commercial Street

Here's our progress so far, we're in the home stretch, one more port tomorrow then two days at sea to arrive in Port Canaveral, FL.

Selfie at Fort Allen Park in Portland, ME

When we were back in our room in late afternoon, parents were dropping off their kids for something.  Sailing club.  They were practicing maneuvering by following the leader in and around the many moored boats in the marina next to the ship.
After biking around the Eastern Promenade, East End Beach, Bayside Trail, Back Cove Park, Fort Allen Park, Casco Bay Bridge we met our friends for a beer at RiRa Irish Pub.
 After a dip in the hottub we went up to the Diamond Lounge for sailaway, and of course our favorite server Beverly was there. She sure worked the ship, she went to every venue whenever there was an event - Schooner Bar for trivias, Casino in between, Diamond Lounge for happy hour, the Imperial Lounge or Lyric Theatre for shows. Nice gal.

 The Norwegian Gem was in port with us today, and sailed away just before us.
No shows tonight since we've seen the ice skating show already, just dinner at the MDR.
Boston is tomorrow.




Adventure OTS cruise - Bar Harbor, Maine Day 8

Arrival in port at 7am however we have to be processed by U.S. Customs and Immigration and this is a tender port. We anchored near 7am but a letter dropped in our cabin stated to be in the MDR on deck 5 at 7:45am based on our deck.  Non-U.S. Citizens were instructed to go to the Imperial Lounge for processing.  Permanent residents were to go to the MDR with U.S. Citizens


Today was a long day in port, form 7am to 6:30 pm at 13C (55F), with winds up to 29mph. It was partly cloudy in the morning, and rain showers moving in around 2 pm.




We had to tender by using local boats to get to Bar Harbor. Here is the first one bringing the ramps.

Sunrise in Bar Harbor, ME
 We brought our bikes to shore and it was simple on the tender boat, they let us hang in back with the bikes, first one and first off.

Once on land again we had intended to get an Uber to the top of Cadillac mountain and ride our bikes down. But there were no Uber drivers and the taxis wanted tour groups not to give one way rides to the top of the mountain. So we opted to lock up the bikes and took an hour tour on Ollie's Trolleys for $25 each. They drove us up to the top of  Cadillac mountain and told us the history of the area.
1763 French Indian war, in 1688 Antionne Cadillac was an original landowner in New France. Bar Harbor is a 108 sq mile island, second largest in area behind Long Island.

 Acadia National Park, home of Cadillac Mountain
 View of RCL Adventure of the Seas just off of Bar Harbor, from Cadillac Mountain
 Scott, Mark, Kathy, Marie, Chrissy at the top of Cadillac Mountain
 On the Top of Cadillac Mountain - Mark, Kathy, Marie, Chrissy, Joel
 
 Our full dinner group - Mark, Chrissy, Joel, Jan, Scott, Mark, Kathy, Marie
 
 The bar in Bar Harbor, its a sand bar
 A nice Halloween decoration
 Pano on the top of Cadillac mountain
 Biking on the Shore Path along coast, Grant Park and Agamont Park.
 A lobster roll from the Deli, only $16.95
 This Pedego shop rents our electric bikes which could make it up the mountain on the carriage roads, only $59 for 4 hours. They have a tandem to rent too! 
 We stopped at the Stadium Pub for a $6 draft of Blueberry Maine craft beer. Yum!


We got back on the ship before the rain picked up and enjoyed another evening in the Diamond Lounge. We talked Arnold and his friend Barbara, they hail from Toronto on their way to Marco Island for the winter. He was 91 years old and quite the character, offered us a ride in his Bentley which is being shipped to Florida.
 The Motown show was our evening entertainment "Marcus Terrell & the Serenades".





Adventure OTS cruise, Saint John, New Brunswick Day 7

Windy today and all outer decks are closed.  Seas and ship are smooth, just windy. Mostly Sunny with 10C (50F). Saint John arrival was around 1:30pm.  All aboard time will remain as scheduled at 6:30pm since the area is tidal and we must time our departure to avoid low tide.

 This path is part of The Great Trail, also known as the Trans Canada Trail that reaches from coast to coast and is some 24,000 km long (15,000 miles).


 The Bay of Fundy has the greatest tidal changes of anywhere in the world.

 The current in the river, still flowing the wrong way, was very strong and distinct.  Small whirlpools formed and disappeared.  It was very mesmerizing to watch.

 The Captain and crew having lunch now that we're in port.
Lunch in the windjammer before heading out to Reversing Falls

 A beer at Rocky's watching the Steelers win.
 Sunset from the diamond lounge



The entertainment tonight was the worlds only legal pickpocket, Bob Arno. It was amazing to watch him pickpocket people and take off their ties or belts and they didn't even realize he was doing it. He showed a short video from Barcelona, Spain to illustrate the tricks the thieves over there use; beware of lost tourists with maps, girls with scarves, groups of girls, and mothers with fake babies in a fake arm.


Total cruise distance so far,  1,527 Nautical Miles.

Adventure OTS cruise - Halifax, Nova Scotia Day 6

Today was a Saturday in Halifax and there was a nice sunrise at 7:27am. We were in port today from 7am to 3:30pm and it would be a mostly cloudy day with temps of 11C (52F) with winds at 17 mph. One of our better days

 
 Halifax is another old Canadian city with lots of history.  It was the birth place of Samuel Cunard whose parents immigrated here in 1783.  As a businessman he formed a steamship line that would later be known as the Cunard Line sailing from Liverpool, England.
Our plan was to ride bikes to the ferry and cross the river to Dartmouth, and then ride the trans Canada trail to Fishermans Cove. It was a long and hilly ride, with us clocking in over 15 miles for the day on our one speed folding bikes. My chain came off on the way up a hill because I hadn't tightened my back wheel enough. Good planning meant we had the tools to fix and get going right away.
 On the ferry to Dartmouth across the river from Halifax. Only $2.50 to cross round trip.

 
 
The Silver Sea arrived in port after us, another RCL ship.
 The port in Dartmouth where lots of automobiles are shipped into.
 A mural along the trans Canada trail depicting Nova Scotia sports
 Fishermans Cove was quaint and quiet, mostly shut down for the season.
 End of season sales in the shops in almost every town we stopped at.
 A fishing boat in Fishermans Cove
 Lobster cages in Fishermans Cove
 

 Biking the Trans Canada Trail
 A fellow passenger on the ferry.
 Pumpkin patch in Halifax boardwalk area.
 

 More poutine today in Halifax
 Poutine was $7.95 but after taxes closer to ten dollars. Those Canadian taxes are extreme and make everything seem expensive.
A huge mushroom growing next to the bike path.
 I think we went to the evening Singers and Dancers show, but I don't have any pictures so maybe not. We did attend the battle of the sexes game show in the Imperial lounge and our table mates Joel, Mark and Mark all played in the game. It was pretty funny.
 Pop the balloon between two bodies. The girls won.



Around 6pm the Captain announced a guest was in a critical medical condition and we would need to return to Halifax to drop them off for medical attention.  We had been sailing about 2 hours already, so it set us back and we would have a late arrival in Saint Johm, New Brunswick the next day. Unfortunate but it happens, especially with the large number of elderly guests onboard.





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