Standing at the Pier Head, donning a rather attractive life
jacket accessorized with walking boots and a cross body bag, I wait nervously
at the top of the steps. There is a steep collection of steps down to the
waters edge, where a small tender is struggling to stay alongside the steps,
fighting against the swell from the Atlantic Ocean that is pushing it into the
rock face of the Pier. One by one, passengers are taken down the wet slippery
steps and guided to the waters edge. When I say ‘jump’ do it, I am instructed.
I try not to look at the significant fall and rise of the tender and wait for
my cue and ‘jump’ I do, grabbed by experienced staff and hauled into the
tender. I find a seat and sit down for the short trip across the bay to the
RMS, once the tender is full.
I was congratulating myself on a successful crossing, when I
caught sight of the extremely steep and narrow metal steps that have been
lowered from the RMS, a floating landing platform sits beneath them. They are
static and at times the drop from the bottom of the ladder to the platform is 6
feet or more! This reduces with the swell
and again I am instructed to jump when ordered to! Although not the most
attractive of looks, I am grateful for both my sturdy walking boots and life
jacket. I jump onto the metal steps as the landing platform disappears beneath
me. For all intents and purposes I am now ‘floating’ in mid air several hundred
feet below the safety of the ships deck. I climb slowly to the top and am
relieved to reach solid ground! Apparently if you are unable to manage the
steps, you arrive by ‘sky lift’ that involves a crane and a cage and an expanse
of Ocean beneath. Not for the faint hearted.
Having been directed to my cabin, I find my cabin luggage
has arrived (I’ve been separated from all other cases for the duration) and
unpack.
Like on Ascension, everyone is very friendly and polite.
Folk are genuinely interested in you and why you are travelling to the Island.
It is refreshing and before long you feel as though you have been welcomed into
a large family – there are less than 50 passengers on this trip so it’s easy to
recognise fellow travellers.
The activities are a bit Hi-De-Hi but that makes for the
charm and entertainment. You are encouraged to participate at your own leisure
as much or as little as you like. There’s no pressure at all.
The food is amazing and seems to be continuous – full
breakfast at 8 followed by up to 3-course lunch at 12. Afternoon tea commences
at 4 with sandwiches, cakes and biscuits. If you are hungry, it’s not long to a
massive 5-course dinner!
Everything is going fine, until Thursday morning. The boat
seems to be pitching somewhat from left to right – Oh joy, there’s an issue
with the stabilisers. We roll at more than 90 degrees for the rest of the trip.
Mandy – you would have loved it! Fortunately it’s happened after I’ve already
found my sea legs so it doesn’t make me feel ill at all. The RMS is a lovely
ship to be on. The staff were all very attentative and entertaining, but from a
size point of view think Isle of Wight ferry crosses the Atlantic Ocean! At
times I did feel vulnerable to the vastness of it all. Andy, George and Henry
are never far from my thoughts. I arrive on the Island tomorrow, Friday, which
means I will be almost a week closer to having my family back with me!
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