On the Sea Again

We left Malta about 09:30 this morning, saying goodbye to a fantastic
port. The history, the culture, the swimming, the food; all in close
proximity to the ship. What more could you want in a port? We had three
days of excellent weather. The Maltese people were warm and welcoming.
With a very low crime rate, I felt safe walking the darkest streets at
night.

I spent the last night on shore at the dock area doing my internet stuff,
buying magazines for the library and enjoying a cold soda. The pier was
crowded for a Sunday night because they were showing the final of the
World Cup on dozens of TVs all along the wharf. The Europeans love their
soccer.

A few of the cadets overindulged in port, got caught and unfortunately
have to pay the price. No bad incidents. No arrests or fights. They're
mostly good kids, working hard and letting off steam when they're set
free.

Since we're back to sea, I'm back to work. I had expected the library to
be cooler after being closed for 3 days. No such luck. My thermometer
says 86, up a degree from last Thursday. I hope it cools down soon. Until
it cools, I'm not working in my uniform. It's tee shirt and shorts for me
while in this hot box. I'll dress for meals. I was ready to collapse by
dinner time after wearing my khakis all day. I must have drunk a gallon
of water to keep from dehydrating.

When we left Malta, we headed northeast, then north to go around Sicily
and east through the Straits of Messina. It's night now and I just took
an evening break and saw the coast of Italy on the starboard and Sicily
off the port side. It is a beautiful sight to behold. Tomorrow we'll be
in the open Mediterranean heading west toward the Atlantic. We'll reach
Brest, France in about 11 days and gain an hour on the way.