*Report from the Voyage of the Spammed*

[AlohaPride]

I just wanted to pop in and say how much I've enjoyed reading all of your accounts on board! I'm so excited to meet you when you get here in Honolulu on Friday and Saturday!!!

Just a little weather update from the Aloha State:

[IMG]http://vh10018.moc.gbahn.net/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=M1&Date=20061010&Category=NEWS12&ArtNo=610100338&Ref=AR&Profile=1023&MaxW=400&MaxH=400&title=0&Q=100[/IMG]
Vog from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island veils the Honolulu skyline. VOG is haze from the Big Island's Kilauea volcano. Not only can it reach all the way to O'ahu, but it can bring discomfort for people with respiratory ailments.
A shift from trade winds to light south or southeasterly breezes produces the hot, humid conditions most Hawai'i residents find uncomfortable.
Lead forecaster Roy Matsuda of the National Weather Service said Kona weather is not uncommon at this time of year and current conditions will continue to Friday and possibly through the weekend, likely without yesterday's intermittent showers and overnight thunderstorm threat.
The state Health Department has 16 air-quality monitoring stations statewide, including nine on O'ahu, but vog contaminants are normally not at an alarming level, said Clean Air Branch manager Wilfred Nagamine.
"What you're seeing is a haze; it's not like Los Angeles smog," Nagamine said. "The volcano puts out sulfur dioxide and the wind carries it. What we get is a form of sulfates and particulates.

I hope this all ends well before your visit (so does my lungs as I have asthma and it's an irritant). Have a GREAT evening!!

[HeatherInFlorida]

It is so wonderful to hear from so many of you aboard the Zaandam. I just love reading your posts.

I know Ruth has got to be disappointed in the seas. I know how much she enjoys the motion of the ocean. Hopefully she'll get at least a little bit before all is said and done.

Maybe Himself was pulling our leg about the ship turning around? I read that and thought ... "Huh???:confused: ". I just couldn't picture that!!! LOL.

So happy you're all having such a good time.

[hammybee]

[quote name='AlohaPride']I just wanted to pop in and say how much I've enjoyed reading all of your accounts on board! I'm so excited to meet you when you get here in Honolulu on Friday and Saturday!!!

Just a little weather update from the Aloha State:

[IMG]http://vh10018.moc.gbahn.net/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=M1&Date=20061010&Category=NEWS12&ArtNo=610100338&Ref=AR&Profile=1023&MaxW=400&MaxH=400&title=0&Q=100[/IMG]
Vog from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island veils the Honolulu skyline. VOG is haze from the Big Island's Kilauea volcano. Not only can it reach all the way to O'ahu, but it can bring discomfort for people with respiratory ailments.
[/QUOTE]

BTW, a little snow is expected in the Chicagoland area tomorrow. I think I prefer a little "VOG." Thanks Mary, for the new one of the day.

[AlohaPride]

[quote name='hammybee']BTW, a little snow is expected in the Chicagoland area tomorrow. I think I prefer a little "VOG." Thanks Mary, for the new one of the day.[/quote]

Snow?! Isn't it sort of early in the year for that??

[hammybee]

[quote name='AlohaPride']Snow?! Isn't it sort of early in the year for that??[/QUOTE]

There is almost always a flurry before Halloween and we can't have Indian Summer until the first frost hits. Time to cover the tomato plants and mums with bed sheets. I am not joking, unfortunately.

[AlohaPride]

[quote name='hammybee']There is almost always a flurry before Halloween and we can't have Indian Summer until the first frost hits. Time to cover the tomato plants and mums with bed sheets. I am not joking, unfortunately.[/quote]

Oh, sorry to hear about the snow... with all I've heard about Global Warming I thought that Snow didn't come for a few more months. Take it from someone who hasn't seen snow in about 15 years.

Hammy, I will be thinking about you when I'm swimming in the water fall at Waimea Bay on Saturday with the other CCers. :D

[hammybee]

[quote name='AlohaPride']Oh, sorry to hear about the snow... with all I've heard about Global Warming I thought that Snow didn't come for a few more months. Take it from someone who hasn't seen snow in about 15 years.

Hammy, I will be thinking about you when I'm swimming in the water fall at Waimea Bay on Saturday with the other CCers. :D[/QUOTE]

May a snow man appear on your cabin balcony in December :)

[Sunshine91]

[quote name='AlohaPride']Hammy, I will be thinking about you when I'm swimming in the water fall at Waimea Bay on Saturday with the other CCers. :D[/quote]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=3]That's right, Mary. Rub some salt in the wound. We weren't bleeding enough here on the mainland. :p [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Book Antiqua]Swimming in a water fall at Waimea Bay.......grumble, grumble, grumble.[/FONT]

[Sunshine91]

[quote name='jhannah']In looking at cruise ship tracking, it appears you're following the Island Princess. She appears to be about 8 degrees ahead of you.[/quote]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=3]OK, Jim, that just sounds way too cool. Can you post the web address or link? Thanks. :) [/SIZE][/FONT]

[Scrumpy]

To all you Spamdammers:
Thank you so much for taking all of us along with you. I hope you have a wonderful time and enjoy every second :) It sounds like you're all off to a good start!

[jhannah]

[quote name='AlohaPride']Hammy, I will be thinking about you when I'm swimming in the water fall at Waimea Bay on Saturday with the other CCers. :D[/quote] Ah, I remember it well. When we took the family to Hawaii last year we stayed nearby at the Keiki Beach Bungalows. What a fantastic place! We went over to Waimea, too, and just HAD to visit Matsumoto's a few times during the week!

[jhannah]

[quote name='Sunshine91'][FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=3]OK, Jim, that just sounds way too cool. Can you post the web address or link? Thanks. :) [/SIZE][/FONT][/quote] Here ya' go.

[URL="http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/cruiseships.phtml"]http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/cruiseships.phtml[/URL]

Just be aware that it's not up-to-the-minute. Plots are based on last REPORTED position.

[Scrumpy]

[quote name='hammybee']BTW, a little snow is expected in the Chicagoland area tomorrow. I think I prefer a little "VOG." Thanks Mary, for the new one of the day.[/quote]

Hey Hammybee,
We've already had snow three times.:eek: None has stuck and this morning's snow melted by 11am. I bet we hit 50-55 today or maybe it just felt that way because it was so sunny. Autumn weather... Truthfully, I love it most of the time (once I adjust to the fact that summer has ended). I especially love it when there's snow on the ground and full moon. Gorgeous!

BTW, DH is in Chicago - without a coat. Silly DH, LOL!!! :p

We experienced "vog" when we were in Hawaii - about this time of year, now that I think of it. It wasn't bad, though. It's an awfully warm, humid place and that affects me more than the air quality. Pretty, though. I'm sure the folks on the cruise will have a lot of fun! [B]Sure hope they keep posting the entire trip![/B] :)

[AlohaPride]

[quote name='jhannah']Ah, I remember it well. When we took the family to Hawaii last year we stayed nearby at the Keiki Beach Bungalows. What a fantastic place! We went over to Waimea, too, and just HAD to visit Matsumoto's a few times during the week![/quote]

I'm not a HUGE Matsumoto's fan. They have become too commercialized for my taste. I MUCH prefer Aioki's. Their ice cream and Azuki Beans are better IMHO. Plus, their shave ice is only like 2 or 3 point with Weight Watchers!!

Hammy and Susan, sorry about that. It didn't occur to me how mean that was until well after I posted. Thanks for having such GREAT senses of humor!

Hammy, I would GLADLY welcome a snow man! I've never seen one (at least that I can remember). DH has never even seen snow his entire life and really would like to see some this December. I took him to Chicago in February a few years back and to our surprise it NEVER snowed! Then the day after we left, they had a snow storm!! You can imagine DH's disappointment!

[RuthC]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]I've been bad. Actually, if truth be told, I've been very bad. The concoctions coming out of the galley have been so good, and the desserts have been sooooo good, that I've been a bad girl. :) [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Yesterday I joined the group lunch that Greg posted about. For dessert there was a delicious, sugar-free, [COLOR=sienna]chocolate[/COLOR] mousse choice. There was also a full-fat, -sugar, -cholesterol, -TASTE!, heavy cream [COLOR=sienna]chocolate[/COLOR] custard. I literally sat between good angel on my right shoulder and bad angel on my left shoulder pitching for the one over the other. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Bad angel won. :D [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]That night at dinner John Mulvaney made good on his promise to send a plate of beautiful [COLOR=sienna]chocolate[/COLOR] truffles. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Bad angel had a very good day. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Update on the plumbing---no, it isn't fixed; it is serviceable, but to an unacceptable level. The problem is still on the GRM's "pending" list. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Did I mention there's a stowaway on board? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[AlohaPride]

[quote name='RuthC']
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Update on the plumbing---no, it isn't fixed; it is serviceable, but to an unacceptable level. The problem is still on the GRM's "pending" list. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Did I mention there's a stowaway on board? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

I'm so sorry to hear about the plumbing! Hopefully they will get it fixed quickly!!

And there's a Stowaway!?!? WOW!! I didn't know that could happen in today's world!!!:eek:

[zaandam_2]

[quote name='RuthC']
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Did I mention there's a stowaway on board? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

obviously a fan of ruth :D

[bepsf]

[quote name='RuthC']
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Did I mention there's a stowaway on board? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

[FONT="Garamond"][SIZE="4"]OK - Who flushed the stowaway down Ruth's toilet?!?
;) :D [/SIZE][/FONT]

[Sunshine91]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Did I mention there's a stowaway on board? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=3]Ruth - You left us hanging! I don't know if I can wait until tomorrow to find out. :eek: [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua][SIZE=3][SIZE=2](It's 11pm here in DE, almost time for beddy-bye).[/SIZE][/SIZE][/FONT]

[LAFFNVEGAS]

[quote name='RuthC']
[FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=#4169e1]Did I mention there's a stowaway on board? [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/quote]

[SIZE=3][COLOR=purple]Oh Ruth I promise it is not me;) :D Although I really thought about it because I regretted not thinking about flying down to SD earlier to wish you Bon Voyage in person. You see I have several free SW Air tickets so it would have been no big deal. I could kick myself for not doing it. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=3][COLOR=#800080]Anyway I think we all want to hear more[/COLOR][/SIZE] :) [SIZE=3][COLOR=purple]Do they think it was someone that had been on the previous chartered cruise? Or was it SD worker?[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[cruznon]

Yes, Ruth, you have been bad---mentioning a stowaway and leaving us all hanging......:eek:

[jhannah]

Stowaway? Lucky guy/gal! Get back in here and tell us more!

[kryos]

[quote name='RuthC'][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=3][COLOR=royalblue]I've been bad. Actually, if truth be told, I've been very bad. The concoctions coming out of the galley have been so good, and the desserts have been sooooo good, that I've been a bad girl. :) [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]
No, Ruth ... you haven't been bad. You've just been a very good girl enjoying a wonderful and very much well-deserved vacation. Enjoy! And ... keep those reports coming. They are very, very much appreciated.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[HeatherInFlorida]

Has anyone noticed how Ruth posts and leaves a bit of a cliffhanger each time? First the plumbing, now the stowaway .... :) ... that's our Ruth!

Ruth, you are being very bad. No one else will tell you, but I will. Just be careful because we're not talking about calories. We want you healthy and well for a very long time!!! No more heart problems!!!

So have your treats definitely and enjoy them. But just pace yourself:) ... we love you.

I'm loving the chatting on this thread as we await posts from our pals onboard the Spamdam boat!!!:D It's kind of like we're all sitting in a room together waiting for reports.

[BCEagle78]

It is a little bird, looks like a sparrow that has been seen by the aft pool. It is a long way from home, assuming it came on board in San Diego... I will try to take a picture and post it if I can find it again...