Returning to the ship was straightforward. Curiously while sat in the Wyndham my brain had insisted we were swaying, which may be why the deep swell on the small boat didn’t bother me as we crossed the bay back to the Westerdam. I guess I’m developing my sea legs – something that intrigued me as a child, but that I didn’t anticipate ever needing to do.

A crew member on his day off was last onto the tender, and last back off, right behind me. I did invite him to go ahead but I think that’s a sackable offense for him. I got a ‘welcome back sir’ as I boarded the ship, he got a slap on the back from both crew members. The ship’s security team seem tense, onshore and on the ship, and from whispered comments to the guy behind me I think they’ve had an incident. Still, that’s why they’re there, and they seem the sort that ‘unwanted boat within throwing distance’ would be an emergency situation to them.

Lunch wasn’t intended, I just went to fill my water bottle. Stood there for ten minutes, the tiny beakers you have to use with the machine holding only 200ml or so, and I needed around a litre and a half just to drink let alone fill the bottle. Wandered around after and spotted Sauerbraten on offer, so three small slices of that with some carrots is almost healthy. The server tried to add green beans too but I managed to stop him in time.

I was contemplating trying to get a photograph of the islands but it’s started raining. Stood on the aft deck in the rain, almost felt human again. Too many people around, too hard to escape the constant mass. It’s two more weeks until I’m in the outback but I’m already looking forward to it, a chance to stand in utter isolation.

A quick glance at the schedule and I’ve missed the pickleball today. Next challenge: Find out what pickleball is. There’s afternoon tea in the dining room every day, perhaps I should give that a go at 3pm. Except I’m in shorts and sandals now, would they demand trousers and socks for afternoon tea? I was planning on socks with my dress shoes and hitting the main dining room for dinner anyway, so I guess I could do that for tea too.

Such are the decisions and complexities of life on board. Even the crew are enjoying the day, giggles and laughter around the ship where they’re normally so serious and servile. It’s nice to see, I don’t enough of a superiority complex to demand utter subservience from them. Just stop trying to make my bloody bed twice a day – yeah, that’s already happened, again.

Dinner tonight in the main dining room. Because of lunch I skipped the starter. Despite some tasty sounding braised beef being offered I went for the veal and achieved a first.

Veal cooked and served on the bone. To be fair it was cooked such that the bone came away instantly, and the veal itself was rather nice. So was the whisky chocolate torte that followed.

The Australians on my table (four of them, a couple and a mother/daughter combo where the daughter was herself a grandmother) went for the beef and mostly chose the Creme Brulee after. The beef did indeed look as tasty as the menu suggested but the Creme Brulee looked very subpar; even I would look to make it with better aesthetics than that.

Curiously when I went to the Lido after dinner (as it’s the only place on the ship to get a free drink) it had the beef and the chocolate torte on offer too.

My body clock continues to be completely wrong, exceedingly tired straight after dinner. Hopefully that’ll translate into a proper night’s sleep – but then, I’m planning to be up by 6am for the pretty views as we leave the bay. Unless it’s raining again, the Aussies at dinner bemoaned getting soaked this afternoon.

Still feeling shattered at 9pm I decided to call it a night. Hopefully I’ll sleep right through.