Most of the time, unless you read travel blogs or watch the Travel Channel, the world spins around and people take cruises, virtually unnoticed. Invariably, the only time you hear news reports about cruising is when something BAD happens. Then again, that's what 99 percent of all news is these days, so it shouldn't surprise anyone. Well, today the poor media had to actually report something good. Their in-exuberance was tempered by the fact that the GOOD has to do with the BAD.
A couple of days ago it was a reported that a "cruise ship" was stranded off the coast of South America near Antarctica, after running aground and taking on water in a fierce storm, which also punctured two diesel fuel tanks. Anyone who saw that report immediately pictures in their mind's eye some great big, beautiful ship from Princess, Royal Caribbean, etc. Well, not so much. The ship is the Panamanian-flagged, Argentinian owned Ushuaia, now operated by Antarpply Expeditions. What? You never heard of them? Or of that ship? Don't feel badly...that makes you a member of a VERY large club. The Ushuaia is a cruise ship in the loosest sense, compared to what most Americans have experienced. Very small (only 88 passengers and 34 crew), and old (she would have been 39 years old this year) the MV Ushuaia used to be a research vessel for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Whether or not they serve frozen daiquiris, I can't truthfully say. But suffice it to say she's not your normal cruise ship. Many adventurous people opt for the up-close-and-personal experience of this type of ship, but when doing that you face potential issues, based on most of those expedition-style ships being substantially older vessels. Unfortunately, the ship is leaking oil and the thought of sludge-covered penguins is NOT what the tourism people want to see. Nor any of us, for that matter.
Oh yeah, I mentioned there was good news: All 122 people aboard the ship have been evacuated, and are in perfect health, according to the Chilean navy Friday. 2 helicopters and 2 Chilean navy ships were dispatched to the scene, though the Ushuaia was never in danger of sinking, a spokesman said. Passengers were transferred to the Achilles, the first ship to arrive, which carried them toward the Chilean base Eduardo Frei. The not-so-happy campers on board included 14 Danes, 12 Americans, 11 Australians, 9 Germans, 7 Argentines, 7 British, 6 Chinese, 6 Spaniards, 5 Swiss, 3 Italians, 2 French, 2 Canadians, 2 Irish, 1 Belgian, and 1 New Zealander. It cannot be confirmed that there were 5 golden rings, or a partridge in a pear tree still on board. The crew of the Lautaro, the second ship to reach the crippled Ushuaia, was working to stem the fuel leak, again according to Chilean navy sources.
Don't misunderstand, I think there is definitely a market for exotic, destination-type cruising, and sometimes the only way to experience the full adventure is on a smaller vessel. I've just become less and less attached to the notion of "historic" ships (another kind word for old). Even if they can all pass their SOLAS, Safety Of Life At Sea inspections, the risk factor increases the longer ships stay in service. Period. Don't write me letters about outstanding maintenance and such, there comes a time when technology trumps history. Anyone who calls me about this sort of trip will get the full story - pluses and minuses before they book anything. There are lots of salesmen who will do anything to get your credit card and complete a sale. Not me. The most important thing for me is not selling you a trip. It's selling you the right trip, so not only will I have your business over and over, but you'll tell your friends to call me too. That's what it's all about in a service industry.
Hearing about the fierce storm, and other acts of God, brought me to another story. Police say Michael E. Schwab of San Antonio, Texas claimed that while he was driving on U.S. Highway 281 recently, God told him to run a woman off the road because she "wasn't driving right" and "needed to be taken off the road." He slammed into her car at over 100 miles per hour, spinning both vehicles into the median."God must have been with them, 'cause any other time, the severity of this crash, it would have been a fatal," said Kyle Coleman, a spokesman for the Bexar County sheriff's department. Police say Schwab was not drunk, and they found no drugs inside his car. He is expected to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. Thankfully, neither individual suffered serious injuries.
God has faced scrutiny in the past, including a recent lawsuit that was thrown out of court in Nebraska. A judge dismissed a lawsuit in October that was filed against The Higher Power. That's right, somebody tried to sue God (forgetting that old "whatever comes around, goes around" thing). In 2007, Nebraska state Senator Ernie Chambers, who represents legislative District 11 in North Omaha, filed the lawsuit alleging God was responsible for "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants." NOTE TO DISTRICT 11 RESIDENTS: Eh, this is the best you can do at finding somebody to represent you in the State Senate? If there were no superior applicants, how about next time just mailing in a brief statement, indicating you'd like to secede from the Union or something. As you might suspect, God was not available for immediate comment, but He has some interesting ways of using fire and brimstone, which Senator Chambers may discuss with Him at a later date....
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