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January 16th
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A great start at JW Steakhouse in LA
Kathy, Bill, Eileen, Mike, Janet, Chris, Karen, Jim, Kathy and Mark
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Sitting; Linda and Allan Sharp
Standing; Carolyn and Bill Leask
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58 of us taking in the slideshow ...
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... at the Spirit of the West Welcome Reception
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Allan and Linda Sharp
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Brad and Kelly Deschamp
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Jeff, Lana, Egan, Gail, Eileen, Mike, Kathy (hidden), Earl
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Sharon & Paddy Mullaney, Kathy & Bill Reimer
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We have announced the 2024 cruise destination! We'll be doing the bucket list trip in and around
South America next
February on the Sapphire Princess! See the
2024 cruise page! here.
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Brad & Kelly Deschamp at an interview for the S of the W radio
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Kathy & Mark behind Jim, Karen, Kathy & Bill
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Diane and Ed Peake at formal night
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Bill and Carolyn Leask
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Earl and Kathy Zinger
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Larry and Therese Driver
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Lana Smith and Jeff Campbell
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Lillian Fry and Bunny Bell-Reid
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Eileen and Mike Currier
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Max and Dale Kinsella
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George and Gail Slusarczyk
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Dan and Ann Stocking
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Les and Diane Antoniuk
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Bruce and Kerrie Kusler
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Allan and Linda Sharp
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Tried to get an interview here ...
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Some of the group did a tequila tasting in Puerto Vallarta
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They then got to visit with the horses behind the distillery
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Next was lunch with Kasia Bodurka from Global News weather
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Jim giving announcements at our first real sing-along
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Kathy Zinger and Jo-Ann & Dennis Statham
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Jim looking after folks, like Bunny Bell-Reid
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Jim arranged for a guitar for Ed Peake. Wayne (not part of our group) helped out
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Ann Stocking sharing a couple of her poems
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Les Antoniuk telling a couple of humourous stories
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Flossie Bodell reading a piece of poetry
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Pulling along-side at Huatulco, Mexico
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The support crew heading into the Rio Copalita
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Mark in the Pacific Ocean
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Kathy riding out of the jungle
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Click photo to see the video
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Jim (left) & Kathy Reimer and Karen decided that they should go for a horse ride too! Click photo to see video
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A small number of our group got together with Charlotte and Richard Preston on Caesar Night
to share some stories in
memory of their daughter, Charlene Preston (1976 - 2022).
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Our group gathering for a private group galley tour. (we had the very first galley tour since Covid)
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The head chef explaining to everyone how the kitchen works
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Our group walking through a maze of stainless steel
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We were not allowed to touch anything, not even the deserts!
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Allan Sharp leading the way for the second half of the group
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Everyone absorbing the staggering facts and numbers
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The head chef said he had 187 cooks in his remuda
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All of us left happy after a little humour at the end
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All aboard the bus and heading to Nosavar Ranch in Costa Rica
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45 minutes later we arrive at Nosavar Ranch
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Larry Driver riding point on the second of three wagons
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The first two wagons head out while the third is being loaded
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A Crocodile sunning in the sand on the beach of the Rio Tarcoles
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Leona Petherbridge in front of her husband Richard
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The 400 mother cows are a Charolais Brahma cross
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Some of this year's calf crop ... all in great shape
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Our group where the Rio Tarcoles meets the Pacific Ocean
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Mario telling us about the ranch and the cattle (Mark recording for Hugh)
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A "live fence" around one of the many lush green pastures
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Note the size and length of the rope on this caballo
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Their vaquero showing off one of the ranch bulls
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Mario explaining the cattle breeding program
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A few of the 95 horses just going into training (for the dude string)
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Mario talking with a vaquero that has been here about 40 years
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The brand is V for Vargas (owners) in a royal chair
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Looks like Kelly Deschamp found herself a new vaquero :-)
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Now the vaqueros have to take the cattle back out to their pasture
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Some of the many iguanas that were roaming around the ranch
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Charlotte and Richard Preston show off their beer in the buffet line
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Our whole group enjoying a great ranch made lunch
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Kathy doing the count as everyone boards the bus
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Linda Sharp taking her husband Allan back to the bus
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Charlotte and Richard leave a memorial for Charlene in the sand
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The dining room waiters sang Happy Birthday to Gail Slusarczyk
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Hugh joined us on the big screen at an evening get-together
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Ann Stocking reads a story to the group at the get-together
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Sure glad Jim got a ship guitar for Ed Peake to play!
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Richard Preston reads a poem to the group at the get-together
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Tenders leave the ship to take folks in to Fuerte Amador
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The massive Panama City with it's maze of highrises
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The Bridge of the Americas which we will go under tomorrow
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Chris and Janet Currier walked to the Bio Museo from the port
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Some of our group taking in some information in the museum
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The Bio Museo was a great stop ... super interesting!
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A lot of our group toured to the square in Old Town, Panama City
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In the square was the Museo Canal, also super interesting!
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About 5:15 AM as we approach the Bridge of the Americas
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We pass under the bridge with only 3 meters clearance!
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The ship cam on the Emerald Princess as we enter the first lock
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A look back at Bridge of the Americas from the first lock
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Note the angle of the rope and the size of the crew
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Now the size of the crew as we are raised 28 feet in the lock
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Now the rope is up level with the top of the lock walls
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This shows the massive water holding tanks of the new locks
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Two parallel gates are open as we pass into the 2nd lock
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At the stern two cross tied ropes keep the ship straight
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Holding still in the next lock as the gate shuts behind us
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"G" the photographer starts to place us for the group photo
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Jim straightens name tags as everyone in the group gets ready
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58 of us moved from the 1st photo location to the 2nd
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A great group photo with the Panama Canal in the background
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The Queen Victoria passes us in Gatun Lake half way through
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One of the massive tankers passing us in the lake
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This huge container ship hitting the throttle as it enters the Atlantic
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Here the tug at the bow keeps us straight as we enter the last lock
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Kathy, Karen, Jim, Richard, Charlotte, Bill, Kathy, Eileen, Mike
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Dan and Ann, George and Gail, Egan and Gail
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Pat and Larry Selin
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Kathy and Earl Zinger
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Laurie and Bob Eliuk
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Sharon and Paddy Mullaney
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Richard and Leona Petherbridge
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Gail and Egan Bodell
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The battle of the cameras with Bill Leask and Mark
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Therese and Larry Driver
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Ken and Inga Lueck
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Jo-Ann and Dennis Statham
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Therese, Gail, Ann, and Flossy (Les missing) with Ed behind
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And the same five as part of a 60 piece choir in the Piazza
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Raphael was one of the best sound guys we've ever had (with his eyes open)
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Jim Bell and desert in the speciality Italian Restaurant ... so good
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The Princess Culinary Show was super fun, really good
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Some of the many ship staff at the close of the show
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Romeo and Joseph were two amazing guys in the wine bar
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In the center is the Emerald Princess as we fly home from Ft Lauderdale
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We have announced the 2024 cruise destination! We'll be doing the bucket list trip in and around
South America next
February on the Sapphire Princess! See the
2024 cruise page! here.
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