Friday December 1st 2023

The weather is back on the warm side of normal. It didn’t take much sunlight to bring the temperature into the seventies this morning. The temperature continued to climb to around eighty degrees with increasing humidity.

The campground had even more turnover today than yesterday. This afternoon there was a steady flow of RVs checking in. The atmosphere changed from relaxed to mildly frenetic. Basically the focus changed from snowbird adult to families with kids. The toys went from electric bicycles to electric scooters and wheel boards. The noise level went from conversations and barking dogs to kids yelling for parents and parents yelling for kids. The weekend is here.

Today was all about the ships coming and going in the port. On my first walk along the channel into the port this morning, I noticed something different in the Trident turning basin. The navy patrol boat was far more active than usual and a submarine was tied up at the wharf. There was a gangway to the sub’s deck and tents over the hatches into the hull. I’m not sure what the specific function of the base is, but it is intended for submarines. I have seen subs there before. They seem to come and go without fan fair, although I did see one depart a few years back.

A big tanker carrying jet fuel also arrived in the port around noon. It was met by one tug at the entrance to the port, but it already had a tug with it from the off shore anchorage. The two tugs escorted and assisted the tanker into a position on the west side of the middle turning basin. Usually the ships come in one night and are gone the next. It is rare to see arrivals during the day. Departures are a little more frequent.

There were three cruise ships in port today. The first was scheduled for departure at 3:30PM and for once it was on time. The Carnival cruise ship was docked at terminal 3 which overlaps part of the campground. I practically jumped out of my skin when it sound its departure horn. I watched it gradually pull away into the channel from the comfort of my RV home before walking over to the channel leading into the port. The second cruise ship departing at 4PM from deeper in the harbor was almost at Jetty park. It was a Royal Caribbean ship.

There was a gap before the last ship to depart made an appearance in the channel. Disney ships always seem to be the last to depart. Disney’s largest ship the Wish departed from deep in the port at 5PM. It was almost dark by the time it reached the area near the entrance to the port. Many of the people that watched the first two ships depart were already gone.