The seas are still calm in the Indian Ocean and the temperature is starting to cool down as we head further south towards Mauritius. The ship is sailing south about 400 nautical miles east of Madagascar.

The day is fairly routine for us. A port presentation on Port Elizabeth and in the afternoon a movie – “First Step.” I enjoyed it while Steve read his book.

This evening we had a special presentation – one we’ve been waiting for on this trip. The Deputy Captain did his Sky Gazing Presentation. This is where the Captain turns off the lights on the Lido deck at the back of the ship, reorientated the ship so the ship was facing North and we are able to see the stars and Milky Way in the Southern Hemisphere. A fantastic view of Sirius, the brightest star in the Earth’s sky, Rigel, Magellan Cloud, Alpha Centauris and the Southern Cross. No matter where you are on Earth, being able to see the stars and the Milky Way above is so incredibly awesome. After a short 30 minutes, the lights come back on and here we are back in our cabin gazing at the inky-ness of the Indian Ocean.

Tomorrow Port Louis, Mauritius.