Rolf Devinci

Recently returned to Canada after a vacation excursion via the Norwegian Escape cruise ship to the Eastern Caribbean. It sure was good to experience some sunshine in the month of March and get a tan instead of sporting the usual Canadian "fish belly white" winter pallor. https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-ship/escape?cid=PS_TSI_CAN_SHP_GOO-g_LEN_SRH_SHIPESC_norwegian%20escape_NA_174200722935&gclid=CNyCk4rH79ICFRm1wAodiowMqQ The Escape The Escape is one big ship! Seventeen decks and akin to a floating city with all kinds of shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues. Commissioned in 2015 she is a relatively new boat in Norwegian`s fleet of cruise ships and can carry in excess of five thousand passengers and crew.  The Destination Cruising the Eastern Caribbean we visited the US/ British Virgin islands and Bahamas on a seven day cruise. One day of (some) rain and cloud but otherwise perfect weather. An easterly cruise meant w

Nowadays known as a general reference to any alcoholic drink the term Grog was actually the British naval slang for rum and water. In an attempt to stretch out the rum rations for his sailors Vice Admiral  Edward Vernon commenced the practice on August 21 1740 while commanding a squadron in the West Indies. "Vernon's 1740 order that the daily rum issue of a half pint of rum be mixed with one quart of water and issued in two servings, before noon and after the end of the working day, became part of the official regulations of the Royal Navy in 1756 and lasted for more than two centuries." Contrary to popular opinion the addition of citrus to Vernon`s grog was not done to prevent scurvy in his sailors. He did suggest to his officers that the men could trade some of their salt and bread rations for sugar or lemons to improve the taste of the rum/water ration if they chose to do so. That said it was later surgeons and officers of the Royal Navy who made the connec