Alert The Medic - CAA Road To ECMW

The following is a guest blog by members of the band “Alert the Medic” who travelled with Marine Atlantic to attend Eastlink East Coast Music Week held in St. John’s from April 8-12. Marine Atlantic was proud to be a silver sponsor of the event.

Hey, it’s Ryan, Dale, Troy and Matt from “Alert The Medic” and we wanted to chat about our experience aboard the Atlantic Vision‎!

Travelling can be stressful; especially when you are met with grumpy employees who are gate keepers to your next destination. This was not the case on the Atlantic Vision. From the time we boarded the vessel we were met with smiles. It didn’t matter that the first person we met was at the bottom of the boat in a full on snow suit, the dampest and coldest place on the ship, they greeted us with the excitement fit for a king.

All along the way we met great staff including Captain Stan Peet, Chief Officer Brian McArthur and the bridge team, Chief Steward John Gillis and the service staff. It was incredible to see the bridge and the procedures that the crew takes to get the ship running. We watched Captain Peet and his crew make the calls and manipulate the engines as they focused on position to sail us safely out of North Sydney and into the Atlantic.

We had a quick course on how everything works to get the ship running, took a look at our path to Port Aux Basques on a map and learned about some of the international maritime signal flags. We were also told that they can steer the ship to the precision of an inch and that we were on the most powerful ship in the North Atlantic!

The food on the Atlantic Vision was great. There were plenty of options including roast pork, roast beef, fish and chips, bbq chicken, sheppard’s pie and baked cod. We thought the baked cod was a good pick and an obvious one since we were on the ocean. There was some kind of stuffing in it that was damn good. It was very nice eating on the boat. The table was nice and you had a great view of the ocean and all the ice floating by. It was a great way to start the week in Newfoundland.

For desert we had the choice of apple crisp or strawberry shortcake. It was amazing!!! It was a very good meal to start the long trek across the strait to Port Aux Basques where we would dock seven hours later.In the afternoon we had the opportunity to entertain some of the crew and passengers. We arrived at the ferry terminal early on Sunday morning after a late night show in Sydney the night before. We were clearly tired, but friendly faces, positive attitudes and a delicious breakfast/dinner, had us feeling just fine.

The Colours lounge is very inviting, comfortable and filled with bright, bold and vibrant colors. Passengers are able to relax on the soft sofas and enjoy a drink or some food, all while watching ice flows pass by, through the Lounges panoramic style windows.

We hope the guests had as much fun listening to our songs, as we had playing them. The acoustics in the center of that room are beautiful and it was a treat to play our song “All Better Now” for Captain Peet, who enjoys the song’s nautical lyrical references. :)

Needless to say, our experience all around was a pleasure and we would welcome the opportunity to share our music again for the Marine Atlantic passengers and crew‎! We had so many laughs and lasting memories due to the adventurous and knowledgeable Captain and crew. Our trip to Newfoundland would have not been the same without their professionalism and kindness. You really know how to make a road worn band feel at home!