Am I ready to walk the plank?

Anyone who has read John Heald’s Carnival blog will know he has a great sense of humour – and a British sense of humour at that – so I am pleased he has taken my gentle chiding in the spirit it was intended.
I had a go at him earlier this week because he had fired a shot across the bows of Oasis of the Seas – which had been delayed by rough weather in the Atlantic – without accepting that two of his own company’s ships had also had their itineraries messed about by a bit of wind.
As I expected, he has responded in his inimitable style. Here’s what he wrote in his latest entry:
“Let me just say that the bad weather did affect the Carnival Triumph entering New Orleans to mark the start of this being her new home port. The weather from Hurricane Bastard, sorry, Hurricane Ida, closed the port to all shipping.
“Now I noticed a friend of mine (who has a beard) slapped the back of my leg suggesting that my mentioning of the Mall of the Seas being delayed by the bad weather had come back to bite me in the bottom. Well, it was a little different as the port was closed.
“Anyway, I will be seeing my mate with the beard and will invite him to join me on a plank of wood which will be extended in his honour over the Hudson.”
Yes, we will be on the Carnival Dream together for today’s launch ceremony in New York, to be performed by Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden. And I’m relieved that John has only threatened to make me walk the plank, rather than challenged me to a race down the Dream’s terrifying water slides.
If I survive, I will be reporting on today’s ceremony later. If there’s no update, then you must fear the worst. In which case, please send your donations to the RNLI.