WEDNESDAY
We crossed over and into the Drake Passage during the night. Many, many people struggled with motion sickness. Fortunately, I did not.
The day was spent exploring the ship 🛳️ and attending lectures. The tradition of hosting lectures everyday comes from the time of Shackleton, the explorer. The lecture could be on anything but lectures are geared towards preparing the guests for visiting Antarctica
Practicing a fire drill and ship 🛳️ evacuation.
Notice the rope that was put in place for when the seas are rough. The ropes were strung through out the ship for people to grip and stay standing. The rope is removed when all is calm.
Lattes and cappuccinos on demand at the bistro!
Delicious desserts served at every meal.
and lectures
My home away from home: Cabin #305
High Tea - every day!
Listening to a lecture in the lounge
A view from my cabin window.
THURSDAY
Each morning yoga/stretch session is offered at 7:00 am in the lounge. The yoga is a wonderful way to start the day and it ends with a fresh smoothie.
We spent the day steaming south with the plan of crossing into the Southern Ocean at 60 degrees south as we make our way to Crystal Sound.
In general, the seas were far calmer today so there were more people in the dining areas and throughout the 🛳️ ship 🛳️.
Our first view of an iceberg….
I think 🤔 I have fallen in love 🥰 More icebergs…
Clearly, I need to do just an iceberg post 🤔🙄😊
Checking out the bridge.
Showcasing our DMS flag in the lounge.
In preparation of stepping onto the continent, we inspected all of our clothing for contamination (dirt, seeds, hairs, everything). We used a vacuum cleaner to help clean pockets and the inside of backpacks.
The evening ended with the entire dining room singing happy birthday 🎈 to me.
A visit to the bridge.
Good night 😴 view through porthole in my cabin.
Shout-out to Ellie, Aayana, Charley, Jarvis, and Alex B- Watching and searching for animals in Antarctica 🇦🇶 is a big part of our trip. We saw many types of birds, three kinds of penguins, three types of whales 🐋 and four types of seals 🦭. It’s so easy to fall in love with the penguins because they are so animated. I love watching them waddle and hop.
Shout-out to Grady and Manny- Penguins have dark backs so they look like they’re part of the water. They have light colored bellies so when predators look up, they blend in with the water. It’s all about camouflage. Often like penguins stay with like penguins. Occasionally, you see them mixing a little but that does not mean they mate across species.
Shout-out to August-The ship 🛳️ has been fabulous. There is a chart room where you can review maps and get a hot or cold drink any time of the day or night. The library sits on top of the ship providing excellent views. There is a dining room and bistro. Because the ship is so large, it makes it a little easier to go through the Drake Passage.
