Smooth Sailing

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The seas remained calm again today.  So far we have been very lucky.  It was a bit cloudier and maybe a bit more chillier but I think it is colder at home.  Today was around 34 degrees.  Had a leisurely morning starting with coffee in the room and then up to the restaurant for breakfast.

At 11 am there was an interview with a world famous photographer, Steve McCurry.  Great stuff. Found the whole thing very interesting. Back in the cabin, I took some shots of the local birds gliding around the ship. Mostly kelp gulls, I've been told.  Kate came back and we were sorting out about what to take kayaking.  If we don't go together, she can have my waterproof camera, and when I go I can borrow her new cap with the visor -- which was highly recommended for glare.  Just as we finished, there was an announcement that a couple of humpbacks have been spotted along side the ship.  We couldn't get out of the room fast enough.  They were rather large and having great fun with the ship.  I did the best I could to get some pix.  Apparently, humpbacks are quite common.  We are now on the look-out for blues and or orcas.

As I was coming down from the deck, I introduced myself to our expedition leader, Skulk, from South Africa.  Had a nice long chat about our visit there this winter.  The guy who owns the bike shop where we bought the bike shirts, is a very good friend of his. He is from Plattenberg Bay.  He was thrilled to talk about his home town.

After all that excitement it was time for lunch.  I sat with a woman I have been talking to on and off since we boarded.  The next activity was the volcano lecture.  We will be sailing into a caldera.  Geoff called in the middle of it from the Channel 5 Christmas party.  I turned on the video and got to say to some old friends and let them see a bit of the Drake Passage.

4:30 and it was time for team trivia in the panorama lounge.  I asked the table where Ann was if they needed another body -- "no, we sorry, we're full".  So Brian, the ringmaster, sat me down with Andrew and Andrew for the UK.  Then came Genie and Donna, who were the two gals from dinner last night.  The 5 of us had smallest team but we kicked butt!!  The winners gather up points and at the end of the cruise you can trade them in for the big stuffed rabbit or some such.

5:00 is our briefing for the next day's landing.  As we were walking in, one of the women from the first trivia table I approached, said "Well, there were teams with more than 6 - you could have joined us.  She was sorry she said no now!"  Kate and I will be going on our first landing at 10 am tomorrow.  We are both very excited.

Dinner was a hoot this evening.  We were joined by the world famous photographer, Steve, and his

wife Andy, along with two of the ships kayak excursionists - Celle from Sweden who now lives in Norway and Jake who lives in the Thunder Bay area in Canada. Also joining us was David and Kim from Wisconsin.  Needless to say the conversation was very lively.  We also spotted our very first Antarctica iceberg.  Celle tells me that we are on the same line as Anchorage.  So the daylight is pretty much the same only reverse time of year. Also the time difference will only be two hours for the whole tour.  There was a lot of discussion about that and some said it might be New Zealand time which would be 13 hours.  I may get to see that football game yet!

Since we were sitting with the kayak guys, Kate found out that she will be going out tomorrow on the afternoon kayak excursion.  My lottery number is pretty low so I'm not even sure I'll get to go.  But the guys said if I'm a single I have a better chance when someone cancels.  I'll just have to wait.

It's been a pretty nice day all around.  The albums are going to be small.  It takes very long to upload.  Looking forward to our first landing.  Till then sunset in Antarctica...

Next time... Yankee Harbor/Half Moon Bay

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