Day 5 at The Ice

Day 5 – Drakes Passage – arrival at the ICE !!!

This morning we were awoken a little earlier – with a 7.30AM announcement ( was already up) that we were progressing very well and the weather had been very kind over night only two to three meter swell…great! But too be honest it felt flat the ship is very well stabilised.

The morning comprised of several sessions a mandatory safety session plus the rules governing visits to Antarctica (IAATO) briefing (for those who are interested I suggest Google for more info) this was followed by a Biosecurity Decontamination session where basically outer garments bags etc. that are not new needed to inspected, cleaned and sanitized so as not to contaminate the mainland.

A lady by the name of Erin McFadden (yes a Scottish lass) an undersea specialist and Antarctic diver presenting the Southern Ocean also very good, as this was going on, Icebergs were passing the port holes and we were then told land Ahoy !! We could see Antarctica…..pretty amazing to be so far south, as I mentioned yesterday the South Shetland Islands…..Oh and at the same time my laundry was done !!

Then around two ashore we went – Aritos (not sure how its spelt – but with me that’s true of a lot of words ha ha) Island in the South Shetlands, we went in zodiacs – I do not really have the ability to put this into the written word without understating the experience for me anyway. First and foremost the – ice, seeing these huge lumps of ice floating in the sea that looked huge from the ship, six decks high, imagine how big they look when you are in a RIB. Then on land penguins and penguins and penguins and the smell if regurgitated fish and “penguin poo”..so glad it was cold if we had been experiencing Singapore temperatures God knows what it would have smelt like. The weather was blue sky and we were told that is very unusual for this part of Antarctica – so lucky me. Back on the Orion by about 5.00PM so about three house of the ship and the NG guides really do a great job pointing things out to you.

So not sure what tomorrow brings but tonight it is the Captains Cocktail Party and Welcome Dinner and guess who has an invitation to sit at the Captain’s Table – yep you have guess it, ME so just brushing down the DJ well, perhaps I forgot that.

(On a technical note I hope I posted a picture today and if I am luck we have a few here too – apologies the biggest challenge is the connectivity when its good its fine but it drops out a lot)

Off to rub shoulders with the Captain bye for now……..Nigel