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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

Working on the Posting of Photo’s !!!

Hello Everyone this is a picture of me ( in case you have not guessed) a couple of days back as we were heading to meet the ship Orion if this works then I might be able to send more pics thats the plan. You are looking at the most southerly point of Argentina with me spoiling the picture !!

Just for your as i send information just arriving at Antartica passing Iceburgs it is now 12.45 PM on Thursday, can see Antarctica on the bow and going ashore this afternoon and me only just got me sea-legs !!!

Day One and Two on “All @ Sea

Day 3 Santiago – Chile to Ushuaia -Argentina – Joining the Ship Orion

Today Tuesday 16^th a 4.00AM wake up call was scheduled ……was not required as I was awake at 2.30AM and never got back to sleep Ahhhhhhh! We were advised at the briefing the night before that we should put our non carry on bags outside the hotel room door between 9-11PM as they would be collected. The next time we would see them will be in our cabin onboard Orion. Efficient methinks, we were also reminded that you need clothes for the next day, so don’t pack them and we are reminded that carry on baggage rules on LAN Airways are strictly enforced. So I think great must pack all the clothes I am wearing to minimize carry on. Now the fun starts, pack my bag put it outside my room door …what happens as I put it out? You’ve guessed it the door slammed behind me! What am I wearing? Yep a tee shirt and pair of pants – is there a phone nearby nop!! So I have to walk to a conference room to find a phone, which is, about 100 meters away. I do hope I don’t meet anyone on-route in my call for Help!! So that was that, did not meet anyone and was let back into my room Phew! But there is more I walk out of my room at 4.00AM only to find my bag and few others still outside my room Ahhhhhhh! All the bags that had been outside all the other rooms gone – mine and the other room in the cul-de-sac like corridor I was in completely missed …any ways staff were very apologetic, and sorted it but for the rest of the day I am thinking will my bag be in cabin 322 when I get to the ship?

Next we were all coached to the airport (104 guests) to catch our plane that no one realized was a three-hour flight departing at 7.50AM – Flight was fine

Left the flight and took a bus tour of Ushuaia then joined Catamaran after travelling through the Ushuaia National Park then down the Beagle River to meet the Orion in port.

Boarded the ship then various talks including safety briefings and dinner – impressed with the ship and the organization. Sailed overnight down Drakes Passage, a little choppy have to hold on when you walk around but OK – Day 4 of my travels, Day 2 on the ship is at sea all day as we head toward the Antarctic Peninsular, various talks you can attend today, so looking forward to that.

Internet access is OK but delivery on blog may be random not regular but do look out – thanks for reading.

Day 4 – Drakes Passage – All At Sea

Today a very different as I mentioned, we sailed overnight south from effectively Cape Horn, probably a name you will know towards the Peninsula through Drakes Passage names after Sir Frances Was up early and while I awoke in the night a few times and the ship, albeit well stabilized, she was rolling!! Got up early went t one of the viewing areas on an upper deck wake and went outside on deck – lovely on deck sun rising , all you can see is Sea and the ship pitching and rolling in three to four meter rolling waves (I was told size later) mmmmm then it all went a bit pear shaped…..started to feel a tad yicky, felt tat way for a few hours but them was OK …lot of people turned out the same way plus learning to walk on a rolling ship.

It is difficult to make the day sound exiting but it was, and I am sure some people will go he did what ? From a program perspective I went to three lectures first Ocean Wanderers – Seabirds of the Southern Ocean, second Photograph, third The story of the Antarctica Continent – of the Southern Oceans.

The big takeaways from today include the number of Seabirds that followed the ship especially in the morning including huge (three meter wingspan) Wandering Albatrosses and Storm Petrels. The weather was great blue skies still the rolling sea though!! Was good to then learn about the distances these birds fly every year and how they live. The photography session was equally good with great tips and some amazing photographs taken by the onboard naturalists and professional National Geographic photographers, followed by small group Q&A sessions, only had my camera of 8 years know how to use it !!!! The last lecture was by a guy who originally joined Lindblad the man and founder of Lindblad operation. He told us all about the Antarctica the body of land and ice.

We are told that the Orion is progressing well is these calm seas (Yea right !!) and we may make The South Shetlands (no Honey not Scotland!) by tomorrow afternoon and get ashore, early afternoon we should start to see ice…. So based on this first thing in the morning we have a mandatory rules and safety briefing for going ashore – as we were advised of this they said but it OK, if you feel unwell when its on, you can watch it from you cabin live on the TV….to which I thought great “how do you do that with your head down the toilet ? Here’s hoping I see the live version….Will be in touch.

(PS hope to inset photo’s but being technically challange on that think its the slow internet speed but will try to sort asap sorry for that)

To the Other Side of the World Day One !

A short update on my journey so far …

Well….. seven hours flight from Singapore to Sydney Australia, five hour stopover followed by a few hours flight to Aukland NZ and another stopover of two hours, a twelve hour flight to Santiago Chile has now gotton me 1o128 miles away from Singapore to my hotel here in Santiago – based on the time zone changes I think I almost arrived before I left as Santiago is 11 hours behind Singapore!!

That said it was a very good trip and is the pre-cursor to the real part of my adventure. After waiting for nearly an hour for baggage just got to the hotel in time for the briefing for tommorrow advising me that we have a 4.00AM wake up call and leaving the hotel in Santigao at 5.15AM to fly to a place call Ushuaia – in Argentina. We then go on a Catamaran trip around the bay for lunch then join the ship National Geographic Orion with a sailing time of 16.00. Weather forcast at sea across Drake’s Passage is very good with only a three metre swell so based on the type of ship we should feel nothing – so I am told. Fully expecting the temparature to drop a lot …..then off we go !!!….( sorry on my previous post got the departure date wrong …Jet lag and I had not even taken off !!!)

Not sure what connectivity will be from the ship but will update with pictures as soon as I can……

Cheers

Antarctica – The Blogging Starts Here

Dear Friends and Family

Well here I am at the start of my Blogging Life – Hope you like the site address !!! – as some of you know I am off today 14th February (Valentines Day very popular with my lovely wife !!) on the trip of a lifetime to Antarctica, South Georgia and The Falkland Islands. So as part of this Ann Marie made a great suggestion that I should set up a blog for my trip – so here I am setting up a site five hours before my flight departs ha ha – So my “disclaimer” is about everything from content to spelling …..

I will join the ship National Geographic Orion on the 14th February – South America time and when I have connectivity will look to update you all.

If you would like more information on my trip please visit the Lindblad Expeditions web site at <www.expeditions.com/dersignup> and look for the trip entitled “Antarctica, South Georgia and The Falklands” on the ship Orion departing 14th February…will try to keep you posted.

Must Pack !!!

Enjoy !

Best Wishes

Nigel