Day 11—Changing of Plans

The ship's navigator might be confused.

Not going to lie.  It was a rough night.  We headed through 25 foot swells, so the ship was rising and falling, a little rolling, and things were clanking and falling.  We got up a couple of times to lay things down and wedge them in to avoid breaking stuff.  Every so often, we would hit a big swell, and the ship would lift up, and the front would drop and hit the water with a crash.  So, it was hard to sleep.  But by the morning, it was down to 15 foot swells, and things calmed down.  So we got up and had breakfast, then streamed Mass on the computer.  We started a load of laundry (saved a lot of space and weight packing!).  Then we caught a lecture on the differences in animals on the two poles, and then it was time for lunch.

Mid-Afternoon snack.

After lunch, we thought it might be nice to walk around topside and check out the views, but getting thrown around a wet with spray was contrary to our notion of “fun”, though we did see some very light snow flurries.  Instead we watched a lecture on the formation of ice on Antarctica (which was much better than it sounds!).  They started calling us down by groups to take the antigen test, and since we’re in Group 1, we got that done early.  It was not nearly as bad as the PCR test they did at the hotel!  It was too late to get ice cream on the pool deck (zero chance of melting), so we went back to the room and ordered some there, and started a movie.  It was a horrible movie. We aren’t even going to admit what it was, just that it was a Christmas themed movie. 

Finally, they had the daily briefing.  This is the reality of “Expedition Cruising”; we make plans, then scrap them for the next option, and continue.  Due to clouds, no solar eclipse.  Due to bad waves, we detoured a bit, and swung by the South Orkney Islands.  But had to continue West to stay with the swells, and proceed slowly at that.  So, we didn’t really have enough to get to Elephant Island, and even if we had, the winds and waves were too much to get off the boat, so we’d be miserable for another day’s journey.  Thus, we’re heading straight to Brown Bluff, on the Antarctic peninsula.  But since we’re group one…it will be an early start for us (8:00 is the planned disembarkation).

At dinner, we were seated next to a couple we had dinner with a few nights ago.  We enjoyed visiting with them.  However, outside the window next to them was an awesome show.  About 40-50 birds (mix of Petrels (Giant Southern and Cape) and a Black Browed Albatross flew just outside of the window for the entire meal.  They just coast along riding between 2-10 feet above the water, going up and down with the swells, and occasionally one flew through the mist as a wave broke.  As they banked, they looked like a squadron of WWII fighters.

A lot of birds!!! (Through a dirty window...sorry!)