FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 19 – At Sea
March 24, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 19 – At Sea
The ABC’s of Islands
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
Trip Day 50 – Wednesday, March 20 –At Sea – heavy cloud cover w/sporadic filtered sun – high 70
St. Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia
- 8:30 – wake up & typical breakfast
- B – 10:30 – cabin fever
- A – fresh air break – 24 laps on deck 6 = 3 miles
- 12:30 – lunch – made to order wrap station – nice change
- A – 2:00 –“Samsara” – movie in theatre – non-narrative, beautiful, & impactful film of images around the world
- 4:00 – room R & R
- 6:45 – recap & debrief
- 8:15 – dinner w/ship mates
- A – 10:00 – crew talent show – singing & dancing
- C – Alfredo sings Puccini for 1st time ever! VG
- 11:30 – more FUN w/Alfredo in lounge
- 1:00 – bedtime
- B – 1 hr time change again
FF – (FUN-fact) – “Samsara” was filmed over nearly five years in 21 countries on 5 continents and was shot on 70mm film. It transports you to the varied worlds of sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial complexes and natural wonders. Director Ron Fricke’s first film “Baraka” was released in 1992 and I’m told is even better than this.
FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 18 – At Sea
March 24, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 18 – At Sea
The ABC’s of Islands
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
Trip Day 49 – Tuesday, March 19 –At Sea – clouds mixed w/sun – calm seas – high 70
Macaroni Penguins at Hercules Bay, South Georgia
- 8:30 – wake up & typical breakfast
- B – 9:45 – cabin fever
- A – fresh air break – 20 laps on deck 6 = 2.5 miles
- 12:30 – lunch at Grill outside deck 6
- B – not many options & hamburger just so-so
- 2:00 – room R & R
- 4:00 – team trivia – animal kingdom – really bizarre questions & have to just guess
- A – Chris actually plays & our team takes 3rd place
- 6:45 – Recap & Briefing – Cape Town
- A – slide show of photo contest finalists & winners on landscape, wildlife, penguins, people & most boring photos
- B – none of Chris’ pictures take 1st
- A – but all of them were in the finals
- 7:30 – happy hour
- 8:15 – dinner Oriental theme – Thai, Chinese & Japanese appetizers & entrees – dining room decorated w/Chinese/Japanese lanterns & flags
St. Andrew’s Bay
FF – (FUN-fact) – There are 17 different species of penguins in the world and we have now seen 9 of them.
FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 17 – At Sea
March 22, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 17 – At Sea
The ABC’s of Islands
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
Trip Day 48 – Monday, March 18 –At Sea – high cotton ball clouds w/filtered sun – high 67
Molting Gentoos
- 8:15 – wake up (only so-so sleep)
- 8:30 – typical morning routine
- A – 10:30 – 16 laps on deck 6 = 2 miles – less wind & calmer seas today
- A – 12:30 – International themed lunch – dining room decorated w/flags from around the world – lots of different food options from sushi to German sausages
- 2:00 – room R & R
- 7:00 – happy hour w/Alfredo
Great Shearwater’s
- 8:15 – dinner w/the Tristanian couple Sean & Marina
- C – Karaoke w/Alfredo
- C – lots of ship mates – lounge is packed!
- 12:00 – music usually stops
- 12:30 – Alfredo finally calls it a night
- 1:00 – time for bed
- B – time change again – lose an hour
FF – (FUN-fact) – Sean works for the UK Foreign Office and Marina is a teacher. He is the administrator for the island council of 11 members. They only stay for three years on an assignment. They are currently applying for their next assignment in 2014. They said living on Tristan has been a wonderful experience. There is no crime, the speed limit is 20, and the children are free to run, ride their bikes and play with none of the worries that city life brings. The community is in essence a co-op with every home having a cow and potato field. Tristanians either work at the fish factory or have a government position.
St. Andrew’s Bay King Penguins
FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 16 – Tristan Da Cunha
March 19, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 16 – Tristan Da Cunha
The ABC’s of Islands
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
Trip Day 47 – Sunday, March 17 – Tristan Da Cunha – thick clouds turn to sunshine – high 63
Yellow-nosed Albatross
- B – 6:30 – wake up over PA
- B – 6:45 – announces seas too rough to land, so no going ashore
- 7:30 – ship moves to leeward side of the island
- 8:00 – local zodiac boat drops off 2 residents going to the UK for a holiday – they paid with 2 sacks of potatoes and fresh lobsters
- 9:00 – ship makes 2nd pass by the settlement Edinburgh of the 7 Seas heading to Nightingale
- A – 9:30 to 10:00 – 16 laps = 2 miles on deck 6 for cabin fever – wind & rough seas add a whole new dimension to walking
- 11:30 – arrive Nightingale – cruise around the island for bird watching – 2 other smaller islands quite close – can see Inaccessible Island in the distance
- 12:30 – typical lunch
- 2:30 – room R & R
- 5:00 – School: Earthquakes & Tsunamis – where they are expected & why
Edinburgh of the 7 Seas
- 6:45 – Recap & briefing incudes…
- C – special guest stars – Sean & Marina whom we picked up from Tristan De Cunha
- 7:30 – happy hour w/Alfredo
- C – 8:30 – dinner – surf & turf – fresh lobster & mashed potatoes w/truffle oil brought on board w/Argentinean tenderloin – VG!
- 10:00 – single malt whisky tasting – Chris goes for it, I stick w/my wine
Nightingale Island
FF – (FUN-fact) – Tristan Da Cunha is the most remote inhabited island in the world and is a little more than half way between South America and South Africa.
More FF – Nightingale Island is inaccessible and has over 1 million birds breeding with Great Shearwater’s among the most abundant. In addition, there are hundreds of Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross and a breeding colony of Rockhopper penguins.
Not so FF – In March, 2011, cargo ship Oliva carrying soy beans, ran aground and broke in half. Several members of our current expedition team helped in the rescue efforts.
Local Boat
FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 15 – At Sea
March 19, 2013 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Ushuaia, Argentina to Cape Town, South Africa – Silversea Cruise – Day 15 – At Sea
The ABC’s of Islands
A = Awesome
B = Bummer
C = Celebration
Trip Day 46 – Saturday, March 16 – At Sea – mostly sunny skies w/some clouds – high 62
King Penguin Love
- B – worst night sleep so far – room creaked as ship rocked & rolled all night – couldn’t fall back to sleep
- 8:45 – finally get up for cappuccino
- BB – (big bummer) – we lost a lot of time due to high winds & sea currents – not going to make it to Tristan Da Cunha or Nightingale today as scheduled
- 11:00 – in room movie – HBO Ethel – documentary on Ethel Kennedy – VG!
- 12:30 – lunch – pretty typical
- A – asked chef to do Mexican theme – chicken fajitas, beans, rice, tortillas, guacamole, chips, salsa, jalapeños
- C – he said yes
St. Andrew’s Bay, South Georgia
- 2:00 – room R & R
- B – internet is so slow & keeps dropping me (have to keep logging in & logging out)
- 6:45 – recap & briefing – photo contest on Tuesday – 10 pictures only – 5 different categories – pick 2 of your best for landscape, wildlife, penguins, people & most boring photos – that is harder than you think for Chris to pick his 10 best!
- 7:30 – happy hour w/Alfredo
- 8:15 – Dinner w/Aussie’s Steve & Fran – always great FUN!
FF – (FUN-fact) – UK cruise mates Dick & Chris’ daughter Jo, works for the Antarctic British Survey. She has been working in Grytviken for the last 11 years and is the 1st Officer on their research vessel. She got on our ship in Stanley and spent 5 days with us be for disembarking. Her parents walked with her to the station and got to see where she will be living the next 8 months. This will be her 2nd winter here and will have a “desk job.”
Elephant Seals