1/31 – 2/3 ANTARCTICA, NO COUNTRY

As you may know, Antarctica is not owned by any nation.  It is, by treaty, open to all countries for scientific research purposes only.  When going to Antarctica you must follow strict rules.  For example, all sports equipment had to be removed from decks.  This was so no equipment would get blown overboard.  Smoking is not allowed on any decks.  Hopefully, that will keep the continent pristine forever.  The treaty does have an expiration date, though.  So, we all need to push for it’s extension.

Our first day in Antarctica we had beautiful weather.  It was sunny.  The seas were calm.  Followed our schedule as planned.

 

The second day in Antarctica, we reversed our planned route to make accommodation for smaller vessels in the area.  They had stricter schedules to keep than we did.  We were able to visit everyplace planned.

The third day was different.  We awoke to gale force winds and 27 foot swells.  Yes, the pills worked.  We were unable to go to the Antarctic Sound, so we headed to an alternate sound.  But, again, no go.  Did I mention it was snowing along with the blowing?  No, well, the visibility was zero.  The Captain and his crew were hard pressed to see.  This in an area covered, as the pictures show, with all different sized icebergs.  (the largest ones are icebergs, the medium are bery-bits, and the smallest, and sometimes most dangerous, are called growlers.  Growlers can be small and you can go right over them, but they can also be larger and you should NOT go over them) We have a special Captain on board, along with our regular one, who is used to sailing these waters.  We were very glad to have him around today. 

So, we headed out toward Elephant Island, hoping the weather would be better there, since it is further north.  We were able to get a glimpse of it through the snow.  We did get to see where Captain Shackelton left his 22 men for 130 days while he and 5 men left on a small boat to go to South Georgia, for help.  He had to make 3 attempts to get back to his men.  He did, and not one person died.  Anyway, we saw where he first stopped on the island, but he had to move his men to another spot 6 miles away.  That is where they spent the next 100 odd days. 

We were able to see the first drop off point, but when we tried to go to where they made their camp, we got socked in again.  We were told to tell everyone that we were where they camped, and we didn’t need to mention that we couldn’t see it.

On the 3rd, we  headed off toward the Falkland Islands.  We were told by the Captain, about 10am that the odds of us actually stopping at the Falklands was slim to none.  The weather there were gale force winds again and we were planning on anchoring in the bay and using tenders to get ashore.  Probably not going to happen. 

Right now, about 4pm on the third, the seas are starting to pick up.  So, most likely we will be bypassing the Falklands and going on to Buenos Aires, Argentina. (If the Captain can get permission to dock early.)