Finally after two days in Puerto Natales we are making the trip south, our next stop should be Antarctica! Its been great cruising the fjords, but we are all now wanting to get to the main course of this trip and that is Antarctica. It looks like we will be missi9ng a landing on Cape Horn though, the weather isn’t exactly going to be favourable for landings there or across the drake passage. I’m going to be getting the full Antarctic experience.
The two days in Puerto Natales were mostly wasted by me in the Last Hope Gin Distillery as well as acclimatising to cold windy wet weather. The gin was good, especially in the form of a Calafate gimlet, a cocktail that is one part Calafate gin and 2 parts lime juice. I have a bottle now to go with my Kangaroo island Mulberry sloe gin. Who knew i was a gin drinker?
I could also rant about our Antarctica landing briefing today. I’m really not sure how people managed to get through life by not listening at the briefing and then asking a question about something clearly answered in the briefing. I think after 4 to 5 questions we determined that we are definitely only on shore for each landing for 60-90 minutes. Luckily a few people asked that question, because part of me wasn’t really sure. They all had the same accent also. Also no one is at threat of “death by penguin”. Instead I’ll go to bed knowing we put in an admirable effort at the quiz night tonight. Equal best team on our ship.
The next blog post should be about Antarctica. I don’t know when that is…… could be in a weeks time could be sooner. I’m prepared for the unexpected, maybe not so much for the drake passage, but this is an “Expedition” cruise and the emphasis really needs to be on the word expedition from nowon as we will work to mother natures schedule in Antartica and whatever the penguins also let us do!