Antarctic Adventure

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Darwin Channel and the Chilean fjords:



The weather has not been cooperating. We are now in the Darwin Channel and small islands, remnants of coral reefs, are on both sides of the ship. Went out on the verandah in my robe and bare feet and it wasn’t cold but was drizzly. The winds were strong as we entered the channel, force 9 or about 40 mph. Now in the channel they have calmed to about 18 mph. The islands are heavily forested and would be a spectacular green if only the sun would appear. Maybe later we’ll get a moment or two but the Captain does forecast rain this afternoon.

Today will be heavy on lectures, one on the Antarctic Marine Ecosystems, one on Chile and a third one on seismic activity and plate tectonics in the region. There is also a fourth on birding and I will probably sit in on that one too. If I miss one, it will be on TV later.

Sat through two lectures, both good then broke for lunch to find blue skies and sunshine. Checked the Poker tournament but I guess everyone was out enjoying the weather. Good thing because by 3:00 it was overcast again. I headed in from my verandah. The stern is rocking and the closet doors and dresser drawers are opening and closing. One wave sort of corkscrewed the stern and I though the TV was heading for the floor but not so.

We are out of the Darwin Channel and into open-ocean. Should make for an interesting night.

After napping and watching a movie on the TV, I debated whether to order room service and open a bottle of Chilean wine or dress and go to the dining room. The dinning room won out. I discovered that there is a separate cheese menu that you can order a cheese plate from and it had a great variety of cheeses. Tomorrow I may try it for desert.

Dinner was a lovely mushroom soup, king crab (ok but not great) and my cinnamon ice cream. I stopped by the showroom but the Latin tenor lost my attention when he invited ladies of a certain age to dance with him on the stage. A Hold ‘Em game was going so I sat in and would up ahead by $100. So I’m now into them for $85.

The room was rocking and rolling when I went to bed. Even the drawers under the bed opened with the motion. Yet I had the best night’s sleep yet. Looking ahead to the Fjords and the Amalia Glacier.

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