PUERTO MADRYN, ARGENTINA - JANUARY 26 - The weather was great, sunshine, upper 60’s low 70’s, winds calm in the morning, increasing through the day up to 3:00 pm when we left port. I went ashore about 9:00 am. There were several tours available to see nature in the raw, sea lions, Magellan Penguins, elephant seals and even sheep shearing. I decided to walk the downtown area. Beautiful beachfront location with parks and recreation areas. It was a Saturday morning and lots of families were enjoying the nice weather. As I got off the ship a lady handed me a map of the city which was useful. The walk to town was god exercise, I needed. I walked along the beachfront for several blocks before I ventured into town. Puerto Madryn is not a large town ... read more

AT SEA - JANUARY 24 Well, another day at sea. Weather mostly good, we go from part sun to mild showers as we move north, temperature slowly rising, seas moderate but not a lot of pictures today. No more ice bergs or notable wild life sightings, just some birds. Thus I am reduced to taking pictures of the horizon, sunset (such as it was), the full moon and my life boat. I haven’t been on land for seven days and another sea day tomorrow. Finished reading Killing Kennedy on my Kindle. I found it very interesting and well written. Good news; I can wear my slacks without a belt. Bad news; I can wear my slacks without a belt. I had dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. Great food, great service, fantastic wine. No wonder my belt ... read more

DANCO COAST, LEMAIRE CHANNEL, NEUMAYER CHANNEL AND HOPE BAY, Tuesday, January 22. Another slow start to the day weather-wise; foggy, cold, rainy and some snow flurries. By 2:OO pm it cleared so we could see the sights. A lot of hardy souls went outside for pictures and to see the view without the windows distorting it, but I chose to stay warm. I saw a lot of penguins, no whales today, but lots and lots of natural beauty. We went through the Antarctic Sound, nicknamed “Iceberg Alley” because of the size and number of icebergs. They are flat, top out about 100 feet above the water and large enough for one to two football fields to be placed on them. Also visible was the Argentine research station and some large penguin rookeries. I did venture out, ... read more

DALLMANN BAY, CUVERVILLE ISLAND AND PARADISE CHANNEL Sunday, January 20. Well we’re here! The morning was foggy but the sun broke through and the fog lifted about 1:00 pm. I spent the morning in a cooking class and then went to an early lunch in preparation for my old world/new world wine tasting. When the fog broke the glory of the Antarctic was all around me. We entered Dallmann Bay and everyone observed the beauty of the continent. I saw humpback whales, seals, various birds and penguins, penguins, penguins, penguins. Most of the day was spent just taking in the magnificent environment. Even the wine tasting program was held in the dining room so we had vision to see the “landscape” as we passed it. The commentators pointed out the various species and features of the ... read more

GLACIER ALLEY, BEAGLE CHANNEL, USHUAIA AND TIERRA del FUEGO NATIONAL PARK - January 18. Wow! Spectacular! The Beagle Channel sail through Glacier Alley was worth the trip alone. Amazing scenery. We saw eight glaciers and even a rainbow at one of them. The narrator provided expert commentary which enriched the experience tremendously. I left the scenery for a short time and attended a future cruise presentation and then a cooking demonstration on a vegetarian wild mushroom, spinach and feta cheese strudel with Thai red curry sauce. The sample was very good. I am now in the harbor at Ushuaia waiting for my tour to be called. The sun rises here at 5:28 and sets at 9:27. The sun is trying hard to shine through and it occasionally succeeds. Temperature is now 57 degrees and wind speed ... read more