top of the World

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Well Sunday was our Top of the World day. Mom and I got up about 6 and headed for scenic crusing of Magdelenafjord . We started on the promenade deck and it was not as cold as we expected. So got a few pictures of the glaciers on the island we were passing then headed up to the Lido and grabbed a cinnamon roll and juice while we watched the scenery. We were then pulling into the fjord so I took Mom up to the Crows Nest and I headed up to the deck above to get some photos. There was another ship behind us but not sure of the name yet.
About 8 we headed down to mass and thought we were going to be late but father was heading down at the same time. We then headed to breakfast in the Dining Room. Mom and Erin then headed for a Cooking Workshop while Dennis and I went to the lecture on “The Arctic Passage, the Principal Explorers”. It was interesting and Dad would have enjoyed learning that they thought of Beer as liquid bread and it was considered a necessity in those days. One group of explorers headed back to England when they lost the ship that had all the beer because they didn’t think they could make it thru the winter without it.

At this point it had been at least 30 mins since we’d eaten so we headed up to the Lido for lunch as we were approaching the polar ice cap. We then headed up to the Crows Nest to watch that. Mom and Erin stayed there most of the time and I was in and out getting pictures from the upper deck. The ship wanted a crew photo while in the ice so as many crew as could (obviously those steering the ship and serving lunch couldn’t go) were out on the front of the ship. Our certificates indicate we made it to 80 degrees 20.8653 north latitude which is 579 nautical miles from the North Pole. There was quite a bit of ice and we did see a seal swimming about but couldn’t catch a picture of him.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the casino (I think I won $10 but Mom lost her $1) then it was time for Mom and Dennis to go to tea while Erin and I went to Bingo. I won another game so am pretty much even at this point of the trip. Erin’s getting frustrated since she hasn’t won yet.

After Bingo it was time for another Napkin folding lesson before getting ready for another formal night. Dinner was very good. We all lost in the casino on our way to the show. Marty Brill was the comic for the night and was very funny. He was on the Antarctic cruise I did last year and his routine was similar but still very funny. He used to write for shows like Mary Tyler Moore, Mash, Mork and Mindy, etc.

So another busy sea day is over. Tomorrow we’re in Longyearbyen (don’t ask how to pronounce it since everyone has said it differently).

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