Back in Ushuaia :(


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South America
January 11th 2023
Published: January 12th 2023
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Well we managed quite some pace across the Drake and arrived back in Ushuaia ahead of schedule. Things started getting rocky as we left Deception Island through the Bellows once again. Everyone finished dinner and retreated to their cabins ahead of what was to be a rocky restless night.

Not much sleep and quite a lot of groaning to start the day so we let the girls stay horizontal while we braved breakfast in the dining room, amid crashing chairs and plates, and very dexterous wait staff. Similar story with lunch, when things gradually began to improve. Filled the day with a lecture on humpback whales and the Antarctic treaty (and some naps and Netflix) before everyone was feeling able to manage dinner.

A much calmer and more restful night with a return to Drake Lake conditions. Everyone was capable, if not willing, to get out of bed and have breakfast before a lecture on glaciology, ice cores (Geoff got excited about the drill) and climate change. The staff had arranged a special treat for the girls with a visit to the bridge (not available for other passengers due to covid protocols) so we got to go too! What a great view from up there!!

Some lunch and some retail therapy before a group photo on deck and some time outside. We entered the Beagle Channel and awaited our pilot boat, but somehow the sights of the Channel, so enticing and beautiful on the way down, seemed to pale in comparison to what we’d spent the last few days seeing. So much so that we even agreed to some games of Uno. And some cocktails.

A riotous last daily briefing where the raffle was drawn and they auctioned off some highly-sought-after items - the polar plunge towel, Mario’s daily wake up call and the ship’s flag. The bids were eye-watering, even if we will come to miss the ‘good morning, good morning’ blaring through the speakers at us daily. A slide show of the professional photographer’s wares, toasting the captain, lots of thanks for the staff and crew, and generally high spirits as we headed to our final dinner. And we made it to the Polar Bear Bar!!

It’s difficult to believe that our long-awaited journey is over. It’s been a truly magical 10 days, with not enough adjectives to describe all the amazing experiences we have had. I felt a huge sense of panic as we docked this afternoon that we hadn’t taken enough photos to accurately capture what we have seen and done (and trust me, there’s literally hundreds), but it’s not something we’ll ever really be able to cover with endless words or describe via pictures or even videos (but I’ve got some of them too!). It’s certainly going to be hard to top!!


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