Returning from Antarctica
Travelling
Monday, November 26, 2007
It was just as rough returning from the frozen continent.
Back into the Drake Passage today and tonight, where we encountered 40-plus knot
winds and 6-foot swells; it was extremely rough going.
Meals continued to be served, but fewer and fewer people
were attending. One passenger fell down some stairs and broke her arm,
and another passenger, while eating lunch, was thrown to the other
side of the dining room. I found that lying in my bunk was the only way to
get relief from the stormy weather.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
We were glad to see land again.
After another long night and morning of similar weather,
we finally sighted the South American mainland.
Once we turned into the Beagle Channel, we began to get relief from the weather,
and suddenly the ship was full of people again. Everyone was sad to leave
the Antarctic behind, but also glad to be off the Drake Passage.
We spotted an Argentine Navy training ship in the Beagle
Channel, which made us all think about how much harder it was for the first
adventurers to sail to Antarctica.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Here is a GPS track of the trip we made. If you look
carefully, you'll see our unplanned rescue trip north and then our about-face
once we heard everyone was rescued by another ship.
We docked at Ushuaia harbor in the morning, and we left the ship by 8:00 a.m. We
wandered around Ushuaia all morning, exploring the gift and tourist shops.
People bought the obligatory soft penguin toy or seal or whale. Ushuaia is a
nice place, but there isn't much to do there, especially before 10:00 a.m.
We eventually ended up in a coffee shop that had free Internet access and good
coffee, so we spent the rest of our time there until we met with the tour
group and boarded our bus to the airport. Eventually, the airplane arrived,
and we left Ushuaia and Antarctica behind.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Capybaras resting from the midday sun.
It turns out that motion sickness can be a gift that
keeps on giving, as Mina used to say. Since landing in Ushuaia on Wednesday,
I've been experiencing motion sickness on land.
Every time I sit at my PC to update my trip site and log, I get seasick again—
very strange. I hope this goes away soon, because all I've done for the last
30 years is type on one PC or another.
Between feeling sick and updating my site, we have been
sightseeing in Buenos Aires. The inauguration of the newly elected
president is supposed to occur this weekend, and I hope it is a peaceful one as
the political square, famous for Evita's speeches from her balcony, is right
next to our hotel.
The Antarctic is an amazing, but very hostile place. It
is extremely difficult to get to and leave. One must endure all kinds of
discomfort and cold. The risks of real danger from being in the Antarctic
are extremely high. But the pleasure of seeing this frozen continent,
its panoramic beauty, and its precious wildlife are worth all the discomfort
and risk.
Well, that was my Antarctic adventure; now on to my next
six-month world trip.
See a List of Wildlife
The full trip video: Antarctica, the forgotten continent