galeforce9 Posted December 7, 2017 Author #51 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Palmer station us base and Adelie penguin colony tomorrow. Zodiac tour only. Made neko today. Superb conditions. Went kayaking too Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelHop Posted December 7, 2017 #52 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Just thinking the same thing....when people ask us what has been our favorite/best cruise travel experience - onboard the Seabourn Quest to Antarctica is always our answer! Fabulous photos!!! We are close - our best ever was the Legend up Norway and into the polar ice cap - a perfect trip with amazing weather and stunning scenery. But Antartica on the Quest in Feb this year is a close second. Both trips shared the wonderful Captain Dag as the Master. Such wonderful experiences! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 8, 2017 Author #53 Share Posted December 8, 2017 Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isklaar Posted December 8, 2017 #54 Share Posted December 8, 2017 Sent from my iPhone using Forums Northern England looks like that today. Except it's NOT SEABOURN!! And it's NOT ANTARCTICA :D Very much enjoying your photos, please keep posting as and when you're able. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 8, 2017 Author #55 Share Posted December 8, 2017 Just crossed the Antarctic circle according to my camera gps. 65 04 south, although the captain might disagree as couldn’t make it all the way through the lemaire channel this evening. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chairsin Posted December 8, 2017 #56 Share Posted December 8, 2017 That is such a cool picture!!! Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallydave Posted December 9, 2017 #57 Share Posted December 9, 2017 Just crossed the Antarctic circle according to my camera gps. 65 04 south, although the captain might disagree as couldn’t make it all the way through the lemaire channel this evening. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Sorry Galeforce, the captain is correct, the Antarctic Circle is 66.5 degrees south so your gps reading may be correct but, almost a degree and a half north of the circle. We are aboard as well and crossing that circle is not as important is the Arctic Circle as we have been in the Antarctic for many days now accorcing to the Explorations team. Great picture by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kauaijim Posted December 9, 2017 #58 Share Posted December 9, 2017 good stuff, our Antarctica trip last feb was our best SB cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 9, 2017 Author #59 Share Posted December 9, 2017 Thanks rallydave. You are quite right. Update. Heading for Argentine Islands tonight. Further south. Not sure how much further south. There could be a storm brewing in the drake passage though for our return... snowed most of today and kayaking was fabulous with still waters through the icebergs and snow falling all around. Cruise continues to be excellent. Huge pod of orcas tonight provided the pre dinner entertainment. The captain slowed down and turned the ship. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 9, 2017 Author #60 Share Posted December 9, 2017 Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 10, 2017 Author #61 Share Posted December 10, 2017 We’ve had a drakes passage update. We are meant to be sailing across over the next two days but the captain says there’s storm system after storm system “like pearls on a necklace”. He was considering leaving today but glad he didn’t as we would have been in waves with a 10-12m swell - 36 foot! Usually rough is 4-5m. So we’re having a cruising around morning towards the south Shetland Islands tomorrow, sheltering from the worst. By then that storm system should have passed through and we can make a run for it. He says it will be rough but hopefully we can avoid the worst. They have got to secure everything on deck and we’ve got to do the same in cabins. No high heels! We’ll probably miss Ushuaia except for a technical stop. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxburgh Posted December 11, 2017 #62 Share Posted December 11, 2017 (edited) We’ve had a drakes passage update. We are meant to be sailing across over the next two days but the captain says there’s storm system after storm system “like pearls on a necklace”. He was considering leaving today but glad he didn’t as we would have been in waves with a 10-12m swell - 36 foot! Usually rough is 4-5m. So we’re having a cruising around morning towards the south Shetland Islands tomorrow, sheltering from the worst. By then that storm system should have passed through and we can make a run for it. He says it will be rough but hopefully we can avoid the worst. They have got to secure everything on deck and we’ve got to do the same in cabins. No high heels! We’ll probably miss Ushuaia except for a technical stop. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Thanks for the update. That is always the risk with the Drake Passage. We had a good 'blow' when we crossed it. They closed down the front elevators and we were banned from going on deck. The stabilisers kept the roll down but we still had waves breaking over the bows. Breakfast and lunch in the MDR which will be one of the more stable parts of the ship. Shame about Ushuaia. The national park is well worth the visit and the town has better shopping than Punta Arenas. Stay safe and, remember, one hand for you and one hand for the ship. Edited December 11, 2017 by Roxburgh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 11, 2017 Author #63 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Thanks Roxburgh. The wind is whistling and howling but we’re going slow and are sheltered so it’s ok. It did wake us up though!! We’ve put some music on to drown it out! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stamfordian Posted December 11, 2017 #64 Share Posted December 11, 2017 The wind is whistling and howling... It did wake us up though!! Sent from my iPhone using Forums Have you thought of changing your posting name??;p;p;p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Luxury Posted December 11, 2017 #65 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Bose noise cancelling head phones ? Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 11, 2017 Author #66 Share Posted December 11, 2017 Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florisdekort Posted December 12, 2017 #67 Share Posted December 12, 2017 We’ve had a drakes passage update. We are meant to be sailing across over the next two days but the captain says there’s storm system after storm system “like pearls on a necklace”. He was considering leaving today but glad he didn’t as we would have been in waves with a 10-12m swell - 36 foot! Usually rough is 4-5m. So we’re having a cruising around morning towards the south Shetland Islands tomorrow, sheltering from the worst. By then that storm system should have passed through and we can make a run for it. He says it will be rough but hopefully we can avoid the worst. They have got to secure everything on deck and we’ve got to do the same in cabins. No high heels! We’ll probably miss Ushuaia except for a technical stop. Sent from my iPhone using Forums I’ve experienced 38 foot waves on Celebrity Millennium. It’s indeed not much fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 12, 2017 Author #68 Share Posted December 12, 2017 Weather has cleared and all is well. Even the snowman is cheerful. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 13, 2017 Author #69 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Arrived in Ushuaia. Looks lovely. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isklaar Posted December 13, 2017 #70 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Very much enjoying your photos Galeforce, Thank you. How are things in general on the good ship Quest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted December 13, 2017 #71 Share Posted December 13, 2017 How was the timing? Will there be time for more than that "technical stop"? Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 13, 2017 Author #72 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Radinmd - the captain made good time and we’re back on schedule, arriving for 7am, back on board by 12:30pm. We’ve got scenic cruising this afternoon, down “glacier alley”, which I’m looking forward to, although I think the weather may be a little worse by then. Isklaar - thanks! Just posting a few from my phone now and then. Think I’m up to about 10,000 for the trip so far on my proper camera!! It’s been stunning. I have to say quest has been excellent. The food continues to be fabulous, did someone once say we should clone chef jes! I think so. Our cabin stewardess is superb. Bar service is good. Sometimes after two weeks I’m ready to get off but not this time. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 13, 2017 Author #73 Share Posted December 13, 2017 On the morning we sheltered from the storm before we made a break for it across the drake passage, a polar plunge was organised. This looked like great fun for those brave enough in the blizzard Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 13, 2017 Author #74 Share Posted December 13, 2017 We had a great last stop in Antarctica. It was the site of old British and Argentinian huts and also home to some gentoo penguin colonies. A Weddell seal was hauled up in the snow. It felt like quite an expedition to hike up with poles to the huts, about a mile away from the landing site. The gentoos looked most picturesque with their snowy surrounds. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted December 13, 2017 Author #75 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Just a few thoughts on gear- The trekking poles we brought with us have been invaluable. Some of the sites were quite hilly. At times the snow was soft and the poles gave you stability when the top layer gave way. The addition of snow baskets at the end of the poles helped here. At other times the snow was quite icy and they gave additional confidence descending slippery slopes. I’m not sure they would be as necessary on later season cruises but I’m glad we brought them this time. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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