Silver Cloud Antarctica Live Blog

[Anna32]

We are currently on the Cloud in Antarctica. I am blogging on another site that apparently cannot be named 🙃. Since the complimentary internet package provided by Silversea is very stable, I am happy to share our updates on here, in case anyone is interested. Bit of a backlog, so the first posts will be coming quickly now.

[Anna32]

Wow, dear co-travellers. Just wow. And we haven‘t even left the Chilean mainland yet. But let me start at the beginning.

Our flight to Madrid on New Year‘s Day was delayed by two hours. Fortunately, no need to stress, as we originally had a five-hour layover. Still plenty of time to enjoy the very empty lounge in Madrid. As soon as the gate was shown, we went there, as the Iberia check-in had been unable to print our boarding passes for the flight to Santiago de Chile. The gate agent not only kindly did that for us, but also made sure that our checked luggage was en route and safe. After that, we were immediately able to board the Latam Dreamliner. Everything was on time, and soon after we were airborne.

 

During dinner, we watched „Thor - Love and Thunder“. Nice popcorn movie, but I seem to be getting too old for this kind of entertainment. Soon after, it was snooze time. I was able to get a good five hours of sleep in. After watching some sitcoms, I even managed another 90 minutes of napping, and woke up in time for breakfast. Before we knew it, we were touching down in Santiago de Chile.

 

Immigration took around 45 minutes, but the queue was moving quickly. In the baggage area, the first thing I saw was my Bumblebee (you guessed it, the big yellow one). Holger‘s suitcase came soon after. We quickly had to fill an agricultural form, and off we went. The official taxi charged a fixed fee of 26.000 Chilean pesos to our hotel, and took around 30 minutes.

 

Silversea had kindly booked us in the very posh Mandarin Oriental Santiago. And our room was ready within half an our, around 11:30am. Lucky us! We only took a quick break, and then walked to the huge mall, just five minutes from the hotel, to get lunch. Half of Chile spent their summer holidays shopping there, apparently. Nevertheless, we found a lovely Italian restaurant, and had some great pasta. Perfect to cure a little jetlag! And the nap afterwards was even better! Then, it was pool time, in a lovely landscaped area. In almost 30 degrees Celsius, the unheated water was bearable, but we didn‘t stay too long. After that, we had room service hamburgers and called it an early night.

 

Day 2 Santiago, January 3rd

After a wonderful breakfast by the pool, I had a short work commitment, which was really no bother at all. Even though I‘m on sabbatical, I will do the occasional work session to catch up with my lovely colleagues. Mostly to keep my mind at ease, really. Then, it was time for a serious exploration of our neighborhood megamall. Holger‘s pool sandals had suffered a major malfunction, so we were out to get new ones. We found a huge Decathlon store, with all kinds of sports equipment. We could have easily geared up here for Antarctica. Or Galapagos. Or the South Pacific. We also visited with some birds, fishies and Guinea pigs in a local pet store. IKEA, anyone? I decided to have a snack stop at Cinnabon. I‘m a sucker for all things cinnamon, so I was happy.

 

After a long afternoon rest, we had dinner at Matsuri, the MO‘s Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant. So delicious, we immediately booked a table for our return stay to sample more of their excellent dishes. We finished our meal with a Pisco Sour. Chilean or Peruvian? Erm, one each?! Well, let me tell you, the correct answer is the Peruvian. Some bitters perfectly balance the sweet. And now, bed time!

 

Day 3, Santiago and travel to Puerto Williams, January 4th

Breakfast for us Silversea peeps was in the Atacama room, in the hotel‘s huge conference tract. We had our first encounter with fellow travelers, namely a retired tax attorney from New York City. Since Holger has a tendency to discuss politics with our Stateside friends, I was relieved to learn that he and his wife were not too far away from our leanings. Anyway, she was more interested to discuss our trip with me, much less controversial and very fine by me.

 

After a final chill-in in our lovely room, we made our way to the lobby to check-out and wait for our bus to the airport. We were in bus number eight, the last (and best!) bus, in airplane number four from Antarctic Airways. The bus drove us all the way around the airport to a private terminal. We walked the red carpet inside, and then without any security control to the plane. This was an Avroliner, or, as Swissair used to call them, a Jumbolino. We were seated two to a three-seat row, with lots of space. As you can see, we got a special meal created by Silversea, plus special inflight entertainment. I had the window seat, and for most of the flight had a wonderful view of the Andes. This was helped along greatly by a generous serving of Pisco Sour and Pisco Calafata. The lovely flight attendant was obviously trying to get us very drunk! I still managed to get some nice pics out of the window, before a solid cloud cover closed over the mountains. Since we had a strong headwind, we had to to a quick refueling stop in Punta Arenas. Some of our fellow passengers were VERY happy at this point, after frequent and generous drink refills.

 

We landed in Puerto Williams at around 8pm, walked to a little minibus and got whisked to the ship. The town has around 1.500 inhabitants year-round, including a sizeable contingent of the Chilean navy. Relations with neighbouring Argentina are not always friendly, apparently. We were greeted by many of the ship’s crew, as well as some very cute stray doggies, which are numerous in this part of Patagonia. We learned that on a previous trip, where we were escorted by a friendly pack of strays for a 6km walk around Punta Arenas.

 

Check-in was quick and easy, helped along by a welcome glass of champagne. After a delicious dinner (lobster for me, thank you very much!) and a Manhattan in the Observation Lounge, we quickly unpacked and collapsed into bed.

[Anna32]

Day 4 Crossing the Drake Passage and Expedition Housekeeping

 

We got a great night‘s sleep, with the Drake Passage gently rocking the ship. Our South African expedition leader, Schalk (pronounced Skulk) told us in his many crossings he had never seen it that calm. „It‘s the Drake Lake, rather than the Drake Shake!“ He and his team got really busy today. Early in the morning, we got to exchange our free expedition parkas to fit. We had taken measurements, but I was apparently a bit too careful to allow for lots of layers. So down a size I went, still leaving lots of room for extra layering. Same went for Holger‘s rubber boots. Fortunately, this seems to happen frequently, and now everything fits as it should.

 

Schalk gave us an in-depth IAATO and Zodiac briefing. All intended to keep us, and the vulnerable Antarctic continent, safe. We also got a weather forecast. The ship is running full steam to bypass a storm system, that is threatening our „Drake Lake“ experience. Which might mean we will be finishing our Drake crossing a wee bit earlier, giving us even more time in Antarctica. We‘ll see. Wind, weather and ice make the rules down here, and we are prepared to be flexible.

 

After lunch, Holger attended a kayaking briefing, mandatory for those that want to go paddling. The main purpose was apparently to sign an extra waiver. If he does go, I will be cheering him on from the big ship. With no kayaking experience, I am not adventurous enough to start in Antarctica, of all places. But if conditions are right it will certainly be an extra-special experience.

 

I attended a lecture on seabirds. Mainly, Albatross and Petrels. The finer points of telling which is which still escape me. However, I did learn that the Wandering Albatross has the largest wingspan of all birds, 3.5 metres. And can get up to 80 years old. While at dinner, we saw some petrels swooping up and down next to the ship. Out of nowhere, Holger asked „So, is it a gas station of petrels?“ Makes sense to me!

 

Sun was out while I was enjoying afternoon tea, chatting with Bob and Susan, a charming couple from Chicago. He is half German on his mother’s side, and they are well travelled. I got some great tips for the South Pacific in exchange for stories about South Africa. Quid pro quo, but not Hannibal Lecter style, fortunately.

 

We took a walk on deck, testing our new parkas. Toasty, even in the wind! Before we knew it, it was time for this evenings expedition briefing. They give you adult beverages when you attend the briefing. My kind of lecture! Jonathan, the entertainment host (aka Cruise Director) introduced some of the senior staff, and Schalk asked the expedition team on stage. More than 25 people, each with their individual specialism. A geologist, marine biologists, ornithologist… Wow!

 

Since we are making such good speed across the passage, Schalk said they just might have a little surprise for us. My speculation: landfall on Elephant Island tomorrow! The island were Shackleton‘s crew survived for months, while he was getting help. Today marks the 101st anniversary of his death, so wouldn‘t this be fitting? I even got a t-shirt in his honour (couldn‘t resist some retail therapy in the ship‘s shop). Oh, and I got something else! The Spa Manager held a raffle, and I won the main prize, a full body massage. I‘m a lucky duck, apparently!

 

Dinner was in the main restaurant again, and very delicious. The food here on board is outstanding, with a decidedly Italian twist and lots of variety. Portion sizes are very reasonable, so you even have room for dessert (a yummy bitter chocolate and orange tart in my case tonight). Afterwards, Holger told Enrique the bartender how to do his favourite Espresso Martini (with Rum and easy on the Kaluha), and was very happy with the result. After that it was bed time, what a wonderful day!

 

Day 5, Drake Passage, Elephant Island (January 6th)

 

Woke up around 5am. It was light out, and raining. The Drake Passage was still very calm. Ship‘s positioning showed us approaching Elephant Island. At breakfast, we sat at a table overlooking the stern of the Cloud. We were followed by some birds, who suddenly lost interest. There! Our first whale spout of this voyage. There were two, we believe humpbacks, welcoming us to Antarctica. We saw more spouts, and their backs, in the distance. After breakfast, we donned our parkas and made our way to the observation lounge. We were quite close to Point Wild on Elephant Island. The place where in 1915/1916, 22 men of Shackleton‘s Endurance crew survived for several months, while he together with five others got help in a Norwegian whaling station on South Georgia. The story of the Endurance expedition is a fascinating one, which keeps inspiring me every time I hear or read it. Therefore, I greatly enjoyed Mila‘s talk on Shackleton. She is our onboard historian, full of enthusiasm for the age of the early explorers.

 

Right at the end of Mila‘s talk, there was an announcement on the comms: whales! We abandoned Mila (she was very understanding) and ran to the starboard side of the ship. A huge pod of finwhales, feeding. We could see spouts everywhere, and the occasional back coming up. One surfaced right next to our balcony, what a huge and impressive animal! 

 

The next talk was by a conservation carpenter. He and his colleague are hitching a ride with us until Port Lockroy (the „Antarctic Post Office“). There, they will stay for the season and work on conserving some older expedition buildings. Their work is being financed by a UK heritage fund, chaired by Shackleton‘s granddaughter. Fascinating! After this talk, Schalk gave us a quick briefing. I was right, they are planning on taking us ashore on Elephant Island, in a place called Echo Bay. Apparently, even getting as close to Elephant Island as we did this morning is very rare, Expedition ships manage it once or twice a year. So a very special bonus for us.

 

At lunch we got a table by the window. While I was digging into my Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (again, delicious!), we passed by an ice float with a Chinstrap Penguin posing on it. Best wildlife watching ever! Further off the ship, we saw a humpback whale. We are in frozen paradise!

 

Right after lunch, the expedition team put Zodiacs in the water for our attempt at Echo Bay. No joy, as the ride to shore was extremely bumpy and deemed unsafe for us mere mortals. Oh well, it would have been a bonus, anyway. We enjoyed the sunshine out on deck, and decided to have a cocktail to celebrate the occasion. Whoah, my Dark & Stormy was very stormy, there must have been triple the usual amount of rum in it! I was decidedly tipsy afterward, when I went to Francesco‘s talk on leopard seals. As a marine biologist, he has worked with them extensively and shared some fascinating insights. Leopard Seals are at the top of the Antarctic food chain. Orcas might hunt and kill a baby seal, but the adults are apex predators. However, their teeth are also equipped for krill filtering, so their prey comes in all sizes.

 

Our expedition briefing came at 5pm. We will be attempting one landing and a zodiac cruise tomorrow. The landing will be at Brown Bluff, on the Antarctic mainland. It should be an easy walk on a pebbled beach to visit a rookery of Adelie penguins. The Zodiac cruise will be near Esperanza station, an Argentinian research station. Due to Covid restrictions still in place, we are not allowed to go ashore and visit, so it will have to be a drive-by. We can expect to see our first icebergs in Antarctic Sound.

 

At 7pm, we had the Captain‘s Welcome Cocktail. Our master and commander is Captain Andrey Domanin, from Odessa, Ukraine. He got his first nautical patent in 1989, and has 20 years of experience sailing the polar regions. We are in safe hands!

 

Dinner was gala, with kaviar, foie gras and crepes suzette for dessert, flambéed personally by the Head Chef. Soooo good! We fell straight into bed afterwards, hoping to see icebergs when we wake up again.

[Anna32]

Day 6, Cruising Antarctic Sound (January 7th)

 

The sun woke us up at 4:30am, but we decided to sleep in until shortly after 6am. We are in Zodiac Group 6, and today were scheduled to be the last group heading out to Brown Bluff, at 9:30am. For breakfast, we again got a lovely table at the window. While enjoying croissants and eggs Royale (Benedict with smoked salmon), we first heard landing would be delayed due to strong winds. 15 minutes later, it got canceled altogether. Ship happens, especially on an expedition cruise like this one. So, we prepared for a leisurely morning on the ship.

 

Donning our expedition gear, we headed out on deck. Sunshine, icebergs snd Adelie penguins all around! So beautiful and enchanting. The wind was icy and gusty, though, so we headed inside the well-heated Observation Lounge on Deck 9 forward. With a hot drinks station, this is the perfect place to watch the world go by!

 

After a while, Schalk came on the comms to let us know this afternoon‘s Zodiac cruise would be a no-go, as well. Another ship was in the bay we were supposed to go to, and had informed us that the wind was even stronger there. In the meantime, visibility had gone down considerably, as well. That‘s Antarctica for you. You can never underestimate the weather, and have to be flexible. Really no hardship with a wonderful vessel full of delicious food and drinks.

 

Speaking of which, we decided to switch things up and have lunch at La Terrazza. Buffet restaurant during the day, it switches to an Italian sit-down restaurant at night. We have a reservation there for Monday night and I will tell you all about it here! The buffet lunch was really good. I had a good laugh with one of the cooks. He was trying to offer me sausages, praising them as very German. I said „Keine deutschen Würstchen bitte. Wunderbar.“ He was laughing so hard, saying „Wunderbar, wunderbar“ to all his colleagues. The crew here is absolutely amazing, and totally spoiling us.

 

We decided to have a little rest in our cabin, watching the world go by from our balcony. Around 1:30pm, Schalk was on the comms again. The Captain knew of another little place close by we could try for a landing. Shortly after, the engines stopped and we saw the first zodiacs in the water. They were bouncing quite a bit, going back and forth around the island. About 30 minutes later, it was a no-go again. The swells next to the ship were so strong that it was dangerous for the zodiacs on the platform. But we would stay close to the island, as there were plenty of penguins around us. We enjoyed the scenery from our balcony, and were happy just to be in such a magical place. Okay, the smell of the nearby penguin rookery was a little less magical. And don‘t eat the yellow snow!!!

 

After a little nap, our butler Vinay brought us a cheese plate to help us survive until dinner. Then, it was off to our expedition briefing again. Schalk showed us a video of a zodiac bouncing against the platform. Nope, thank you very much! We‘ll be attempting another landing tomorrow morning. Weather and wind forecast is looking better, so our fingers are crossed.

 

We enjoyed a cocktail in the Dolce Vita bar, and then headed for dinner in the main res. Tonight, I went for a ribeye steak, followed by pecan pie. What a life! And then, you guessed it, bedtime. On our bed, we found an invitation from Jonathan for a Cocktail Party tomorrows night for first-time guests. We‘ll be sure to join!

 

[Anna32]

Day 7, Curtiss Bay, Antarctica (January 8th)

 

Waking up early doesn‘t really mean too much these days. Sun up is around 3am, sun down around midnight, and there is a sort of hazy dawn light in between. We have almost, but not quite reached the Antarctic circle. Crossing that is one of the aims of this expedition, according to Schalk. As is getting our feet on the Antarctic mainland, which we are aiming for this morning. We are at a place called Curtiss Bay. There is a huge glacier actively calving into the bay, and coming in the ocean looked like a giant slushie. For decoration, we had some penguins, as well as a humpback lazily feeding about 300 metres from the ship. Perfection!

 

Billy, Schalk‘s right hand man, came on the horn. This morning‘s landing will be turned into a zodiac cruise, as the landing site is very full of ice and potentially not navigable for us passengers. We went up on deck to watch the lowering of the zodiacs and the loading of the first passenger batch. The humpback was still feeding in the background, undisturbed by the growing number of zodiacs in the water. Schalk compared them to seeing impalas when on safari in Africa - plentiful and everywhere. Still, having whales around is very very special. And I also really enjoyed the impalas in Africa!

 

At 10am it was finally our turn. Fully dressed (and plenty warm) we went down to deck 3 to board our zodiac. The crew was very careful to get us safely inside, and before we knew it, eight of us were being zipped away from the big ship by Alejandro from Argentina, our expedition guide for this morning. We saw some amazing icebergs and got quite close to the huge glacier. Not entirely without danger, as it was actively calving. There was loads of ice in the water, and we could constantly hear it rumbling beneath us. It also made some popping sound, when the tiny air bubbles trapped inside the ice were melting away in the water. Some of the icebergs looked like beautiful sculptures in shades of white and blue. Alejandro told us we were very privileged, as this was the first time the ship had done an operation here, ever. So a real expedition today!

 

Returning to the ship, we headed up to the pool deck for the open-air grill there. We were still dressed in layers, and there were outside heaters operating. We had a burger and a hotdog, and for dessert I had a Roman Coffee. What‘s that, you ask? It‘s coffee with Cognac, Amaretto and cream. It hit the spot perfectly!

 

For this afternoon, we are heading to a place called Spert Island to go for another zodiac cruise, looking for some wildlife. The earlier groups this morning saw leopard seals, and I got to admire some of their pictures. Maybe we‘ll get lucky, too.

 

Group 6 got called as the first of the rest, so to speak. Groups 1-3 got to go first again, but we were called in reversed order. In the mudroom, we put on our rubber boots, and off we went. This time our guide was Nikita. She is half my size, but still assisted me onto the zodiac. Spert island is an inactive volcanic caldera. Black basalt columns go up and up, sometimes with malachite or other minerals in them. We saw Antarctic cormorants, gentoo and chinstrap penguins, skuas and a lazy elephant seal, chilling on the only beach in sight. Inside the caldera, the water turned a deep turquoise colour. Did I mention how absolutely magical this place is?

 

Back on the ship, we grabbed an aperitif (silver Negroni for me), and then headed into the expedition lounge for our daily briefing. Schalk seemed quite relieved to have gotten us off the ship, even though we are still waiting for our first landing. Still, the mood was light, and tomorrow‘s plans were approved. In the morning, we are hoping to do another zodiac cruise to see an iceberg graveyard. In the afternoon, the plan is to finally do our first landing at Peterman Island, to visit with Gentoo and Adelie penguins. Our fingers are crossed!

 

Jonathan was next with his First Timer cocktail. We enjoyed a glass of champagne and then headed for dinner in the main restaurant again. We had salmon ceviche, a veal chop (Holger) and tuna steak (me), and for dessert, some apple beignets that would have done any Swabian housewife proud. Again, a very good meal, and then bedtime. Tomorrow from 6am, we are hoping to cross the Lemaire channel.

 

[Anna32]

Day 8, Lemaire Channel and Peterman Island, Antarctica (January 9th)

 

We woke up very early again. The ship was approaching Lemaire Channel, a narrow passage between two islands. Last time we were here, there was a lot of ice blocking the passage, and we couldn’t go through. This time there was ice, but not so much to make the channel impassable. We had some spectacular views while enjoying our morning cappuccino.

 

Since we were one of the first groups to go off the ship today, we began putting on our layers. The trick is to be almost ready, and then put on the expedition parka and life vest at the very last minute, in order not to overheat. The rubber boots are stored in the mud room, on shelves with the cabin numbers on them. You put them on just before you go down the steps to the zodiac platform.

 

All operations were on time, and we got called down at 8am. Our zodiac guide this morning was Bevan, from New York City but currently living in Skagway, Alaska. She was very chatty and perky, telling us her colleagues were teasing her for being so happy early in the morning. It was raining constantly, but Bevan kept us in a good mood. First, we went up very close to a gentoo penguin rookery. Most birds were still sitting on their eggs, so we didn’t see any chicks yet. However, there were a few elephant seals between the penguins. They looked like moving rocks - when they were moving at all.

 

Next, we went to see an iceberg graveyard. It felt like cruising through a sculpture park, with Bergs in all shapes, sizes and varying shades of white and blue. Stunning! The area where they are is more shallow, and the water current keeps the bergs there until they melt away. Bevan was weaving our zodiac between the bergs, until we met Schalk with his zodiac, who handed everyone a glass of champagne to celebrate the occasion. Five-star exploring at it‘s best!

 

Back on board, we shed our waterproofs and went to find a second breakfast. Our days seem to be structured by excursions, eating and drinking, in between naps. Oh, and I do quite enjoy writing about our little adventures, even though very few of you probably bother with my long texts. That is perfectly okay, though - they are also my travel diary to refresh my memory in the future.

 

By the way, my dress code has been deteriorating somewhat. Not bothering to put on and off all those layers twice daily means I am wearing my Silversea slippers to mealtimes, now. Mind you, not for dinner, I will change and dress nicely for that!

 

At 2pm, we got the call to go ashore - finally! There was a warning for icy and slippery conditions, as well as swells on the ride over. Undeterred, we made our way to the zodiac dock. The ride wasn’t too bumpy. We were able to slide from the bow side of the zodiac directly ashore, and were welcomed by some curious gentoos, checking out all these red-outfitted teletubbies. I had to do the penguin waddle to get up the rather steep rocks, then wade through some ice, slush and penguin poo. But with Holger‘s help, I made it safely to the t-junction uphill. To the left was a rookery of gentoos, to the right up the hill resided the adelies. I decided on the gentoos (less steep). Around two-thirds up, I found a nice rock overlooking a penguin highway, and was greatly entertained by those little fellows waddling, sliding and traipsing along the way, always busy.

 

On the way back, I was kindly assisted down the steep rocks by Schalk and one of the sailors, guiding me and lending me a hand or two. I made it safely back onto the zodiac, and now I can rightly claim I made landfall in Antarctica.

 

It has been raining and snowing all day, so we were really grateful for our waterproofs. Back on the ship, I went to finally make an appointment for my massage, and then spontaneously decided to get a haircut. Because, why not? 

 

At the expedition briefing, Schalk seemed very relieved that we finally made it on land. He told us the steep rocks on Peterman Island would probably be our most difficult landing site. Whew, any more difficult and I would probably think twice about going. With all the expedition gear, nimbly jumping from rock to rock is out for me. I even watched some of the penguins slipping and falling repeatedly. But anyway, what an adventure! Tomorrow, we will finally cross the polar circle and reach our southernmost point on this voyage. In the morning, we will have a wet landing on Detaille Island. After that, we will have the Polar Plunge, done from the ship‘s zodiac platform. Followed Bryan afternoon Cruising to our next destination, around 200 nm away.

 

For dinner, we had a reservation at La Terrazza, the Italian specialty restaurant. I was in pasta heaven! And everything else was very delicious as well. We have another reservation for Saturday, which I am already looking forward to. Belly full of goodies, my bed was calling loudly again. Good night!

[lincslady]

Wonderful posts, Anna.  Please keep them coming; they take me back to my Antarctic trip years ago, and are a terrific advert and advice for anyone thinking of booking one.

 

Lola

[Prometheus1]

Wonderful review, i really look forward to reading more about your adventure!

[beaujolais]

Brilliant reporting Anna I just don't know where you get the time to do all your trips, eat all the food, experiment with all those cocktails and then do this report,

I expect it's Holger that's keeping you both on the straight and narrow

 

[jpalbny]

Enjoyed reading about your adventure so far! Good luck crossing the Circle and hope for more landings. Glad you are enjoying our favorite ship!

[WesW]

Thanks Anna for you wonderfully descriptive Antarctica trip reports.  Really enjoy Expedition cruising with Schalk as EL (Arctic and Cape to Cape).  Hope he is still on board in early March.

[Stumblefoot]

Echoing the thoughts and well wishes of others here, Anna32.  Your excitement reminded me of the joy we felt being in the water in a zodiac at Point Wild on Elephant Island.

 

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your voyage!

[maadimom]

I am enjoying your posts so much!  We will be on the Cloud next month.  I am so excited for my seventh continent!

[RachelG]

Great write-up and brings back wonderful memories of our antarctica cruise 3 years ago right before covid hit.  

[Port Power]

Very interesting and informative, Anna.  I will be there in 12 months’ time, so your blog is really helpful.  I like your writing style, too.

[Anna32]

Day 9, Detaille Island and Polar Plunge (January 10th)

 

Holger has submitted his waiver to do the Polar Plunge later. The aim is to fully go under in the Antarctic Ocean and get your hair wet. Or whatever that means in Holger‘s case. You will be secured by a belt and they will have emergency lifeguards standing by. I am still too chicken to do it, but will of course cheer on my man loudly. The only child on board, a seven year old Asian boy, asked Schalk if he could do the plunge. Unfortunately he is too young, but Schalk promised him a mini-plunge from the shore. Which means going in to the hips, and then somehow getting your hair wet. 

 

During breakfast, we got the first update. Operations will be slightly delayed. The landing party needs to cut steps into the ice to let us get ashore. So we started getting ready, waiting for further news. Those came when I just had my waterproofs on. Groups were switched around again, and we were now first to leave, along with group 3. Okay, better speed things up then! In the next update, Billy said conditions at the landing site were worse than yesterday, as the ground was steep, treacherous and slippery. The recommendation was for people who didn‘t feel sure-footed to stay on the ship, rather than risk it. You were, however, free to still go and would get the necessary support. I decided to follow the recommendation and not risk my bones and tendons this early in our wonderful trip. The sun was shining, and I went to enjoy the magical views in the observation lounge. Holger took Mr. Duck instead, so he didn’t have to go all alone.

 

When Holger‘s zodiac left the ship, operations were already delayed by over an hour. The small boats were bouncing quite significantly. However, it was sunny out on deck, with stunningly beautiful scenery all around. I didn’t feel left behind at all, and very much enjoyed the views on deck and from the nearly empty observation lounge.

 

Holger returned about an hour later, when I had just finished the second Sudoku of the day. He said it was a very good decision for me not to go. Apparently, Schalk even sent some people back immediately on the zodiac, not even letting them attempt the landing. There were no penguins at the landing site, but a few seals. The main draw was an old British scientific base from the 1950s, complete with furniture and supplies, that could be visited and was very interesting to see.

 

Operations were quite delayed at this point, so the polar plunge was postponed to this afternoon. We spent some time out on deck, enjoying the lovely sunshine. At one point, there were humpbacks around the ship. We saw some spouts and the fluke going down.

 

At lunch we got the info that the ship would move to a different location across the bay in order to do the plunge. There was quite a bit of swell at the zodiac platform, and even with all waivers signed better be safe than sorry! Or as Billy said when we ran into him at lunch: „We haven‘t lost anyone yet on this cruise…“

 

At 2:30pm it was finally time for the big splash. About 40 brave passengers and 15 fearless crewmembers lined up to do the plunge. I was watching from deck nine, as, two by two, they jumped from the platform, dove under briefly and immediately came out again. Everyone had to wear a safety belt with a rope attached to the ship. Some had to be hauled in again, but most were able to make it back up under their own steam. Holger did great, and I got some good pics of him jumping from above. He took a hot shower immediately after, and was rightfully proud of himself for this achievement.

 

Our afternoon was spent scenic cruising. The sun was out, and we were surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. Icebergs were shimmering in the sunshine, and we saw some whale spouts. So incredibly beautiful! The wind and waves picked up quite significantly by mid-afternoon. As we came out the protection of the islands to go back north again, we could really feel the motion of the ocean. We have successfully reached our southernmost point at 66 degrees and something. Holger will receive a plunge certificate with the exact dates later on. While watching the world go by, we listened to the afternoon lectures. One was about penguins, and one about Amundsen‘s and Scott‘s race to the South Pole. Talks are being live streamed on the cabin tvs, which was very convenient.

 

Our expedition briefing was very entertaining, again. Cocktail of the day was the Antarctic Rum Punch. Giving us some good counterbalance for the swaying of the ship. Schalk was in a great mood - probably glad he got everyone back on board in one piece. The plunge headcount had gone up to 80 - 60 passengers and 20 crew did it. Pictures by the ship‘s photographer can be downloaded for free in the photo studio. Tomorrow‘s plans are: morning wet landing at Damoy Point, where we get to see an old expedition hut and more gentoo penguins. And then over to Port Lockroy, the „Antarctic Post Office“, where you can visit a small museum, go shopping for souvenirs, and mail a postcard (scheduled to arrive in about four months‘ time). I will probably only do the morning landing, as I have my massage scheduled in the afternoon. And after Peterman Island I am absolutely happy if I achieve one landing a day. Holger will go ashore, though, and do postcard duty.

 

Dinner was in the main restaurant. Since the waiters will always try to top off your wine glass when you‘re not looking, we are trying to establish a colour code with them. The little table lamps are normally white, but that can be changed on the bottom. We turn it to purple (there is no red) and tell them it means stop the wine. Doesn‘t always work, but we‘re getting a good laugh for trying. Food was very good again, and the service remains outstanding. Good night!

[JJRP]

Thank you for the detailed write up!  Excited for the Cloud’s February 25th sailing, and enjoy learning what to expect.  

[QueSeraSera]

These are wonderful to read.  Thank you for posting.  We have never been to Antarctica and were unsure if we wanted to visit, but your magical posts have convinced us to add it to our list!

 

From your post:

Keine deutschen Würstchen bitte.

 

I had to look up a translation but I "get it" now 😊

[WesW]

Thanks so much for another delightful Antarctica journey post with words that bring smiles to the reader.  Love Schalk adjusting so mini plunge for the 7 year old was done.  He was heroic getting all Silversea guests (after five days at anchor/dock in Capetown in March 2020 due to fear of Covid from Government of South Africa) off the ship only to be able to go directly to the airport. Look forward to seeing more of Capetown in late March this year, than just from the Deck of the Silver Cloud.  Learned Schalk leaves the Cloud in early March and then reboards in mid April in Mahe.  So, will misss him for the Cape to Cape, and Cape to Mahe.  A new EL will come on board March 8, Akos Hivekovics.

Edited January 11, 2023 by WesW

[pvbmom]

Thank you, thank you for these wonderful posts!   We are taking our first Silversea cruise on the Wind to Antartica in February and are so excited.  Your descriptive writings have given me a wonderful understanding of what an expedition cruise is like and increased my excitement tenfold!

[Anna32]

Thank you for your kind comments! It brings me great joy to be able to take some of you along, at least virtually.

[Anna32]

Day 10, Damoy Point and Port Lockroy (January 11th)

 

I slept in today! Only woke up shortly after 7am, even though we were scheduled to go ashore at 8am. So we immediately started to put on layers, and postponed breakfast until after our first landfall of the day. It was snowing quite heavily, and must have done so for a while - the pool deck was completely covered in snow. This is a great feature of your cabin tv, the pool deck cam. You can check if the hot tubs are busy before you head out. Today, you could have built a snowman on there.

 

We got called out shortly after, with Billy telling us it was a beautiful morning and a very easy landing, doable for everybody. So off we went. The zodiac was lying still in the water, so getting in was really smooth. The ride over to shore was also very calm, and we claimed the snow in our faces was „Antarctic ambiance“. At the landing site, two expedition staff members were wading in water up to their hips, guiding the zodiacs in. We were asked to swing our legs over the bow, and into the water. It went up to mid-calf for me, and the boots stayed dry inside. Whew!

 

Wading ashore, we had to tackle some steps hewn into the ice. They were not extremely difficult, but still quite slippery with the snow falling continuously. I let everyone from our boat pass and took my time going up, then walked over to the expedition hut, saying hi to Schalk on the way over. The hut was interesting, however, there were two skuas right next to it busy doing skua things, that I found even more entertaining. We guessed they were courting, as they almost looked like pidgeons doing the same. We will check with one of the ornithologists on board for confirmation.

 

Holger went for the walk over to the gentoo colony. As much as I love penguins, I am not too keen on wading through the deep snow, so I continued people and skua watching and then slowly made my way back to the landing site. I got a new life vest - when you come ashore, you place them in a blue ton and get a new one when you’re ready to leave again. This way, you don‘t have to wear it the whole time you’re on land. It was snowing stronger and stronger, and my glasses really fogged over. I took them off before tackling the steps again. Slowly but surely I made my way down, holding on to the snowy walls for support. Then it was back into the water, and wading to my private zodiac. This is the way to go, I‘m telling you! I had a lovely ride back to the ship with FFion from Wales. The water was flat as a mirror, but with all the snow and poor visibility I was still glad to be home and dry again.

 

The mud room was empty, so I could spread out to get my boots off. They provide some nifty devices for getting out of your boots, which is really helpful. After dropping off my wet parka in the cabin, I went to get some sustenance. Banana pancakes, breakfast of champions! And some hot Earl Grey tea just hit the spot perfectly. After about 20 minutes Holger came to join me. He said the penguins didn’t seem too enthusiastic about all the snow, either. Our two conservation carpenters will stay here in all this snow to work on restoring the old expedition hut. I‘m sure they love their job, but they will need every ounce of energy they can get.

 

After breakfast, we checked out the guest laundry. All machines were busy, so we‘ll have to come back later. With three months of travel and a luggage allowance of only 23 kilograms each, laundry duty is essential. After a little rest and my daily Sudoku, we found an empty machine. Oh, by the way, our butler Vinay noticed the very first day that I was doing the Sudoku. Ever since, I find it in our mail slot first thing in the morning. It is those seemingly „little“ things that are not little at all, in my mind. Everybody in the crew is incredibly kind and thoughtful.

 

Everyone was back on board, so we were ready to do the very short transit over to Port Lockroy. Another ship was there this morning, so we had to wait our turn. This seems to be the landing that all of the ships try to do, as they have the little souvenir shop were you can buy and then mail postcards. Holger will go ashore, while I will go claim my raffle prize - 50 minutes of deep tissue back massage. The expedition life is tough, I can tell you!

 

With our laundry in full swing, we went to the talk about Port Lockroy. Lucy, who leads the team stationed down here, explained about the history, relevance and current operations of the station. Apparently, the station was an early hotspot for first whalers, then climate scientists. Nowadays, the work done there is mainly conservation, tourism, and some penguin research. Specifically, the impact that tourism is having on penguin breeding patterns. Port Lockroy has an „adopt a penguin“ programme, and they do a regular podcast. Their main claim to fame, however, is being the southernmost service station for the Royal Mail. Postcards mailed from here go through the Falklands and then via air to the British mainland. During the season (from November until March), they are en route between four and six weeks. Off season they can take up to four months - or longer, if the British postal system is on strike, like right now.

 

Holger went ashore at 3pm, and I checked the status of our laundry. If you‘re feeling in need of company, go to the laundry room. There always seems to be someone hanging out there. Particularly gentlemen, looking confused about the technicalities of operating those mysterious machines. I got the first load back to our cabin, and then headed for my massage. Jelly did a brilliant job finding all the knots in my shoulders and neck, but I was still very relaxed afterwards.

 

When I returned to our cabin, Holger was not only back from shore, but had brought postcards for me to write. A bit of a rush job, but we managed to get them on one of the last tenders back to shore. He had gone through the shop and museum, but spend most time with the penguins. The main building is on stilts, and some of the birds are nesting underneath it. He got some lovely pictures of them picking out stones for their nests. Also, he spoke with Fede, one of the marine biologists from Argentina. At every landing site, Fede is not only looking for wildlife, but also bones and fossils. He found a mollusk in Port Lockroy that he had never seen there before. It remains to be seen whether that‘s a good or bad thing.

 

The Expedition Briefing was in both parts interesting and entertaining. We will have our third try at getting our feet on the continent tomorrow, at Neko Harbour. It is only a short transit through the Neumayer Channel to get there, with very good chances to see whales en route. Humpbacks are apparently plentiful around here, and there is even a small possibility to see Orcas. In recap, we got shown a short video from the kayak crew. They had a close encounter with a leopard seal today, who decided to play with the lead kayak. She was diving around and even biting the bow. Our resident seal expert, Fede, was really excited by the footage. Apparently at some point she went from playful into serious hunter mode. Good thing I was not on that kayak!

 

We decided to do the grill for dinner. It is done al fresco on the pool deck, and you grill your food on very hot rocks at your table. The ambiance was wonderful, with the sun shining on the mountains and icebergs. Humpback whales and penguins were around the ship - just everybody hanging out and enjoying dinner. After that we went to the Dolce Vita Bar to get warm again. Mr. Duck came along, and made the acquaintance of Rob and Patty, seasoned Seabourn cruisers and first timers on Silversea, like us. At some point, we passed the Sapphire Princess, who is doing a world cruise and visiting Antarctica as part of that. Very different to our experience, I guess. We stayed way past our bedtime, and now it‘s really goodnight!

[Port Power]

Your wonderful descriptions remind me to take my binoculars everywhere with me, even to dinner!  I can imagine jumping up between bites for a better look at the whales.

[WesW]

Start my morning with a cup of coffee and enjoying your delightful Antarctica posts; thank you Anna and Holger (in support).  Your writing is impeccable, and isn't English your second language--remarkable.

 

If I read correctly, Holger and you will be on board (three monghts) so through the end of March or mid April?   If so, look forward to seeing you on board the Cloud in early March.  

 

Have enjoyed Fede in the Arctic and Cape to Cape, who are your orinthologists on board, if I might ask? One of our favorite sea bird pro's, Bernardo is now on the Wind.  He posts terrific photos of a wonderful variety of Seabirds on the other site.  And if you did not know Ivar leaves in two weeks or so and Michelle Roberts (from Capetown) will be your new HD.

Edited January 12, 2023 by WesW

[Lauranne]

This is fantastic reading. We are on the Wind next month and your excellent description writing has me even more excited. 
Thank you!