Antarctica & Cape to Cape on Cloud 2-21-24

[highplanesdrifters]

Gentoos in the surf.

 

 

[jpalbny]

Love the videos and pics! Thanks for posting from one of my favorite parts of the world. And why didn't any of you join the gentoos in the surf?

 

Please keep Cloud in tip-top shape, as there are only 107 days until we embark in Darwin!

Edited February 24 by jpalbny

[FauxNom]

Amazing pics, as always. And those are some really crazy numbers - so many staying on for the crossing and so many newbies!

 

I hope your good karma maintains its strength for the c2c; I'm getting pretty excited about joining you! Is Michael the EL? It will be good to see Matt again.

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, jpalbny said:

Love the videos and pics! Thanks for posting from one of my favorite parts of the world. And why didn't any of you join the gentoos in the surf?

 

Please keep Cloud in tip-top shape, as there are only 107 days until we embark in Darwin!

 

Join the Gentoos in the surf?  I tried. Turns out they frown on that sort of thing.

 

Cloud - The old girl is still showing the youngsters how its done.  There's a few nicks and she does groan a bit in the swells, but hey I resemble that remark. 😁  Will keep her ready for your next adventure.

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, FauxNom said:

Amazing pics, as always. And those are some really crazy numbers - so many staying on for the crossing and so many newbies!

 

I hope your good karma maintains its strength for the c2c; I'm getting pretty excited about joining you! Is Michael the EL? It will be good to see Matt again.

 

Good to hear from you @FauxNom.  Look forward to having you onboard. We are ready for you and will keep the good karma intact.  The party has started. Some delightful folks on board.  Especially the ones from Atlanta....you know who you are. 😎 

 

Yes, Michael is the EL. He leads an amazing crack team. We also have Captain Pavlin Koev from PNG/Kimberly's.  What an adventurous combo. Two landings and a Zodiac ride yesterday. Lucky stars, pinching myself, you name it. Will write more about ship, staff, when time allows. Suffice to say all is excellent.

 

Hold on to your hats.....they have taken us to the Weddell Sea today.  Uheard of.  Up early, adventure awaits. MTC.

 

 

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

Paulette Island did not disappoint.  Home to the abandoned hut from the Nodrenskjold Expedition, aka Swedish Antarctic Expedition. We heard an excellent lecture from Jonathan French about the mishaps and miracles associated with the journey. Worth a Google.

 

On to the eye candy.

 

Paulette had some geology treats, very volcanic.

 

Basalt columns with anticline and syncline.  No Patsy Cline.

 

 

 

 

This berg was from Mother Nature's cubism phase.

 

 

The Swedish Expedition Hut. No caviar and Champagne there. Nonethless, a cozy fixer upper with nice views.  Yours for $5.2M. Cash bids only.

 

 

 

Yes, that's Victoria in the blue smiling. Great historian.  On the hill is a colony of thousands of cormorants. Not great historians.

 

 

Close up.

 

 

 

A special treat here, of dozens of Ginormous Weddell seals bulked up from their last Silversea cruise.  This guy is working off last nights Tres Leche cake.

 

 

Antarctic Fur seal 

 

 

Kayakers.  We understand the double kayaks lived up to the name 'divorce boats'. A domestic dispute had to be interrupted as the were upsetting the wildlife.🤣

 

 

Perhaps that's what spooked the cormorants.  Lucky me, hundreds flew in front of this berg just on time. Caught a few.

 

 

 

A nice long break for us. We were  first ones out this a.m. And will be last ones out this afternoon.   We are currently having a peaceful afternoon whilst Captain picks his way through the iceberg strewn Weddell Sea to the Danger Islands for our afternoon zodiac cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24 by highplanesdrifters

[highplanesdrifters]

Antarctic Fur Seals having a bit of fun surfing around a rock , while ignoring the parade of zodiacs that came by to watch.

 

If fur seals could talk - "Do those look like Orcas to you? Nope. Cool, let's keep going."

 

 

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

3 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Yes, that's Victoria in the blue smiling. Great historian.  On the hill is a colony of thousands of cormorants. Not great historians.

 

Is that Victoria Salem? She's great! Chris and I met her on our first SS cruise, Prince Albert II to Antarctica, in December 2009. After a long and late night in the bar she convinced me that I "had" to do the Polar Plunge the next day. So, I swam with the Gentoos in the caldera of Deception Island (as per my previous post)!

 

She was also our historian on a subsequent cruise - I think it was in Iceland for the 2019 circumnavigation but can't remember 100%.

 

At any rate, please give her our best regards and make sure you tie her to the ship so she can't escape until we get on board in June!

[Port Power]

On 2/22/2024 at 7:47 PM, highplanesdrifters said:

This, then, was the Drake Passage, the most dreaded bit of ocean on the globe—and rightly so. Here nature has been given a proving ground on which to demonstrate what she can do if left alone. The results are impressive.
Alfred Lansing, The Endurance

 

Well RJ, your MOJO worked.  I mean really worked.  It's not the Drake Lake, it's the Drake Pond.

 

 

The transfer from The W to The Cloud was seamless.  Silversea had the entire season to perfect it, and they succeeded.  Hotel checkout at 10am. We went to breakfast.  Ball room available until busses left. They had it stocked with games, Champagne, and snacks. Our Bus left promptly at noon as advertised.  They did check our carry-ons which were planeside as we departed.  Busses ready for the short transfer to the ship.  In our rooms in no time.  Well done Silversea!

 

Games!

 

Snacks

 

A little early for me

 

 

Red Carpet Entry 🤣

 

 

Waiting area, where we didn't have to wait.😁

 

 

Our sweet ride, 3/2 configuration.  On the 3 side most had the middle seat empty.  Comfy seats with lots of leg room. No stop at Puerto Mont for fuel so a short 3hr 15m ride.

 

 

Yummy Patagonia Stew

 

 

Some native Patagonia berry mouse . I don't think I've ever eaten something this color.

 

 

Almost there

 

Our ride awaits

 

 

Just the anchor I need for my new boat.

 

 

Not exactly Instagramable.

 

I have come to your thread late as Ryan and I were on an NCL cruise around NZ.  Great cruise, but the free WiFi was useless.  I couldn’t open CC at all.

 

Breakfast at W certainly looks heaps better than at MO.  The waiting area with snacks, drinks and included champers extremely better!  The waiting area at the airfield is different to what we experienced in Dec/Jan.  They must have realised their office was too squeezy and found a bigger place to use.

 

Love your photos and your impressions of places I went to only a month ago.  What a difference a month makes in the Antarctic!  Safe travels. 🍸

[kej1]

Thank you for these wonderful photos!  We had such a perfect trip to Antarctica and South Georgia on Seabourn Quest a number of years ago that we thought we’d never go back.  But you are tempting me.  I think we might have to give it another go on an expedition ship!

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, jpalbny said:

 

Is that Victoria Salem? She's great! Chris and I met her on our first SS cruise, Prince Albert II to Antarctica, in December 2009. After a long and late night in the bar she convinced me that I "had" to do the Polar Plunge the next day. So, I swam with the Gentoos in the caldera of Deception Island (as per my previous post)!

 

She was also our historian on a subsequent cruise - I think it was in Iceland for the 2019 circumnavigation but can't remember 100%.

 

At any rate, please give her our best regards and make sure you tie her to the ship so she can't escape until we get on board in June!

Yes it is Victoria Salem.  And double yes, she is amazing. Our third sail with her.  I can't imagine anyone being able to tie her to anything though. 😃  I will certainly send your regards!  PP at Deception....sounds as good as it gets!  How about some pics for this thread? Pretty please.

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, kej1 said:

Thank you for these wonderful photos!  We had such a perfect trip to Antarctica and South Georgia on Seabourn Quest a number of years ago that we thought we’d never go back.  But you are tempting me.  I think we might have to give it another go on an expedition ship!

YES, give it another go.  Our first trip to the Great White was also on Quest.  It was so perfect I feared a return couldn't compare.  Well....apparently.... I was wrong. 

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, Port Power said:

I have come to your thread late as Ryan and I were on an NCL cruise around NZ.  Great cruise, but the free WiFi was useless.  I couldn’t open CC at all.

 

Breakfast at W certainly looks heaps better than at MO.  The waiting area with snacks, drinks and included champers extremely better!  The waiting area at the airfield is different to what we experienced in Dec/Jan.  They must have realised their office was too squeezy and found a bigger place to use.

 

Love your photos and your impressions of places I went to only a month ago.  What a difference a month makes in the Antarctic!  Safe travels. 🍸

 

Thanks PP. Glad you had a great trip.   Amazing how things can change so quickly.  

 

You are missed, quite a reunion of the Kimberly/PNG trip with staff, expedition team, and Captian.  @FauxNom joins the next leg.

[highplanesdrifters]

Heroína Island in the Danger Island group.

Again Lady luck is serving up Antarctica on a silver platter.  The Danger Islands are home to one of the most significant penguin colonies, 1.5 to 2.5 million.  Yep that's right  MILLION!  Out of the entire expedition team only our fearless leader Michael has been here.  Imagine how we feel as mere plebians to have this rare experience. Why so rare?  It is often clogged with ice, takes a lot of fuel, and mother nature rarely opens the window.   

 

On to the eye candy.  Whilst many of the Adelie Penguins have already left for the season the landscape was still covered with them.  Every nook and crannie was occupied. 

 

 

 

 

 

Those are not pink rocks. This colony was re discovered because the satellite photos showed islands of pink, and its not granite!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few more victims of Silversea desserts. Penguin ala mode. These leopard seals had Penguins flitting about this berg  auditioning for the Darwin awards.  Friends saw a kill, eeek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

We had a 90 minute zodiac cruise.  Sounds long? Time flew by.  It did afford us enought time to float and watch the hilarious activity of these little creatures.

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

The chick's are still harassing mom for food.  This little guy bugged her from the top of the hill down till she finally chose the leopard seal infested waters over him. 🤣

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

4 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

PP at Deception....sounds as good as it gets!  How about some pics for this thread? Pretty please.

 

Since you asked - I didn't want to intrude.

 

The plunge at Deception Island was challenging. You wore your bathing suit under all your other clothes, and when the time came, you stripped down on the beach, then ran into the water as fast as you could before you froze to death from the wind chill.

 

This gentoo was very casual about the whole process.

 

 

This tourist may have been too shocked to know what just happened. The top layer of water is warm but once you're this far out from shore, it's bracingly cold! Deception Island is still volcanically active so the snow is constantly being melted by the heat from the ground. That results in hot water running off into the caldera. So, your first step into the water is deceptively warm. That tricks you into going out too far!

 

 

 

The best part was the hot tub afterwards! The staff dug a hole in the sand and let it fill with volcanically heated groundwater. In fact the water was so hot, that they had to keep dumping cold water from the caldera into the hot tub, so we wouldn't cook past medium rare.

 

 

After reluctantly extricating myself from the hot tub, I dried as quickly as possible then put my freezing cold outer clothes back on for the zodiac ride back to the ship. It was so fun that I've done two more plunges, but those were the less exciting kind from the side of the ship.

Edited February 25 by jpalbny

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, jpalbny said:

Since you asked - I didn't want to intrude.

 

Oh JP that is amazing.  Thank you for sharing.  You are always welcome here.  Same for others who have something interesting to share.😁  of course JPs story will be hard to beat.

[highplanesdrifters]

Warning, graphic content.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Atlanta friend was kind enough to share these amazing photos of a Leopard Seal in action.  The seal took one bite and left the rest of the penguin.  The Petrals and Skuas will enjoy the leftovers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Port Power]

6 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Warning, graphic content.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Atlanta friend was kind enough to share these amazing photos of a Leopard Seal in action.  The seal took one bite and left the rest of the penguin.  The Petrals and Skuas will enjoy the leftovers. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see why it’s known as the smiling assassin!  Great photos, demonstrating also that you need luck to be in the right place at the right time.  

[highplanesdrifters]

Just now, Port Power said:

smiling assassin!

 

I love that moniker. It's hard to wrap your brain around the shift from Giant blob on the ice to Smilin Swifty McMurderer. Does he wake up and think....hmmm I'd like a little penguin liver snack?  It's easy pickings at this point in the season. Lots of inexperienced well fed chick's trying their luck at their first swim.

[highplanesdrifters]

Brown Bluff

 

A great landing. Unfortunately it was preceded by a very uncomfortable 45 minute zodiac cruise in an overcrowded boat. No room to move or turn. The boat was too heavy to plane.  More about the reasons later. 

The person in the back is smashed under the driver getting constantly bumped. This was not the first time with these conditions for our group and others. A quiet word was had, but I'm not sure it was heard. One is starting to feel like Sheeple.  South Georgia is around the corner. Due to bird flu, long Zodiac cruises will be the order of the day.  Revolt is coming!

 

 

On to happier things. Mother Nature continues to provide us with calm seas and no wind.  A very fun and entertaining landing. I'm really enjoying this late season cruise with the chick's so active.  We were surrounded by what is left of the colony, which us plenty. Full grown chick's not quite fully molted constantly chasing mom and dad while squawking for food was the order of the day.  Big fun.

 

Position. Our first landing on the continent. 

 

 

 

 

Approach, just WOW. I need some new superlatives. 

 

Unbeknownst to us Canada had claimed the island and installed their Maple Leaf. Oh Canada.  🇨🇦 

 

 

Chow time.

 

Much of Star Trek was filmed here.

 

 

 

 

I think the rock on the right will work best.

 

 

Sleepy Wooly

 

 

Expedition gave us an extremely large area for a free roam.

 

 

 

Hey Mister can you put down the camera and spare some regurgitated fish?

 

 

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

Anchored off Brown Bluff with Iceberg Eye Candy.

 

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

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