On our way down –had
it only been a week ago?- we experienced the “Drake Lake”. This time the sea
was building up a little, but not enough to cause any discomfort, or to skip
any events on board.
One of the highlights of the day –apart from “Banana flambé” at lunch- was the bridge visit for groups 1-3. Tessa and Rudolph helped moving the groups in and out, while the captain and officers explained their work-station (“…and, please, no pushing of any red buttons!”).
One of the highlights of the day –apart from “Banana flambé” at lunch- was the bridge visit for groups 1-3. Tessa and Rudolph helped moving the groups in and out, while the captain and officers explained their work-station (“…and, please, no pushing of any red buttons!”).
Today was my turn
giving two lectures. Well, actually just one and the same, “Shackelton’s quest
for the South Pole” but in two different languages. In both cases attendance
was good –there was not much else to do, as it was misty outside…..
After a short call
home the fog still kept rolling in and out, but even so, every so often birds
could be seen. Cape Petrels and Light-mantled Sooty Albatrosses were the most
prominent ones. Even a humpback whale had been spotted in the distance, ready
for a dive- visibility under water was probably better than above.
During tea-time three
of our Canadian guests wanted some information regarding Easter Island –they
would be going there in a few days’ time- and Frieda had brewed some very tasty
tea…
At 17:30 the sky
turned blue and the sea was calm enough for Rudolph and Tessa to consider a
match of table-tennis in the Gym, on deck 7.
While some were
thinking of the wonderful moments we had had on our cruise (be it in the
Chilean Fjords or in Antarctica), others were thinking of packing, and still
others checked the brochure for future cruises aboard MV Fram or any of the
other Hurtigruten ships.
After dinner I
continued reading “The Defenders of the Faith” (Carlos V. and Suleyman the
Great, and their battle for Europe between 1520 and 1536), but the ending was
anti-climactic- not because I knew which side had won, but because the last
chapters lacked the zest of the earlier part of the book.
By now the sky had
almost completely turned blue and the sea had calmed down considerably. The
night would be spent gliding through the Drake.
