Tuesday 2 November 2010

Hello and goodbye to Buenos Aires

Today, Monday, new and no doubt very excited passengers arrived at our ship the Fram for the first official day of the spring/summer Antarctic cruising season! We settled in our cabins, unpacked, and got to know the ship which included meeting the Captain and his staff, and the expedition team.


An important part of our initiation to the Fram was receiving our jackets, earlier in the day. The trick to staying warm in Antarctica is to dress with several layers of clothing that trap air against your body, then cover all this with a wind and waterproof coating- otherwise known as our blue jackets.


After many preparations on the ship, most of which happened totally behind the scenes, we set sail and said goodbye to Buenos Aires late in the afternooon, today. The air was fresh and warm as we glided out of the port entrance and into the muddy, red Rio de la Plata or "River Plate". In the distance was the impressive skyline of Buenos Aires, which we just had little time to really get to know. You would need a lifetime to get to know this city properly!


We passed several species of birds as we left, including a colony of Neotropic Cormorants. Now, as we write this blog, the sun has set and we will retire tonight, tired, but with great expectations for our upcoming adventure to the Falkland Islands/Malvinas, South Georgia and Antarctic. Stay tuned to this blog for daily updates!