Wednesday 2 February 2011

Getting prepared

During the night MV FRAM sailed through the Beagle Channel out into the Drake Passage. We woke up in a very smooth sea and to a beautiful sunrise. During the day the winds increased a bit and as they are blowing from the north the Fram as it heads south is saving diesel fuel.


Today there was not really time for relaxing as we prepared for our adventures ahead in Antarctica. Directly after breakfast our lecture series started and we learned a great deal about the birds, penguins (of course they are birds too), history and how to behave in Antarctica. Between we had time to become familiar with our own equipment we brought to this trip. Some of us had brand new cameras and we struggled to figure out how to use them to get the best photos, while on-land. We do not expect that it is so difficult to handle our binoculars. But we all had a lot of fun. We felt a little bit like students, running from one lesson to the other. Hopefully there is no test at the end of our trip.

Of course the crew had to prepare their equipment too. On the photo you can see our car deck with all the warm clothing for the expedition team and the seamen. Our Polarcircle boats are ready to go the first landing planned for tomorrow.


During the day we thought that Neptune, the king of all the seven seas would be our best friend, because the sea was so quiet. But one of us must have done something, that made him angry and now the sea becomes a little bit rougher. But it looks only like a first warning and we promised to behave better, so that Neptune likes us again and we can reach our first landing in Deception Island tomorrow afternoon.