The morning seas and winds are from the southwest, behind us
and the FRAM is rolling along northward toward Cape Horn. On board we have had
bridge visit tours where the Captain kindly answered many questions concerning
navigation and the operation of the FRAM. During the day our time was occupied
with Expedition Staff lectures, in both English and German. Southern topics
included the lives of Cormorants, wintering over in Antarctica, the Antarctic
Treaty and an overview of Tierra del Fuego.
As we are northbound the lectures covered northern topics such as the
original FRAM’s voyages to the Arctic, the geographic contrast between the
Antarctic and the Arctic and an introduction to Svalbard.
We plan to have Cape Horn in sight by the late afternoon and
hopefully we will be allowed to pass close enough to see the sculpture of the
Albatross in flight.
The Captains farewell cocktail will be followed by the
MV/FRAM charity auction. Three items are available for bidding: the ships
Hurtigruten flag, the nautical chart of our trip and a Keith Shackleton
numbered print. Notably the winning bids are tax deductible and all the money
from the auctioning of these items goes directly to the Antarctic Heritage
Trust to restore and preserve the buildings and equipment at the old research
stations.
After midnight we will pick up the Argentinian pilot for
navigation assistance as we head west in Beagle Channel. We expect to be
dock-side in Ushuaia by breakfast time on the 25th. Then it is
good-by to the FRAM and her staff as we all head home from Antarctica with our
brains and our cameras filled with lasting memories.
