First icebergs

Looked out the window and there it was. Bizarre shape no?

Went over to starboard, totally different burg. Only difference was the sun was behind it and it was shrouded in mist. 
 

Starting the last day of 2023

The boat rocked throughout the night  Good thing for the Black Out Curtains!  It was never pitch black in the room last night but we both got a good night’s sleep. I did endup getting up in the middle of the night to shove wash cloths in the fridge to quiet down the clinking bottles but other than that the waves didn’t seem to bother us too much (except when we were trying to get into the bathroom and lurching back and forth ). 

Sun was up and shining when I went out to check on the waves at 6:30.

More training today: using life preserver, how to get in and out of the Zodiac, realizing that you need to assume anything in you pocket will get blown away and more on how to be careful in this environment.  

Also had a briefing on Kayaking. How to put on the dry suit, how to get in and out…. About this time a large number of the audience (including Melanie) left.    I have to admit the prospect of being out on the ocean for and hour made me a bit nervous - but I signed up for my test an hour later. 

After breakfast (eggs Benedict for Melanie) and a break we headed of for our next activities. 

Next for David was the Kayak test: Shades of middle school Gym class with all the associated angst that some of can remember all too clearly.  As we were called up 2x2 to show we could safely get in and out of the crafts properly - we couldn’t help but think - at least while still in the hangar.  

David is on the waiting list and hoping someone else chickens out. 

There was a tour of the ship ending in a small space called “the hide”.  Perfect for quiet time and watching the waves 

And yes, Viking honored their contract with yet another meal to attend. 

I am trying to be respectful of David and not eating pork or bacon. But take a look at this guy. I couldn’t say no to him. 

A The scopolamine is working fine for me. David hasn’t needed anything. He’s such a show off.

That’s it for now.  We’ll check again before the New Year. 

Off to Sea

 When we joined the Viking group at the Ushwaya airport David and I looked at each other and laughed. Some people had bags as big as a trunk but every person had a lot more bags than we did. We are definitely underdressed and happy. 

Once on board our ship we quickly found our berth. We booked the “cheap seats” but they are pretty snazzy.   But it took us awhile to unpack as we had to get briefed and tested. 

As for the briefing, as the largest and last actual wilderness area in the world there is an international  commission that is working hard to keep it that way.  So all clothing that leaves the ship has to be checked and cleaned of any possible biohazards. So hats or gloves are checked and thoroughly vacuumed of any bits of leaves, seeds, hairs etc. before they can be used when leaving the ship. Boots are treated with a biocide leaving and returning to the ship. And with the advent of an Avian flu outbreak extra measures have been taken including no kneeling squatting or laying down on the ice. 

We’ve been briefed on how to react when attacked by birds (Sarah, take special note) and the correct protocol when approached by a penguin in the wrong lane. (Oh wait, it’s their home so how can there be a wrong lane? More on that later) 

We were also tested for submarine suitability. 

  1.  Walk between these two chairs. Ok, good you fit. 

  2.  Do a 1/2 squat like you are going to sit but don’t.  Ok, good you can stand up. Great, you didn’t fall down. 

  3.   Stand next to this chair. Put your right foot up (on the chair) Put your right foot down, put your left foot up…….  You get the picture. 

You Pass!  Come to the briefing at 3:00 pm. 

And we’re off!

 

It took a while to get out to sea. During that time we had the sub briefing. Hmm, do we really want to do this?  No guarantee that the weather will allow it. Penalty if you choose to not show up. A number of other caveats. People started to leave halfway through.  “What will you see?” was asked. “Well, there are no guarantees. Oh, wait..  you’ll see the bottom 😊!”

About this time the boat pilot was picked up and we saw our last bit of land.   And with that the waves picked up. 

Melanie put on a Scopolamine, we closed the blackout curtains and called it a night!

Dare you to find Ushuaia!

 

Up Bright eyed and bushy tailed we had a 6:00 am start (read 4:00 am NY time) for our charter flight to Ushuaia.  Where is that I hear you say?  Well it’s south. A four hour flight with the Andes to the right of us and nothing to the left.  

Ok, so I writing this on an iPhone sailing through the Drake passage with 6-12 foot chop and I can’t read the map but if you look at the Southern tip of Argentina, that’s 

Tierra del Fuego

and we landed in the southern most Airport in Ushuaia. 

Buenos Aires on Friday Dec. 29th

 We landed on Buenos Aires after a decent, if somewhat delayed flight. Have the lay flat seats was great for a red eye and we both actually got a decent nights sleep.  Our flight attendant was great and sent us off with good wishes and a warning to not walk around showing a phone or any jewelry.  Apparently the pickpockets are of a very high caliber.  

Driving into the city we passed acres of charming old houses and parks and slums and high rises and churches…..

We first came around the corner to a familiar site  A bit far from home and all alone 🫤

The city is huge with a population of over 15 million people.  In the late 19th century it was very prosperous and the intent was to model the city ( which was already over 400 years old) after Paris.  And you can still see elements of that with many of those buildings and parks still standing.   

Last century a Paris Department store decided to enclose a popular crossroad already popular with the public and many years later it was revealed a now 100 years later still remains popular. People are not as well dressed now but can imagine the well healed strutting their stuff: seeing and being seen. You can see Melanie heading to check out the Galleria Pacifica:

Yes, it’s bigger than you’d imagine. Four floors covering a city block. 

More often than not the shopkeepers did not speak English. At one leather store outside the Galleria the proprietor only spoke Spanish, Greek and a little Russian. All were friendly and the Spanish is spoken clearly and quite slowly compared to other areas. 

Restaurants don’t even start dinner service till 6:00 pm ( which was 4:00  Pm New York time) so we combined a late lunch with an early dinner and were  asleep by 8:00 pm. 

Dec. 28th - Zalmans with a touch of Ice

​The time has come

The time is now

Just head on South

We don’t care how!

Well actually we do we head out on American Airlines tonight at 10PM  for a 14 hour flight to Buenos Aries 

Here is our tentative plan:  I will send a link in an email which should be a bit easier to view