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Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2
  • Lorna Spaas
  • Paul Spaas

Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

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  • Trip start
    November 16, 2024
    Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Ushuaia & Departure

    November 16, 2024 in Argentina ⋅ 🌬 5 °C

    Paul has been asked to stand in as Staff Captain for two cruises, and the current Staff Captain is going to stand in as Captain for two weeks until the new incoming Captain is familiar with the ship. In the meantime someone else has come on board to take on the ice pilot role.

    That we had to move to the Staff Captain's cabin but in between moving Paul had to see to the Bosun and I had to try and remove luggage into the passage outside the cabin so that the housekeepers could start making up the room for new guests. Eventually Paul came and we moved our stuff into the new cabin upstairs closer to the Bridge.

    The steward hadn't made up the cabin and the Staff Captain was still waiting for the outgoing Captain to move his luggage out of his cabin so we had to wait to move in properly.

    We decided to head outside for some fresh air. As soon as we left the ship, we regretted it. The wind was strong and the snowflakes were biting. In town there was a bit more shelter. We picked up some crisps and chocolate from a supermarket - our sweet teeth kicked in!

    We were back at the ship around about lunch time and were able to unpack but in the meantime the poor steward came to try and get the cabin ready for us. He had been busy preparing guests cabin and was looking a bit 'ragged' and stressed, poor chap.

    Paul had to go to the tailor and get his uniform, which was then sent to the laundry room for ironing. They were pretty quick about doing the ironing! He had to get his uniform and then the tailor took it to the laundry room for ironing. They were very quick with it!

    Paul had to go to the Bridge for departure and I attended the usual safety drill. I don't really have to - I only need to attend once a month, but thought I would go anyway.

    Paul was back from the Bridge in time for dinner. It is a nice change to eat together in one of the dining rooms instead of going to the crew mess because of Paul's previous shift pattern.

    We have 2 days at sea ahead of us as the ship goes back to Antarctica.    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Half Moon Island

    November 18, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ 🌬 1 °C

    Yesterday was a sea day after Ushuaia and we had dinner with an Australian couple. There were supposed to have been 2 other guests but they couldn't make it in the end. It didn't matter because we still enjoyed the evening.

    The ship made good time so it arrived at Half Moon Island by around midday.

    It is very windy outside - up to 50 knots or 92km/hr. Despite the strong wind, the expedition team attempted to go ashore and set up a walk for guests so that they go ashore. The expedition team on the sister ship, the Venture, had attempted to do a landing but decided not to, so it was amazing that the team on the Pursuit managed, despite very strong winds.

    I put my foot outdoors to take a few pictures from the bow of the ship and I was blown about. Because of the strong winds, and the fact that I was very tired I decided not to go ashore. I have been before, but in better conditions. I ended up having a nap instead.    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    D’Hainaut Island Walk

    November 19, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ ❄️ 0 °C

    There was lots of snow and the wind didn’t help, increasing the chill factor. People were advised to wear skiing googles. Staff really got wet standing there, guiding people or talking to them.

    I tried to take photographs but the cold got to my hands, and then I couldn’t swipe the screen to switch the camera on because the phone screen and my fingers were too wet. (I subsequently found, on an internet search, that if I double press the power button, it will switch the camera on, on my phone.)

    I was soaked by the time I got back to the ship. Once I hung my stuff in the shower to dry, I had a nice hot chocolate.    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Cierva Cove

    November 19, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ ❄️ -1 °C

    Sadly my things weren’t dry by the time I went out in the zodiac. My left glove was reasonably dry but my right glove felt as if it had puddles in the bottom of the fingers. My trouser legs were cold and wet, and I had to dig out a pair of dry socks.

    The zodiac ride was ok but as time went on, my fingers got rather cold being in wet gloves.

    We had a nice ride over to a small island in the bay to see penguins, over to the Arctic Peninsula to see Primavera Base which is only manned in the summer, and then went to see the face of a glacier from a distance. The weather was still miserable and visibility wasn’t great. One lady was unprepared and wore knitted gloves that were not waterproof at all. She managed, but just!

    When I mentioned to a staff member that we didn't have a drying cupboard in our cabin, she mentioned that there is a big drying room for staff to put their wet clothes in, so Paul and I found it after dinner and I hung my wet stuff in it. It was balmy inside and very warm. I believe it gets to about 38C!    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Danco Island & Chiriguano Bay

    November 20, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ ❄️ 0 °C

    Danco Island is an island that we haven't been to yet with the past 2 cruises so I thought it would be a good idea to get off the ship, when it was my group's turn, and go ashore. It was a zigzag route to a nice viewpoint overlooking the Errera Channel and to the ship. There were penguin rookeries too, and they were busy. It was a bit snowy and windy, but it wasn't half as bad as yesterday! Steepish walk, bit snowy and windy but it half as bad as yesterday. When I got back to where the zodiacs were dropping off guests, there was a curious penguin having a look at a rope and some of the equipment lying around. It was really sweet.

    Towards lunch time the weather closed in and the Spigot Peak zodiac cruise for the afternoon was changed in the hope of finding a more sheltered area.

    In the meantime the sister ship, the Venture, was also in our area and the two ships came alongside each other, with a good safety distance between the two ships, and guests could take photographs. The Bridge team also took photographs.

    The ship headed over to Chiriguano Bay, off Brabant Island, and the zodiacs were put down in the water - it was more sheltered. I had a nice enough cruise past some icebergs and saw sheer walls of the glaciers.

    Before heading to bed, Paul looked out of the window - we were sailing through thin sea ice - we had arrived at tomorrow morning's point being Wilhelmina Bay. The ship didn't touch the sea ice but stopped and stayed in position. I think the captain might try to do a sea ice landing tomorrow.

    Being a bit crazy, and not wanting to get dressed up for cold outdoor weather, I went to the bow in my flipflops and dressing gown! It was spectacular!    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Wilhelmina Bay & Cuverville Island

    November 21, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ ❄️ -2 °C

    The Captain successfully managed to get the ship into the sea ice plate and it eventually held. I went out for a walk in the ice and then went back to the cabin. Just as I got in, I got a call from Paul - he was downstairs waiting for me in the mud room, ready to step onto the ice. He had just missed me going inside the ship. So I went down and joined him but we weren't out for very long because of the long queue towards the bow of the ship where people were pulling the rope. One lady had been one of the first outside, dressed in a long fur coat and hat. She was still there towards the time when all the guests had to go inside. I guess she was maybe a social media person...

    When the ship arrived at Cuverville Island in the afternoon, decided not to go out. I was very tired and decided to have a nap. I have been off the ship to Cuverville twice before so I probably didn't miss anything.    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Lemaire Channel & Port Lochroy

    November 22, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ ❄️ 1 °C

    The Booth Island landing from Port Charcot had to be cancelled because of too much ice in the sea near the landing site, and the sea conditions weren't good. The expedition team continued around the corner, in zodiacs, to see if Pleneau Bay/Iceberg Graveyard was a viable option to do a zodiac cruise, but the wind was too strong. So Booth Island walk and a zodiac cruise had to be cancelled.

    The next best option was to see if Lemaire Channel (around the corner of Booth Island) was open and to see how far we would get.

    During the last cruise the channel was too iced up to go through, but this time the ship managed to get through, navigating past icebergs in the narrow channel. On a clear day it can be very pretty, with striking rocky outcrops and steep cliffs into the channel.

    When we rounded the corner of Booth island towards Pleneau Bay, the wind was still too strong for a zodiac cruise, so there was change in plan again.

    We headed to Port Lochroy. The weather was gorgeous and the sea was a lot calmer. Staff at the base on Goudier Island came to give us a talk about the base's history, and restoration efforts. The base is now a tiny post office (the only one in Antarctica) and museum

    After the talk the base personnel set up a 'shop' on the ship so that guests could purchase souvenirs. I decided to do the zodiac cruise that was offered around the bay, in the hope that I could see the 'shop' when I got back.

    It was a nice cruise towards Goudier island and the base, and then partly into a channel to see glaciers. Last week's cruise, I had come up the channel on a zodiac when one of the zodiacs lost steering. The weather that day had been terrible but today the weather was very different and the sea was a lot calmer.

    Paul was waiting for me when I got back to the ship and we were able to see what was in the pop up 'shop'.    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Andvord Bay Kayak/Neko Harbour

    November 23, 2024, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    We arrived at Neko Harbour. The weather outside was beautiful! It was a great day to be out.

    Paul rang me early, in the cabin, asking if I would like to go kayaking. Apparently a guest had dropped out and the expedition team were wanting to fill some seats. I was free so I said yes. Paul couldn't go unfortunately.

    We had to dress up in a one piece suit for warmth and in case we fell in the water. We just needed to wear normal warm clothing and thick socks. The suits had 'feet' incorporated into them so we didn't need to wear shoes. We put booties on over the top of them. Fortunately all the extra material in the foot department took up space inside my booties which were the smallest they could find for me - 3 sizes too big! It didn't matter though. The suit wrists and necks were a very snug fit to stop water from getting inside. They also had a hood but we didn't need them because it wasn't raining. Before we left the ship we were encouraged to open up the neck area and bend into a ball to try to get as much air out of our suits as possible (a bit like a vacuum storage bag!)

    Once we were suited and booted, we put our lifejackets on and headed off the ship for a zodiac ride out to the kayaks. On our way there, we saw a whale and the zodiac went towards it before it dived. It was wonderful sight.

    We eventually got to where the kayaks were, stationed in the bay, and were helped to climb into the kayaks. The lady who partnered up with me had never kayaked before. I encourage her to use her paddle in rhythm with me. We been shown how to steer and stop but the lady couldn't seem to grasp that concept. Usually it the back person who acts as a rudder at times when needed but I was in front and ended up doing the work. It was hard because she didn't help.

    It was lovely kayaking through ice, being up close and personal to it. We saw a fur sea on the ice, and a penguin hopped up onto a block of sea ice . And we heard and saw (from a distance) whales. The time on the water was very special.

    Eventually we had to get back into the zodiac and head back to the ship. Some guests got dropped off at the landing site at Neko Harbour so that they could see the penguins, glacier and go for a walk up to a viewpoint.

    I decided to head back to the ship instead, with another guest.

    As we sailed through Andvord Bay towards the Melchior Islands, there were two sleeping whales so the ship went very slowly. Every now and then we could see them breathing. My goodness, it was very special indeed.

    We will reach the Melchior Islands sometime later this afternoon.    Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Melchior Islands Polar Plunge

    November 23, 2024 in Antarctica ⋅ ☁️ 1 °C

    The sea was calm and the weather was excellent when we arrived at the Melchior Islands. The expedition team set up a zodiac alongside the ship for the polar plunge, and 2 zodiacs waited in the water nearby. Then the fun began! I also did the polar plunge and enjoyed it tremendously.Read more

  • Ushuaia, Antarctica, Ushuaia 2

    Ushuaia Arrival

    November 25, 2024, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    Yesterday was a sea day and around midday the ship's officers were invited to a game of trivia, competing against the guests. The officers managed to get a group of 7 but were short by one person so I joined in. The officers came second last! Not very good... but I think they were in it for the popcorn rather than the questions ;-)

    We arrived sometime around 6:30/7:00pm, in time for some staff and guests to go ashore for a few hours. The official disembarkation will take place tomorrow morning.

    Paul and I got off for an hour or so. It was nice to get some fresh air - there was a fresh breeze!    Read more

    Trip end
    November 25, 2024
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