Out with a bang

The Drake picked up a bit this morning, so Kim skipped lunch and the activities immediately before and after. While she was bedridden, I attended a lecture on the beginning of tourism in Antarctica. The inaugural cruise was out of Ushuaia in 1959. The passengers' first landing site was Deception Island, where they must have enjoyed much better weather than did we. Apparently, they paid pleasing favor to the weather gods.

Later in the day, Kim was feeling better, so we decided to have a cup of tea and relax in the lounge. We weren't there long, when Jimmy, the wildlife biologist, announced dolphins at our port and bow. We grabbed our coats and headed up the decks. There were a couple of Peale's dolphins riding the waves just off our bow. They were like teenage boys playing chicken with the ship. They would sprint along at the bow and then dive right in front of the vessel. They didn't stick around long, but one popped up at ten o'clock, just off Kim's shoulder. These dolphins are a dark gray with wide white stripes that glow under the dark ocean surface. The animal bobbed up and down a few times before diving into the abyss, beyond our sight.

Shortly after Flipper's visit, Captain Alexy made a special effort to bring us up close to Cape Horn. Typically our route would have swung us farther east of the Cape, but we were making good time and it's a historical spot. A lot of sailors have perished in these waters, which is hard to believe on a day like this. The waves aren't overbearing, and the weather is moderate. The Cape looked harmless with its green, brush-covered slopes; but even from a distance, you could make out the white spray of the sea crashing against the cliffs. Alex came over the speakers and provided a bit of history about the Cape. He told us of a steel sculpture that was erected, as a memorial to the lost lives. The artist welded a couple of pieces of steel together, creating the shape of an albatross. Alex then recited the poem, which is engraved at the site:

I, the albatross that awaits for you at the end of the world...
I, the forgotten soul of the sailors lost that crossed Cape Horn from all the seas of the world.
But die they did not
in the fierce waves,
for today towards eternity
in my wings they soar
in the last crevice
of the Antarctic winds
-Sara Vial, Dec. 1992

The rest of our evening was jam packed with fun. We started in the lounge with a sweeping recap of the trip. Alex talked about the highlights, some of which included: witnessing 65 polar plunges, being first this season to Vernadsky, spotting four different whale species, and consuming over 3,000 eggs. Alex then welcomed Captain Alexy to kick off "Cocktails with the Captain." This was our opportunity to hear from the captain, as well as thank him for his amazing navigation. The celebration continued through dinner, where the dining room/kitchen staff were recognized for the delicious meals and impressive service. As the staff was introduced, our favorite, Mirela, got the loudest applause. A Romanian, she speaks a variety of languages effortlessly. She would be speaking to our Brasilian friends in Portuguese, answer my question in English, and then check-in with the Russians in their native tongue. And I'm not talking about taking orders, she was engaging in deep and meaningful conversations fluently. Her warmth then lead to me and my new Brasilian travel mate, Katia, inviting ourselves to the Black Sea for a visit. Mirela insisted that we not miss Dracula's castle, so we happily agreed. But I digress. Our final meal was five star, as usual, but was cut short for the farewell slideshow. Sam, the ship's onboard photography expert, had made a laptop available throughout the trip for passengers to share their photos. She culled through 1,200 pictures to create the 15 minute slideshow. It was a parade of spectacular images of drastic landscapes, curious wildlife, and snow interrupting the blue hues of sky and sea. Near the end, I was surprised to see my face cross the screen. Someone had snapped a photo, as I came in for a landing after my luge run at Paradise Harbor. The look of pure, unadulterated delight was priceless. My cup runneth over.Meer informatie