Monday, November 10, 2014
Ushuaia, Patagonia, Argentina

Welcome back vicarious adventure travelers.

 So yesterday’s blog was prolific,  entertaining,  profound and emotional…
but it salt got lost and now I get to rewrite and I’m sure it will not have
the same impact. .. but that might also be the after lunch the Guinness coma
dragging on my creativity.

So what did we miss. .. embarkation day.   The day stayed like any other,
strangers in the room next to me,  nobody speaking my language and a
complete disorientation to location time and space.   But seriously I had no
idea where I was but the sun was shining and I soon saw the faces of my
friends and slid right back into the present.

The day had very little in the way of goals other that find me some cables
to attach the camera to my tablet,  an outlet converter and some Tylenol for
my wicked headache.   Well,  none of those goals would have been achieved
had it not been for Nicks obsession to find a men’s size twelve hiking boot.
. Which proved impossible,  yet it have me hoards of time to try every
electronics and camera store in the city until I had achieved my goals plus
a pretty awesome chocolate gelato!

Finally we find our way to the ship, the 310 foot Akademik Loffe.  Built in
1989 and under Russian flag the boat has proven to be exceptionally
comfortable and only exceeded by the warmth friendliness and knowledge of
the one ocean staff.   Our rooms are a pleasant size with two twin beds and
an ensuite head with shower.  Why the upgrade is a story for another day.

So far we’ve had fairly calm seas with 15 knot breezes.   However, many on
board found themselves struggling with motion sickness.   Is hard to watch
when you just don’t get affected by it.   We’ve sailed into the geographic
Antarctic today and through the Antarctic convergence and find ourselves in
35 knot breeze and 25 degree temperatures with snow outside.

Excitement doesn’t quite do justice to the anticipation of starting out of
ship excursions.   Right now we’re looking at the possibility of kayaking
every day,  snow shoeing occasionally,  zodiac cruises among the ice floe’s
and an eight day photography course with a professional photographer.
Thanks to Gino for the loan of his kick ass camera. . I’ve been rabidly
reading the manual to figure out all the inns and outs of this beast.

I’ve already gotten some great sea bird pictures of different type of
Albatross and others.

I’ve got to cut this one for now as it is time to go get fitted for my dry
suit for the kayaking adventure tomorrow.