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12/19/2022  The Drake Passage Redux          Drake Lake or Drake Shake?   Our Illustrious Expedition Crew Much to our dismay, we had to adjust the program for our return due to the rough seas, courtesy of the Drake Passage storm.   However, once Claudia explained the radar information and the decision to be on our way with the projections below, we were literally and metaphorically onboard and grateful immediately. (Above and below) The purple and dark blue areas represent  46-69 MPH wind speeds, respectively. We are just entering the Passage in the lower right corner. A massive, more dangerous storm is approaching  our starboard side. To avoid horrific seas, the expedition team and the captain adjusted the program,  told us to batten down the hatches,  and insert the long rods to prevent our drawers  from sliding inside our cabins. Then we had to hightail it, entering the Passage,  hoping for the best. Even then, we had two long days of rough seas.  Passengers exhausted their supplies
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12/18/2022 Whalers Bay, Half Moon Island, Deception Island, Neptunes Window, and the Polar Plunge  Neptune's Window from the ship. Neptune's Window from our landing. (We are the dots showing in red.)   Old machinery was used to extract whale oil  from the dead animals.   Remnants of some serious fixer-uppers where whalers lived. Partial whale spine (above)  and the scapula shoulder blade (below). Our march to the polar plunge entrance. Brrr...Approximate water temperature 32F. Air/wind temperature is approximately -22 F. Vicki's facial expression says it all. I had "nipples erectus," or as my sister, Mary would say,  "The girls had their party hats on."
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  12/17/2022 Damoy Point inside Dorian Bay on Wiencke Island   Our group returned to the zodiacs after climbing to the peak for a moment of silence for those brave souls who discovered this fantastic land mass. I took short videos of the penguins and skuas while waiting to board a zodiac. https://youtu.be/uL-Sb8utlCU https://youtu.be/kbK7Js9YnAU https://youtu.be/EGX-5vHqna8 https://youtu.be/C2iTk4Kaja0
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  12/17/2022 Port Lockroy and Damoy Point Port Lockroy is a British Antarctic territory on Goudier Island in the Palmer Archipelago, and it is home to Antarctica's only post office and museum.  More than 1,500 Gentoos live there, and 4 women, chosen from over 4,000 applicants, contractually inhabit the building for one year.   We enjoyed listening to Natalie Corbett on the ship during a morning "Learning and Discovery" briefing before we climbed into the zodiacs to visit. Her story was fascinating. Please take a moment to learn about her and the other women, and you will be amazed! https://www.ukaht.org/latest-news/2022/say-hello-to-our-new-port-lockroy-team/ Polar Pride is everywhere,  even outside  the only post office/gift shop in Antarctica, thanks to the earlier UK ship bearing the UK flag. Postmarking my postcard Homely-looking Snowy Sheathbills engaging in a disagreement. Nasty, crafty Skuas lie in wait for the moment  when the penguins are careless.  Check out the
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  12/16/2022 Adventures With Diego and Vicki   We launched first with Diego at the helm.  Record snowfalls and glaciers blanketed the sea.  Duane's zodiac was right behind us and  Sandy was the first to discover the leopard seal  pictured in the earlier post. Vicki was at the helm of our expedition to  Yalour Island's Adelie Penguins.  While we were in shallow waters,  she grabbed  a sample of the crystal-clear ice. Green Algae and icicles. Sy lvia and Vicki getting ready to hoist up the zodiacs at the end of the day.
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12/16/2022  Argentine and Yalour Islands A Banner Day for Wildlife Sightings  I was in the morning's first zodiac to the Argentine and Yalour Islands and feeling a little disappointed with my photography up to this point. Suddenly Duane, the expedition team member guiding the zodiac behind us, radioed that a leopard seal was showing off close by. I was ecstatic when I downloaded this photo! Not only one kind of seal, but our first sighting of the Weddell Seal napping on the ice shelf above a new species of penguins - the Adelies. Taking a leap. Back on board the ship for lunch we learned whales were following our ship. The previous photos of the Humpback Whale were taken from the deck.
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12/15/2022 Danco Island Landing   My beautiful moment with Carlos,  our trip leader for team Yellow Albatross Bunny and mom styling with attitude More ice floes, glaciers, and gigantic mountains   How's this pic of our ship for a sense of scale?  Chinstraps in the land of the Gentoo
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