Antarctica Live On Board

[galeforce9]

Gorgeous reflections! 

[florisdekort]

Time lapse...

 

[florisdekort]

Day 2 at Damoy Point - an amazing hike to a little blue hut below the Seven Sisters peaks... knee deep in snow on occasion 🙂

 

Loved watching the Gentoo’s build their nests pebble by pebble... we could do that for hours!

 

 

[SKP946]

Wow Floris, thanks for sharing your fantastic photos and time lapse.:)  Was that the Neumayer Channel ?

Edited December 11, 2018 by SKP946

[florisdekort]

The WiFi on the ship unfortunately hasn’t been cooperating but safe to say we are having an awesome time down in Antarctica. 

 

After Hope Bay and Damoy Point, we called at Waterboat Point. People visited the station, bought their souvenirs and got their passports stamped. We enjoyed the wildlife (we saw our first killer whales), the fast moving ice and our third kayak trip this cruise. Two years ago I only went kayaking once but this time we are really going for it. 

 

Today, day 4, we’re at Neco Bay. The weather has turned against us so no landing today, “just” zodiac rides. Kayaking has been cancelled all day.

 

Some more photos below.

 

[galeforce9]

Thanks for the update 

[florisdekort]

Kayaking at Damoy Point - stunning scenery! 

 

[galeforce9]

Thanks for the update 

[florisdekort]

Waterboat Point - one of the few (if not the only) stops Quest tries to make on every Antarctica sailing.

 

[florisdekort]

It’s feeling a bit like Christmas...

 

[Kauaijim]

Floris, good stuff , thank you

[teamcohen]

We will be boarding Quest in BA in a week.  Your pictures are fantastic! Planning on kayaking in Antarctica, have a few days booked.  Question....is it worth doing in South Georgia?

[Fletcher]

Glad to see you back with us, Floris - you seem to have a lot more ice than we did on our cruise which left three weeks after yours a year ago, if you get my drift.  Any sight of the cute little leucistic penguin at Waterboat Point -

 

[florisdekort]

7 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Glad to see you back with us, Floris - you seem to have a lot more ice than we did on our cruise which left three weeks after yours a year ago, if you get my drift.  Any sight of the cute little leucistic penguin at Waterboat Point -

 

 

No sight of him (her?) 😝😎

[The-Inside-Cabin]

7 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Glad to see you back with us, Floris - you seem to have a lot more ice than we did on our cruise which left three weeks after yours a year ago, if you get my drift.  Any sight of the cute little leucistic penguin at Waterboat Point -

 

 

We didn't see this penguin, but during the evening recap, the expedition team mentioned that it made an appearance later in the day.   

[Fletcher]

Thanks InsideCabin, good to know 'blondie' is still going strong.  I think you are all in Yankee Harbour today.  It's a nice stroll down that shingle spit of land if the weather holds up for you. 

Edited December 14, 2018 by Fletcher

[The-Inside-Cabin]

 

They sent the first two groups ashore and then canceled the rest of the day.   We are now heading to Deception Island for Scenic Cruising.  Drake Passage tomorrow.

 

Here is a picture that shows current conditions in Yankee Harbor

and where they dropped off the first group and planned to pick them up later after waking down the narrow peninsula - temp was 2 degrees C 15 knots wind

Edited December 14, 2018 by The-Inside-Cabin

[florisdekort]

We were very lucky at Yankee Harbour today. We used the “magic tickets” they issue with your kayak tickets to join the first landing group to shore (white; we are in green). That also turned out to be the only group to make it to shore today as the weather rapidly deteriorated and it became too rough to use the zodiacs. It definitely was the right call as on the ride back, in the front of the zodiac, I had waves rolling over me the whole way. It took 3 attempts to tie the zodiac to the tender platform and required quite a bit of hand- and even life jacket holding to get everyone onto the ship safely. I felt especially sorry for the second / red group as they were all lined up to go to shore when the call to end operations was made. 

 

We are now heading towards Deception Island for some scenic cruising before starting the long journey north across the Drake’s and beyond towards Montevideo. The ship is already on “code red”, so the Drake’s will undoubtedly be rough (again). 

 

Photos from Yankee Harbour and the first Gentoo chicks of the season to follow later today. 

 

I have now been to Antarctica with Seabourn twice. Both times the itinerary called for 6 days at the white continent. The first time we landed 5 out of 6 days and the kayaks operated 2 out of 6 days. The second time, this time, we landed 3 out of (the original) 6 days (but the vast majority of guests landed only 2 out of 6 days) and the kayaks operated 3 out of 6 days. Something to keep in mind when you book this cruise - it certainly is “weather permitting”, just as the small print says. New Island on the Falklands was a massive bonus this trip however, and visiting the King Penguins at Volunteer Point from Stanley the next day was magical.

 

Cheers - 

Floris 

 

[florisdekort]

[rallydave]

Did you got to Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts Floris?  Last year we used Patrick and our driver was the son of the couple managing Volunteer Point and provided lunches plus we got a bonus in our lunch, a thumb drive with magical pictures from the Falklands including Volunteer Point.

 

Safe travels on the Drake Shake.

[florisdekort]

Drake’s Passage forecast 5 to 6 meters / 15 to 18 feet - straight onto the bow. 

 

[Tommorris]

A couple questions for those of us anticipating the February sailing(!):  

1. Do they still provide beanie caps to people in the "regular" suites?

2. Do they provide binoculars in the "regular" suites

3. Are there USB ports in the rooms for charging things?

4. How many treadmills in the exercise room/wait to get on one

5. Laundry room -- is there a wait to wash clothes

 

Thanks!!!

[florisdekort]

On 12/19/2018 at 2:23 PM, Tommorris said:

A couple questions for those of us anticipating the February sailing(!):  

1. Do they still provide beanie caps to people in the "regular" suites?

2. Do they provide binoculars in the "regular" suites

3. Are there USB ports in the rooms for charging things?

4. How many treadmills in the exercise room/wait to get on one

5. Laundry room -- is there a wait to wash clothes

 

Thanks!!!

 

1. Yes

2. Yes but of much lesser quality than the ones in the premium suites

3. No, just power outlets (American and European)

4. 6 treadmills, it tends to be busy early mornings 

5. Totally depends on when you go

 

Floris 

[galeforce9]

I thought that on Quest in the summer there were USB ports in the bedside tables.  Odyssey in November didn’t have them. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On ‎12‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 4:30 PM, galeforce9 said:

I thought that on Quest in the summer there were USB ports in the bedside tables.  Odyssey in November didn’t have them. 

We had USB next to the bed.  one on each side

 

We were provided one pair of binoculars.   We would be charged $175 if we wanted to keep them. 

Edited December 23, 2018 by The-Inside-Cabin