Silver Cloud #1001 - Ushuaia RT via South Georgia - January 4, 2020

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, mrlevin said:

 

Any particular reason you went to Spert Island today (according to cruise mapper) instead of Antarctic Sound?  Will you go to Antarctic Sound tomorrow or possibly Thursday?

 

Love the reports.

 

Marc

Marc,  

I can’t get my maps to load so can’t see our exact position relative to the 30-mile long Antarctic sound.  But, I think it may be like splitting hairs considering Spert Island lies just west of Trinity Island, and the sound separates the Trinity Peninsula from the Joinville Island group.  So, while technically we may not be “in” the sound, we are nearly “right” there.  This afternoon we’re scheduled to anchor in Mikkelsen Harbor.

 

Lots and lots of wildlife at Spert Island this morning.  Watched a leopard seal hunt penguins on a berg, saw a beautiful jellyfish, humpback whales, and chinstraps feeding.

[mrlevin]

Actually Antarctic Sound is off the northeast tip of the trinity peninsula; it is home to the fantastic tabular glaciers which are quite a sight.  Antarctic Sound is also where we actually stepped foot on the continent (many yelling SEVEN) at Brown's Bluff.  I never did get to see a leopard seal; I envy your sighting this morning.

 

Marc

[Stumblefoot]

Chinstraps feeding off Spert Island

[RachelG]

3 hours ago, dhq said:

Rachel, Did you know that if you turn your automatic time setting off, you can just set the time zone the ship is running on. When we travel I never have it on automatic setting for just the reason you are having. Enjoy the trip, we go next year.

 

I did not know that.  Thanks for the tip.

[rloke]

6 hours ago, RachelG said:

Totally agree with JP about the inability to upload photos to this site.  I upload to Facebook with no problems, but here, it takes forever, and that is even with resizing.

 

Interesting...I had the same issue when onboard the Oceania ships which were often criticized for their outdated and slow internet service.

 

Wonder what magic @Stumblefoot weaves...albeit with aggressively resized jpgs (perhaps to 320x240 px only to allow for much smaller file sizes?). Although Stumblefoot also managed to successfully upload video clips which would presumably be much larger than the 320x240 jpgs (even for a 3-seconds clip I presume).

[jpalbny]

Stumbles is taking all of the bandwidth somehow! He must be a VIP.

 

It is odd that I can upload 6 cellphone pics to FB in maybe 10 minutes, but it took me many hours and many failed uploads before I could get one uploaded to CC yesterday. 

 

But all.is well onboard.

 

There was a delicious lunch buffet today in the MDR, after our zodiac ride. Chef Pia and crew totally outdid themselves. Lots of seafood on one side - crab legs, claws, shrimp, scallops, octopus.... Delicious meats on the other - lamb, sirloin, ribs, chickenwings, empanadas... Then a dessert station in the back. The pièce de résistance was freshly-prepared Kaiserschmarrm. 

 

I am going out to the walking track to waddle around for a few laps before my stomach bursts. But it was worth it.

[rloke]

31 minutes ago, jpalbny said:

Stumbles is taking all of the bandwidth somehow! He must be a VIP.

 

It is odd that I can upload 6 cellphone pics to FB in maybe 10 minutes, but it took me many hours and many failed uploads before I could get one uploaded to CC yesterday.

 

I guess so...especially as he can walk on water...😋

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, rloke said:

 

I guess so...especially as he can walk on water...😋

Now THAT comment made me just about spit my afternoon tea out. 😆😆😆

 

Since I’m doing everything from a phone, before I add the photos to CC for uploading, I select “small” from the drop down menu.  And, for the videos, I’ve learned that 3-seconds (roughly 1 megabyte per sec) is all that I can get to load consistently.  Very challenging for sure and I do my best to try and pick my posting times when many are off the ship or engaged in other activities.

 

I’m really glad you’re able to see the videos, because we can’t here on board.  I was afraid that maybe they weren’t posting after all.

[rloke]

6 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

I’m really glad you’re able to see the videos, because we can’t here on board.  I was afraid that maybe they weren’t posting after all.

 

Yup...able to see the videos...

[Stumblefoot]

This afternoon we’ve been anchored in Mikkelsen Harbor where the cracking of the glacier echos off the walls of the small bay and sounds like distant thunder.  
 

Our time was spent amongst a gentoo colony where the chicks have recently hatched.  A chinstrap and adélie penguin made an appearance as well.  Gathering pebbles is important work for the gentoo.

[jpalbny]

This afternoon we anchored in Mikkelsen Harbor and took a zodiac ashore to D'Hainaut Island. At least I think that's the correct name.

 

From the ship, it looked like a small, dirty snowball floating in a beautiful harbor. Our first few footsteps ashore seemed to confirm that impression. Then we looked closer at the gentoo rookery.

 

 

Babies!

 

Last time we were in Antarctica, it was mid-December and we pretty much saw only eggs.

 

They were close enough for overzoomed cellphone pics. Made our day.

 

 

And yes, they stank. But the chick sightings made the smell bearable. And we scrubbed our boots extra good when coming back on board.

 

Still full from that delicious lunch, so a light dinner and now bed time. Early 7:00 landing tomorrow. Ugh. Isn't this a vacation? 

[spinnaker2]

You gotta work to have fun!!

Expedition cruising is like camp for grownups!

What a fantastic adventure.

[RachelG]

January 14, 2020—Spert Island and Mikkelsen Harbour, Antarctica 

Looked outside—and could see absolutely nothing.  We were completely socked in with dense fog.  I couldn’t even see the water.  The expedition leader came on overhead with the announcement that the morning activity, a zodiac cruise to see the icebergs, glaciers, and caves around Spert Island would be delayed but 30 minutes to hopefully allow time for the fog to clear some.

Gradually, we could see more—some large icebergs, sharp cliffs of a island topped with snow, and a couple of really large glaciers.  The temperature was 35F, and the sea was completely calm.   We boarded the zodiacs and set off in a steady rain and still quite a bit of fog.  It gave everything an eerie appearance.

We set off through a maze of icebergs, some which were being used as rest stops by chinstrap penguins.  There was a leopard seal patrolling the periphery, hoping for a tasty penguin snack.

There were lots of interesting rock formations, with arches and sea caves as well.  We heard a glacier calving, though we didn’t see it. After 2 hours, which passed very quickly, we headed back to the ship.

In our absence,they had laid out a huge South American themed buffet in the main dining room.  There were all sorts of cold seafoods, a salad bar, roast lamb, beef and salmon, a whole selection of Argentinean cheeses.  While we ate, some humpback whales came really close to the ship.

In early afternoon, the ship moved to Mikkelsen Harbour.  George went kayaking while I went to an island where there a bunch of gentoo penguins as well as a couple of Weddell seals (big and lazy) and lots of whale bones.  There were mom penguins with tiny chicks sitting on their feet, and every so often, the chick would poke its head up, and mom would feed it.

The harbor is surrounded on 3 sides by a huge glacier, and George and the kayakers got really close to it.  

Back onboard, during dinner, several fin whales passed by really close to the ship, and we could easily see them.  As JP pointed out, we were scheduled for a very early morning excursion, so we did not stay up late.

[RachelG]

January 15,  2020—Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay, Antarctica 

We had an early morning as our excursion was at 7:00 am.  It was pretty foggy, but i could see we were in a harbor with a very tall mountain and huge glacier in front of us.  To the right was a rocky beach with a snow covered hill and gentoo penguins nesting on all the clear rocky patches.  The sea was still very calm with no wind, so it was an easy zodiac ride over.

Once there, we had been warned to get up off the beach ASAP as the glacier has been known to calve off large pieces which create mini tsunamis, and these have flipped zodiacs in the past.  That didn’t happen today, but the thought motivated me to move quickly.

I climbed up the rocky path until I got to where the ice started, and things became very slick.  I was able to get really close to the penguins, much closer than yesterday, and saw lots of moms sitting on their stone nests with one or two chicks underneath.

George hiked all the way around the circular path and up as far as they would let passengers go, but that was too slippery for me.  So once back on the ship, I walked up on the top deck to get my exercise while surrounded by beautiful scenery.

During lunch, the ship moved through icy water to Paradise Bay.  Paradise Bay was named such by early whalers, and it really is beautiful with glaciers all round, lots of smallish icebergs with seals resting on top, and nesting blue-eyed shags with chicks up on the rocky cliffs.  The water is very clear, so a good place for photos of the glaciers reflected in the water.  Our zodiac tour was cold but smooth, with lots of wildlife viewing.  We saw crab eater seals (they don’t eat crabs, just krill), Weddell seals, one fast moving leopard seal on a mission, lots of penguins both in the water and on shore.

Dinner was in the main dining room and was Spanish themed.  I decided to go all in.  A ham and cheese sort of croquette was very nice.  The garlic soup was delicious if a bit spicy, but the calamari tubes stuffed with shrimp was just really weird.  Kind of bland and needed more tomato sauce.

We were supposed to go through a very scenic area after dinner, but it was so foggy that I couldn’t see a thing.  
 

[Fletcher]

4 hours ago, RachelG said:

 

We were supposed to go through a very scenic area after dinner, but it was so foggy that I couldn’t see a thing.  
 

I hope that wasn't the Gerlache Strait . . . like ten Milford Sounds glued together.

[RachelG]

7 hours ago, Fletcher said:

I hope that wasn't the Gerlache Strait . . . like ten Milford Sounds glued together.

The place we missed was Lemaire Passage.  No idea if it was spectacular or not as we couldn’t see anything except fog.

[Fletcher]

7 minutes ago, RachelG said:

The place we missed was Lemaire Passage.  No idea if it was spectacular or not as we couldn’t see anything except fog.

 

I actually meant the Lemaire Channel - a pity you missed that - 

[RachelG]

18 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

 

I actually meant the Lemaire Channel - a pity you missed that - 

Actually see my post to follow.  The captain is taking us back through since last night was such a bust.

[carefreecruise]

When the weather is not the greatest, well it makes the memories a little bit dampened...

 

But I know the group is making other memories with their traveling companions. Maybe a Sun Dance will help?

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by carefreecruise

[Stumblefoot]

We made it through tonight.

[Stumblefoot]

The sun I had been so desperately craving ever since reaching the peninsula 4-days ago finally made a grand, and unexpected, appearance this afternoon.  And, oh my, how it changed everything!

[RachelG]

January 16, 2020–Pleaneau and Petermann Island, Antarctica 

When I woke up at  5 am, it was bright outside.  Pretty soon, I could hear the anchor going down.  A peak outside revealed we were in what looked like a iceberg parking lot—the iceberg graveyard.

Our morning schedule would start with a zodiac ride to explore among the icebergs, bergy bits, and growlers, the classifications of ice according to size from largest to small.  It was really cold, the coldest I have been on this cruise.  But so worth it.

We started looking at some beautiful iceberg formations when up in front of us was a humpback whale.  He was going down, but then decided to swim straight toward us.  We got some very good photos as he swam really close.  Eventually he decided to leave, so we moved on and found a very alert clam eater seal hauled out on an iceberg.  Unlike those yesterday, he was very interested in us and kept raising his head and looking at us inquisitively.

Then we went round another iceberg, and there were three clam eaters in the water.  They too were very curious and swam right up to the zodiac.

After an hour and a half, I was completely frozen.  Back at the ship, we tried to thaw out with hot tea.  George had planned to do the polar plunge but chickened out as he was still feeling hypothermic.  JP did it though.  He has done it twice previously and said this was by far the coldest.  Since our room was on the same side as the plungers, I watched for a while.  Lots of screams and shrieks.

During lunch, we relocated to Petermann Island.  We saw a couple of whales along the way.  Lunch in the MDR was very disappointing.  We had decided to eat there for a change of pace.  My seafood starter was good as were George’s chicken wings.  It went downhill from there with my pasta being cold and overcooked, and George’s pasta almost inedible due to a very strong fishy taste and cold as well.  He went up to La Terraza and got some pizza and salad.

Trivia was right after lunch, and we did not do well.  Came in 4th with 19 out of 25.  We did not know MOS in texting lingo, and that was 3 points.

Petermann Island—they saved the best for last.  The afternoon was brilliantly sunny.  The island is covered with snow and home to gentoo and Adelie penguins, both with chicks.  It was cold, but so spectacular.  We climbed up a ridge to see over to the other side where a bunch of icebergs had gathered.  The blue from the ice was indescribable.  Lots of the penguins were tobogganing down the hill on their stomachs.  A perfect final stop for this cruise.

When we returned to the ship, a couple of crab eater seals were lazing on an iceberg right outside our balcony.  An announcement was made that,since last night no one could see anything in Lemaire Channel, the Captain was taking us back through.  

Now, bright and sunny, it was spectacular.  Tall rocky cliffs with snow, seals floating past on icebergs, like Milford Sound , but with ice and on steroids.  I had already dressed for dinner, in a very lightweight dress, so watched from inside.  George went out on our balcony and soaked it all in.

Dinner with Stumblefoot and family was awesome, and we enjoyed continued great views in La Terraza, then up in panorama lunge.  Sun still up and bright at 11 pm.

[Fletcher]

8 hours ago, RachelG said:

Actually see my post to follow.  The captain is taking us back through since last night was such a bust.

 

That's brilliant!  That's Silversea for you!  Loving all your commentaries on this trip.

[Louby-Lou]

Thanks to everyone for this informative thread and fabulous photos.

 

We are looking at a Silversea trip to Antarctica next year but were wondering if there are any formal nights on these cruises.

 

Lou

[Stumblefoot]

8 minutes ago, Louby-Lou said:

...were wondering if there are any formal nights on these cruises.

No formal nights.