Another Live from the Oosterdam? 1/29-2/20

[0106]

Just some quick comments about the food.  We are enjoying our dinners in the MDR, table for two by the window.  We usually have an appetizer and entree in under an hour.  Wonderful servers knows our likes and dislikes and are very accommodating.  Happy to see many server assistants are female including ours.  She is delightful. Can’t remember ever seeing a female head server in the MDR
 

It was so rough yesterday morning we decided to eat breakfast in the MDR.  Seated at a table for two by the window.  Juice and a pot of coffee were brought immediately, order was taken, hot food arrived quickly. As dishes crashed around us from the serving stations, we were glad we weren’t trying to maneuver in the Lido.

 

When it was lunch time we walked through the Lido buffet looking for a table, none available.  Around the Lido pool area, none available.  Why? Because people had staked out seats for viewing the glaciers in the morning and Deception Island in the afternoon and weren’t giving them up so people could eat lunch.  What to do? Try the MDR?  We made the right decision.  It is open every sea day with a different menu from the “fixed” one I have seen on previous ships.  Seated immediately, nice variety, served quickly, hot food.  What more could you want.  As an example, here is today’s MDR lunch menu

Edited February 7 by 0106

[scubacruiserx2]

  Deception Island from the Zaandam , on our previous visit

 

 

Entrance inside the Caldera

 

 

Volcanic Chinstrap beach

 

 

Flying Chinstraps

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

I believe that's you approaching Esperanza Base. Please confirm.

 

 

[0106]

Sailing into Hope Bay.  Seas are like glass.

[0106]

Argentina village. There are Adele penguins on this iceberg.

Captain’s talk this morning to prepare us for the next 2 days.  I love all the information he presentsVery good in informative lecture in preparation for Brown Bluff this afternoon and the next two days in Antarctica.  We look forward to seeing the whales🐳🐳🐳

[0106]

4 hours ago, NorbertsNiece said:

Esperanza Base

Thank you for the maps!  The Argentina village I mentioned is the Esperanza Base.  Internet is sporadic.

[NorbertsNiece]

Oh gosh..... you're in for the most fabulous day today.  Charlotte Bay is spectacular!! The Lemaire Channel..... portside is the place to be!

 

 

 

 

[0106]

Thank you @SeaMeKnot for sharing this wonderful picture of the Adélie penguins swimming yesterday.

A picture of our ship taken by a friend on the Seaborne Quest.  Look at all the people outside!

Edited February 8 by 0106

[0106]

Yesterday afternoon, Tim Nash presented Key Moments in the Scientific Discovery of Antarctica:Unlocking the Secrets of the Ice House.  Very interesting lecture about boring into the ice and discovering the historical climate conditions.  A cautious tale of global warming

 

I was able to view the lecture I missed on my cabin TV last night.  Georgia Sanson’s Structures in the Snow: A Historical Perspective on Antarctica Architecture 

 

I am very happy they have been recorded for later viewing in the cabin.

[0106]

We are slowly moving into Charlotte Bay.  I have the bow camera on and can hear the commentary.  Whales have been spotted.  Time to suit up and go on deck.  
 

I’m glad I packed a bag of winter gear.  Silk base layer, fleece sweatshirt, waterproof pack coat, scarf, hat, mittens, boots.  You need all these layers if you are going to stay outside for any length of time in 34F degrees with a 20 knot wind.

[Haljo1935]

@0106 nice to hear the lectures are now available on the TV. I wish they would do that for all of them.

Looks like you have a great day ahead; I hope many whales 🐋 come to check you out.

[0106]

Words cannot describes our day in Charlotte Bay, cruising the Lemarie Channel culminating at Cuverville Island.  So many whales, now at the gentoo penguin colony and we are still seeing whales.  If there is anyway possible for you to go on this cruise, do it!  It has been exceeded my wildest dreams.  In the words of my new British friend, “I am gobsmacked”

[Haljo1935]

48 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Words cannot describes our day in Charlotte Bay, cruising the Lemarie Channel culminating at Cuverville Island.  So many whales, now at the gentoo penguin colony and we are still seeing whales.  If there is anyway possible for you to go on this cruise, do it!  It has been exceeded my wildest dreams.  In the words of my new British friend, “I am gobsmacked”

That is awesome to hear! So excited to see your pictures.

[TravelBluebird]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

If there is anyway possible for you to go on this cruise, do it!  It has been exceeded my wildest dreams.  In the words of my new British friend, “I am gobsmacked”

 

This is exactly how I felt about the cruise!  Someone asked me yesterday if I’d take the same cruise again, and I said ABSOLUTELY!

[Btimmer]

1 hour ago, TravelBluebird said:

 

This is exactly how I felt about the cruise!  Someone asked me yesterday if I’d take the same cruise again, and I said ABSOLUTELY!

Make it three!!  Oh, wait, we've done it three times.  A fourth might be necessary. . .

[TravelBluebird]

Just now, Btimmer said:

Make it three!!  Oh, wait, we've done it three times.  A fourth might be necessary. . .

 

It’s such a unique experience—I’v been on many wonderful cruises, but very few that I’d want to repeat again, like this one!

[0106]

3 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

So excited to see your pictures

I am only using my cell phone to take pictures so they do not compare with the other traordinary pictures of the previous Oosterdam live threads.  I shot a lot of video of the whales; when I get home I will edit it to take out individual photos.  I tried to post a 5 second video of a whale breaching but it will not upload.  I will leave you this evening with a picture of the sun setting at 9:30.

Edited February 9 by 0106

[rafinmd]

I know some people say the big ship is missing the point of actually being on Antarctica,  I am thankful that I went on an expedition ship once when I was younger, but have been back twice for "drive by's" (Crystal Symphony in 2016 and Prinsendam) and felt like I got about 95% of the experience for perhaps half the price, and would love to go again.

 

Roy 

[Durango Sandy]

Roy, I agree. We were fortunate to be on Veendam in 2015/16? and Amsterdam 2020 sail by’s and Viking Expedition Octantis in 2023. We were early in the 2023 season, also went to South Georgia Island ( a “must” for us if doing a boots on the ground expedition).

If I had one choice only, one time only, would do sail by.

For us on the Veendam, standing on the veranda, snowing on us, Antarctica touched us!

Hope to do another sail by someday.

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

10 hours ago, TravelBluebird said:

 

This is exactly how I felt about the cruise!  Someone asked me yesterday if I’d take the same cruise again, and I said ABSOLUTELY!

Me too. Again and again.

 

@0106 I am soooo glad you echo my experience. I find it so difficult to put into words that day. To describe the view, the wildlife, Antarctica. So beautiful and unrivalled. 

 

Let me know if you want me to throw up here my video of the penguin colony on the Lemaire channel x

Edited February 9 by NorbertsNiece

[scubacruiserx2]

  This map shows where the Oosterdam is and where they have been in Antarctica just zoom in or out .

 

https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=9221281

Edited February 9 by scubacruiserx2

[0106]

Good Morning!Maps that have been posted are useful for tracking our progress 😊

 

If you have photos of penguins or whales from where we were yesterday or will be today, please post.  Videos seem to slow down the ability to access CC while in Antartica. 
 

We are currently traveling through brash ice.  What a unique sound.  A humpback has just been spotted in the channel.  Time to get out on the bow.🐳

[rafinmd]

6 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Good Morning!Maps that have been posted are useful for tracking our progress 😊

 

If you have photos of penguins or whales from where we were yesterday or will be today, please post.  Videos seem to slow down the ability to access CC while in Antartica. 
 

We are currently traveling through brash ice.  What a unique sound.  A humpback has just been spotted in the channel.  Time to get out on the bow.🐳

Wow!

 

Roy

[Sea42]

17 minutes ago, 0106 said:

Good Morning!Maps that have been posted are useful for tracking our progress 😊

 

If you have photos of penguins or whales from where we were yesterday or will be today, please post.  Videos seem to slow down the ability to access CC while in Antartica. 
 

We are currently traveling through brash ice.  What a unique sound.  A humpback has just been spotted in the channel.  Time to get out on the bow.🐳

What a beautiful photo!

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, 0106 said:

Good Morning!

Stunning! Thanks again for bringing us along - you showing us some amazing sites.