Not great weather in Antarctica right now!

[ParrotTops]

My husband is on the Minerva and so far the weather has NOT been on thier side! The first day in Antarctica, they were not able to do either of the 2 landings--everyone was so disappointed after traveling all that way and making thru Drake Passage and then having to stay on the ship all day the first day in much anticipated Antarctica! And then this morning, they started down Lemaire Channel (aka Koday Alley) and had to turn back due to heavy ice flows. Kodak Alley is what he was most looking forward to. He says he is still having a wonderful time but a bit disappointed...

 

He thought Mid-December would be a good time to go but now I wish he had waited until January.

[Jade13]

My husband is on the Minerva and so far the weather has NOT been on thier side! The first day in Antarctica, they were not able to do either of the 2 landings--everyone was so disappointed after traveling all that way and making thru Drake Passage and then having to stay on the ship all day the first day in much anticipated Antarctica! And then this morning, they started down Lemaire Channel (aka Koday Alley) and had to turn back due to heavy ice flows. Kodak Alley is what he was most looking forward to. He says he is still having a wonderful time but a bit disappointed...

 

He thought Mid-December would be a good time to go but now I wish he had waited until January.

 

Sorry to hear that. Can you post any other info about the ship? We are going in February and have little information. Do they even provide any amenities in the stateroom such as shampoo and conditioner? Is there more than one option for meals or are they set? Is this ship is country club casual, or just casual? Are people wearing casual wear to dinner or really casual like black jeans, etc?

 

And, how cold is it? Is your DH on the Classic, or the longer Expedition which stops in South Georgia? Also, who is he booked with, Swan, Regent, Abercrombie & Kent, etc.? Why didn't you go :)

[soraya]

Oh dear - what a shame. It's such a long way to go as well. I really hope that the weather improves for them.

 

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[ParrotTops]

Jade-I can't remember how cold it was the first day when they could not land but I think he said it was more because of the winds--like 45 knots or something! And the next day there was a blizzard so I think the weather may be harsher than usual. The problem with Kodak Alley was that the strong winds of the last few days had pushed large chunks of ice together at the channel’s end and it was not possible for the ship to sail through it. :( Oh well! I guess this is why they call it an expedition and of course, it is all dependent on the weather!

 

I don't know too much about the cabins (I will write more when he gets back and he tells me all of this in person) but YES to shampoo, conditioner and body wash. He brought a dinner jacket but overall, I thinks its pretty casual. Use most of your suitcase space up in waterproof clothes--pants, socks, etc. He packed longjohns, gloves, handwarmers, caps, lots of warm stuff! And stuff to keep his camera warm!

 

Dinner is open seating. He said the food is so-so (British I think?) but then again, its not really the kind of cruise you go on for the cuisine. If I had been able to go with him this time, I would have chosen Prince Albert (they had a great 2 for 1 deal in Sept). I think the food would have been better on that ship also!

 

He is having a great time inspite of things but I am so upset he missed Kodak Alley! He was so looking forward to it! They have seen alot of penquins though--both gentoo and chinstrap.

 

I'm glad you are going in Feb! I think the baby penguins will be more visable and hopefully the weather will have mellowed and you will not miss anything!

 

They have not updated the ships log since the 11th and today is the 15th so I have not been able to see any pictures (supposedly they update the log each day so friends and family at home can see what is going on). We set up instant messaging so we could communicate and that has been fun! There are only 3 computers in the library and he bought an "internet package" 12 hours for 38.00 which is a really great deal! Their internet service is coming from the U.K.

 

By the way, there is an incredible show you should Tivo (I think it is coming on again this week) --Art Wolfe's Travels to the Edge. The photog is incredible!

 

I hope you have a wonderful time!

[Chris_GA_Atl]

More discussion of the unusually bad weather recently on the Antarctic Peninsula ...

http://www.ukaht.org/Newdiaries/diaryDec08.htm

[minke]

that link shows how lucky we were in Dec 06 with the weather. Not only did we have some gorgeous days in calm condition we also saw the penguins at Brown Bluff "hunkering down" in a snowstorm to provide us with photos of the real Antarctic experience. Personally I am glad I went then & not in Jan/Feb with the snow gone & "penguin poop" that people talk about everywhere.

[2552phxcrzr]

ParrotTops - would you paste the link to the ship's log ... would be interesting to follow along for those of us having to live vicariously through the adventures of others this year.

[ParrotTops]

Minerva's Ship Log - 2008 - Abercrombie & Kent Inc

[Jade13]

Minerva's Ship Log - 2008 - Abercrombie & Kent Inc

 

Thanks! This is great, especially getting info from just yesterday! Well, besides the weather. So, your DH is booked through A&K. I haven't seen anyone else post who has used them for Minerva.

[2552phxcrzr]

Thanks ParrotTops ... looking forward to reading the log.

[kornkob]

Funny--- when I talked to my Pop the other day he seemed to think that the weather was great. Clear and low winds.

 

Heck-- it's colder and crappier in Wisconsin than where he is right now.

 

 

 

Then again--- he's not on a cruise. He's on the Ice working at WAIS Divide on a drill team.

 

Log of his emails (infrequent since it is dependant on work sched and access to satellite coms): http://kornkob.com/blog/?cat=12