South Shetlands & The Antarctic Peninsula 22 Feb 2020 - 14
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5<br />
Day 1 - <strong>South</strong>ward Bound<br />
<strong>22</strong> <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2020</strong> - Embarkation Day<br />
From all over the world, passengers arrived on the<br />
dock in Ushuaia for a 15:00 embarkation onto the<br />
M/V Ocean Atlantic. Our <strong>Antarctic</strong> expedition was<br />
finally coming to fruition.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ship’s doctor all the guest’s by taking body<br />
temperature readings with a small gun shaped<br />
thermometer that he pointed at everyone’s<br />
foreheads. It was a funny way to welcome people,<br />
but we were glad for the precautionary measures<br />
with ‘Corona-virus’ spreading around the world.<br />
One of the expedition guides joked that they were<br />
uploading memories of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a for us and then<br />
going to send us home again! Ha.<br />
After we checked into our rooms and had some<br />
tea, we were given a safety briefing and practiced<br />
an emergency drill. <strong>The</strong> sound of the seven short<br />
blasts and one long was not to be mistaken. We<br />
gathered at our muster stations for roll call and<br />
learned where the lifeboats are.<br />
We reconvened in the Viking <strong>The</strong>atre for a ‘meet<br />
and greet’ with the ship’s Crew and Expedition<br />
Team. Our Expedition Leader, Sam, introduced us<br />
to the Hotel director Oliver, who proudly<br />
introduced his team that would be taking care of<br />
us for the duration of the trip. Following this, was<br />
an introduction of the Expedition Team.<br />
We dinned as the sun set and the glassy Beagle<br />
Channel gave way under us. <strong>The</strong> farms of the<br />
southernmost residents in <strong>South</strong> America were<br />
picturesque against the rugged mountains jutting<br />
out seemingly just a stone’s throw away on either<br />
side of the narrow channel. <strong>The</strong> dining room<br />
buzzed with excitement as we exchanged stories<br />
with our new travel companions answering the<br />
question, “…so what made you want to come to<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a?”<br />
After dinner the warm summer air of the<br />
continent, lured us out onto the decks to watch<br />
the albatross, terns and skuas dance in the ship’s<br />
wake. What a beautiful evening, and the salty<br />
fresh air so calming; such a grand way to wind<br />
down for bed and get a good sleep. Tomorrow will<br />
be an exciting day on the Drake Passage.<br />
<strong>22</strong> FEB- 2 March <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>14</strong>
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