highplanesdrifters

Claudia has been lovely. Very responsive. Oh my...the rogue wave. Must get some details on that one.

Port Stanley, Falklands We did the Highlights of Stanley tour. It started out a bit slow and we regretted our decision. As the trip progressed Wendy our guide really began to shine. The Charming Wendy first came to Stanley in the 80's as a Midwife. She followed her boyfriend who was a pilot. Marriage soon followed. It took 24 days roundtrip to travel there, so dating was a challenge. 😀 Travel here is still a challenge. Flights are often delayed for days, a week is not uncommon. There is currently no milk in the stores, among other staples. The supply ship has been delayed for over a week. Internet service is a monopoly, slow, and expensive. Although Starlink covers the area it is illegal to use. In spite of all this the people are lovely. Wendy This ship was the first stop, not exactly a highlight. The totem was the second. Starting to understand our concerns? The Peat Bogs. Things are starting to pick up now. 😃 Until recently all houses were heated with peat. Each family was given a hundred yards and the men folk went out on Sundays to cut it, then stored it in the peat shed. We are now moving into the 'well that's really interesting' phase. Local Mike Butcher collected all these bones and staged them. Minke Whale Sperm whale War memorial Falkland Museum It had so much to offer. Wish we had more time. Imagine one of these guys taking a bite! A stroll through the Charming town. Hard to believe we are in the middle of the South Atlantic. I suspect this will be the next setting for the new BBC detective show. Jimmy Perez moved to Falklands. The famous Whale Bone Arch. Although we didn't have time for the pub or fish and chips, all very enjoyable. So much history.

We've had a few reports from folks who got to Devils nose early and really enjoyed it. The soaring of Albatros and feeding of chicks was quite a good show.

The Expedition Team. Quite the lineup!

Suppose they gave an Orca party and everyone came. Captian stopped the ship and turned it around. The Orcas stuck with us for 45 minutes plus. It gave the nappers plenty of time to suit up and get outside. Approximately 10 orcas entertained us according to onboard expert Dan Olsen. Lots of action close to the ship with the added treat of Albatros circle around them. Very special. 20240304_172004.mp4

Thanks PP. I too enjoy reliving and traveling vicariously with others on Cruise Critic. Will check out the whales series when we return home. In the meantime we had bow surfers both coming and going to Port Stanley. The small, Commersons Dolphin, only 5 feet long. It has a rather limited range. South Georgia, Falklands, and the very tip of South America. 20240304_125653_1.mp4

I must correct some inaccuracies previously reported. JMartCO has pointed out that my street cred has waned. The above numbers were Crazy! There were only approximately 60 holdovers. Makes much more sense. At first briefing for the second leg when asked how many had NOT been on expeditions, only a handful had raised their hands. Reverse of the first leg. Current Stats as reported by reception desk. 177 venitians 200 on board 60 holdovers

The afternoon brought us another rare landing at West Point, Falklands. Scheduled was a hike to Devils nose for some Rockhopper Penguins and Black-Browed Albatros. Another muddy and slippery route with some communication issues. Upon a nice dry landing we were offered a jaunt to see some Magelanic Penguins. Previously only seen as quickly disappearing dots on entrance to Puerto Williams. Why not! Well, the terrain was a challenge. A few falls were witnessed. A heads up about the difficulty and distance would have been nice. Nice dry landing. In this hole is a very rare bird. I was just about trampled but escaped in the nik of time. Very similar to a Puffin Panic. A loud query was heard from one gentleman "where's the Cobb, I was promised a Cobb." The trek over hill and dale...and rocks. Lovely scenery along the way. A polar plunge here would be nice. The Holy Grail. 20240303_154409.mp4 Headless cousins. Wayward Gentoo After the less than pleasant hike to the Magic Penguins we opted for the oh so delightful option of Tea. Our hostess put out quite the spread, including multiple Gluten Free and Vegan options. All in a charming wind free setting. Now finding ourselves firmly in the comfort camp we decided to skip the muddy slippery hike to Devils Nose. Off to the hot tub for some bubbles! The trip reports to Devils nose from friends was a bit negative. Some turned back halfway through. Upon arrival others found the site closed due to bird stress. I hope some had a positive experience. If so, please share.

Coffin Cove, New Island, Falklands Another lucky landing! Gusts up to 30kts and yet still our new Captain Freddie Ligthelm and EL Claudia slipped us in. The World Birders are already checking boxes. I hope they get to check them all. Landing 20240303_074522.mp4 A mile trek across a misty valley to us to a large shaggy colony. A bit on the muddy and slippery side. Along the way.... A red breasted something or other. The Upland Goose. Not to be confused with its lesser relative the Lowlife Goose. Cara Cara contemplating it's next victim. The Blue eyed shag has gained more popularity with its Barbie Pink feet. Even the Rockhopper penguin is willing to hang out with them. Black- Browed Albatros chick being stalked by a Rockhopper. Quite a view for this Shag Colony. Skua - They're everywhere. A nice little museum to end the visit. Their fudge is supposedly not to be missed. Stay turned. Charles Barnard was marooned here. He rescued some Brits, told them they were at war, they then stole the ship. Ooooops. Are they dry yet? 20240303_082221.mp4 Lunch is served. Then time to gear up for another landing.

Will see what I can find out for you Wes. They haven't posted the Expedition team bios yet. In the meantime here's the group from Apex. Already had a top knotch lecture from Jonathan.

Good Day Everyone Last night we cleared out of our docked position and anchored not long after. Happy to make room for the Wind who patiently waited for all our guests to arrive. We set sail sometime after lights out. This morning gave us blustery overcast skies, 2-3 meter swells, and a following seas. We now make our way to The Falklands. Our route. Stops in Falklands. Hopes for South Georgia. And Tristan de Cunha The Expedition Team And Pizza

I'm going to give my plane a paint job like that when I get home.

Welcome aboard to all those who had a long day getting here. What till you see the plane! 20240301_184222.mp4

With your adventurous spirit you would have enjoyed! And PSA courtesy of @Port Power don't forget the tops flip on the toiletries! 😁

We have really enjoyed this palette cleanser of a stop in Puerto Williams. Silversea offered a few morning hikes and an afternoon of snacks and cocktails at a lodge. We chose a free roam. Had a little hike in the park, wander around town - without the stampede this time. Some local grub topped it off. Heaven. Love that flag. Ferry to Puntarenas Thats my boat. End of the World Ukika park It was so nice to smell the Earth. And then we ran into this crew! Expedition team ready for the next leg. Needed some local food and Dientes de Navarino did not disappoint! Mmmmmm, crab legs. Beer made with their Calafate berry. Oh yum. A lager and dark available. They also do a Calafate Pisco. English menu available with QR code.

Thanks RT! And thanks for keeping the rally going. You headed out soon?

Melissa is a superstar. We have Enrique behind the bar, also in the superstar camp. There are so many who fit in that camp on this trip, it's like the old days. We have been incredibly spoiled by staff. Granted there are some beancounter issues, but we have moved on.😁

Opps forgot this fun bit. Last nights auction. A nautical map with custom art by a crew member. 20240229_183507.mp4

Puerto Williams Customs cleared around 2:30 and we had time for a quick stroll about this town of 3,000. First stop Anthropology Museum. Well done and worth a look see. It is all in Spanish. Google Lens was easy to use for translation. Finally a good shot of a brown browed Albatros. Interesting marker/grave(?) for an Argentine industrialist. I wonder why it's here. I'm calling it early Celtic Spanish design. Somebody is good at something A large military presence. Penguins have a dark side not often seen. We were told about the wild horses roaming about town. Quite a population. Um ya, lapped around Antarctica with no problems but almost got trampled by a herd if horses. How do you explain that one? 20240229_164305.mp41709253106300.mp4 So very sad to bid Farwell to a good friend who is leaving after this leg. But we did it well. P.S. A bargin on the revenue list.

Sail in to Puerto Williams. What we missed in the convergence we got at the sail in. Dozens of humpbacks, hundreds of seals, porpoise, so many birds, and magellianic Penguins. OK, so maybe the Penguins were just little dots, but technically I saw them. OK, maybe I didn't know the dots were Penguins, but technically I saw them. 🤣 Good Morning! Looks liked we just cleared so time for a stroll about the town. Humpback close to the boat. 20240229_115705.mp4 So many seals feeding in groups of 5-10. 20240229_120045.mp4

Before we swap out part of the Expedition Team tomorrow, I thought I would post details of the cracker jack squad that made this a stellar first leg. Thanks to all!!!

Seriously impressive! 🤣

Lol, great minds. This is what we swapped it out for. Sublime.

As we round Cape Horn and enter the Beagle Channel I'm starting to wonder if that lap around the northern reaches of Antarctica really happened. We have been to a few expedition rodeos before and except for the zodiac cruise hiccup (more on that later) it was sublime perfection. Hats off the Captian Koev and EL Michael. While they didn't take us to "where no man has gone before" they certainly took us to places rarely visited which were visually spectacular and afforded us unique wildlife experiences. We had hesitation booking this trip because our first Antarctica was perfect. This journey surpassed it. Captian Koev presenting and award to one of the engineers. We were lucky to have dinner with Captian last night. Having sailed with him in PNG and Kimberleys last year it was no surprise he is full of stories which he is happy to share. We particularly enjoyed hearing about the process to get us to the places we went. Using: Ice charts from 3 different sources. Multiple Wind, swell, weather charts. Communication with other vessels, although he was the path breaker in many cases. The risk of getting somewhere and being blocked by ice that wasn't there the day before. So many factors. It's not a dynamic video game, it's reality. And we WON! One lecture was about Penguin poo and how some PHDs wrote a paper on it. And then a few years later another group of PHDs revised it. Hilarious. Comfort food Lunch at The Drake grill. Rubin and fries. Yum. Rounding Cape Horn Good Morning. Going to a balmy 58 today. Maybe they'll fill the pool!

Have to agree, the Pinot was a tad light. Not much in the convergence except a nap or two and some excellent lectures. We have met some wonderful people and have been closing down the restaurants. 😅