Discover 7 Continents with Bill & Mary Ann as we sail on the 2012 World Cruise

[JamesEM]

Thanks for your reports from the land of ice, and more ice.

[WCB]

Report # 32 January 31, 2012 Tuesday The Antarctic Experience Day Two

 

Here we are, on day two of touring this part of the frozen world. Wish we could pinpoint exactly where we sailed today, but it seems that we may have been going in circles. The itinerary for these three days in Antarctica was printed in the original HAL cruise book, but so far, we have not followed that at all. So many factors rule where we can go on an hourly basis we think. Take Lemaire Channel for instance. The Captain had planned on passing by there today, but when he contacted the Russian ship that had tried to do the same, he was told that the entrance was blocked by pack ice. We're glad he did not attempt it.

 

Our scenic sailing this morning began early at 6am. We believe we had entered the Gerlache Strait, then passed Cuverville Island, and Neumayer Channel. What we knew for sure was that we were seeing many gentoo penguins. The gentoos measure about 30 inches in height and weigh between 12 to 14 pounds. They appeared to be a bit slower in juming than the adelies we saw yesterday.

 

Other wildlife we spotted were blue-eyed shags (birds), and several crabeater seals. The name crabeater is misleading, since these 510 pound seals really survive on small krill. What we really missed seeing were the humpback whales. Where are the massive whales we saw two years ago while sailing in these same waters? Checking the date that we were here in 2010, we noticed that we had been in this area in mid February. Perhaps we are a little too early for these whales to have migrated.

 

The most scenic place we visited this morning was Paradise Bay, nothing like the name suggests. You think of palm trees, but in reality, this bay is surrounded by rugged mountains and glaciers. And we were not alone today. Also enjoying this calm sea day with the sun shining were two other expedition ships. One was a 50 passenger Russian ship named Antarctic Dream. The small, older vessel was anchored off of the Argentinian Brown Research Station. A few of their zodiac boats had been off loaded and had taken some guests to the station. We could see a group, well-dressed in Arctic gear, climbing up the ice-laden slopes to get the best view from the top of the peak. We're not sure that they had considered this view to include us and our 62,735 gross ton ship with some 1050 passengers plus crew!

 

The Captain spent considerable time spinning the ship for everyone on the port and starboard sides to see this beautiful bay. An added benefit was the cliffside where the shags nested right near the old research center. Few of the adults stirred with our presence, since they probably had young chicks still in the nests.

 

Continuing onward, we passed by another nearby settlement called Gonzalez Videla Research Station, Chilean owned. This area all around the buildings was covered with gentoo penguins. Unfortunately, we could smell them before we could see them. Is that an aroma one gets used to when you are sent to work here in Antarctica? Several of the residents had climbed on the roofs and waved the Chilean flag as we sailed on by. The funny thing was that the penguins never moved an inch with all the cheering coming from the land and our ship. Obviously, these creatures do not see us as a threat to their existence. That is part of the reason the Antarctic treaty was formed in 1959. Twelve countries agreed way back then to co-operate on scientific activities in Antarctica for peaceful purposes. Guess the penguins know that.

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon filming the many icebergs and penguins and birds that were taking a ride on them. Did you know that only 1/8th of an iceberg is above the waterline? That concerned us as we were passing some massive ones. It's what's under the water that you don't see that concerns you. Remember Titanic? We all agreed that our excellent team of sailors will take good care of us.

 

Tomorrow, we understand that we will head for Anvers Island and Palmer Station (USA owned). If all goes as planned, a large group of researchers will board the ship to enjoy her many comforts and fresh food. In the afternoon, some members of this group will deliver lectures on their work and daily lives residing in this remote continent. Should be really interesting.

 

Dinner was formal this evening with the highlight of the night being the Ice Blue Winter Ball. Shouldn't that be Summer Ball, since it is really summer down here? Anyway, we had company as always, and did not leave the dining room until almost 10:30pm. Can you believe that the sun did not go down until then? At midnight, which is right now, we can still see light on the horizon. Strange..........

 

Mary Ann & Bill

 

PS To all Cruise Critic folks: Thanks for your continuing encouragement and compliments! Alexandra : We do exchange money on the ship for Hong Kong and Australian dollars. This can also be done on shore once we are in those cities, probably for a much more affordable exchange rate. As for the other ports you mentioned, they have always happily accepted US dollars or credit cards.

[eyekos]

Hi Mary Ann and Bill.

Thanks for the info on local currency.

 

Will keep enjoying your informative posts!

Alexandra

[JaneS3]

Hi Mary Ann and Bill,

 

Are your photos uploaded and available anywhere? We would love to see them!

 

What wonderful memories we have of our trip a year ago on the Volendam, especially Volunteer Point and Antarctica. It's like sailing again along with you two. Such fun reading your log.

 

Enjoy!

Jane

[2552phxcrzr]

Can't help with all of the pictures that Mary Ann and Bill have taken thus far on their adventure, but here's a link to my gallery that has pictures from Paradise Bay - we were there on a 48-pax expedition ship in 2007 ... http://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/Voyage-Day-15-Around-the-1/2922564_CRzBS3#!i=157521838&k=bdkVF

 

And here's the gallery of Falklands photos ... Stanley starts with photo #96 ... http://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/Voyage-Days-2-4-Falkland/2906773_SGX4sL#!i=156459729&k=ve4Jw

[Kween Karen]

Thanks Bill and Mary Ann....again!!

For those looking for some pictures here is a link to my blog from last year

s Grand Voyage of South America and Antarctica......we hit a lot of the same places.

 

http://southamerica.kweenkaren.com

[WCB]

Report # 33 February 1, 2012 Wednesday Antarctic Experience Day Three

 

Last night before our dinnertime of 8pm, we realized that the ship was not moving. Wondering if there was a problem, we called the girls at the front desk to ask why. Reassuring us that all was well, they went on to explain that we were waiting our turn to go out to sea, and do whatever they do while out at sea. We did notice that another ship's lights were lit about 20 miles out from us, probably one of the Russian boats we saw earlier in the day.

 

We did not have far to travel to reach the final stop of our Antarctic Experience. By 5am, the Amsterdam had sailed to Anvers Island, the home of the Palmer Research Station, a USA owned base. Forty-five minutes later, eight researchers boarded the ship, traveling by zodiac boats from the island. The first order of the day was to treat them to a hot and hearty breakfast. We do know that when time permits, they also take advantage of long, leisurely showers. Probably, not today. Then at 9am, they took the stage to give talks about their life and research being done in this part of the world. The Queens Lounge was filled to the max, despite the early hour of the morning. The members of this research lab were as expected, two scientists, one computer tech, a dive expert and dive supervisor, a station manager, a co-ordinator, and a lab supervisor. After their talks, they had a short q and a session, where the passengers asked some good questions.

 

Since we knew that time was running short for our stay here, we spent the morning on the bow on lookout for possible whale sightings. We can always catch the talks on TV later on today. That's one nice feature that is provided by this TV format. We were not alone. A small group of avid camerapeople joined us, braving the ice cold winds which had picked up from yesterday.

 

There were a few sightings of whale activity, but you had to be looking at the right place at the right time. Most of the sealife consisted of more gentoo penguins swimming and diving, and seabirds flying over head. We really regretted not passing through Lemaire Channel, where we saw tons of whales two years ago. Lemaire Channel is nicknamed the "Kodak gap" since it is the most widely photographed area in this part of Antarctica.

 

Shortly after the scientists left the ship at 10:30am, the Captain announced that we would be on our way out of here. It seemed that a storm was brewing in the Drake Passage, the direction in which we were heading. This famous body of water lies between South America and Antarctica, and is known to be the roughest in the world. This is where the Pacific Ocean in the West meets with the South Atlantic Ocean in the East. Perhaps the mention of Cape Horn stirs memories of dangerous sailings over the centuries. Yes, that is where we are heading next.

 

Anyway, three things should have tipped us off to the possible high seas we may experience. One was the sudden appearance of the barf bags placed in every elevator landing. The other was the fact that all of the bottles of liquor had been taken off of the high shelves in the ship's store. Another sign of rough seas is the tray of crackers and apples that are available at the front desk.

 

Shortly after leaving Anvers Island, all of the lounge chair pads and woolen blankets were gathered up on the promenade deck and stashed away. Written warning signs were taped to the promenade deck door windows, suggesting that we do not go outside. By the early afternoon, these doors were cordoned off with the tape pulled from wall to wall. Truthfully, we did not think it was that windy yet, and decided to go out of the hallway doors to take a much needed walk. Many other brave folks were doing the same thing. We were rewarded with sightings of flocks of cape petrels with 34 inch wingspans flying around the ship. It was rather sad to see the last of the white ice-covered peaks disappear on the horizon as we exited the 7th continent of the world.

 

If the weather remains the same as this, we should be OK. Remember, things can turn on a dime in these treacherous waters, but we choose to think positively. Oh yeah, and get out the bottle of meclizine just in case. Captain Jonathon mentioned the possibility of 20 foot seas, not as bad as we have been through in the past, but bad enough to cause some accidents.

 

In searching for more detailed infomation on where we had been the last three days, we wandered up to the Crows Nest. Bob had told us that there were maps being charted with the actual course the ship had taken. Luckily, we found the young officer who was actually working on those detailed maps. She gave us an excellent explanation of where we went and why. Perfect timing for us to learn the inside story. Looking around the Crows Nest, we had to laugh at what we saw. Many passengers had utilized this cozy lounge to view the scenic cruising the last three days. This morning, we saw that many really had made themselves at home by using the couches and chairs as beds. Some were stretched out, sound asleep, and covered with the plaid deck blankets. Coffee cups and used plates were sitting on the side tables, so obviously they had the same coffee, hot chocolate, and calzone snacks we enjoyed on the outside decks earlier. Outside in the cold wind, the food was really good. But up here, it looked more like a rest home. Oh well, whatever works.

 

We had lots of male company this evening at mealtime. The comedian joined us for the last time, and our hostess brought three more fellows with her. One was a guest client of Ellen's, another was an Argentinian guitar singer, and the third was a juggler, who successfully balanced his fork on his nose several times.. Can you imagine three entertainers at our table in one night? How lucky was that? And guess what we introduced them to? Yep, cork-forking, our silly little game of launching a wine cork with a fork into the flowerbowl setting in the middle of the table. We waited for the majority of the diners to leave before we started, since sometimes it ticks people off. Of course, the three entertainers caught on quickly. Our elderly Scottish gentleman was also a good sport, and seemed quite amused when he landed the cork after several tries. If nothing else, cork-forking is a good icebreaker!

 

We did check out the show, pianoman Marty Henne. In the five minutes that we stayed, he did more talking than playing. We are not good show goers, but gave it a good try.

 

As of midnight, we have sailed a distance of 8488 nautical miles, which computes to 9762 statue miles. Tonight's sailing and tomorrow's crossing of the Drake Passage should be interesting. Will let you know..........

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Aussie Gal]

Mary Ann & Bill,

 

Do hope you get to Ushuaia before the storm really begins. We too have been in really bad storm on our way down to Antarctica from the Falklands in 2006. I remember it was too hard to move around the ship so we stayed most of the day in our mini suite.

 

Believe it or not, the weather forecast for those waters actually comes from here, Melbourne, Australia. Our Bureau of Metereology does all the weather forecasting for that part of the world.

 

Jennie

[JaneS3]

Erin and Mui,

 

We have already spent several hours viewing your extraordinary photos from Antarctica. It's not only the quality of the photography, but the captions that captured our attention. We had the pleasure of cruising the Lamaire Channel in calm relective waters, and enjoy our own collection of photos, but it's so special to see your portraits of penguins and sea lions from your zodiac cruise of Petzval. I have many hours to look forward to, viewing the rest of your collection. Thank you for sharing!

 

Jane

[WCB]

Report # 34 February 2, 2012 Thursday Day at Sea and Cape Horn

 

As the Amsterdam sailed in a northeasterly course towards South America all evening, it became apparent that we were experiencing that deep depression the Captain had promised. We noticed that the going got rough when we attempted to get out of bed during the night. You don't notice it so much laying down, but when you start to walk, you feel like "drunken sailor", so to speak. After breakfast, we noted that the swells had the ship listing from side to side and pitching from the bow to the stern. It was raining outside and the winds had picked up to 55 MPH. Guess there will be no walking on the promenade deck for awhile. Even the wooden teak lounges had been lashed with twine to keep them from blowing overboard during the night. That is the first time we have ever seen that done. Unfortunately, many passengers were feeling the effects of the storm, and were laying low all day, we were told by many friends. So far, we are fine. Must have inherited some sailor blood in us!

 

At 10:30am, Captain Jonathon announced that we may have a possible delay in picking up the pilot we required to sail into Ushuaia. He followed up at 11am saying there would be no chance of us scenic sailing around Cape Horn. Hey, wait a minute, the personalized certificate, dated today, and signed by the Captain had been delivered to the staterooms early this morning. Guess we did not earn these after all. Or did we?

 

We spent the morning wandering from deck to deck, staying clear of the promenade deck. It was still roped off with the warning signs taped on the doors. Except now, the spray from the waves was actually washing over that deck, making walking a bit dangerous. It was far more entertaining lurking outside the Ocean Bar where trivia was being played. Bob, our tablemate, joined us to see how many trivia questions we may have been able to answer. As it turned out, we got at least 16 correct, and had we participated, we may have won. Friend Greg also contributed a few correct answers, as Heo took his place this afternoon.

 

At 2pm, we decided to attend John Splettstoesser's lecture on his knowledge and personal experience with the geological expedition of Antarctica. He has spent eight summers in Antarctica working on programs of geologic mapping. He has authored 180 publications and edited five books, receiving two polar medals for his works. His claim to fame is having a glacier and a mountain named for him, as well as a fossil snail species. Now that's unique. His talk was very good and for a change, we learned quite a bit more about the continent.

 

The seas had begun to calm down somewhat, so we walked to get some fresh air at the back pool in time to hear the end of an announcement about the cape. Funny thing, while we were eating lunch,Bill spotted what appeared to be Cape Horn on the port side of the ship. Remembering that the Captain had said we would NOT see it, Bill joked and said we should take a photo of that island, and say it was the real cape. Well, guess what? It WAS the real Cape Horn, and only a handful of lucky people got to see it. The announcement was only made on the outside decks, not inside the ship. No one is going to believe us, but there it was in the far distance, but easily recognizable. See, we did earn those certificates!

 

Here are a few facts about Cape Horn. It is really a tiny island, not on the mainland as one might expect. The name Cape Horn came from a city by the name of Hoorn in the Netherlands. Cape Horn marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage, and was used as a milestone for the clipper ships which carried the trade from around the world. It is treeless, but green, due to frequent rain. It is a treacherous area, infamous for shipwrecks. Until 1914, when the Panama Canal was completed, it was the only way to get around South America by sea. The Chilean Navy maintains a station that consists of a residence, utility building, a chapel, and a lighthouse. A memorial depicting an albatross, erected in 1992, honors the sailors who died rounding this cape. The inscription on the memorial reads: I am the albatross that awaits for you at the end of the world. I am the forgotten soul of the sailors lost that crossed Cape Horn from all the seas of the world. But die they did not in the fierce waves, but today towards eternity in my wings they soar in the last crevice of the Antarctic winds. (Sara Vial Dec. 1992)

 

By 4pm, as the Captain had promised, the seas returned to an almost normal state, and the sun actually peeked out of the clouds. We spent some time enjoying our walk on the promenade, stopping occassionally to snap photos of some wandering seabirds that insisted on following the ship's wake. It was also good to stop and soak up some of that wonderful warmth from the sun. At one point, a school of tuna swam by the ship, a sign that we were nearing land and the many islands in this archipelago of southern Chile.

 

Dinnertime brought company to our table with the addition of ship's nurse Holly and her husband. She and her husband were most friendly and genuinely enjoyed her visit with all of us. Our meals were delicious and have been so for this trip. We thought of friends Margaret and Keith tonight with the appearance of fudge tracks ice cream for dessert. This is the first time they have offered the treat since we started the cruise. And we "toasted" Keith since he loved the stuff.

 

We broke the mold again tonight bu going to the showlounge after dinner. Since we had missed Daniel Bouchet's first performance, we wanted to see what the fairly quiet fellow who shared our table last night had to offer. It was a pleasant surprise to hear him sing and play that guitar. Sounded as if he was born to entertain. Dick Hardwick, our constant dinner companion, did his schtick, most Disney-like, since that was where he was from. It was almost a relief to be "Dick-free" tonight. Not that we didn't like him, we just saw him in a different light than most of our tablemates. To borrow a phrase recently read in a book, he had a knack for arming a joke with that "rock-in-the-snowball" touch of hurt. In other words, he may befriend the innocent of us, then turn the humor on you when you least expected it. Our wise older friend Terry understood that, and totally agreed with us. Anyway, completing the act, were the Motown Divas, who sang familiar songs from that era. The crowd loved them.

 

Time to call it an evening, because tomorrow's port is Ushuaia, Argentina, and we are arriving very early at 5am. No, we will not see the arrival into port.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[2552phxcrzr]

Erin and Mui,

 

We have already spent several hours viewing your extraordinary photos from Antarctica. It's not only the quality of the photography, but the captions that captured our attention. We had the pleasure of cruising the Lamaire Channel in calm relective waters, and enjoy our own collection of photos, but it's so special to see your portraits of penguins and sea lions from your zodiac cruise of Petzval. I have many hours to look forward to, viewing the rest of your collection. Thank you for sharing!

 

Jane

 

Jane, my pleasure to share. Virtual trips back to places where we've made wonderful memories tide us over until the next time :-)

[Flyingfish]

Wow, what a moving memorial to those sailors lost at sea.

[Viesczy]

I am completely mesmerized! Thank you!

 

If you're still having weather problems, get your crossbow out and look for an albatross! Problems solved! Thank me later! ;)

 

Derek

[MMDown Under]

Dear Mary Ann and Bill,

 

What a lovely time I've had catching up on your enjoyable thread (thanks Pam for the link).

 

Thank you for sharing yet another world cruise with us.

 

How does this world cruise itinerary compare with last year's world cruise itinerary and the one scheduled for next year? To me, some itineraries seem better than others. However, as you have been on so many world cruises, it might not be an issue to you, as you enjoy the company of fellow repeat world cruisers.

 

I think some of HAL's cutbacks, you've mentioned, are shortsighted, as you say you now use two tissues instead of one.

 

(On our last cruise in our first suite with Celebrity, the design of the toilet roll used to cause the piece of thin toilet paper to break after two squares, which clearly wasn't enough. We solved the problem by putting the spare roll of toilet paper on the shelf behind. We just returned it each day, after our room steward, tidying up, put it back away in the cupboard.)

 

Thanks h2so4 and Kween Karen for sharing your photos, which bring back memories and enhance our enjoyment of Mary Ann and Bill's current world cruise.

[WCB]

Report # 35 February 3, 2012 Friday Ushuaia, Argentina

 

Captain Jonathon, along with the aide of a Chilean pilot, brought the Amsterdam into the Richmond Station to enter the Beagle Channel at 10:30pm. We drifted at Puerto Williams to pick up an Argentinian pilot to proceed the docking in Ushuaia by 5am. We had arrived safely after a rather rocky sailing across the Drake Passage. And the good news was that the time for Ushuaia was extended from 1pm to 3pm. This way we would have some free time to explore the city after our morning tour.

 

Ushuaia, Argentina, is the southernmost city in the world, situated on the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego or the Land of Fire as it was known in the old days. This rural city sits on the Beagle Channel and is surrounded by mountains that are beautiful beyond description. What a place for the Argentian Navy to establish a prison colony here, which consisted mostly of political prisoners after WW2. A narrow gauge railway supplied the penal colony, and was also used to transport lumber harvested by the prisoners. Today, the restored Ferrocaril Austral Fueguino cars are used as a tourist attraction. Now it travels to Tierra del Fuego National Park.

 

Ushuaia is important to the tourist industry for several reasons. The park is a haven to backpackers and 4x4 enthusiasts, who can spend weeks exploring the many lakes, austral forests, and wildlife sanctuaries. The other draw here is sailing by ship to Antarctica. Several small expedition and luxury vessels originate trips to the White Continent from here. Of course, the travel season is short, only toured through the summertime, when there are 17 hours of daylight, and only 7 hours of nighttime.

 

We chose a short and sweet tour today that would take us on a short walk to a waiting catamaran to see the wildlife in the Beagle Channel for 2 1/2 hours. The weather was really cold today, with drifting showers passing over occassionally. We wisely dressed for the inclement weather, because we knew that if there was an outside deck on the boat, we would be there.

 

We traveled out into the Channel to get close to the rocky little islands that are refuges for many seabirds. We saw flocks of King comorants, Antarctic terns, and a few Royal albatross. These black and white comorants resemble the small penguins we spotted in Antarctica. The rock where they were resting was covered with them, standing with their white chests puffed, all facing away from the bitter wind.

 

Two of the larger rock islands had harems of large sealions. They grumbled and groaned as we drifted close to the shoreline. Obviously, these animals are used to tourists,since they barely budged. Surrounded by their mothers, the pups played with each other. The massive males kept to themselves several yards away. They reminded us of the hordes of sealions that occupy the floating docks at Pier 39 in San Francisco.

 

One of the highlights of the tour was a swing by a very famous lighthouse that is situated in the middle of the Beagle Channel. It is called Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, a stone-built structure painted red and white. It sits proudly on a tiny rocky island. It is an icon of Tierra del Fuego, and is incorrectly referred to as the Lighthouse at the End of the World, a term that came from a Jules Verne novel, as a matter of fact.

 

The views of the ice-covered mountains surrounding this channel were stunning, once the rain blew away and the sun actually peeked out. Some of these massive peaks are part of the Andes, which continue down into Antarctica. On the ride back to the pier, we passed closer to the mainland, where we saw the remnants of an old cattle ranch that once existed here. A few head of cattle were still grazing on the chilly and steep green hillsides.

 

We went back to the ship just in time to dine in La Fontaine for lunch. Originally, we were to leave here at 1pm. But that had been extended until 3pm. That gave us plenty of time to walk the quaint streets in town, checking out the souvenier stores and local restaurants. The Argentinians have a clever way of cooking small lambs. Inside each restaurants, they have a firepit with mesquite wood that has been reduced to a charcoal state. Whole butterflied small lambs are stood almost vertically in a basket on the edges of the charcoal, where the meat is cooked for hours. It becomes crispy on the seasoned outside, and moist and tender on the bone. It doesn't get any better than that. When looking in a window at one of the better restaurants, Mustacchio's, we spotted about 8 of our buddies eating lunch in there. We would have joined them if we had not been on a tour and not already eaten on the ship. Onboard time was 2:30pm, so there was no time to do both. Finding a suitable Ushuaia tshirt took us a few minutes, then we walked back to the ship. Most of the typical souveniers sold here are fairly expensive and mostly imported from everywhere but here., if you know what we mean. When in China, we will buy things made in China.

 

The sailaway was particularly scenic, even though it was very chilly on the aft deck. The party was really in the Lido pool area, where it was difficult to watch a sailaway. The hardy folks were outside, and dressed properly to enjoy this beautiful experience. Gosh, we sure are lucky to be able to see what we have so far on this cruise. You can read about it, see photos in a book, or watch a documentary about the sights we have seen. But to feel the sharp wind and breathe the icy air while seeing the real thing is truly a blessing.

 

Around 3pm, Captain Mercer made a surprising announcement concerning the next couple of days of our cruise. Unknown to us, the passengers, a rather powerful storm has been brewing in the South Pacific, and apparently heading in the direction we were meant to go. For that reason, the head folks at the Seattle office of HAL have decided to keep us overnight in Punta Arenas tomorrow, giving us another full day in that city on Monday. The plan is to keep us out of the possible 40 foot plus seas that might hit the south coast of Chile. This will probably result in a change of itinerary, we are guessing with the port of Easter Island. There is no way to make up the loss of time to arrive there by next Friday. There was much speculation regarding these changes between all of us as we sailed out of Ushuaia. Oh well, there are no guarantees on cruises, and we opt for safety first. The incident with the Costa Concordia comes to mind. And that was a dreadful miscalculation, not a major storm that caused that tragedy.

 

We should know more by tomorrow, we hope. Landing on Easter Island is always dicey, even with perfect weather. We almost missed that port last year, and that was because of some deep swells. Captain Olav, at the time, was able to tender the able-bodied of us on the opposite side of the island instead. There we had a white sandy beach and several moais to see. The scheduled tours took off from there anyway, while we enjoyed staying right where we landed. Captain Olav was everyone's hero that day.

 

The guests at our table this evening were the bridge instructors. Most of us ordered the 22 ounce porterhouse steaks, but were disappointed with their over-doneness and lack of taste. Poor Terry was exhausted just trying to chew her meat. Guess we could have sent them back, because we came to the conclusion these steaks may have been held over from the first dinner at 5:30pm. Since it would have taken too long to wait if we sent them back, we all ate the best part, and donated the rest to the hungry fish. The dessert of yummy chocolate bombs saved the day. Remember, these are the chocolate-coated mocha ice cream mounds, served with strawberry coulis and fresh blueberries. We left the table happy campers anyway.

 

Time to call it a day, since we have an early tour in Punta Arenas with Ellen and our travel agency's group tomorrow.

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[2552phxcrzr]

For those who would like to see the sights Mary Ann and Bill might have seen on their catamaran cruise, here's a link to our gallery...http://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/Pre-Voyage-in-Ushuaia/2905273_hk7drP#!i=156373027&k=GuGNs.

 

The Beagle Channel cruise starts with photo 52 ... instead of a modern catamaran, we opted to do our cruise on the Barracuda, the first boat that began offering these cruise way back when.

[Harry1954]

>> The guests at our table this evening were the bridge instructors. <<

Mary Ann,

Last year the bridge instructors had to cancel at last minute. Do you happen to know who they are this year by chance?

 

keep up the great narrative ... and I hope you guys get to land at Easter Island .. that was fun last year, even though we had to cross through two tenders to get on land.

 

harry

[cruz chic]

Thanks for all your updates. I love reading them all!

[Pete Jackson]

It would seem better that if the cost of beef is a problem, they should be serving high quality small portions than low quality huge portions.

 

Every now and then, the kitchen throws a clunker! Normally, we find the HAL dining to be very good to excellent. But there have been two entrees on our cruises, one liver and the other fish, that were really awful, way below the quality you would get even in a family corner restaurant. The common theme in these occasional problems seems to be gross overcooking. I guess the chefs are basically juggling all those balls and once in a while, one crashes on the floor!

[ladychar]

Enjoying following your cruise. Thanks for the updates.:)

[Aussie Gal]

At least having 2 days in Punta Arenas is a bonus. There is so much to see around that area and such magnificent scenery.

 

My fingers are crossed for your trip to Easter Island though you are among the lucky ones who have been ashore. We missed out in April last year when we were supposed to go ashore on a very smooth day but our Captain decided that it was too rough for the tenders to land so instead he just sailed around the island. The 600+ passengers on board were so disappointed especially as we had all been down to the lounge to get our excursion tags and thought we were going ashore until he came over the loud speakers to tell us it wasn't to be!

 

Jennie

[WCB]

Report # 36 February 4, 2012 Saturday Punta Arenas, Chile Day One

 

We arrived at the port of Punta Arenas, Chile, a bit later than planned.........8am instead of 7am. This city is located in the Straits of Magellan, named after Ferdinand Magellan who sailed these treacherous waters in 1520. Strangely enough, it was the California Gold Rush that contributed to the expansion of this southernmost city in Chile. Many Europeans were passengers on ships that came this way. The wool and mutton industries also flourished at that time. Maritime traffic slowed when the Panama Canal opened in 1914, and so did this city.

 

The population today is about 110,000 very hardy people who work in the petroleum field, in the fishing trade, and Antarctic research. Nearby Torres del Paine National Park attracts many tourists as well. Like cities in Alaska, Punta Arenas is dark for 17 hours in their winter time (July), with only 7 hours of twilight during the day. The winds can be hurricane force on a normal day in the winter. Therefore, ropes are used in town, so the natives can pull themselves from street to street for safety reasons. Hard to imagine.

 

We chose to go on a 5 hour tour with our travel agency that took us on a panoramic drive of the city, then off to the Otway Penguin Reserve. But first, we had to tender ashore. The winds were blowing a gale, and the waves were causing the tenderboats to roll. Usually, we dock here in the container port, but there was another ship there, the Silverseas Spirit. At least we would be dropped close to the downtown center, a 10 minute walk from the cruise terminal.

 

There were enough of us to have two buses with both Ellen and Tom escorting. Once again, we used the new VOX system with our earphones, while our thrilled guide gave her talk. So far, the guides are really impressed with this system. It makes their job a whole lot easier.

 

Our first stop was up the hillside to La Cruz Hill, where there is a panoramic view of the colorful houses below, all the way to the waterline of the Straits of Magellan. We were not out of the bus for five minutes, when the rain started. Strings of clouds were blowing by all morning, dropping some rain briefly, creating nice rainbows, then going away. A few locals were setting up tables with their treasures of woolen scarves, penguins carved out of rocks, sweaters, gloves, and some costume jewelry. It wasn't worth getting wetter, since we had already been splashed pretty good on the tenderboat ride over to the shore. We should know better by now not to sit near the middle exit seats in those boats, duh!

 

Continuing on, we began the drive north towards the Otway Penguin Reserve, an hour's ride away. We were out of the city limits within minutes, where we followed the coastline for a while. Soon, we turned inland to pass by terrain that reminded us of Patagonia. The few evergreen trees that can survive this climate, lined the roadsides. They appeared to be severly wind-blown and stunted in growth.

 

Then for miles, all we saw were vast estancias or sheep and cattle ranches. The buses left the main paved highway, then traveled on rough graveled roads for the rest of the ride to the reserve. On this stretch of lonely pastureland with low shrubs and grasses, we saw upland geese, blackface ibis, rheas (smaller and meaner version of the ostrich), llamas, horses, and two jack rabbits. At one spot in the road, a flock of sheep passed the buses, followed by a Chilean gaucho on horseback with his two working sheep dogs. How good was that? Great photo op.

 

Once we arrived at Otway Bay, we were given one hour to stroll the sanctuary on roped-off wooden walkways for 800 yards each way. Hundreds of the Magellanic penguins live and nest in this area. These amusing birds dig burrows in the sand, where they lay an egg or two around October. These eggs hatch in January, and throughout the month of February, both parents (who mate for life), feed the chicks. You can hear them "braying" like donkeys during this time. Supposedly, that is how the pairs locate each other, by recognizing their distinctive voices. The chicks fledge mid March, at the same time the parents begin their annual moult. When they are fully feathered, they disperse along the South American coast.

 

Walking the rocked pathways was difficult fighting the strong winds. Many informative signs were placed along the way to explain what we were seeing. The birds went about their daily routine as if none of us were there. When we reached the shoreline, a wooden blind was constructed so we could view the many penguins on the water's edge. There were hundreds of them either sunning themselves or diving into that freezing surf to go hunting for food. They spend 2 to 15 hours a day fishing for sardines and crustacians. They can dive and hold their breath for 2 minutes maximum.

 

The walk back to the small cafe and shop at the sanctuary's entrance was much easier, since we had the wind at our backs. One good thing about the wind, was that it blew the aroma of the penguins away completely.

 

As we entered the cafe, Tom handed each of us a ticket for hot coffee or chocolate, and a triple decker sandwich in a nice plastic container. Simple as it was, it tasted wonderful. Guess it was because we did not eat breakfast this morning, and the brisk walk made us hungry.

 

Warmed by the hot chocolate, we think most of the passengers in our bus slept all of the way back to town. The last stop was at the main square, Plaza de Armas, where a famous statue of Magellan and a Selk'nam Indian stood. There is a fable here that if you touch the foot of the Indian, you will surely come back someday. Guess it worked for us, because we did that, and here we are, two years later, back in this same city. We had 10 minutes to walk the square, which was filled with souvenier stands. However, we have tomorrow to explore on our own, so we were happy to go back to the ship.

 

We had lunch with friends, and discussed the possible deviations that may happen in the following week of sailing. So far, we have been told nothing in regards to the appraoching storm in the South Pacific. All we know for sure is that we are spending the night here, and will leave tomorrow around 5pm.

 

On a disappointing note, we have been informed that the virus is back again, and we will be in the serving mode in all restaurants until the bug is under control. More detailed notices were left on our mailslots concerning personal sanitation. Only this virus can be passed by coughing, sneezing, and touching surfaces anywhere and everywhere. We also heard on the news that two large Princess ships have been hit by the bug suddenly. So far, we have been OK. Hope it remains that way.

 

Did we mention that yesterday we received forms to turn in questions for Mr. Stein Kruse for the time when he joins us in Pago Pago, American Samoa? We are allowed to write three questions, which will be screened by the ship's staff. The most frequently asked questions will be addressed by Stein at his big lecture prior to leaving in Sydney. What this means, is that none of us will be able to present a question that may put the CEO on the spot, like last year's questions. It's a challenge to keep the questions at three, but we all plan to give it a try.

 

On a lighter note, a South America and Antarctica Photo Competition was announced. We are allowed to enter one photo in each of four categories......wildlife, landscape, life, and frozen?. The entry fee is $5, per 8x10 or 5x15 format. They are yours to keep, whether you win or not. Not a bad deal, it is a win-win for both the ship's photo shop and the photographers. Great prizes are promised to be awarded.

 

Three new tours were added for tomorrow unexpected stay, but we have decided to sleep in, enjoy a hot breakfast, and go for a long walk in town afterwards.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[romancing_the_sea]

I just found this report - how exciting! I dream of someday taking a world cruise! If somebody asked what's the one thing I would love to do and haven't done yet, yep, a world cruise!

[WCB]

Report # 37 February 5, 2012 Sunday Punta Arenas, Chile Day Two

 

Well, here we are, on day two of an unexpected bonus day in Punta Arenas. The weather remained much the same as yesterday's with intermittent rain showers, also mixed with hail. Since the rain is fleeting, you don't get that wet, especially dressed in waterproof gear.

 

During the night, the tendering service continued until midnight. Since the debarking platform is located fairly close to our stateroom on A deck, we could hear the boats coming and going until then. Not a problem as long as we were still watching TV. OK, one of us was watching with the eyes opened. Around 12:30am, the platform was pulled in and the large door closed. That took at least 1/2 hour and was very noisy. It sounded as if they were using large wrenches to close the hatch, then tossing them on the metal flooring. It is a miracle how one of us can sleep like a babe with that racket. It can be a gift.

 

It was great to sleep in a little later than usual, then enjoy a hearty breakfast in the dining room. Around 9:30am, Captain Mercer announced that he would inform us all about the upcoming changes in our itinerary due to that storm that has delayed our sailing. He promised that he would do this at 2pm, and we are sure that many passengers will be on pins and needles waiting for this news.

 

We planned on leaving the ship around 11am, which was a good thing, because with today being Sunday, we were not sure how much would be open in town. Bundled up like snow bunnies, we joined the waiting boat, which turned out to be waiting until it was full of guests.

 

The streets of the town were just about deserted of locals. The shops were closed up tight, most of them covered with steel gates over the storefronts. Perhaps more would open up by noontime. We had no way of knowing, since the shopkeepers do not post their times or days open. Those that live here know these times already.

 

We worked our way uphill, until we came upon the central square called Plaza de Armas. Not much was going on there yet. We did hear the church bells chime, and assumed that the locals were in church for Sunday services. Little by little, the souvenier wagons in the square came to life when the vendors showed up. Several large dogs filled this square. They must have owners, because they were fat, just running loose. We guess they could be called the junkyard dogs, since they seemed to behave in a pack. They lavished attention from the tourists, especially the little kids who insisted on petting them or pulling their legs. A few of the big ones hung around us for a time, because it was possible they smelled the emergency candy we had in our bag. Well, not quite emergency, but just in case we need a sugar boost. You know, in this severe weather, one can't be too careful.

 

Wandering around the streets surrounding the square, we saw the impressive Braun Hotel, built by a 19th century baron who made vast fortunes in the sheep industry. In fact, our friends Martha and Bob decided to spend the night in this hotel, and eat a late dinner there. They were celebrating their 40th anniversary, and what a neat way to do it. They reported that they had a great time and a delicious dinner of lamb and Chilean bass. Two years ago, we dined in this hotel with our travel group at the end of a good tour. The dining room itself was actually a huge glass-enclosed hothouse, complete with old grape vines climbing up the walls and over the roof. The food was excellent as were the wines we recall.

 

The time went by quickly as we sat in the sun when it was out of the clouds. Musicians were playing Spanish guitar or singing familiar songs with a Chilean accent. Of course, they were selling CD's and collecting tips from the increasing numbers of tourists arriving here. At one point, we saw a group of bundled up cruisers walk into the square. One of the gals began dancing to the music, and to our surprise, it turned out to be our buddy Ellen. She loves to dance on the ship in the evenings, and obviously loved the music here. She is just a very delightful person to have as our friend and hostess. She was here with Barb, who happens to have a birthday today. Perhaps they were going to lunch, or looking for the internet cafe. Many folks take their computers to shore in search of fast and cheap internet service. Sometimes they get lucky, and accomplish a lot of stuff for a couple of bucks. And sometimes not. Today, Barbara Haenni told us that some of the internet cafes were down for the previous night and possibly today. However, there was one other provider, and if they were opened, perhaps they would get some business today.

 

We picked up a couple of souveniers with the purchase of a t-shirt, an alpaca scarf, and 2 pairs of colorful earrings at the craft stands in the square. Hot chocolate was being served in the cruise ship terminal, so we took advantage of that while we waited for the next boat to arrive. A rain shower drifted over us, pelting the ceiling with hail pellets. Our timing happened to be right for a change, getting to shelter. There is the upside of the beautiful rainbows that followed the rain.

 

The ride back to the ship was rough, and even dangerous when we reached the ship's platform. We heard later on at dinnertime, that a lady fell on the tenderboat and broke her hip and or leg. She was taken to the hospital, and may have been admitted we understand. Gosh, you just never know when something like that can happen. Hope she will be OK and be able to re-join the cruise.

 

The first thing we did when we got back was to search for our buddies to find out what the news was about our future ports. The suspense was over......we would be going to Easter Island, but a day later on February 11th. Missing also is the scenic cruising of the Chilean fjords, which was supposed to be tomorrow. We will skip the stop in Pitcairn, which was just that, a stop at anchor for a few hours, where the natives come onboard to sell their wares. We'll arrive in Papeete, Tahiti, a day later, February 16th, and stay from 7am to 10pm. It will take all day for the Amsterdam to take on fuel, thus giving us all extra time in paradise. However, Tahiti is the end of a segment where many people will fly home. That includes Martha's husband, Bob, who now needs to re-book his flight, since we are there a day later. Good thing they have travel insurance, because booking a flight at the last minute can be very costly. The call in Pago Pago, America Samoa will be shortened. Most everyone agreed that missing that port was no big loss, but don't forget, that is where the Kruse's, HAL's CEO and wife, board the ship for the "Big Party". Unfortunately, we will have to miss the maiden stop of Easo, New Caledonia. If that island is anything like Isle de Pins, we will miss out on that one. With all these changes, we will be arriving a few hours earlier in Sydney, putting us back on schedule for the rest of the trip, barring any more surprises.

 

Now our take on this situation is this: the port with the most expensive tours, Easter Island, will be a go, perhaps. Perhaps, because tendering there is always dicey, a 50/50 chance of success on a good day. Tours there are running from $159. to $259. for 3 to 4 hour excursions through the shore ex department on the ship. Lots of people have formed independant groups that are going for much less.

 

Easo, New Caledonia, was the only port that had no tours at all. We suspect that this island offered scenic beauty and wonderful beaches. Guess we will never know. There is no loss of revenue for HAL, only the return of a meager port charge which should be credited to our shipboard accounts.

 

On Wednesday, the 15th, complimentary wine or soft drinks will be served with our dinner as a gesture of goodwill from Captain Mercer. We do understand that this decision was not made lightly, but done with safety in mind as the number one priority. You have to learn to roll with these unexpected events, and see this as an adventure.

 

Today was Super Bowl Sunday too. At 8:30pm, a tailgate festivity was held in the Queens Lounge for those who chose to watch the pre-game show and the game on the big screen. They plan on serving special buckets of beer and Super Bowl type food. Some planned on making it their dinner. As for us, we had a special evening planned for Barbie, who was celebrating her birthday tonight. There were 11 of us having a great time as we joined in singing Barb the special birthday song with the waiters leading the salute. Then we shared a decadent chocolate cake, covered with whipped cream and black cherry filling. Martha and Ellen took one hundred pictures. Since the game was still in progress, all went to the showlounge to catch the score. We caught it in the comfort of our stateroom.

 

We have several lazy days at sea now, and are keeping our fingers crossed that the worst of the storm has blown north of us. Time will tell.......

 

Mary Ann & Bill

[DFD1]

Bon Voyage out of Punta Arenas.

 

Safe passage to Easter Island and beyond.....and thanks again for your marvelous blog.