Live from the 2019 Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sounds like a very informative day -- love those days.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Enjoy the scenery and wild life pictures.

 

The penguins are cute -- especially the captain penguin on the bridge.

 

You are making some cute crafts.

[puppycanducruise]

Love your pictures.

And I love the penguins, on the bridge and on the ice, or in the water.

Thanks for the trivia.

 

[cat shepard]

Someone is having a lot of fun with those penguins on the ship!

[Scrapnana]

We usually do have Happy Hour on port days.  Trivia is at 4 pm in the Ocean Bar on port days (1 pm in the Ocean Bar on sea days) and there is HH there and in the Crow's Nest from 4-5.  The Crow's Nest has another HH from 6:30-7:30 (trivia is usually here at 7).  Most of the time there is a HH in the Ocean Bar from 9-10 and in the Crow's Nest from 10-11.  

[Scrapnana]

February 5, 2019

The Antarctic Experience Day 3

 

Once again I slept for 9 hours since I was so tired from doing nothing.  When I awoke we were in Hope Bay and the view out of my window was of one of the Argentinian base camps.  This one is unique because not only is it manned year-round but it also has families living here for a year at a time.  At least eight babies have been born here.  There is even a school.  But most notable are the penguins – thousands and thousands of penguins although the number is declining.  These were Adelie penguins named for the wife of one of the early explorers.

 

After spending some time out on my deck, I moved to the Lido to get a good viewing seat for lunch and afterwards until arts and crafts.  I saw numerous icebergs and many had penguins on them.  I did not see as many seals today and no whales.

 

In arts and crafts we made an explosion box.  Mine is still drying so I will include a picture tomorrow.

 

We had our first perfect score – 18 out of 18 – at trivia and we were the only ones.  Most of the questions were so easy that we did not even have to confer.

1) What country lost the Philippines and Puerto Rico to the US in 1898?

2) What is the largest fish in the ocean?

3) Found in Central American cuisine, chorizo is a variety of what?

4) What title does Canada’s head of state hold?

5) What does the “zip” in zip code stand for?

 

Once again only six of us for dinner.  It was Chinese New Year so the dining room was decorated, the servers had costumes, and, of course, the penguins got in on the act.  I had a starter of fresh fruit, sweet and sour pork, and ice cream for dessert.

 

I did not go to the show and am again really sleepy – another early night!

 

Trivia

1) Spain

2) Whale shark

3) Sausage

4) Queen

5) Zone Improvement Plan (this was a three point bonus)

 

Smooth sailing until next time.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you are getting some extra sleep.

 

Congratulations on winning at trivia.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great pictures of the ice bergs and all the penguins.

 

Love the dressed up penguins on the ship.

[puppycanducruise]

Fabulous penguin pictures.

Thanks for posting.

More please.

[cat shepard]

Your penguin videos are great! Talk about follow the leader.

[Scrapnana]

1 hour ago, cat shepard said:

Your penguin videos are great! Talk about follow the leader.

I am glad they worked for you.  I can't make them work on my computer or iPad but I think it might be because I did not buy the internet package that allows you to watch videos.

[scluvsrain]

That is indeed why they won’t work for you. With the premium package you can see videos. I have it mainly so I can see and send videos to my grandkids. And see videos on my FB friends’ posts. 

[Scrapnana]

February 6, 2019

The Antarctic Experience Day 4

 

I awoke to see King George Island (which is part of the South Shetland Islands) outside my window.  As with most of this area it was first visited by sealers.  It only took a couple of years for the seals to be wiped out.  Today it is home to year-round stations run by Argentina, Chile, Russia, China, South Korea, Poland, Uruguay, and Brazil (although some sources add Peru and the US).  It is also home to the Antarctica Marathon held since 1995.

 

I was once again up early enough to get my favorite pancake breakfast in the Lido (they stop serving at 10).  I read some and then Pat came up and we knitted together.  She finished the baby sweater in less than a week (after many protestations of “I can’t knit”).

 

We made a bookmark in arts and crafts but had to run out because half of us had the mandatory meeting for going ashore at Grytviken, South Georgia.  Yesterday we received notification of the procedure to go ashore there.  Here is part of the notification:

1.  You will need to attend a 30-minute biosecurity briefing in the Showroom at Sea

2.  You will need to present all clothing, shoes, and other items you intend to bring ashore for a biosecurity check where these items will be inspected and if necessary cleaned of all dirt and contaminants that might be present.

3.  You will need to sign an affidavit after you have passed the biosecurity check.

4.  You will need to pick up a shore pass that will state your chosen departure time window and will give you a two hour period ashore to visit the sites. 

Please note that if any of the first three items are not completed you will not be permitted to go ashore regardless of having collected a shore pass.  Attendance for both the briefing and biosecurity check will be taken.  Bring your stateroom keycard for scanning.

 

The meeting clarified that only your outer clothing, shoes/boots, canes, and any backpack/bag that you plan to carry need to be screened.  People had been going around all day saying that underwear needed screening but that was not true.

 

When the meeting was over we were approaching Elephant Island. 

It was named because of the elephant seals seen by early explorers.  It is best noted as the place where Ernest Shackleton and his crew sought refuge after their ship was lost in the ice in 1916.  Shackleton and five of his crew would make the 800 mile journey (just as we are doing only they did it in an open lifeboat) to South Georgia Island.

I bundled up and headed out to my deck.  Just pass the island was a massive iceberg that was over a mile long.  The captain took us through a field of small loose ice and we were able to get close up to the berg.  Awe-inspiring and terrifying at the same time.

 

Hopefully, this will be our last day with only one trivia (I am having major withdrawal).  We had 12 out of 17 and tied for the win with another team but lost the tiebreaker.

1) Galileo described what liquid as “light held together with water”?

2) What two letters are not on a standard phone?

3) What non-mechanical sport achieves the highest speed?

4) What Edward Budding invention started changing the landscape of England in the 1820s?

5) Which energy source provides most of the electrical power in France?

 

Only 7 present for dinner.  I had a salad, watermelon, fried chicken and a sundae for dessert.

 

The show tonight was Nick Page, a singer of contemporary and classical music.

 

We have left the Antarctic behind and are heading north again.

 

Trivia

1) Wine

2) Q and Z

3) Sky-diving

4) Lawn mower

5) nuclear

 

Smooth sailing until next time.

[kazu]

Wow on the procedure for South Georgia, Kathi.

 

Sounds like they are trying to take very good care of the environment there.

 

Great posts, thank you. 🙂 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am impressed with the rules that South Georgia has for visitors to keep their port clean.

 

Hope everyone who wants to go ashore follows the rules.

 

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great pictures.

 

I love that explosion box -- very clever.

 

JMO -- but I don't care for drinks that have so many different alcohols in it.  No Wand Wang for me.

[puppycanducruise]

Your pictures are great.

I've never had a Wang Wang, not sure I could. 

[ski ww]

Finally caught up with your blog, missed the last couple of days. Now I know why I don't play trivia. Enjoying all the pictures.

[cat shepard]

An Antarctic marathon! Who knew? I am learning so much from everyone willing to spend their precious time sharing their experiences.

 

And a huge GULP at the thought of a mile long iceberg. 

Edited February 7, 2019 by cat shepard
Omitted words

[Happily@Sea]

Good thing it is warm here in Florida - all your ice pictures make me cold.

[boards]

Thank you also for the Great blog and pictures you are sharing with us of your wonderful experiences.

[RuthC]

13 hours ago, Scrapnana said:

3.  You will need to sign an affidavit after you have passed the biosecurity check.

Were you told yet what the content of the affidavit is about? Is there anything about medical conditions, or responsibility if anything should happen to you while ashore?
I'm very curious what the affidavit is for.

Thanks.

[rafinmd]

13 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Were you told yet what the content of the affidavit is about? Is there anything about medical conditions, or responsibility if anything should happen to you while ashore?
I'm very curious what the affidavit is for.

Thanks.

The affidiavit is just for completing the biosecurity check.  It is not really a form we fill out, what I signed was just a page with a line for everybody's room number and signature.

 

Roy

[jakkojakko]

5 hours ago, Krazy Kruizers said:

I am impressed with the rules that South Georgia has for visitors to keep their port clean.

 

Hope everyone who wants to go ashore follows the rules.

 

 

Not just South georgia. All expedition cruises landing passengers ashore in the antarctic have to do this and dissinfect boots after every landing. This is also true for Spitsbergen.

[Vict0riann]

Every time we went ashore on South Georgia, we had to take all our outerwear to the main lounge, where it was checked, pockets vacuumed out, and as we disembarked we had to walk through a chemical bath for our boots and scrub them.   Even more careful than going ashore in Antarctica.

 

There is a Post Office in Grytviken, and I seem to remember they would stamp passports if you wanted.