Seeing the Antarctic for the first time!

Sunny blue skies and calm seas – and I’m on the Bridge at about 7:00am to see spouts from two Humpback whales – what a morning greeting!  We’re heading due south now, and can see land way off in the distance.  In fact the Antarctic Circle (66o33’66” S) is still 5 hours away.  
The view is indescribable, and I’m surprised at how emotional I feel. 

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Elane Zelcer
Across the Drake Passage

It's 6:30am and the Ioffe is coming into the port in Ushuaia.  As with the trip to the Arctic, we can be on the Bridge at any time except when a Pilot is on board. So the fly bridge is a great place to be.  We’re told that the forecast is for reasonably flat seas until tomorrow afternoon, so lots of fingers and toes are kept crossed, and Hayley has passed on a message from the Captain: “no-one is to whistle on the ship – it whistles up the wind.” The maritime superstitions are as strong as ever!

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Elane Zelcer