Pole to Pole with Silversea - Puerto Williams to Buenos Aires

3/3

Today is what they call an in transit day for those of us staying on.  There were 31 of us.  Fourteen going the whole Pole to Pole.  Some going to Buenos Aires.  Some going to Manaus.  Some to Lisbon.  Some to London.

I joined others on a hike to Los Bronces Waterfall and then tapas at Lakutaia lodge.  We walked to town from lunch and 5 of us went to Wasu.  The furthest south bar.  We had king crab, which they fish for here.  It was fabulous.  Like Valparaiso there were many stray dogs running around.  But, along with the dogs there were free roaming cows and horses.

On the first leg there were about 224 passengers.  This leg there are only about 125 and 31 of us are already on here.  We will sail this evening and will have 3 sea days to get to South Georgia.

We made a stop at Bateria Robalo for a scenic view.  It is one of the places they had military for the Beagle Conflict in 1978

We then went to Los Bronces.  A nice hike to the waterfall.  The berries are calafate berries.  The legend is if you eat them you will return to Patagonia.  The orange ball is a fungus they call indian bread, which is found on southern beech trees in Patagonia.

We saw Cara Cara birds high in the tree.  Black faced ibis in a flock. Upland ducks.

 

Some us walked back from the tapas place.  We 7 are half of the Pole to Pole group! 

Right across from the ship the cows were hanging out.

Grant and Lynn, from Australia, are on my side of the table.  Tina and Steve, from Florida, on the other side.  

3/4

A quiet sea day.  A little rocking and rolling. My first lecture with morning was from George. The Tubenoses.  Albatrosses and Petrels.  Myths and mating dance.  Learned the wandering albatross is now called a snowy albatross, because researchers feel there are 3 types of wandering albatross. 

My next lecture was with Sara (engaged to George) and An introduction to Cetaceans. It turns out whales are very important to our climate.  Pictures below show why they are important.

A couple more talks this afternoon. One was by Dr. Phil (Mayes) on Fearless felines.  Cats that were on polar exploration.  At one point he said a cat on a ship can be good luck.  Of course I thought about bringing a foster cat on board.

Sara and George did a bird ID class and we went out to take photos.  

We saw the giant petrel and wandering albatross, now called the snowy albatross.  Look at that wing span!

This evening we met the new (mostly the same) expedition crew and the new captain and crew.  Two new expedition members are Alex and Denis that I met last year in Africa.  I'm very excited for their talks.  Our new captain is 42 years old from Bulgaria.  We also found out there are only 111 passengers on this leg. 72 new ones. 238 crew. 

I gave in and played trivia and bingo today.  Our team won at trivia and I won once at bingo! Those are run by Zaid and he does a wonderful job!

At dinner I ate with 2 other couples doing Pole to Pole, which we are now called the Fab 14.  Last years Pole to Pole were called the Bipolars. We ate with the guest relations manager, Duncan, and financial manager, Silviu.  Silviu had been working on the Costa Concordia in 2012 when it hit a rock and 33 people died.  It made for very interesting dinner conversation.

  

I am having a great time with so many wonderful people!  We do lose an hours sleep tonight.  South Georgia is an hour ahead of where we've been.

3/6

Yesterday and today are wonderful, quiet days with lectures and today we are getting closer to land so seeing more wildlife.  I was just finishing my 3 miles on the treadmill when they announced dolphins, so I increased my speed to finish.  I was able to see them but no video.  They were hourglass dolphins.  

Giant Petrel

Black Browed Albatross

Prions

More lectures this afternoon, but mostly time spent outside.  Had a treat to see sperm whales.  

More prions and wandering albatross, a young one with more black, also giant petrels.

3/7

Are you ready for lots of pictures?!  Fortuna Bay, South Georgia.  What a spectacular morning and I was here 1/11/22 and I am still overwhelmed.  The curious King penguins and even more curious fur seals.  Lots of baby fur seals that think they are so fierce, but if you make noise they quickly back off.  Females also to be careful of.  There were also a few out of place Chinstrap penguins.  There were a few colorless fur seals called lanugo seals.  Unfortunately, those with eggs now the chicks will not make it.  The brown one is a juvenile called an Oakum Boy.  The bird is a skua.

We have sailed a short distance to Leith Harbor.  A former whaling station.  Gorgeous icebergs on the way.  This afternoon we will take a zodiac tour around the harbor.

Some videos from this morning.  The enormous colony of King penguins.  Baby fur seals rolling in the water.  March of the penguins.

On our zodiac cruise we went from the whaling station in Leith which was in operation from 1909 to 1965 to Stromness whaling station that operated from 1912 to 1931 and then became a ship repair yard until 1961.  Stromness is also where Shackleton came to from Elephant Island and then went back to rescue the men.  The sun came out and the scenery was spectacular.  The number of young fur seals was incredible.  We saw our first elephant seals and saw giant petrels in the water and quite a different view than when they were in the air.  George was our amazing driver and pulled out some kelp for us to see.  I've said it before that I've been here before and I continue to be speechless with the scenery and the  wildlife.  It's different and spectacular.

3/8

Happy International Women's Day

This morning we sailed to Hercules Bay.  Past icebergs and Gentoo penguins on icebergs.

We took a zodiac cruise of the bay to see Macaroni penguins.  We saw so much more!  Gentoos, king, a chinstrap, skuas, giant petrels, terns, sheathbills, shags, fur seals, elephant seals. The northern giant petrel has a reddish part on the beak, the southern a greenish spot.  The way to remember is to think of a traffic light.  Red - north the top of the light.  Green - south the bottom.  Just incredible views again today.

Warning on this next video.  Circle of life.

Cute penguins!!!

This afternoon we had a landing in Grytviken.  I was here 2 years ago in January.  That time we could not go in any of the buildings because of Covid.  Today we could go in the buildings, but not walk around the whaling station too much and we couldn't go into the cemetery where Shackleton and Wild are buried because of avian flu.  But we took the zodiac by it.  The weather turned sunny and the expedition staff said probably the best weather all season.

This was a huge whaling station.  Starting with seals and when they were all gone they went onto hunting whales.  Because of the small number of passengers a lot of the staff has been able to make excursions.  I got a new room steward this leg, Patel.  I asked him for a selfie.

Almost exactly 102 years ago Shackleton was buried on South Georgia and they held the service in this church.  On my last trip here they said his wife said Antarctica is his mistress and to bury him here, not back in England.

There is a wonderful museum, a building with a replica of the Caird and a post office. 

Again, many young fur seals.  

We have 2 more days in South Georgia.  It is a magical place and they do a lot to preserve it's beauty.  Today the South Georgia Heritage Trust gave a talk and we had a government inspection of our boots and pants to make sure we were bio-secure.  We got 100%, which is a big deal.

During the night we sailed to Gold Harbour.  Awoke to beautiful sunshine.  We have been very lucky.  We did a zodiac cruise.  There is a large colony of king penguins.  Also saw a chinstrap and some gentoos mixed in.  More fur seals and elephant seals.  This time male elephant seals and some starting to grow their proboscis, the large part of their nose. South Georgia has the only songbird in Antarctica, the South Georgia pipit, which we saw today.  A group of seals in the water is a raft, on land they are called a waddle.  But, also called a rookery, colony and huddle.

  

Icebergs!  Icebergs!  Icebergs!  The first picture I need to put is the one that will show you how big they are!  The last one is one that would have fallen over and the bottom is now the side.

We were supposed to do a landing and cruise at Godthul, but we could not do a landing so we did a cruise, which is always a good option B.  Beautiful scenery. Gentoo penguins on an iceberg.  Fur seals and elephant seals.  A huge male and tiny female and others.

  

3/10

This morning we woke to a very foggy morning at Ocean Harbour.  Our last day in South Georgia.  I did get photos of a Gentoo penguin swimming under the water close to the ship.  Quite a process getting the zodiacs on and off the ship.

We did have a zodiac tour of Ocean Harbour, which the crew has not been too very often.  It was one of the only places in South Georgia with decent weather this morning.  Beautiful kelp and rock formations.  Penguins, seals, and shags.  The hotel/bar staff delivered hot chocolate or mimosas today.  

This afternoon we were supposed to go ashore in Sorling Valley, but the conditions were not good.  The ship went through the brash ice, the growlers (didn't know icebergs had different names depending on size, growler, bergie bit, small berg, medium berg, large berg, very large berg) but it was so cloudy and rainy we did not see the glacier.  We did see some wildlife including a leopard seal lounging right outside my cabin and one swimming while we were having afternoon tea.  My first time to afternoon tea, but it will not be my last in the next 107 days!  We have 2 sea days now to the Falkland Islands.

3/11

1st of 2 sea days on the way to the Falkland Islands.  This morning we passed Shag Rocks, kind of in the middle of nowhere.  Many shags live there.

Attended 3 lectures today.  Alex gave an introduction to the Falklands.  

Peter gave a lecture on Krill and climate change.  How much less krill in warm water.  Sara talked about King penguins.  

George spoke about Technology and Biology.  Including this whale snot measuring drone.

This leg I have started playing trivia with a group of very smart people.  Unfortunately they all get off in Buenos Aires.  Spend some time on deck looking for wildlife.  Time on the treadmill.  Today they had a German buffet for lunch.  The days go by quickly.

3/12

Rockin' & Rollin' into the Falklands.  Lots of birds around the ship.  Black browed albatross, wandering albatross, great shearwater, white chinned petrel.  

3/13

I had no expectations for the Falklands, but wow!  Gorgeous!  I chose to do a coastal walk with some of our fabulous expedition team.  Alex, Alvaro, David, Sara, Marzena and Justin.

We had a zodiac ride into Stanley.

Our walk was the Gypsy Cove walk.  We saw a gentoo penguin colony with a couple of king penguins hanging around.  Also, magellanic penguins.  Some peale's dolphins.  We walked among the sand dunes.  Quite a difference seeing penguins here vs on ice.  Our fabulous guide Sara guided us around quicksand. The berries are diddle-dee berries that are edible.  Sara is holding very cool barnacle. The bird is a thrush.  There were upland geese and steamer ducks.  A cannon from WW2 that was not used. Then we had a fish and chips English lunch at Victory Bar.  A walk through town and a trip to the museum.

  

Back at the ship there was a lot of feeding activity.  Gulls mixed with magellanic penguins mixed with shags.  Seals and gulls with too big a catch.  

3/14

I have to say I am loving my life right now!  The sights I'm getting to see.  The people I'm getting to meet.  The staff is so welcoming and I feel so at home.  Today is our last day in the Falklands.  We had a true expedition landing on West Point Island today.  The seas were a little wild.  It was rainy and the wind was blowing.  From our dry landing we could either take a Land Rover to the other side (a little over a mile and a half each way) or walk.  I walked both ways.  On the way there the rain and wind were in my face.  On the way back there wasn't much of either and the way back did not have the elevation. We walked through mud down to see the rockhopper penguins and breeding black browed albatross. The albatross nest is made of peat, found on the island.   In the video at the very end you can see a penguin do 2 hops and the penguins catching the rain.  I'm going to try to get a better video from another guest.  There is one family on this island.  They open their doors to us for bakery after our trip to the other side.  True Falkland hospitality.  Our staff did the dishes.  Justin and Tommie were helping when I was there.

  

  

  

3/15

Yesterday when we got back in the morning we had this invitation for those of us staying on. So this morning started with a nice breakfast.  

Yesterday afternoon our landing was cancelled because it was too rough.  I fell asleep for a short nap and missed these dolphins, commerson's dolphins.  Thanks to Avril for these photos! 

I did get up on deck yesterday with 2 of our fabulous expedition team, George and Sara (who sadly are leaving in Buenos Aires) and they spotted these peale's dolphins.  Lots of black browed albatross and giant petrels.

Late in the afternoon today there was lots of wildlife sightings.  More peale's dolphins.  

Then we saw southern right whales.

Then we saw sei whales.  I have never heard of these whales. We have been incredibly lucky and have a great team.  Especially George and Alvaro will spend hours out looking (especially George).  Sadly they depart in Buenos Aires and hopefully we will get another good spotter.  

Tomorrow we arrive at Puerto Deseado, Argentina. I have a boat tour in the morning and walking tour in the afternoon.

3/16

This morning was a boat ride on a very large zodiac.  But, first the view from my balcony is a little different than the last few weeks.  

We saw a colony of magellanic penguins.

Commerson's dolphins played around the two boats.  Fast and difficult to photograph.

We saw oystercatchers

Red-legged cormorants - juvenile and adult

Great white egret 

Magellanic cormorant 

Black-crowned night heron

Snowy sheathbill and kelp gulls

Steamer ducks, greater yellow legs and yellow-billed pintail

Patagonian sea lions

This afternoon I had a walking tour of Puerto Deseado.  Our young guide is a descendent of one of the first families.  We walked past the house of her great grandmother, which is over 100 years old.

The rock formation has the legend that two lovers from different tribes were told if they got together again they would be turned to stone and this is them entwined. The natives of the area were the Mapuche.

After the sinking of the ship, the Swift in 1770, its survivors returned to the Falkland Islands. In 1803, Eramus Gower, the ship's lieutentant, wrote a letter to a friend telling him what happened.  That letter sat in archives in an Australian library for over 160 years.  A relative, Patrick Gower, found it and came to Patagonia from Australia in 1972 where he found out that no one knew about the wreck.  He met a professor who then told his class of students about the wreck in 1980.  A 16 year old student who was a diver became very interested and a committee was formed. On February 4, 1982 they found the vessel.  They are still bringing up pieces.  It fell on it's side slowly so many pieces are in great shape.

They have a beautiful railway station that opened in 1911 and closed in 1978.  It now houses museums.  There are other buildings built at the same time.  The church has a lighthouse in the tower.  The theatre is no longer in use.  Our guide said they only get one or two cruise ships per year.  

There was a race going on today.

Weeeelllll interesting development. We had a lovely day in Puerto Deseado, Argentina. We were pulling away as I left for the nightly briefing. Had been invited to dinner with the other solo Pole to Pole traveler with the Hotel Director. Got to dinner and we were still at the pier. He was getting calls like crazy. Then an announcement. We had tried to go out. The captain decided the winds were too high. When we came back in one of the bumpers was not aligned and two metal pieces poked two holes in the ship. We are safe. But after repairs are made it has to be inspected. The closest inspector can’t get here until tomorrow so tomorrow’s stop is cancelled for sure and they aren’t sure about the next day. It’s ok for those of us with so many stops but not good for those getting off the 22nd in Buenos Aires.

3/17

Happy St. Patrick's Day.  Quick update.  Still here.  Briefing soon.  Beautiful day.  More later.

So, Silversea makes the best out of a bad situation.  They arranged a walk this morning with our expedition team to where someone saw flamingos yesterday.  We saw many birds and waterfowl and lovely scenery.

This afternoon they arranged a boat trip across the water to where the rock of the legend of the girl and boy that were turned to stone.  I did see sheep in the distance.  George is an expert lizard catcher in addition to all his other knowledge! 

D

Tonight we had a wonderful Death by Chocolate buffet and St. Patrick's Day dance party.  Our hotel director Dejan that we had dinner with last night, our fabulous head chef Pia, and amazing pastry chef Constancio.  Claudia that I met the first night in Santiago dancing with Zaid.  She is getting off in Buenos Aires and she got me playing trivia again.  I will need a new team!

And as far as our repairs.  It being Sunday was a problem.  It being a small town in Argentina has been a problem.  Bureaucracy and paperwork has been a problem to even be allowed to start the repair.  They are supposed to be doing it now and I think I hear them. It is not far from my cabin, just lower.  Then we hopefully submit photos and can get started.  Camarones was cancelled for today.  Puerto Madryn is cancelled for tomorrow.  Hopefully we sail tomorrow and then have 3 sea days to Buenos Aires.  

3/18

It's about 6 pm and we are still in Puerto Deseado.  Last night another passenger took a couple of photos and shared them with me.

Today George ran wildlife bingo where we had two teams of 5 needing to find and document these items.  Some were any type, like the dog.

I tasked myself with finding the team members.  Can you tell Peter, who I found working out, didn't know about the game?!

On the first leg of the trip I did not play trivia.  I joined a team this time and have had a blast.  Sadly my whole team is getting off in Buenos Aires.  

L-R - me, Rosemary (UK), Ian (UK), Jenny (UK), Ian (Australia), Linda (UK), Claudia (Italy), Joyce (US)

Peter (who I surprised in the gym) gave a lecture on endangered species in Argentina.  He began by talking about all the other talks he gave related to his old job and how this talk may help getting a job in Puerto Deseado if we never leave.  BUT...great news we have left!  A little before 7 pm we pulled away and are on our way to Buenos Aires.  We were supposed to arrive the night of the 20th.  We will hopefully arrive the afternoon of the 21st.  We should be able to go to our evening event of dinner and a tango show.  People disembark on the 22nd but most do not fly that day, so our excursions we miss during the day on the 21st will take place on the 22nd.  Again, they really try to make the best of a bad situation.

3/19

A very quiet sea day and a fun evening.  This afternoon, Ben our assistant expedition leader made us delicious crepes.  Alvaro and George were excellent taste testers.  The captain had a cocktail party where I snapped a shot of our hotel manager Dejan and other assistant expedition leader, Peter.  I had dinner at the Grill by the pool with a new friend, Avril.  A vet from Australia, so you can guess what we talk about.  :) Then they had karaoke night and I had heard from an unidentified source that Neil, our expedition leader, needed to come.  He did and he was excellent.  Julie, who has been working so hard changing all of our tours, also sang.  Along with other crew members and passengers.  (tough lighting) A lot of fun!!!  Tomorrow another sea day.  We are flying along.  The captain said the ship can go 17 knots at the most and that's about what we've been maintaining.  

3/20

Another fun sea day!  Had a wildlife bingo scavenger hunt.  Only 3 teams with 2, 2 and 3.  We got 2nd.  Special trivia, we got 2nd.  Bingo and I won a Silversea teddy bear.  A lovely dinner invite from Peter with most of my trivia team.  Scotland Ian said he had a man tell him our team is Ian's Angels and I guess since we have 2 Ian's and all women, that fits.  I did see some birds flying today.  We are expected to arrive in Buenos Aires about 1 tomorrow.  Then dinner and a tango show off ship.

A shearwater and albatross

Ian's Angels, Ian, Joyce, Jenny, me, Linda, Claudia

Farewell dinner - Claudia, Ian, me, Ian, Linda, Peter, Jenny, Joyce

3/21

Crazy lightning last night. 

So at 4:30 went to the bathroom banging into walls. 

At 7:30 barely moving 

At 9:30 Captain gave the bad news that last night about midnight all ports were closed because of weather. Now ports are open. Waiting for a pilot but it will take 9 hours. Sooo no show tonight. 

 Feel people can be very disappointed but not angry. There are tons of cargo ships in a line. I feel like I’m at the Panamá Canal.

Sorry, the 9 hours was the ride to Buenos Aires after getting the pilot.  The pilot came on at noon, it's 9:30 and we are docking.  We should be able to have excursions in the morning. Then the people leaving go to their hotels.  Those of us staying come back to the ship.  The new passengers will be on before we get back.  They embark at noon.  

Quiet day.  Had a nice dinner this evening. Ate in the Italian restaurant, La Terraza tonight. Tomorrow I will start a new page.

Me, Maureen, Pawal, Avril, Rosemary