Wednesday, January 26, 2012

Brown Bluff, Antarctica 5:30am 31* and glorious sunshine

<This entry was written four days after the fact.>

This is it, this is the day most of us have been waiting for since we booked this cruise.  Stepping foot on the Antarctic continent…..  Some people came just want to check it off a list.  That is not why I came.  I am here to experience Antarctica, not just say, “Been here, done that.”

A glorious sunrise on Antarctica

At 3:30am, my inner alarm clock woke me up.  Robin, our Expedition Leader, told us the night before that 3:50am was sunrise and if our luck continued a magnificent sight to see.  I threw on my clothes and my parka, grabbed my camera and climbed the stairs to deck 6.  There were maybe 50-60 passengers all clammered on the front deck to experience the wonderful colors of an orange sunrise on the pristine white snow-covered mountains, glaciers and blue waters.  It was definitely worth it.  Hard to describe colors painted the sky, hillsides and glistening Antarctic Sound. After enjoying my wondrous first views this morning had to offer, I went back down to my suite, returned to my jammies and rested a few more hours until our 5:00am wakeup call from Robin.

We were in the second group, so when we got our 7:00 call, all of group #2 were anxiously packed at Reception for our zodiac ride.  With great anticipation each of us took our first steps on Antarctica.  We were first greeted by the Adeiles all around us.  These cute little penguins have a quite different personality than any others.  Hundreds of them were all lined up at the water’s edge, waiting, waiting for the high pitched call from one and then the first adventurous one would jump in.  Then 50 or 60 would follow.  

<Sorry,  this is my last blog entry to complete.  It will be short and not as descriptive as the other posts.>

  

Adelies, Adelies all around

The adelie penguins were the stars of the day.  With their white eyeliner and long, long lines of them at the shoreline waiting for the waves, you would hear a yell, the leader would hit the waves then 50 or so others would follow.  A few penguins would jump back up on shore as they wave just wasn’t right for them and they would wait for the next wave and the yell would begin and the penguins would jump in again.  Such an amazing humorous site to see!! Also fun to see was the huge number of adelies porpoising through the water.  Just so fun to see.

 My friend, And, really had fun here on Brown Bluff.  She plopped down on the beach and a gentoo chick, that cute fluffy bundle of fur, came up and took a nap between her legs.  Seeing that baby enjoy its rest like Andi’s child was just something to see.  The chick woke up and just explored Andi’s pants zipper, seams and the front of her pants.  The chicks of all penguin species were inquisitive.  They just loved picking and poking at anything new and different…. Just like any child!!

When we got back on board the ship, I started asking friends, girls only, if they wanted to participate in a celebration of landing on Antarctica… my 7^th continent.  So, at 11am, we were going to meet on the pool deck in our bathing suits, get into the hot tub and enjoy a glass of champagne to celebrate this glorious accomplishment.  More on this later…..

After leaving Brown Bluff we had the tabular iceberg field in the Antarctic Sound to enjoy.  With glorious sunshine, most of us, cameras in hand, headed on deck.  I went to deck 4 and was on the lowest level to enjoy this special treat.  Our expert captain maneuvered the ship through a number of icebergs with flat table tops just floating in the sound.  We got very close and just enjoyed the beauty of the morning and remembrances of stepping foot on the continent.

Linda, Beth and Andrea

Now for “Hot Chicks in Cool Places”……  At the appointed hour, I was dressed in my bathing suit and bathrobe from the suite, I made my way for the pool deck.  There was a good crowd of clothed people enjoying the sun and scenery around us and kind of laughed at me for being there in my attire.  After about what seemed like 15 minutes, Linda showed up and we took the plunge.  OOOHHHHH was it darn cold.  We threw off our robes and ran to the hot tub.  Andrea showed up and Ray, the bartender brought us our flutes of Heidsieck Champagne. We toasted us, our accomplishment and the fun of being crazy people.  After our toast, my Colombian friend, Manuela joined us and we had another glass of champagne.  What fun to do something a little crazy to remember a momentous day!