Antarctica: Those days at sea that drag on and on...

If you've been following my blog posts from my adventure in Antarctica (thank you!) you will have noticed that I'm not posting a chronological log of events, nor am I listing off the places we've been or the animal and bird counts. And you will have noticed that my posts have been sporadic, sometimes photos appear at a later time, if at all. This is because the data connectivity on the ship is rather expensive and limited, and it's spotty, and we don't always have a whole lot of time for things like quiet contemplation and blogging. What follows, then, are stories and photos that I wanted to post during the trip, but have ended up in the post-adventure pile where I have more space and time to write. I hope you will continue to enjoy these stories and photos, and I welcome your questions and comments.

What do we do when we're at sea all day? This trip consisted of 5 total days on the Drake Passage (2 and a half days in each direction between Ushuaia and the Antarctic Peninsula), as well as time at sea when we weren't able to get out for a landing or Zodiac due to weather conditions. We were fortunate enough to have a lot of off-ship excursions, but the time at sea can be quite the drag.

Jean Pennycook, Expedition Team ornithologist. Jean was definitely one of the highlights of this trip. 

What do we do when we're at sea all day? I can personally attest to being a little frustrated when I couldn't get off the ship. I mean, what am I supposed to do with myself, besides:

Look for whales and birds and other wildlife, update my journal, review my photographs, talk to other passengers, attend any and every educational presentation available, hobnob with the Expedition Team researchers and scientists and ask a lot of questions, nap, read, visit the Polar Boutique, drink a lot of coffee, tea, and cocoa, venture out on deck, as long as the weather doesn't prohibit, watch the sea with binoculars, write out postcards, go to the spa, sauna, hot tub, or gym*, peruse books and games in the Observation Deck's library, clown around, challenge our balance when the sea gets rough.

Let's hope we get off this ship soon before I lose my mind...

*The gym was a non-starter. The only time available to actually use the gym was when we were at sea, and I couldn't imagine trying to run on a treadmill or ride a bike when the ship was rolling and rocking through the Drake Passage. The very thought of it makes me nauseated.