Oh wont you stay, just a little bit longer

The news machine has been a tad quiet over the last few weeks, and for that we apologise ! but we have been so busy having fun and seeing Antarctica in only the best possible, that its been hard to find the correct words to discribe how 5 different nationalities have seen the frozen South.

So lets try a different way of reporting, and take from each on board their reactions to the south.

Peter from Bonheiden in Belgium: schitterend, subliem continent , een stilte en pracht om nooit te vergeten.

Lyn from Fremantle Western Australia: More than magnificent, an unbeliveable and unforgetable experience

Giorgina from Milan Italy : un viaggio estremo agli estremi del mondo, immenso, grandioso, senza pieta'.....sentendosi in tana, protetti e sicuri. indimenticabile

Eirik from Oslo Norway : Et utrolig kontinent som jeg bare har sett en liten prosent av. Likevel har jeg sett langt mer enn forventet. Et minne for livet som svaert faa foer oppleve. De som gjoer, er heldige.

Audrey from Paris France: La 1ere fois, le paysage vous bluffe, la 2eme fois vous commencez a ouvrir les yeux et a en apprecier les details, vivement la prochaine!

Marco from Milan Italy: magnifica ed indescrivibile se non venendoci...... sinetizzo con ludico acronimo:ANTARCTICA: Awesome Nature Tremendous Adventure Remains Certainly Truly Inside : Come Again!

John from Darwin Australia: From 1 of the best Arenas in Patagonia to the Pitt of the Islands there was no Deception in the forecast(le) weather, so I must pen(a gen)guin re-marc 'O'yes before my words 'peter' out. Truly magnificent trip, weather, crew, guests, yacht and scenery!

Francesca from Milan Italy: ti tramortisce con il suo candore, il suo silenzio, i suoi buffi abitanti... posso tornare l'anno prossimo?

Valeria from Milan Italy; La prima volta pensavo ci fossero solo i bianchi ed i neri ma....adesso l'ho vista anche in technicolor!! No words!

Stephen from Beauty Point Tasmania: A top trip, one of the best.

As you can see 5 nationalities can live in harmony, especially in one of the most harmonious and beauitfully untouched parts left here in the world.

More expedition news to come as we re-cross the Drakes Passage.

Stephen

Drake Lake, takes the cake

When Audrey went to bake a cake this afternoon, there wasn't any need to jack up the side of the oven tray 20 degrees on the side like we normally do when we are sailing. Why? Because the ocean all around is like a mill pond. Being my 10th expedition to Antarctica I have had calms in the infamous Drake's Passage, I have had light winds, but I have never had it like an oily smooth ocean.

During today we have finally started to see Ice bergs of a fair size sparsely sprinkled along our route, easy to spot by radar, but no need for that as the days are long and it never really gets dark, our latitude being 62 degrees south means that we are constantly getting closer to the Antarctic circle where the sun never goes down. We all have marveled at the reflections of the sea birds that fly by, with the sea so smooth there is a mirror image that one can clearly see on the water. Just minutes ago we had two seals floating on the water surface like they were beach bunnies at some Mediterranean club resort, oh how tough life can be. But for those of us who have been on board Xplore since the start of the season, this has to be the most relaxing holiday we have had for months. Mr. Perkins potters away giving us a steady 6 knots through the water, with our ETA at our first landing location at Deception Island which is one of two active volcanoes in Antarctica at around 7am tomorrow morning. Many on board are looking forward to a nice warm volcanic sulphur bath on the shores of Whalers Bay inside the mouth of this incredible location, reported to soon erupt again, we hope it's not during our visit.

More adventure news to come Stephen