Hello all,
POS: 65*23,2 S 64*26.47 W
COG: 027, Underway using engine.
SOG: 1,4 knots
WND: NW 0 - 8 bft over the day.
ETA Feb 3, Cape Tuxen, Wellington Bay, 0730 LT
A new day.
What happened this Thursday.
The night we spend with zero wind at a lovely Anchorage.
No Swell and a dry sky.
At 0500 AM Dan heaved the Anchor and moved to Yalour Islands for a morning Landing after breakfast.
A slight drizzle and soothing breeze accompanied our Voyage cruise whilst exploring the Island.
At the same time I studied the map for our next destination. A route passing the Barros rocks to Starboard and onward to the Berthelot Islands for a Tender cruise along the many stranded Ice bergs.
After all Voyage crew returned from their explorations at Yalour Island we started our journey and soon we found the ice.
At first quite fluffy ice,
Then more slush puppy ice,
and finally we got the bigger Bergy bits.
The sound it makes is amazing.
It's like driving the Bark Europa through a full car park.
Dead slow you get closer to the bits and lean against them. Ones this is achieved you can start to rearrange the ice field a bit and keep control over the route. It is team work and impressive to see al this ice around you.
Ones we arrived and were free of the ice we started to look for a
suitable location for the tender cruise. We found it just south, in the lee of Darboux Island.
When all was done we had dinner and set a route west to North.
The wind picked up and we had to move in to a short steep Sea and 35+ winds.
Together we braced the yards around to the wind for smoother sailing.
Live can change so quickly at Antarctica.
Deckhand Clara went to the deck house and sang Shanties together with the Voyage crew while outside the wind was hauling.
Due to the beautiful singing the Barometer came up again and the wind died.
Now it is a peaceful night and every one is asleep while Deckhand Loek steers the ship gently, Our Guide Arnoud is baking Cookies and Toby and Clara are finishing the Laundry.
Another day to remember.
Sleep well and good morning
Groeten Fosse Fortuin
Captain Bark Europa
