Shared Experiences

Each day in the Antarctic brings new splendor and beauty. Whether it’s the penguins, whales, seabirds, icebergs or lighting effects from the 20 hours of daylight, people on the ship are united in the wonders of nature. Humanity united in positive shared experiences...now that’s a bonus!

Culerville Island

Feeling so accomplished after our kayak excursion on Sunday, we spent the rest of the afternoon being lazy with our books in the serenity area. It's a relaxing area for spa participants and those who just want to pay for an extra special, quiet spot with nice music and other therapeutic amenities.

Dinner was super fun with a crazy couple from St. Petersburg FL. Suzanne and Brian had us LOL all night.

Monday morning was mild and calm in Culerville Island where we geared up and enjoyed a landing site where we could walk around and observe the silly antics of the gentoo penguins. Whales were plentiful and we're all on the lookout for a scenic avalanche.

A Land Dedicated to Peace and Science

We sailed around the Antarctic Peninsula early this morning. The land was mostly covered in a blanket of snow. Icebergs of all sizes, shapes and shades of blue floated in the frigid water. Adélie penguins and seals dotted the shore. The magical and mysterious 7th continent is upon us and we couldn't be more excited!

After a hearty breakfast, we suited up and boarded the zodiac for our first kayak trip of this voyage. It was a thrill to step on the continent of Antarctica land and share a congratulatory kiss with Bill. The kayaking was surreal with little torpedo penguins jumping all around us and seals hanging out being lazy. It was such a peaceful and thoughtful ride in a pristine slice of nature. Here we are, the only place on earth dedicated to 'peace and science.'

Seabourn Quest’s Blog

Here is the link to the ship's Expedition Team's blog during our trip:

 https://my.yb.tl/Seabournexpeditions 

The blog is super informative and goes into greater detail of our amazing journey to Antarctica. The pictures are pretty cool, too. Enjoy!

The Southern Ocean

Folks aboard the Quest Friday morning were groggy after a rough night at sea. The captain had advised us of a potentially rough passage through the Scotia Sea, which is known for stormy and generally harsh conditions. He also warned the women not to wear high heels with their evening attire. A charming sense of humor.

Seabourn features plenty of activities for the cruising days at sea. I found the photography seminar and talk about killer whales very informative. There was a cooking demonstration that was just so-so. It was a good day to do some laundry, too, although everyone seemed to have the same idea.

The days are getting very long in the Southern Ocean; sunrise 2:52am, sunset 10:23pm. Luckily, we are equipped with room darkening window treatments.

Reflection Week into Antarctica

Boxing Day is officially in the past with a bittersweet sigh. Anticipation for a new year, new decade slowly presents itself with thoughtful contemplation. This is a good week for reflection.

Thursday was a bright, blue, 52° day around South Georgia Island. Our first sighting of icebergs was pretty thrilling. Too rough for a shore landing, we waited our turn for a zodiac tour along the shore of Cooper Bay by keeping busy on the boat. By busy, I mean relaxing in the Quest's sauna and serenity suite with reading material, lunching on the deck under blankets and heat lamps and taking in a presentation on the surrounding geology.

In addition to the king penguins, we were treated to a few other varieties: the chinstrap, macaroni and gentoo penguins were hanging out among the seals and birds on the southern end of the island. Fabulous viewing and a fabulous backdrop for considering new year's resolutions as we leave South Georgia Island for the Antarctic peninsula.

First Holiday Away

We were able to reach three out of four kids on the tele Christmas Day. Did my baby sound a little lonely or was it just my guilt for leaving Will alone for the first time over Christmas? He insisted he was happy and healthy while planning a ham dinner feast for one. It's a busy time for Will at work and I do believe he is content to rest with no obligations for a couple of days.

The ship made the holiday feel very festive with special offerings of food, drinks and decor. As we enjoyed brunch, we were advised that our kayaking excursion off of South Georgia Island was cancelled due to rough sea and strong winds. Luckily, we were still able to go to ashore by zodiac. It was another surreal walk along the coast among an abundance of wildlife. The seals, king penguins and birds of many varieties and ages kept us mesmerized and entertained.

We made it back to the ship with just enough time to shower and dress for our highly anticipated dinner at Thomas Keller's restaurant on board, The Grill. Everything was top notch and really delicious, especially the Snake River Wagyu beef Wellington. It certainly was a Christmas to remember.

Merry Christmas from South Georgia Island

It's Christmas morning in South Georgia! How lucky are we? Extremely lucky! I thank my sweet Lord every morning, noon and night for all the amazing gifts I enjoy in life. Health, family, friends, experiences and plenty of joy are blessings that I hold dear. And what an experience Bill and I are having in the Southern Hemisphere. Pristine landscapes and wild life frolicking on land and sea give new meaning to the word awesome.

Yesterday, Christmas Eve, was our first shore landing in days. It was a thrill to behold the majesty of mountains in the middle of the sea. I was moved to tears. The calls of seals and penguins made for an eerie and unfamiliar melody as we walked along the coast of Grytviken. There is a 15-foot-rule that visitors must keep in order to maintain a respectful distance from the animals in this area. Tell that to the animals! Haha. Curious beasts, birds and penguins came up close and personal as we took in the wonder of these creatures. It was magical.

While today is still young, I can chalk-off whales blowing and fluking from my list of must-see happenings. As Santa was milling about the ship, we didn't even need our binoculars to see an abundance of animals enjoying the cold water below.

May your Christmas Day be filled with love and wonder!

Another Day ay Sea

There's plenty to do on board the beautiful Quest. Aside from food and drinks on demand, quiet little coves are abundant on the ship. Monday found us in a comfy chair with our Kindles in hand most of the day. I binge read the last half of my book. There are also opportunities to be social and visit over tea or a glass of wine with all sorts of interesting travelers from around the world. We did just that in the Observation Bar after a lecture on Shackleton, an expedition briefing and before dinner. We like our days at sea.

The Satellite Internet on the ship is pretty lame. Service is spotty and uploads like pictures and videos just won't go. Even Instagram has me curtailing creativity for basic posts.

Sunday at Sea

More people surfaced from the depths of seasickness as Sunday progressed into calmer seas and sunshine. As we near South Georgia Island, mandatory briefings and informative discussions are filling the day. It's all about being a responsible visitor to the largest wilderness areas on the planet. The diligence to protect these environments is impressive. Bio security checks will be conducted on everyone and everything that will touch the ground in the region. This is an attempt to reduce the introduction of alien plants, soil, seeds etc. to these vast areas of land dedicated to peace and science.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. The ship's decorations are filling in and people are donning colorful and festive attire.

Day Two at Sea

Since our harrowing tender episode, the weather has been brewing up plenty of seasickness on board. Luckily, the the rocking and rolling only deprived us of sleep. We were able to enjoy a full day on the ship, including a luxurious treat at the spa, without yet having to resort to our prescribed patches. The sea is calming down on our second day at sea.

There are 416 people onboard, representing 46 nations. It's a friendly group with adventurous and thrill-seeking personality traits being common threads. The expedition crew consists of 18 professionals specializing in studies ranging from marine biology to geology to oceanography to videography. All convey majestic wonder and respect for the astounding wilderness we are going to encounter in South Georgia Island and Antarctica. Saturday's lectures included discussions on the plethora of birds in the region and the many different mammals we will see.

Christmas Eve will bring our first landing in South Georgia Island. We are beyond excited and grateful to experience this opportunity in nature.

Punta del Este Uruguay

The tenders were ready for morning boarding at promptly 8:30. We booked a shore excursion touring the upscale resort town of Punta del Este. Two museum stops were on the agenda: the Ralli Museum and the CasaPueblo, followed by a barbecue lunch at Lapataia Farm. The traditional Uruguayan meal featured a variety of grilled meat, the best empanada ever and, for dessert, a dulce de leche crepe. A real treat! 

Stormy weather was brewing up quickly, so the last stop on the tour was cut in order to expedite our return to the ship. It was a tad too late. About 20 of us were stuck on the tender due to rough seas and the inability of the crew to make a smooth and safe landing tethered to the Quest. It was scary, but after a nail-biting 30 minutes bouncing around, all were “carried” off the tender. A very exciting end to a civilized tour in Uruguay.

All Aboard!

We had a pleasant ride through the Everglades enroute to Miami International Airport for our 11pm to Buenos Aires. The car park was a little shady. Hope it's there when we get back. Hah. Luckily we were both able to sleep most of the flight and we landed to chaos at EXE. Ugh. An hour wait in line for immigration. Once on the Seabourn Quest, we were warmly greeted and welcomed to our suite with expedition gear and champagne chilling. We explored the boat and had a lovely dinner before turning into a comfortable bed.