My original cruise was cancelled in September as the ship had run aground in the Arctic and repairs couldn't be made in time to the satisfaction of the tour company.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2010/08/30/arctic-ship-stranded-home.html
The tour company offered me 2 alternate dates and a free upgrade. My new ship is the very solid, very Russian looking Akademik Sergy Vavilov. It has a higher ice class rating and hopefully a better captain: http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/our-ships/akademik-sergey-vavilov
The Islas Malvinas (Falklands) will be the first stop followed by the South Georgia Islands where Shackleton is burried and then over to the Antarctica penninsula. We will have 2-3 outings and/or landings in Zodiac boats per day when near land and lectures on history & wildlife when at sea. 10 "land days" and 7 "at sea" days all in all.
The mountains here are short and crowded and on the pointy side. They are very lush at the base but at a very specific height across the whole range, as if some force struck a level line, the trees stop abruptly leaving the tops bald. It is very striking given the many varied lighting conditions from low lying clouds.
Had a look around the town this afternoon and visited a couple of very nice little museums. One item of note in the museum-at-the-end-of-the-world amoungst the stuffed penguins and sundry weapons was a pair of tongs with plates to press out communiun hosts. I imagine the process was not unlike roasting marshmallows over a fire.
Met a few of the folks on the trip this eveing. My room mate for tonight - very nice lady from Vancouver - was actually at my guest house in BA one of the nights that I was there. Small world. Apparently there is a large group from China on the trip but I've yet to see them.
Cheersies
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