Almost back on land!

The trip is now slowly coming to an end. We entered the Drake Passage late Wednesday evening and while there was a bit of a roll most of us got a sound night’s sleep. Thank goodness for the drugs!!! All above board of course!!!

Previous evening I met a charming couple from Oz at dinner who are so well travelled, they put me to shame! By the end of the night I was almost ( not quite) convinced that I had to go to the Galapagos! It had not previously appealed to me, but their encounters on a 16 man boat in that area, were intriguing, so watch this space!!

Thursday morning I heard a whisper of possibility of visiting the Bridge, so the intrepid Jean went off to seek an invite for herself and her pals. A small group of us were escorted very quietly to the Bridge mid afternoon where the charming Francisco from Calabria was in charge.

I found it fascinating to have it all explained about weather, navigation, look out, swells and so much more. All automated of course. My pal, the sailor, understood a lot more of it than I did. Visibility was extremely low when we were there, but we were told we were having a very calm Drakes Passage, like a 4 out of 10, when it can be up to a 9 out of 10!!

Bevan had given a lecture earlier in the day on Women in the Antarctic which I found riveting. It was 1935 before a woman first stood on the Antartic and she was a Whalers wife, Caroline Nicholson. Gradually some women appeared and in 1969 Lois Jones led an all women scientific team from the US. Currently 55% of the scientists in the area are women! So, we are getting there, girls, but slowly!!!

Interestingly, another lecture later in the day, told us about some of the superstitions of the sea, one of which were that women were a distraction, haha, but a naked woman calmed the sea, hence the figurehead of a woman on the prow of a ship in ancient days! Whistling is frowned upon, as it indicates bringing up a wind which is not wanted and egg shells are broken up very small in the galleys to ward off witches who can be blown in with the wind!!!I promise I hv not been drinking…yet!!

That evening, we were invited to dine with Tamara, one of the Executives, and it was interesting to hear of her life on board a ship. Early to bed however, as I wanted to see the sunrise on Cape Horn!

On deck at 6.30 to see a beautiful sunrise and pick out the lighthouse on tbe Horn, 3 miles away. There were dolphins frolicking beside the ship and as we approached Puerto Williams a little later, the Captain called our attention to a pod of Orcas nearby! Fantastic!

So, as we were coming to the end of this epic journey, the day was bright, full of hope and appreciation of having had the most wonderful experience of visiting the Seventh Continent.

We are now docked at Puerto Willams and will fly back to Santiago early morning If u wish to follow rest of journey, please keep reading! Tango school in B.A. awaits!!!

By the way, I have just received this message on my TV!! How will I ever return to reality!!!