Pages

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Antarctica, Touring Outside The Ioffe

 

I awake my first full day at sea and I am surprised how nice the weather conditions are. Foolishly sensing I am still in the tropics, I put on my flip flops and go for a stroll around the Ioffe. Making my way to the back of the ship I find my balance against six to eight foot waves as the Akademik Ioffe seem to maneuver them with ease.

At the rear of the ship one of the zodiacs we will probably be using later for our landings sits secure in place. Here, I can feel the ship pitching and rolling as we cross the Drake Passage.

Climbing one set of steps after another I get to explore the different deck levels of the ship. Some areas are open spaces while others are used as storage for kayaks and more zodiacs. On the upper decks a brisk wind is blowing and my glove-less hands are beginning to feel a bit numb. So much for the idea of the tropics.

Nonetheless, the weather is refreshing and the seas are relatively calm for what I expected crossing the Drake. I imagine the average temperatures will continue to fall as we head further south.

After living most of my life in the tropics, I am looking forward to experiencing some non tropical weather and saving my flip flops for Margaritaville.

 

 

 

 

No comments: