The first day of our adventure is a quiet affair, just what the doctor ordered to help us become acquainted with our new home and most importantly to adjust to the motion of the open seas. Today the gentle winds and patchy skies mean that we are all able to enjoy the gentle conditions.
A good number of folks are up on the bridge early and are rewarded with a very good number of seabirds, including the enormous wandering and royal albatrosses, who mesmerize us with their mastery of the available air currents. It is also a humbling thought to think that the royals have come all the way from the vicinity of New Zealand, their place of birth. It is of course just one of the reminders that these pelagic birds have made these oceans their home, and if they could devise a way to breed at sea they would never need to return to land again. They mostly are very long-lived birds and therefore the distances they would cover over their lifespan is truly incredible.
Immediately after breakfast there is the chance to meet the staff and this is followed by a series of presentations. The subjects covered are: an introduction to the seabirds, the recent tragic Falkland Island conflict, and an introduction to expedition photography.
There was also a stowaway for much of the day: a juvenile imperial shag. It frequently would fly around the ship before alighting on one of the lifeboats as a resting platform. The audacity of the bird was to be admired.
By the late afternoon we are in sight of the western islands that are part of the Falkland Archipelago; with their typical steep rising cliffs, which are home to huge numbers of seabirds, including several species of penguins.
During cocktail hour we also have the chance to take part in our first briefing and Recap for the day. This is an opportunity to hear about the plans for the next day as well as a time to go over the highlights of the day.
Of course mealtimes were another important aspect to the daily routine. There is little likelihood that we will run out of sustenance. After dinner we could head for the lounge to watch the first of three installments of the documentary Chasing Shackleton, which is about the reenactment of the famous boat journey and subsequent crossing of South Georgia by Sir Ernest Shackleton and five other members of the Endurance crew. During this journey there will be many chances to learn more about “The Boss” and the incredible story of how he and 27 other men survived the loss of their ship and ultimately made it back home again.
As we turn in at the end of the day to get some rest our minds are already cast towards what our adventures will be on our first day in the Falkland Islands. That will form part of the next chapter of this journey.
