Day-9 (26 November 2018) - Wilhelmina Bay

Sunrise: 03:09 | Sunset: 22:45

Note: the actual writing of this journal happens onboard Hurtigruten’s MS Midnatsol ship the same day, but published later

Today’s Routine

Today is the last outing day (in the icebergs), although there’s only cruising (no landing). But, i tried to savour everything that i can since God knows when i will be travelling to Antarctica again, if that’s even possible.

I woke up late in the morning, knowing that the cruising will start at 10:00 am. After breakfast, i got out in the deck-6, took some scenery pictures before went back to my room and putting all the usual outfit for landing/cruising.

I have been always the first person to sit and wait nicely in the reception deck-4 (before each is group is called for landing in deck-3), and today is no different.

The Iceberg Cruising

Today’s cruising was so much fun. Our group was the first to get out and enjoy the nice weather outside. The boat took us to the old shipwreck, that used to be a whaling ship. And then we made some turns and did an iceberg watching. It’s never tiring to watch icebergs. They are all come in a different shapes and colour, and each has its own beauty.

Sometime we also encountered swimming penguins. The weather was just perfect. When we came back though, we had to wait several minutes since there also groups of kayakers around the tender pit and since the weather was so good, all the tender boat were out there. So, there was a bit of bottlenecking when making a comeback to the pit. But nothing can beat that day’s cruising.

About to hop on the tender boat that takes us cruising around the icebergs

Leaving the mother ship ( a view from the tender boat)

I was there watching the ice, i am now looking at the picture that i took. But, my heart still full with disbelieve and awe.

Sometime it’s hard to believe there was once real civic activities in Antarctica. The land of winds and ice

up-close shot of the sunken ship. It was quite eery passing the ship, really…

other tender boat ahead of us. here you can see the comparison between human/tender boat size VS iceberg size

The geology line/thread is visible where the ice is absent

icebergs we encountered as we manoeuvred back to the drake passage

PM Session

At 5 pm, there was a session called “Shackleton – a life in poetry” by Jim, one of the expedition cruise member. Jim wrote a book about Shackleton, and in the presentation he revealed that Shackleton wrote a poetry as well in his personal journal.

That night, the ship make a stop to a camping location. So, those who had signed up for camping were left on the camping site and would be picked up in the morning. We can only watch the campers made the landing. Me myself can only wonder what’s like to camp in the ice. The thought intrigued me and scared me at the same time.

There was no 6pm briefing for the next day, because basically we would just heading back north to Ushuaia and passing the drake passage. The night just passed plainly, and reality started sinking in: this wonderful journey is about to end, and i just shrugged the thoughts away, not willing to admit this new reality.