40 Below: An Antarctic Birthday Quest #4 (Port Stanley)

Wednesday March 1, 2023

Port Stanley to the Southern Ocean

We again had an early breakfast and immediately prepared for our next shore landing in Port Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands and a (relatively) populous city. There is a great animated history of the Falkland Islands that is hilarious and very short (7 min) that you can find here. The island has a decidedly British feel to it, with street signs and license plates looking just like they would in the UK. Our first stop of the day was to be bussed out to Gypsy Cove on the northern end of the bay where Magellanic Penguins nest. While there, I discovered a coastal path that led all the way back along the bay to the town. Prune and I decided to walk the 7 miles back to town together. He’s a lovely older British guy who lives in the Bay area and is married to an American who doesn’t like boats so stayed home. He’s traveled all over the world rock-climbing, and happens to know this voyage’s photographer from high school. We had a very nice conversation for the 2.5 hours it took to walk back and then shared a plate of delicious fried squid and fish and chips.

Gypsy Cove

Lady Elizabeth shipwreck

There’s a distillery on the Falkland Islands that happens to make very good small batch gin. I bought everything I thought I could reasonably carry home with me. I mailed a few postcards and then it was back on the zodiacs for a very windy ride home. The gusts were up to about 50 knots by that point, so it was sporty and splashy on the way back.

That evening a few of us did decide to enjoy an after-dinner drink in the lounge and listen to Randy and he did not disappoint. The Cool Kids table (led by California Oranges 1 & 2, wealthy brothers who basically are running this boat, and their wives, Breadfruit and Sugar Plum respectively) was in fine form, singing every song very loudly and boisterously, much to Randy’s delight. You can tell Randy really thrives off crowd energy. He knows to play the hits. It was still an early night despite the fun and we retired having hit the open ocean again to travel east to South Georgia Island.

Magellanic penguins

Thursday March 2, 2023

At Sea Eastbound with a Following Wind

I woke up very early and finally had a chance to try the ship’s fitness center. I am very experienced on an elliptical but the 8-10 foot swells coupled by the movement of the elliptical made it a disorienting workout! They have floor to ceiling windows in there looking out over the ocean, and there was the early morning light, plus a rainbow and a rare albatross sighting, all while I ran in place. Stellar!

The rest of the day was non-stop lectures. I learned about the flora and fauna I could expect to see on South Georgia Island, an introduction to the types of experiments I can do while we’re exploring on land and at sea, and where the information we collect will go and why it is helpful. Then I attended a lecture on sea birds which was shockingly very entertaining and I learned a whole lot. Our lecturer, Lingonberry, was truly excellent. He also started off the lecture with a hilarious story about one of his worst days ever at sea. A+, will attend all his lectures.

Stanley Harbour

Then, lunch and another lecture about seals and whales of the South Georgia seas, and then another one about the history of South Georgia. By the end of the day I felt like I had been through a full day of college studies and that I couldn’t fit any more information in my head if I tried. Dinner was with Gooseberry and her Irish husband, Rutabaga, and the enigmatic Pomegranate completed our foursome. We had a great conversation about collecting art, living in Spain, bad courtship methods that still worked out, and PPE. Gooseberry is my absolute favorite and her husband is just as fun as she is. Pomegranate is also traveling alone and Gooseberry is convinced he is a Russian spy. I love her.

After watching part of Kenneth Branagh's Shackleton story, I went to sleep to the dulcet tones of Cosmic Crunch’s snoring.

Friday March 3, 2023

At Sea Eastbound with a Following Wind

Staring down the barrel of another day at sea. It is nice that this very long vacation is situated at the beginning of what I imagine will be an intense work situation for me. I am confident it will be good and growing, but also somewhat consuming. This adventurous pause before really digging into it on the other side is a gift.

Not much to report from today other than more lectures, another strange gym session on 12-foot seas, pangs of regret for not having downloaded lots more music, and a chocolate lava cake that was missing the lava. Also, Gooseberry and I sat in the lounge today and had gin and tonics with my newly purchased Falkland Islands gin. Highlight.  How can I make her my best friend? 

Tomorrow, we arrive in South Georgia Island at first light. Can’t wait! Should see a lot of albatross and penguins. We have four days on the island and hopefully two of those will be calm enough to get out in a kayak.

Albatross
(ask me what I know about their wing architecture!)