With thanks to Silversea for this hosted cruise
The Captain warned yesterday of a gale
overnight, and no-one was quite sure if it was a joke or not, because that’s
how he rolls – but in fact so did the waves during what was almost the
dark (further south, the sun has been setting around 11pm and rising again
before 3am, and the bit in between has never even approached what you might
call dark).
This morning though it was calm again, and
there ahead of us, too rapidly getting larger, was land: Tierra del Fuego, and
the end of our voyage. Everyone is sad about it. It really has been so special,
and though some people (mainly the ones who got soaked in the downpour in
Stanley while I was in the museum knowing nothing about it) would have liked a
bit more sunshine, general opinion has it that we did well, seeing Antarctica
in all of its moods. Well, most, anyway. I can cope without experiencing a
blizzard.
When we got back to our cabins
suites after breakfast, there were our suitcases laid out on the bed – a pretty
brutal sort of hint. We had already received disembarkation instructions last
night. There was a little note from our butler Ivy offering to do the packing.
That’s an interesting concept and almost tempting, but I’m passing it by. Too
many decisions that only I can make, really. And thank goodness for my
expansion zips, which were the reason I bought this particular suitcase ages
ago, and which it’s been ever since a mark of honour not to use. Silversea
gives you a puffa jacket as well as an outer parka, both of them very well
made, but they’re something else to make room for. Along with the two blouses I
didn’t wear, tch.
We took a break to listen to Anthony Smith’s talk
about the art of bronze casting – something apparently random but which he
managed to link to everywhere we’ve been – Ushuaia, the Falklands, South Georgia
and even Antarctica have had bronze busts or statues that we’ve seen. The one
in South Georgia was actually by Anthony himself: a bust in the museum, of
Ernest Shackleton (of course). It was actually fascinating, to be shown the
many stages in the process of creating a bronze, and Anthony is clearly
multi-talented.
We’ve been impressed by the depth of
knowledge of all of the lecturers, and have particularly enjoyed the talks by
Anthony, Luke and Cory, who know their stuff inside out and communicate it
intelligently and accessibly. And then it was Denis’s turn, to play the
full-length version of the video he’s been compiling and without a doubt going
cross-eyed and without sleep during the last couple of days to complete. Of
course he has the big lenses, multiple camera bodies, and even a drone – but
the talent and expertise help, too. It’s fabulous, and a wonderful reminder of
the places we’ve been, the things we’ve done, what we’ve seen.
And so that was pretty much it: there was the Captain's jolly auction of that lovely map (it's gone to Chicago, for US$1300); then some drinks
in the Panorama Lounge before dinner, with chairs at a premium as groups of new
friends made the most of the last chance to be together; followed by dinner
ditto; and then the ritual putting out of the packed and labelled suitcases
before bed, and setting the alarm for the last breakfast, and the eviction at
9am as the crew work like crazy to make things ready for the lucky new
consignment of passengers guests, who have all those good things ahead
of them while we trudge through the tedious bits of flying back home again, our
adventure over.
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