** ANTARCTICA - 2002 **
** Chapter EIGHT **
** Drake's Passage and a 'surprising'CAPE HORN **
This is the 8 April 2005 edition
of this page.
13 December 2002
I 'popped-in' for a quick breakfast and then returned to my cabin for a whole 'sleep' (well, a lay-down!) as we cross the
STORMY SWELL of DRAKE'S PASSAGE en route to CAPE HORN.
I did pop up, again later, for soup & water for my midday meal - but that, unfortunately, 'came up' in the
corridor's toilet on my way back to the cabin!!
I was so ILL, that I couldn't go to SUNNIVA's presentation on her historic "women's antarctic expedition". It
pains me much to MISS this!! (But I'll get the 'repeat' later in our voyage!)
I spent the whole of this CHOPPY DAY on DRAKES PASSAGE in my room, trying to prevent
sickness and pain (using the doctor's pills). It was the AFTERMATH of a STORM that had passed this
way a few days earlier. It had left a HEAVY SWELL - and it certainly rocked our very large boat
(OK then, our ship!)
I was going to 'reception' to fill in a form for CHILE - and it was really the start of when things were
to 'go bad' for my evening! I arranged, over the cabin's phone, to have more tablets from the doctor -
and a reassessment of the doctor's view on the possibility of broken bones!
I returned to my bed for some cat-napping for this STORMY NIGHT, with my back-pains and miscellaneous
problems. It turned out to be a sleepless night!
14 December 2002
There were relatively calm seas outside my windows (very, port-holes!) between 5.30am and 6am.
Soon, there were green slopes and hills (Cape Horn, where the ship will attempt a 'landing' in the small
bay there!) The way that my BACK was giving me some trouble, I was not confident about the rock-climb
to witness the views!
At 6.30am, we were at the Southern-most point of South America. We are crossing it from the PACIFIC
to the ATLANTIC. About this point, I got my writings (for the last day and a half) up to date. Then a message
came through the ship's PA that it would now head from the ATLANTIC to the PACIFIC, passing Cape
Horn a second time - wallowing in the fantastic calmness yet again!! None of these travellers had seen 'The Cape'
in such tranquil conditions - it was just UNBELIEVABLE!! Here, the open sea could be mistaken for the tranquility
of a Mediterranean cruise!!
I had some milkless coffee in the 24hr free cafeteria with Freda & Martin before breakfast at 7.30hrs together. (Ron
had also come in to join us - so ALL TOGETHER AGAIN!). I had a big breakfast (my first meal for 48 hours!) - but
announced my decision NOT to go ashore at CAPE HORN "because of my back!" I saw Sunniva in the breakfast room
as she asked "Where have you been?"
I told her about my missing her talk yesterday (extreme sea-sickness) and my hope for a REPEAT (of the 'talk', not the
sickness!). She said it'll be at 4pm (for the English & Spanish guests) and will be longer!! Happily, Cape Horn is so CALM -
that we did several 'roundings' in each direction!!
Our mutual friend, Ron, even exclaimed "This is more like a Mediterranean Cruise" - a sentiment that I couldn't agree more
with!! It has all the sun and the greenery to make the analogy complete! It could even be Italy!! We are so lucky here! We
agreed, though, that "Drake's Passage was HELL!!" There was total agreement in that!
Later, on Deck5, I took photos of Cape Horn from our 'boat' (one of which is above) - and was too late for the "landing briefing"
which finished 10 minutes BEFORE 9a.m.. This personal photography continued until 9.25hrs and included the ZODIACS, the
CHILEAN PILOT boats etc.. Then I returned to take the inner view of my cabin before 'winding back' on Reel 272. I loaded the
24 shot reel as number 273 and tested it. It would then be ready for photos of SUNNIVA SORBY in the afternoon!
Her talk was to be at 16.00 hrs in a Kystsal Room, there being two adjacent ones on Deck4.
I then rested and lounged on the inner seats of Deck4 before going out into the 'Mediterranean sunshine' on Deck5! There was
fresh air from Cape Horn at 10.20hrs. I followed this with a rest in my cabin on Deck3 until 11.00hrs.
(The travelogue will continue in the next chapter.)
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