Date of Entry: February 15th 2016

Date of Writing:  March 29th 2016,  Bla Hostel, El Calafate, Argentina.

The day begins with the best breakfast yet onboard as Tash and Enora make french toast, a food I’ve never properly appreciated until discovering the topping combination of cinnamon and sugar which makes this breakfast treat absolutely delicious.  As I over indulge in this delicious breakfast, Matt, Ulises Mariana and Josh get the kayaking gear all set up.  Today will be their first time out on the open water.  Before we can go anywhere though we have to re-anchor to allow some of the other yachts to leave, unhooking from Darrel’s old ship Ice bird and sailing out before coming back and re-anchoring right alongside the old whaling wreck, Darrel climbing up onto the rusted metal hull to connect securing lines.

That done both the kayakers and us are left getting ready to head out on our outings for the day, us in the zodiac to climb a mountain and maybe even do some Tobogganing, because as Darrell has repeatedly told us he is a level 4 toboggan instructor, though I’m still not sure exactly what that means.  Still he insists it’s the highest level, and while as a Canadian tobogganing is not really an exotic activity, doing it alone in antarctica does sound like fun. As we’re getting ready to leave all together at the back of the boat we’re visited by a Weddell seal who I had mistakenly included in yesterday’s entry.

As the kayakers take off out of the sheltered bay in a calm but hazy grey day with only small waves to deal with we climb into the zodiac to go explore this new island, located right alongside the Antarctic peninsula.

A light mix of snow and rain stats to kick up as we head out along the island’s coast watching for penguins, seals and anything else. Also stopping by an especially blue iceberg and getting a super close up view of the many different kinds of markings bergs can encounter,from wind and weather, collisions, flipping over and all manner of other shenanigans.

We then motor across the bay towards the ruined bits of some old wooden rowboats used during the whaling operations of many years ago.  Here we climb out of the zodiac and quickly explore the rocks where some fur seals watch us, seemingly just waiting for a confrontation.

they have mustered reinforcements by our next landing, as Darrell ties the zodiac up alongside the main island of Enterprise and we climb out, quickly leaping over some rocks crowded with aggressive fur seals and a few nervous looking gentoo penguins. We carry the toboggans with us as we go, as well as a shovel, heading straight up an imposing white hill which Darrell first climbed 15 years ago on his first visit to Antarctica.

As we climb we eventually take a break at a ridge in the hill and have some fun playing in the snow, something I’m realizing I’ve actually missed quite a bit.  Darrel also sets to digging a hole just a few feet up from our path revealing a glowing blue crevace in the ridge which we all could have just as easily walked into. It’s not that deep, but deep enough and narrow enough that falling in could have caused something of a problem.

Eventually we stop plying in the snow which varied from throwing snowballs to flipping into snow hills and continue on our way up the hill, the wind growing and the thick grey skies not relenting at all.  Everything is shades of grey and white, and it’s honestly quite impressive.  The view from the top is windswept and limited by the cloud cover but gives the whole island an ominous isolated feeling.  Soon enough were back to playing in the snow and I find myself wishing i knew how to do handstands.

From here we head back down towards the crevasse where we decide it’s time to bust out a single toboggan race down to where the hungry and aggressive sea lions await.  Darrel’s instructions are pretty limited, just that bashing into the other team is perfectly allowed.  James and I climb in to one taking on Enora and Darrel as Tash chooses to just observe.  What follows is may he and reminds me of how bad I am at tobogganing, though James and I both make it farther down the hill than Enora and Darrel the self proclaimed level 4 instructor.  Watch on mute is my advice.

Our triumphant victory complete and James having almost careened of a cliff into the ocean we head back to the zodiac and hurry back to the spirit of sydney where we enjoy a very late lunch of delicious pumpkin soup made by tash though as is often the way everyone chips in in the preparation.  Dinner is just a few hours later as the kayakers have come back but I give that a skip, not all that hungry and trying to commit to staying in shape by going out on deck and working out in the late evening.

A gentle snow starts to fall and a curious mix of a gentoo penguin and some nesting Antarctic turns come to watch this strange creature repeatedly doing sit ups and other core exercises out in the ever growing cold.  Still it feels good to get back to it and puts a good cap on the night for me.

We end up inviting some of the crew from a small dutch vessel on board but I am too tired and the flashing disco lights of our dining area are too much for my developing headache so I just head to bed while the others enjoy a late night of a small party.