Picto Diary - 18, 19, 20 January 2023 - The Restive Drake Passage Redux
Above: Patch on expedition parka provided to each L'Austral Antarctica expedition goer. Antarctica. 18 January 2023.
I decided not to make a big deal wearing a patch carrying the flags of anti-democratic tyrannies China and Canada. It was a very cool jacket which served well its purpose. I wore it with pride! Sometimes you just have to make compromises.
Above: Sixth Deck Lounge. L'Austral. Drake Passage. 18 January 2023.
L'Austral regular cocktail lounge mate, was a top US government agency epidemiologist, now retired. He attributes current high national death rates to being a byproduct of many Americans unable to receive necessary medical care during coronavirus period. More. The current highlighting of young, active men suddenly dying at putative disproportionate rates, and for which many blame mRNA vaccines, misleads, he says. Myocarditis and heart failure are known side effects of many vaccines including smallpox vaccine. He doesn't doubt the occurrence of mRNA vax side effects, but says the phenomenon is within range for "normal, acceptable" side effect expectation.
Above: Can can performance. L'Austral. Drake Passage. 18 January 2023.
De rigueur for a French expedition ship.
Despite the rolling ship (fifteen-foot swells) the dancers executed the high kicks perfectly!
Above: Drake Passage. 19 January 2023.
Forty-foot swells. Captain Marchesseau says this sea condition in the Drake passage is 5 on a scale of 10. This sea on return to Ushuaia is certainly more restive than the sea on the way down (2 of 10). The upper deck, buffet restaurant, Le Rodriguez was closed. No dancing in the aft third deck lounge. As long as I was looking at my surroundings, I did not get seasick. Bile started welling up when I searched under my bed for my dropped phone. I found the phone and immediately laid down and fought back the bile surges in my gullet. I slept normally, but my trips to the WC were tricky as I groped for support while walking or standing. Three or four days of these types of seas is the cost you have to pay crossing the Drake to see Antarctica.
Above: Cape Horn, Chile. 19 January 2023. (Espresso image).
Not my first sighting. In 2013 TIMDT and Mwah (sic) did a Regent cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso. The seas, then, were as calm as they appear to be in the above image today. The closer we were to the South American continent, the Drake was less agitated.
Above: Deck Party honoring L'Austral crew. Beagle Passage, Argentina. 19 January 2023.
Above: Ushuaia, Argentina. L'Austral. 19 January 2023.
Antarctic circuit complete!
Above: Monkey Puzzle Tree. Ushuaia, Argentina. 20 January 2023.
The Monkey Puzzle tree is indigenous to Patagonia.
We debarked L'Austral about 8:30 AM. L'Espresso went off on his own having booked three days of touring in and around Ushuaia. Since our flight to Buenos Aires wasn't leaving until around 5:00 PM, Ponant bussed us to the city center where we were on our own for a couple of hours before hosting us at lunch at a quay side restaurant. Before lunch, I got in a good walk in Ushuaia's downtown and bought a few gifts and souvenirs. After lunch we were bussed to the airport.
Addendum:
Looks very cold, but great red coats!
Isetta,
Chicago, IL
True. Nice parkas to take home. Not so cold: 32 degrees to 40 degrees on outdoor excursions.
Thanks for a great tour of Antarctica. You take great pictures of the scary.
Bridge,
Palm Beach, FL
Please tell me there weren't any young kids on this cruise!
Volvo,
Bountiful, UT
No kids.
Thanks so much Steve n Bruno for having lunches n dinners with us and telling our life story in the US. We r so grateful for the opportunities this country has given to us. Hope to see you in Utah. We r at this point preparing to trip to Việt Nam n Thái Lan starting 2/8 to 3/1.
Trinh,
Orange County, CA