We spent the day preparing for disembarkation, packing, and reviewing our experiences with crew and fellow passengers. This evening we held a “laptop” slide show. Many passengers shared their favorite photos from the trip. It was great to see everyone’s work. Although we all visited the same places and observed similar wildlife and plants, everyone had a unique perspective. Now I feel like I need to go back and start all over again. Anyone want to join me?
Just tonight, a Prion bird landed on the ship. Our bird expert allowed it to recover in his cabin. We saw her prior to being released, gently touched her, smelled her…she smelled of the sea. The Prion is a beautiful grey bird, seen often flying about our ship. It was amazing to see one up close. Birds often fly into ships at sea, as the lights attract them. To avoid this as much as possible, we cover any unnecessary lights and pull all of the drapes. Only the required nautical lights are exposed.
This is an emotional time for Endeavour’s crew, as post-disembarkation she will head to Chile where she will be in dry dock for a few months. She will no longer forge the icy seas in the Arctic or Antarctic. She will be replacing Lindblad’s ship, The Polaris, in the Galapagos Islands. There were many toasts to the ship, captain, and crew. Many will move onto different ships, some will retire, and the remainder have no specific plans. The Explorer will be Lindblad’s soul Antarctic/Arctic ship.
The Endeavour
The Endeavour and its crew have taken great care of us. By the time we arrive in Ushuaia, we will have traveled 3828 nautical miles (4402 miles) on our journey in Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and the Falklands. What a journey it has been. It is impossible to describe in words…so I must sign off.
