Wednesday, February 1 2012–Day 27 Antarctica

We spent the night in Palmer’s Strait as Explorer John Splettstoesser, an Antarctica expedition Team Leader boarded our ship bright and early this morning.  John grew up in Minneapolis Minnesota and now lives in Waconia Minnesota…..hmmm wonder if he is related to our cement guy, Dave! 

 

We received our Antarctica Certificate signed by Captain John Mercer.  It’s hard to believe there are no permanent human residents, but 1000 to 5000 people reside throughout the research stations.  5.4 square million miles -huge and desolate.

 

We started our day with Chris in the Techspert Lab working with our camera, computer and blog. Then on to Team Trivia, and Nan’s second time playing Bingo and second WIN!  I got so excited I yelled HEY BINGO, instead of just BINGO!

THEN….I hit a royal flush in the casino.  When you’re hot you’re hot.  But seriously, the casino handed out blankets, that’s how cold it was. 

YEEEEEHHHHHAAAAAWWWWWW!!!!!!!! 

Captain Mercer came over the intercom and said he was sorry, but there is no way around it.  We are headed into a storm.  They are handing out Meclizine, green apples, crackers and ginger tea. They even have the “little bags” hanging on the stairways. We have now turned toward a northeasterly course towards South America heading straight toward the Beagle Channel and the Horn.

We got the movie “Have you Heard about the Morgan's?”, ordered in chocolate chip cookies, fruit and milk and are calling it a night! Sweet dreams.

Well, we love you guys and think of you often.  The only thing that would make this trip better is if each and every one of you were here with us.  Special prayers today for Jude. Every night the captain puts a card on our bed that says: “The ship’s captain and crew wish you a restful sleep tonight as we look to tomorrow’s horizons”. Then there is a daily reading.  Todays was:  “Climb high, climb far. It’s the journey, not the arrival that matters.” T.S. Elliot.  We know this in our life.  We have had a wonderful journey.