On the Quest to see pingüinos

[VPS]

The shapes and colours of the icebergs never ceased to amaze me



A leopard seal that had obviously just had a feed of something


When I got back I immediately headed for the shower and my room steward saw me coming back looking cold and ordered me hot chocolate and cookies.

 

[VPS]

The cruise director was Jan Stearman who was great but her 2IC was Daniella Beck who was English and a fantastic singer.

I'm not that interested in a lot of the shows but Daniella had a great voice (classically trained) and the concert was very enjoyable

 

[VPS]

Day 14 Brown Bluff

Today it was a very rocky beach and hard to walk around with some Gentoos but a lot of Adelie penguins who were fascinating to watch. They were like a row of little nuns. They would all stop and then one would take off and a heap would follow. They’d get to the edge of the iceberg ready to dive and then just stop and a while later the leader went in and away they all went. Some of the rock formations were interesting even for a non geologist.


Grubby little things - the pink is from the krill they eat



These two had obviously had their bath for the day

 

[VPS]

I did take walking poles and they did come in useful some days.


Most of these were chicks waiting for their parents to get back and feed them

You can see in the background the whole hill was covered with penguins

 

[VPS]

More of Brown Bluff

 

[VPS]

Back on the boat and into the hot tub but no photos yet for @JohnM - you'll just have to wait.

So today was Australia Day and I received an invitation and got very excited thinking there might be some lamingtons and sausage rolls but



But TA DA - we got Fosters WTF


There were lots of nibbles but no Australian food at all but they did bring out a few more speciality gins which were appreciated.

The music was Peter Allen’s I still call Australia home etc

One of the young singers was Charlie from Northern Ireland and had been at his table a couple of nights and got on quite well with him. I was chatting to him with some others and we suggested he might like to learn a couple of Australian songs and we suggested Will I ever see your face again and we said we’d provide the chorus, but once he heard the chorus he was a bit reluctant.

 

[VPS]

I had dinner in The Grill again that night and as usual the food was excellent

 

[VPS]

The show that night were a couple of guitarists who were excellent. They had met at a competition where they won equal first prize.

After they had done a few duets they played the same guitar together. We were trying to talk them into coming to the guitar festival in Adelaide but who knows when that will happen again.

 

[VPS]

Day 15 was a sea day and today was a galley lunch where you helped yourself to the buffet in the galley. It was great fun and the displays were amazing.



That is a very big tub of parmesan cheese

 

[VPS]

More food

 

[Matt_01]

But TA DA - we got Fosters WTF
View attachment 212874

Do we still produce this stuff I thought we sold the rights to the British back in the 80's.

 

[OZDUCK]

Do we still produce this stuff I thought we sold the rights to the British back in the 80's.

Currently owned by AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV) who own Carlton & United Breweries - though I think that it may be the process of being sold to Asahi Breweries. I have often pointed out to "foreigners" on the Internet that Fosters is basically not drunk in Australia.

 

[Matt_01]

Currently owned by AB InBev (Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV) who own Carlton & United Breweries - though I think that it may be the process of being sold to Asahi Breweries. I have often pointed out to "foreigners" on the Internet that Fosters is basically not drunk in Australia.

@VPS sorry for the quick interruption. @OZDUCK in 93 I was was posted to the BAOR and the Mess had ordered extra cases of Fosters just incase they ran out. The British Officers seemed somewhat confused when I mentioned - I hope you get through it, we don't drink this rubbish (or words to that effect).

Back to the pingüinos.

 

[VPS]

@Matt_01 no problems

As you can imagine I don't think a single can of Fosters was consumed by an Australian that night

 

[Major]

Approximately what percentage of passengers were Australian ?

 

[VPS]

Don't have to do approximate it was just over 10%

I had heard they give you a list of the crew nationalities as well but we didn't receive that this time.

 

[VPS]

My goodness that took me most of the day to sort out those photos but wonderful memories. I have to work tomorrow and a bit on Friday (I know it's Good Friday but not still at work in North America) but hopefully I'll get this done and dusted over Easter. Thanks for all the positive feedback.

 

[VPS]

Day 16 New Islands the Falklands

We weren't supposed to go to New Island but I’m so glad we did. I got to see another type of Penguin (the Rockhoppers) and Albatross which were just amazing.

It was a wet landing and then we had to walk about 1km across the other side of the island to see the birds. We could take off our lifejackets and waterproofs and leave them on the beach. It was a bright sunny day and about 14C so I just walked in a T shirt and carried my light jacket which I didn’t need. At least 10 people came up to me and said was I OK and wasn’t I cold – no FFS if I was cold I could have put my jacket on.

Looking back from the island to the ship.



The area is still farmed and was very lush






Rockhoppers - so cute





The cliff face was just covered in Rockhoppers and Albatross

 

[VPS]

More rockhoppers





The young albatross and the young penguins were all just nesting together


A view up the hill - just packed




Magnificent birds

 

[VPS]

Lots of other birds wandering around as well














There was a little museum there which of course sold souvenirs.



View from the beach - the cliff with all the birds was on the other side of the hill - very pleasant walk


More of the museum



and when I got back to my room - more penguins (they actually weren't very nice though)