Our final day of scenic cruising is upon us. The past four days have been filled with breathtaking scenery, extraordinary wildlife, and unforgettable memories. We feel incredibly fortunate to have witnessed such beauty. Much credit goes to Captain Mc Bain, who has navigated  this large vessel where no large ship has sailed before.

We had a stellar team of naturalist, historian and geologist on board guiding us through the journey and provided such rich, informative insights and made the experience even more immersive. Their knowledge surely brought the landscapes and wildlife to life in a way that simply observing them couldn’t.

The team provided fascinating information about the base stations for Poland, Peru, Brazil, and the UK as we passed them. One of the highlights was learning about the history of Princess Cruises with the UK team that monitors Lockroy Base. Apparently, years ago, the Lockroy team made contact with a Princess Cruise ship as they were sailing by and asked for some pizzas! The ship crew in turn sent boats out to pick up some of the base crew, brought them on the ship, and let them enjoy nice hot showers and meals before taking them back to their base with pizzas for the rest of the team. This tradition has continued, and now when the base team comes on board, after their shower and meal, they spend time talking with the passengers about what they are working on at the base station.

At Endurance Island, which is actually Elephant Island, there is a memorial site known as Point Wild a bust of Captain Luis Alberto Pardo,  along with a monolith and plaques celebrating the rescue of the survivors of the British ship Endurance by the Chilean Navy cutter Yelcho displaying the following words: “ Here on August 30 th, 1916, the Chilean Navy cutter Yelcho commanded by Pilot Luis Pardo Villalón rescued the 22 men from the Shackleton Expedition who survived the wreck of the ‘Endurance’ living for four and one half months in this Island”

It’s a poignant reminder of the incredible survival story and the bravery of those involved in the rescue

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On our last day of this remarkable Antarctic voyage, we are enveloped by the pristine beauty of untouched landscapes and the awe-inspiring presence of extraordinary wildlife, creating memories that will linger long after we return home. Now I just need to survive the Drake Passage once again. The captain reports that it’s supposed to be a good passage at least three-quarters of the way. I’m counting on Ellen’s prayers that the remaining quarter of rough seas will occur during sleeping hours.