Icebergs! We saw Icebergs!

 

We saw our first icebergs on a foggy, grey day near Shag Rocks

Monday, November 6 -  At Sea to South Georgia

Today is our second day at sea, as we head to South Georgia.  We will be passing by Shag Rocks, a group of six rocky outcroppings west of  South Georgia and home to the southern cormorants, Imperial and Royal Shags.  

It was densely foggy and a bit rainy.  But through the mist, we saw our first icebergs! Didn't think I'd be so excited, but it was majestic to see these big, looming hulks of white, placidly floating by.  Our naturalists told us that this is early to be seeing the bergs this far north.  Perhaps another sad example of our changing climate.

Everyone was excited to see our first icebergs today

We've been enjoying these days "At Sea" - time in the morning for stretching class, a leisurely breakfast, talks by the naturalists throughout the day. Today's lectures were on penguins and the eradication of invasive rats from South Georgia to save the endemic pipit songbird.  

After the morning talk, we had lunch up in C Green’s on the 8th Deck.  I had a Thai beef salad, and a great Romanian dessert called papnasi.  They’re a form of Romanian donuts, with ricotta cheese (in the dough), sour cream and blueberry jam.  So yummy.  Chef Bogdan came by to be sure I tried it!  He is from Romania and knows we plan to take a trip to Romania this fall.

My usual breakfast spot at C Green's bistro on Deck 8

I'm a creature of habit - the same oatmeal, fruit, smoothie and tea every morning

The cold and rain didn't deter Michael from enjoying some reading time on our balcony

Classic Romanian desert - a papnasi

Chef Bogdan has been telling me about his home country, Romania

It remained very foggy out throughout the day.  We sailed close to Shag Rocks, which is home to many Antarctic Shags, albatross, prions and petrels.  While we really couldn’t see the Shag Rocks because of the dense fog, we could see all the birds flying around the ship (and smell them as well). Everyone had lots of fun trying to photograph the birds as they swooped by.

Imperial Shags gliding by the bow of the Endurance

Ready, aim, .....

Imperial Shag, a member of the cormorant family

Freshly baked scones for tea time

At 4 PM, we had tea time, and the pastry chef, Rosa, had baked fresh scones for our tea - served with either jam and cream or with lemon curd.  I sat with Liz and Jackie and Steve. Liz has her own catering business in Australia, and she didn’t think the scones were that great. For example, they were yellowish, and hers are white.  She thought she could detect the baking powder taste.  She gave me her scone recipe from the CWA (Country Women’s Association of Australia).  During tea time, we had a piano concert by one of the bar tenders, Mickey, which was really splendid - lots of show tunes, but done in a classical, pastoral way.  Very impressive.

Afternoon piano concert by Mikey, one of our bartending crew

Michael, out for exercise on Deck 8.  Eight times around the deck equals one mile.

Icebergs!!