Little Lolly's Small Adventures: January 2019

Yesterday the Prinsendam did a bit of scenic cruising through the Cockburn Channel and Beagle Channel. Today we went through Glacier Alley and on to Cape Horn. Glacier Alley did live up to its name even though it is the southern hemisphere summer and some of the glaciers are melting.

Going through Glacier Alley

The sea was calm around Cape Horn and so the Captain gave the go-ahead for a small crew group to go ashore in a rescue boat. Paul was one of the first people to volunteer! It has been 28 or 29 years since Paul had the opportunity to step ashore on Cape Horn however the last time that opportunity was cancelled due to very poor weather. So now you can understand why Paul wanted to go ashore!

Paul also asked the Captain if I could go with him even though I am not a crew member. Fortunately he gave me permission to do so. In the end the security officer, a photographer, the future cruise consultant, the guest relations manager, an engineer, Paul and I went. First we had to kit up in survival suits. It was very funny trying to put the bulky 'onesies' on, bearing in mind that one size fits all - er, not quite! There weren't quite enough survival suits so I ended up putting on a hazardous spillage suit which would at least protect me enough from the elements and keep me warm enough for a short while if I did happen to fall into the water - which didn't happen of course.

We got into the rescue boat and were piloted across to Cape Horn which is in actual fact an island. Once at the stony shoreline Paul hopped out and held the boat steady while we all climbed out and headed towards the staircase going up the cliff face. It was then that I discovered that my hazardous spillage suite was not entirely liquid-proof. It had leakalitis and I was soon soaking wet up to my knees when I entered the water. It wasn't as cold as I thought it would be - it was probably as cold as when I swam in the Straits of Magellan two days ago. Fortunately I had taken my boots off before getting into the suit otherwise they would have been swimming.

Once at the stairs, and the bottom of a funicular which takes groceries and stores up to the lighthouse, we stripped back down to our warm day clothes and headed up the cliff stairs where we were warmly greeted by the lighthouse keeper. He had a huge smile on his face - watching us huff and puff up the stairs while he looked on! At the top Paul presented the lighthouse keeper with commemorative plates from the Prinsendam (bearing in mind this is the last time that the Prinsendam sails around Cape Horn under that name and under a Dutch flag). Paul and I had also brought along two rather nice bottles of wine which he handed over to the lighthouse keeper. We thought he could do with it during the next 10 months that lay ahead for the poor chap and his family!

While the rest of the staff from the Prinsendam went to the viewpoints on the island, Paul and I headed up to the lighthouse. There is a small chapel next to the lighthouse so the lighthouse keeper kindly unlocked the door so that I could go inside and have a few moments of contemplation. He quietly looked on until I was finished and then closed the door after I left. He then invited us inside the lighthouse in order to sign the visitors book and also introduced us to wife and 2 children - the third child was too shy to come and say 'hello'. The children are home-schooled for now.

Trying to get the suits off!

Paul and I then headed to the viewpoints, passing the other staff members on the way. We had to be quick because it was getting dark and also we had to get back to the ship which, in the meantime, had been sailing around Cape Horn. Well, we hoped that we could get back to the ship. The rescue boat had left us at the shore and sailed out of the bay but unfortunately the person who piloted it decided to sail through seaweed rather than going via a clear area of water. Needless to say the engine was not too happy about it and died. So, during the time that we were on Cape Horn the lads were desperately trying to clear the seaweed and get the rescue boat's engine going again. Fortunately it spluttered to life and they were able to get back to the shoreline as we arrived back. The ship also came into view, her lights twinkling in the distance through the black night. She put her searchlights on as we headed back towards her, giving us a nice lighted path over the sea.

We arrived back at the ship safe and sound and very happy! It is the memories that matter the most and hopefully we can call upon them as the years go by.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Glacier Alley

Small section of the Glacier Alley in Fast Forward

Cape Horn

I have had a wonderful day, doing something different for a change. Kayaking.

The small group of us headed on a drive towards Agua Fresca, stopping off at the kayaking office headquarters to get our kitted. We looked quite a sight with over-trousers (toes to waist), wind jacket, kayak ‘skirt’, water bootees and finally, a life jacket. All in the name of keeping warm, dry and afloat.

After getting kitted up we were taken on a short drive to a beach on the edge of the strait of Magellan. The usual information was given to us - how to paddle and steer the kayaks. The weather was good, the water smooth and calm; dolphins were spotted as we kayaked.

We were joined from start by a pregnant dog (husky-cross) who ran alongside our mini-bus to the beach and then along the beach as we kayaked. She swam out to us when we formed a pontoon with our kayaks, just happy to paddle around and make sure the humans were ok.

While the kayaks were being stashed away I asked the guides if I could take a quick dip in the water. Yes! So I stripped out of my gear down to my swim suit and had a very brief dip. It was exhilarating. In the meantime one of the guides, Ricardo, went into the water fully kitted up in his kayaking suit – he wasn’t brave enough to swim in his swimming trunks. (Well… it was icy cold). Yes, my skin turned a mottled purple colour but I enjoyed the swim even though everyone else thought I was completely nuts. It will be the last swim for a while - we are heading further south and it's getting colder.

After packing up we headed back to the kayak office headquarters, got out of our gear and had a nice snack at a nearby restaurant on the site. Hot tea or coffee went down a treat to warm everyone up. I had to make do with hot water - because I don't drink tea or coffee ☹️. Our friendly dog friend wagged her tail at us as we said goodbye to her. What interesting visitors she gets to meet and greet!

Then there is the story of the eternal search for shoes! Ha ha, Lorna and myself (this is written by me, Paul, her lesser half) went ashore in the afternoon in Punta Arenas, shopping, exciting, even more exciting than it was supposed to be shoe shopping...!

Walking into the not too exciting town it appeared the shopping mall was close to the dock, ...., where we used to dock, on the edge of town while today we were docked right downtown. Oh well, so we explored the centre a bit, across a square where despite the rain they were watering the grass of the square!

It appeared that most shops were actually closed in the afternoon. Looking at some of the signs it seemed regular shops were mostly on siesta time, not open till about 16.00. This made finding shoes of course not the most easy task of the day.

We had nevertheless a good walk around town and were nearly back at the ship when we decided to go into a shop that had a name like "China mall" or so, clearly something with "made in China" stuff. It was actually open and had shoes, ladies shoes!

We first had a browse around the mini warehouse being amazed by the "made in China" quality wares on offer. We had a good laugh at the formal wear that looked nice, from a distance, but on closer inspection they just looked tacky with plain unfinished backs. The underwear section was also interesting and there was enough that would put blushing cheeks on some of the shoppers! Anyway Lorna did find some underwear to her liking and me, as a bloke (ha ha) had some fun browsing all the mini female bottom wear on sale as well. If not, why not, have a laugh!

In the end we visited the shoe section again and Lorna found a nice shoe she liked, the left shoe being on display. Bear in mind Lorna has tiny feet (US 3-4/UK 1-2 or EU 32-34) so she was trying her luck in this Chinese shop. Any way, the attending sales rep went in the back storage only to come back 10 minutes later without the left shoe which was nowhere to be found! Bummer. So the next best model chosen, same ritual, also no right shoe! Now you would think that is a coincidence but, guess what?? the 3rd model was chosen and exactly the same thing happened! One might wonder why have shoes on display if you can't even make a complete pair with them. Or is the sales rep just having a smoke in the back and not actually interested in finding the shoe?! Anyway, with the 4th shoe - bingo. Although that at first also was a no right shoe but the rep did a 2nd search and it did surface. Although it was not the first choice I actually liked it, very modern but also very stylish, red, and, sorry Dutch, cheap as well - so happy faces good hour later, a good laugh and success!

So, what did we actually do in Punta Arenas Chile? Uh, left shoe shopping!

The Prinsendam's next destination is around Cape Horn!

PHOTOGRAPHS