Hi again,

Apart from the trek down into Stromness following in the footsteps of
Shackleton amd the incredible trip up the fjord, yesterday was the most
amazing day of the expedition. Claire and myself arrived on the bridge
at 4a.m. which was a trifle premature as there was nothing to see smd
the ship felt like the Marie Celeste! Two hours later we were journeying
through the most fantastic scenery imaginable. The water was dotted with
icebergs and icefloes and we were surrounded by snowcovered mts with
overhanging glaciers. We went through the very narrow entrance into
the Errero Channel,past the deserted Chilean station of Gonzalez Vidale
which looked incongruous in the wilderness and then between the markers
into Paradise Bay. It was absolutely thrilling.

Later we had the most amazing experience on a zodiac tour around
Skontorp Cove when a leopard seal stayed with us for ages, climbing up
on ice floes and then hurtling into the water and zooming on her back
under the boat.. I got a lovely 8 second of her underwater coming up
close beside and rolling right over on her back .

Later after visiting the Almirante Brown Station, we had a zodiac trip
around an unnamed cove where the engine was switched off and we drifted
in silence – one of the most beautiful places Ive ever been.
O.K. Galtesers , I still love Chamonix!!
Later we got the chance to sleep on the ice in tents which was great fun
but maybe a little disconcerting for the penguins.

Coming to the end of the trip soon
Mary