I was so excited to learn we'd have two and a half days at sea. I figured i'd do some card playing, some reading and some relaxing. Not here. The expedition team on this team has been great and the lectures wonderful. I might have had better grades in science had topics been brought to life they way these folks are doing it for us. We have running lectures on mammals, fish, botany, geology, and recaps on what we see and why and the future of the ecological concerns, glaciers, sea levels worldwide and it's effects on the continents. This trip is so much more than penguins and scenery, good food and service.

We have had lectures on very varied topics such as "krill, small but mighty"; "Life in the southern ocean," "Shackelton's journey's", cooking demoes, wine tastings and our end of day briefings.

We discussed the seismology of the area and the fact that there is volcanic activity in Antarctica. While not a tectonically active zone there have been three major earthquakes greater than 7 and one this weak at Elephant Island that measured 6.6.

One lecture taught us all about tussac grass which can actually live to 300 years in age however the Falkland farmers eliminated much of it to gain more farmland. Currently, they have reintroduced a replanting program as they have found it not only feeds sheep but is useful for the ecosystem for feeding birds as it providenesting areas for petrels, penguins, thrush, and seals.

We also didn't stay just in the sciences, but got into a bit of History/Poetry and discussed the origins of Coleridge's Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the epic poem about Antarctica.

We also discussed how the fishing industry has opened up to other countries in 1986 and 1990 opened with main catches being illix squid de la plata and Patagonian squid. However, the catches has been declining of late and may not be sustainable.

One lecture taught us all about tussac grass which can actually live to 300 years in age however the Falkland farmers eliminated much of it to gain more farmland. Currently, they have reintroduced a replanting program as they have found it not only feeds sheep but is useful for the ecosystem for feeding birds as it provides nesting areas for petrels, penguins, thrush, and seals.

We also discussed how the fishing industry has opened up to other countries in 1986 and 1990 opened with main catches being illix squid de la plata and Patagonian squid. However, the catches has been declining of late and may not be sustainable.

Sea activities also kept us busy. On day two, while the seas were still calm, with a slight rocking motion I love, the skies were white and no longer blue and the seas had turned from turquoise to grey.

There has been a dramatic temperature drop within the distance we have traveled. The expedition team has been teaching us that this weather also affects the southern sea here. The different sea life is affected by the cold water which holds more oxygen than hot water and the more nutrients from the krill which provides a solid foundation for sea life.

So, as you get further from the equator the number of species drop but there are greater populations of those that exist. Additionally, the lifespan of creatures down here increases as you get towards the poles as they have to have more time to maximize their reproductive success.

We were expecting to see whales anytime starting around 8am, but we got a call around 9 because there was a sighting of a minky whale. It was gone so quickly, you saw the spray and it was out of sight. Off we went to our krill lecture and figured our whale sightings were done for the day. Then I went off to a gravlox cooking class and someone yelled out "whale!" We all jumped up and the poor chef said " well I have a fish here too."

An announcement came over the loudspeaker that a both a a humpback whale and a southern right whale were right next to the ship and we were cutting off the motors. The humpback is common around the world but the right whale, only seen in the southern hemisphere, is fairly rare. What was also rare was the fact that both interspecies whales were together, most likely caused by an abundance of krill. Gee, we all understood that now. We must have watched the whacks for nearly an hour before the team announced we'd be moving on.

We were playing cards this afternoon and an announcement came over the loudspeaker about 4pm that a fairly rare sighting of 2 blue whales and a fin whale. The blue whales are the biggest whales and these were about 90 feet long or about the size of a space shuttle to put it into perspective and the fin whale is the second largest whale and this one was about 75 feet long. We have been so lucky with weather and animal sightings! This ship also has an open bridge policy and we are allowed to watch all of these sightings with the captain and the expedition staff with them. It's been terrific.

Starting tonight we have to blacken out the ship so as to emit as little light as possible. Smaller seabirds see lights and fly towards them and become disoriented. Normally not good on land and confused, they have trouble getting airborne, hide head first in corners, and lose heat end up terminal. Every morning, the crew will now check for injured or lost birds and attempt to reorient them and get them back to safety.

Our day tomorrow begins at 5:30am and ends at 8pm with three separate landings of several hours each. These will now introduce fur and elephant seals into the mix and we have been told that we will be attacked by fur seals so to remember to clap our . I how many of us will forget to clap and will freak?

An announcement came over the loudspeaker that it was a beautiful morning in South Georgia.. Blue skies and 48 degrees with the calmest seas and most beautiful sunrise. I asked Doug what time it was Nd he said 4:30.. I guess we're up. It sure is pretty out there and I can hear the king penguins calling. Right now, we are the last group to go ashore and it is torture waiting so w'll have to amuse ourselves watching the seals and dolphins playing outside our window!