Good evening from the Drake Passage—

We arrived in Puerto Williams  and as we landed, we could see our ship waiting for us. The Silverseas Cloud Expedition is a small ship with a max of 254 passengers.  We are not at capacity.  The staff count is approximately 212.  The ship is an expedition ship so there is no entertainment and very little shopping (Larry is happy to hear).  When I say little I mean LITTLE.  One store with snacks, T-shirts/sweatshirts and some souvenirs and one store with some over priced jewelry.  That’s it.

We were able to get right on and the check in process was fast and easy.  Our room was waiting for us together with a bottle of champagne on ice, our Silverseas Parkas, water bottle and water resistant backpacks.  

When we arrived to our room, our butler and room attendant visited and gave us an overview of the room and their respective jobs.   Anything you might want, they provide.  We have a standing coffee order every morning.

The very first afternoon we attended a briefing.  There are multiple a day.  Yesterday’s was an overview of what an Expedition Ship is v. a Cruise ship, an overall view of the trip and what to expect from the Drake Passage.  We were informed that the two previous crossings were mild and they posted a picture of what ours would look like.  I will post it shortly.   In fact, we left Puerto Williams ahead of schedule to try to beat the rising swells……

The Drake Passage is the area between Cape Horn, Chile, Argentina and the south Shetland Islands of Antartica.  It is where the SW part of the Atlantic Ocean and the SE part of the Pacific Ocean converge with the Southern Ocean.  It is always a rough passage, some though worse then others.  

Once we cruised out of the land area of Chile (last night) we experienced rough waters. We would estimate that out of 10, our crossing started out as a 7.  Overnight was the same.

We thought we were smart for dinner on day one and booked the outdoor grill.  We thought that since we were coming out of Chile, it would still be warm.  WRONG.  Dinner was served with two blankets each, winter jackets and a fast paced meal.

Sleep came early.   

Cici from sea signing out……