2 Days at Sea

             Thursday, 27 Feb 2020 – We were scheduled to cruise around Cape Horn. Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile.  Although not the most southerly point of South America, Cape Horn marks the northern boundary of the Drake Passage and marks where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. 

Cape Horn was discovered and first rounded in 1616 by the Dutchman Willem Schouten, who named it Kaap Hoorn after the city of Hoorn in the Netherlands.  For decades, Cape Horn was a major milestone on the clipper route, by which sailing ships carried trade around the world.  The waters around Cape Horn are particularly hazardous, owing to strong winds, large waves, strong currents and icebergs.  The need for boats and ships to round Cape Horn was greatly reduced by the opening of the Panama Canal in August 1914.  

            We woke up briefly at 7:15 AM, just as the ship was finally pulling away from the dock at Ushuaia.  Although we didn’t wake up again until 9:40 AM, we made it to breakfast in the Terrace Café in time (barely); they were closing the lines behind us as we were picking up items for our breakfast!  Because it was very cool and rainy outside, we didn’t swim again today.

            At about noon, the captain announced that we would not be sailing around Cape Horn, nor stopping at the Falkland Islands due to high winds and rough seas. Sally had been a little disappointed with this cruise.  We didn’t get to see any glaciers or penguins (in the Falkland Islands), and didn’t get to sail around the Cape as we did on our 2011/2012 cruise around South America.  But at least we still have those memories, plus photos! 

            When we went to the Terrace Café for lunch, it was crowded; however, we were able to join Canute & Julie at a table for four.  Although Julie had recovered from her episode in the Insignia Lounge, now she is having trouble with sea sickness.  In mid-afternoon, Jesse went to a Square Tango dance class with Airi & Oliver; Juanita was his dance partner.  This Tango was a lot different than the one we’ve been doing.  At first, Jesse was doing fine with the dance but the instructors kept adding more steps.  Oliver said he would be going over the steps again sometime in the future.

            The ship was so rocky during dance class that we decided to skip the pre-dinner dancing in the Horizons and go directly to dinner.  Since it was “A Taste of Brazil” night, we tried a few Brazilian dishes.  Sally especially liked the mashed sweet potatoes.  At 9:30 PM in the Insignia Lounge, there was a “Pampas Devils Tango & Gaucho Show.” Jesse watched a few minutes of the show and thought it was very good.  The acrobatics that the dancers were doing were far beyond anything we will ever be able to do on the dance floor!

            Friday, 28 February 2029 – Although we were originally scheduled to anchor off the coast of Port Stanley at 8:00 AM, the captain had announced at noon yesterday that we would not be able to stop there due to high waves there.  (Tenders cannot operate safely in rough water.)

The Falkland Islands comprise an archipelago of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 smaller islands.  As a British overseas territory, the Falklands have internal self-governance, and the United Kingdom takes responsibility for their defense and foreign affairs.  The Falkland Islands' capital is Stanley on East Falkland.  At various times, the islands have had French, British, Spanish, and Argentine settlements.  Britain reasserted its rule in 1833, but Argentina maintains its claim to the islands.  In April 1982, Argentine military forces invaded the islands.  British administration was restored two months later at the end of the Falklands War.  Almost all Falklanders favor the archipelago remaining a UK overseas territory.  Major economic activities include fishing, tourism, and sheep farming.

At breakfast, the Terrace Café was very crowded again, but we joined Sandy & Cyril at a table for four.  We talked for quite a while afterwards and only left as the staff had started setting up the buffet for lunch.  Although we had originally thought Sandy & Cyril were from Alberta, Canada, they are actually from upstate New York.  Their last name is very similar to “Alberta,” which confused us.  They both graduated from University of Wisconsin in Madison, and were actually married there.  (They lived in Madison when Sally went to summer school at the University there.)  Cyril is retired from IBM and Sandy is a retired school teacher.

            At lunch, we sat at a table for two, next to Julie.  Julie was feeling much better after staying in bed most of yesterday and with the much calmer seas today.  Canute, however, wasn’t feeling well, so Julie was taking lunch back to their stateroom for him.  At 3:00 PM, we both went to the Insignia Lounge to “Learn the Tango with the Pampas Devils.”  There, we learned the basic Argentine Tango, which is much different from the tango we’ve been dancing and the Square Tango that Jesse learned from Oliver & Airi yesterday.  This was the first dance class that Sally attended on this cruise, but she thought if we both attended, it might help.  At the conclusion of the class, we also purchased a Tango Argentino Instruction DVD.
            That evening, we went to the Horizons for a little pre-dinner dancing, and joined Tom & Ruth at a table for four.  Although we were busy talking and did not dance as much as usual, we did ask the band to play a tango so we could practice our new dance steps.  After trying to remember the new steps without success, we reverted to the “American” Tango.  Dave & Abby also joined us for the Tango and had the same problem.  Afterwards, we went to dinner with Tom & Ruth in the Terrace Café, where we sat at a table for four and enjoyed more interesting conversation.