15 Feb 2016

Last Great Wilderness

Racing south is a good feeling when you know there is a new world to experience over the horizon. None are complaining about the following seas and wind as there is also blue sky and brilliant sunshine. The Furious Fifties do not come any better. The Great Southern Ocean is perceived as a challenge simply to endure while making for the ‘great white’, but it is in fact one of the world’s last great wilderness regions. This place with its ever changing character and unique birds is continually swept clean of the residue of human presence by winds that seem to flow endlessly, making it indeed special. The species group that meets every night after dinner in the library has grown to around 22. They enjoy the regular lively discussion about birds, dolphins and everything around us. Others are capturing enduring images with the latest cameras and other gimballed gadgets on 6 metre poles. The Spirit of Enderby surging along in the swells has never looked so good. There is little time for afternoon naps as our days are filled with tasty meals, presentations, lectures and grabbing regular scientific pure air samples for later analysis on the top deck. We are certainly doing it hard! Will we see an Aurora tonight? You never know, that is just one of the attractions as we continue south.