Another fine morning as National Geographic Explorer dashes across the low wind-chop, ever northward. There is a bit of wind today, making it a fine day for soaring birds: albatross, petrels, and shearwaters, oh, my! For the scholarly, the morning is rounded out with a couple of lectures.
After lunch there are preparations to be made, as there are a couple of important events planned for the afternoon. First off, naturalists Deb and Danelle want to collect some plankton as well as do some water chemistry. O.K., plankton net, strong line, collection bottle, weight for the net, life jacket, bucket… they are going to take the sample from the pilot door on the ship’s starboard side, about 8 feet above the sea. The ship slows, the plankton sample is made, and a bucket of seawater is captured!
As interesting as this event is, the first in a series over the next few weeks, there is another late afternoon event with more immediate gratification. On the sundeck, at the back of the ship, the barbeque has been lit. In the bakery, Oscar has made the buns. In the galley, the tender steak has been trimmed, sliced, and beaten (tenderized) and the garnishes prepared. Let the Teatime BBQ begin. I lend my not inconsequential support by sipping red wine and dropping garnish on the deck. Our Head Chef Magnus cooks the little steaks (lomitos); Hotel Manager Patrik and Provision Master Anders put together the sandwiches for each person, to order (how you like it). After a job well-done baker Oscar joins us, eating a lomito and dropping garnish on the deck.
For the evening there is dinner and a movie, almost like a date and another day at sea does not end so much as blends into the next.
