Overnight we encountered some windy conditions, so many of us were awake before the morning wake-up call. The crew treated us very well as we headed to the dining room—this time keeping two hands to hold onto the ship.
Just after breakfast, by 8 a.m., we cruised past Cape Horn, the first time we have seen green grass and trees since leaving Stanley about three weeks ago. One of the traditions on board is to read a poem by Sara Vial as we get close to the cape. It reminds us of the beauty of the albatross and of the many sailors who died in these stormy waters.
As it is our last day on board, we had some business to attend to, including packing, returning boots, and finalizing all of those last-minute purchases at the Global Gallery. Certified photo instructor Michael Nolan showed some beautiful pictures of his travels in Baja California, just in case anyone is planning their next voyage already.
Before lunch we watched the film Around Cape Horn. Seeing a tall ship in 100km/hour winds likely changed the mind of anyone who thought we were experiencing rough seas.
The afternoon was a great time to get final looks at seabirds, including the sooty shearwaters and albatross who nest around Cape Horn. Our Global Perspectives Guest Speaker Kathy Sullivan presented her third talk and got us all thinking about life in space and the future of space travel—a good topic one day before we all travel home.
Another Lindblad tradition is the photo slideshow on the last day. We have made so many memories! It was almost surprising to see photographs of the Falkland Islands and to remember that we were there together.
At the farewell reception both the captain and the expedition leader got standing ovations. Captain Oliver did a fantastic job of reminding us that these expeditions are a team effort and that it takes everyone—from the staff in the laundry to the crew on the Bridge—to pull off these kinds of experiences.
