29. Here Comes the Sun...

Little darlin', the smile's returning to their faces.

Mount Français on Anvers Island from Fournier Bay.

Oh, yes the smiles were returning…to all aboard: passengers, expedition crew, ship’s crew, hotel and wait staff. Oh, happy day! This was our only bright and beautiful day in Antarctica. Visibility 60-100km. As I was supping on breakfast, I heard our room number called to the flight deck. We were offered the opportunity to go up in the helicopter again because of the aborted flight the day before. This meant a dash from Deck 5 restaurant, back to my room on Deck 3 to put on my base and mid-layers, down to Deck 2 Ready Room for parka and muck boots, up to Deck 7 to prep for the heli-flight and single file up to the holding area on Deck 8.

What an exceptional day for a heli-flight excursion. To prep for a helicopter ride, first we queued up with all flight gear including a non-self-inflating flotation device strapped over our shoulders in the Deck 7 hallway outside the flight prep area. When called, we each got weighed and followed the instructions of the heli-operations manager, Pato. We sat in a folding chair that corresponded to our seat position in the helicopter. As a group, we climbed the steep stairs to the flight deck and one by one exited onto the helipad. Flight ops crew members signaled by hand where to go, when to stop and when to climb into the helicopter. We were strapped in, the door closed, thumbs up signal, rotors revved and off we went. Up, up and away!

Prepping for our Heli-Flight Excursion, Top l-r: Jake in the flight prep room; our combined passenger weight in kilograms; the flight crew assisting passengers strap in; Jake and Tyson inside the helicopter cabin in flight.

Leaving the Ultramarine cruise ship.

Some of the spectacular views from the helo cabin taken with my iPhone.

Anvers Island from above. Mt. Français is seen in the background. At 2,825 meters high, it is the tallest mountain in the Antarctic Peninsula chain.

After that jaw-dropping flight, we got ready for another Zodiac cruise about the bay. Michelle, who is the expedition photographer, was our Zodiac driver. She gave us tips on how to take better photos with our cell phones such as the time-lapse function and stop-motion. The expedition leader, Shane Evoy, and the ship’s captain corralled our boats together and passed out contraband in plastic mugs—a little Bailey’s Irish Cream celebratory sip. I’d never seen the two of them so happy!

Staff photographer and excursion driver, Michelle Sole.

Shane Evoy, expedition leader, and Juraj Zekan, Master of the MV Ultramarine bearing libations and good cheer.

One more fantastic sighting happened before the day turned to blustery weather and snow flurries. Three Minke whales glided through the clear waters off the bow. Sleek, long-beaked cetaceans, they gently rolled, dove, surfaced and swam around the ship.