gorgeous time off

This morning I woke up, walked outside, and nearly felt like I was in the real world. It was comfortable to be outside; the skies were clear, the air was easy to take in, and I had a day off!

Our ship is offering us another connection to the life-filled world up north; breaking up the sea in anticipation for our various vessels to arrive.

My friend, Storey, and I took a hike around Ob Hill today. The Oden made it's rounds breaking up the ice as we walked along our beach. I dared to take my layers off down to my tank top for a fun photo (it was chilly, and I was glad to put my fleece back on, but not as bad as I thought)!

Around Ob Hill, there is a section of open water that caught our attention. After months of ice as far as the eye can see, Storey and I were fascinated by the ripples and wetness before us. We saw plenty of seals lounging around the icy edge and thought it would be funny if the ice broke beneath them, forcing their fat bodies awkwardly though the ice. We waited awhile, and it didn't happen. We did, however, get to see a whale surface, exhale, inhale, show its fin and duck under the water again. This happened over and over again. Meanwhile, a pair of adelie penguins torpedoed out of the water and waddled around below us. So, we were able to witness the Antarctica wildlife tri-fecta: the seal, the penguin, and the whale, all at the same time!