We arose from our sweet slumbers to pale lead-gray skies, calm seas and the occasional glaucous gull and northern fulmar flying by. Outside the temperature felt balmy and the air sweet. A breeze swept up small waves and the occasional whitecaps glistened under the patchy sunlight. The ship’s motion was indicative that we were sailing through much more open waters. The occasional iceberg was spotted way off in the distance, glistening blue under the darkened skies, a reminder that we are still in cold regions.
After breakfast we were treated to a couple of presentations. First of all there was an opportunity to learn more about the fascinating story about who may have been the first person to reach the North Pole. The gripping story has all the hallmarks of a thriller. At the end each of us are left to decide who might have been first to achieve the landmark. After a brief interlude we have the chance of learning more about the many superstitions at sea, their origin and significance. Many of them laced with anecdotes that amuse us.
Lunch was a quiet affair; still enjoying the calm conditions and, as always, with great opportunities to sit down with somebody maybe not yet met and become further acquainted. We are careful to pass the salt and pepper together and lay them down before the person who may have asked for them!
This afternoon we had a matinee (how splendid and the word will no doubt bring us many pleasant memories of going to the cinema in years gone by). We watched “Passage,” a film portraying the life of John Rae; his remarkable life as an explorer and the very unfair treatment he received from Lady Franklin and Charles Dickens after his return from the Canadian Arctic with news about the fate of the Franklin Expedition.
After tea we heard a presentation entitled “Doors Off Over Baja California: A Flight for Conservation.” This remarkable region faces many challenges on various fronts as it tries to preserve the incredible natural areas and the living species that inhabit there. It is also a sobering reminder of how much we need to become involved in conservation.
The weather during the afternoon turned cloudy with light drizzle which then gave way to clearer skies and a lot more motion from the seas. During recap land was sighted again, the skies partly cleared and we enjoyed a lovely sunset over the Button Islands. Soon we reached our turning point to begin heading south along the Labrador Coast and also into open seas for the first time on this epic adventure. We had entered the Labrador Sea, part of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Thankfully the weather forecast is good and so should ensure for all of us a good night’s rest.
