The Tiger is a Pussycat

We woke this morning to bright sunshine and to find that the feared Drake Passage had been tamed. It was, as the crew informed us, the Drake Lake. In fact, I have seen bigger waves on the duck pond in St Stephen’s Green. Apparently, this is most unusual and the crew have not seen such good weather in some years. All their recent ”Drakes” (you have to get with the jargon here) have been stormy.

Mark and Dwane from Minesota are among those on board who are disssapointed and they have made it clear that they will be asking for their money back if things don’t disimprove and quickly.

Conditions were sufficient to induce in the Fearless Four feelings of mild elation but we refuse to become complacent. Already by mid-afternoon the sun had disappeared and the MV Fram was beginning to roll distinctly. Tomorrow could be another day.

Incidently, the lecture this morning entitled ”Whales I have Known” was not at all as dry as the title suggests and was very entertaining. It has teed us up nicely to distinguish a fin whale from a humpback from a minke. And already this morning peguins have been seen ducking and diving off the starbord side (that’s on the right, apparently). We have also been fitted with our boots for landings, the first of which may happen as early as tomorrow, Sunday.