Southern Atlantic Ocean Sailing

 Just Another Sea Day to Puerto Montt

February 4, 2020

We awake to another day of eating breakfast, socializing, reading, then eating lunch followed by...

Yep, just another sea day and not bad wind and wave conditions at all.  The outside temps were a little warmer as we travel toward the more northern lattitudes of the Southern Hemisphere.  How strange is that? 

From living north of the Equator, you know you will have colder weather if the winds are from a north, northeast or northwest direction or when one travels to more northern states.  It is the opposite down here in the Southern Ocean and South American lands.  I thought it strange when a tour guide in Ushuaia commented that the predicted north wind will give us a warmer day.  It took me a bit to get my head around that.  Okay, now I get it!  If the wind is from the South, it blows from Antarctica and its cold down there.

It's a good day to Promenade - that is to get some exercise by walking the outside deck which goes around the ship.  It is located on Deck 2 outside of The Restaurant.  If one encircles this walkway 4 times, you have walked one mile.  So here goes...

Okay walkers stay right.

Walking this deck is a combination of in and out and around

 through not usually seen areas.

You walk under the tenders and lifeboats and can see their lifting/hauling mechanisms.

Climbing the stairs was prohibited as all the lines and gear 

for the lifeboats are located up there.

Lifejackets.  So that's where they are!

The aft and side decks had the water views.

While friends joined the Viking Resident Historian, Michael Stone, for a ship tour of the Bayeux Tapestry which graces the walls of the wide stairwells, I was spa ready.  After getting a little exercise, it is so nice to hit the spa for a hot soak and massaging bubbles.  I will gladly forego lectures for spa time.

Exercised, relaxed, showered and changed , we were all ready for some late afternoon and evening activities.

At 4:30 PM I joined the ladies in Kosmetiske for a Scarf-Tying Event.  Learn different techniques of folding and wearing a range of scarves with Cellesta,  the description said.  I learned some new stuff.

Five fifteen PM was the Puerto Madryn Port Talk where we popped in to hear about the next days port of call.  Always entertaining and informative.  We were going to be back on a dock too - a very loooong dock.

Today the big dinner event was Land & Sea in the Pool Grill area and we were interested.  Anticipating lobster and filet mignon would be popular, we got our table early.  There was a nice lobster tail and a grilled steak accompanied by potatoes, vegetable and the little salad bar.  People go gaga for this event but after trying it I could pass.  There was no melted butter for the lobster tail and the filet was not cooked to order - how could it be with all these people waiting in line - you got what you were served.  Plus give me the World Cafe where there are multiple potato, vegetable and salad choices.  The event was repeated on another evening of our cruise so we skipped it, instead opting for a virtually empty World Cafe.

Sandi & I waiting for the planetarium doors to open. Its the curved room in back of us.

We had an early dinner mostly because of our 8 pm reservation for the show in the Jupiter's Planetarium called The Aurora.  A Planetarium is a new feature begun with the Viking Orion and continued Viking Jupiter.  The domed planetarium facility takes up a good portion of the upper level of the Explorer's Lounge.  It has reclining seats for comfortable gazing at the ceiling.  This was the second show we reserved.  The film cast on the ceiling presented the aurora and night sky like never seen by us for sure.  Quite enjoyable.

Sunset was starting to be a little earlier and at 8:37 PM today.  We enjoyed this live celestial sky event and a night cap as we listened to the guitar music of Andre.  We made our plans to meet and exit the ship as soon as clearance was given.  Our private excursion from Puerto Madryn the next morning was going to be an all day affair so early to bed for a big day on land.