Team members say

not sure what date but it is but it is good Friday, I know this since we were told but missed out on the hot cross buns! And now come to think of it will not have Easter Eggs but since I don`t like chocolate this is hardly a hardship. I wonder if Peter has already eaten all of the eggs that I hid around the house for him!

Yesterday was a very long action packed day. Our leadership on the edge session was held on the Antarctic continent against a background of blue sky and sunshine and we all sat on our backpacks to keep dry. Somewhat bizarre to have the flipchart stuck in the snow and listening to Nick!

As I know that I am a wimp I did not slide down the hill but did a sedate walk! In the evening after an early supper we went to set up tents and camp overnight in Dorian Bay. Luckily lots of other people knew how to put up a tent but this was my first experience of ice screws – yes huge metal screws that you just screw into the ice! I could not believe how cosy my red sleeping bag was and did not suffer from the cold, but so much for tranquility – I don’t understand how some people can snore so loudly and not wake themselves up! Am learning how to dress for this climate – in the words of the team here layers layers layers which has the end result of one looking like a snowman or the Michelin man or both!

Great excitement today as have seen Orka whales and humpback whales and penguins porpoising when we were out on the zodiacs. Tonight we are going to Port somewhere where there are a whole bunch of penguins who apparently have no fear at all of humans.

I have taken so many photos and short videos but the quality of the videos is a bit like the blair witch project. Nonethless you cant believe quite how exquisite the icebergs are and the colours are just outstanding and all of the shapes.

Getting my sea legs and hope that they will stay for the crossing back through the Drake Passage!

The anticipation has been building in the last couple of days since we left Ushuaia. Today we have been rewarded with sightings of whales, albatrosses and our first iceberg – great excitement – and yes they are really blue and beautiful. I am still mastering my camera but luckily there are lots of people on board who are very proficient to capture these memories (and if required can always pretend their photos are mine). The crossing of the Drake Passage was extremely calm but my body was not in agreement so spent most of Sunday in bed, but today I am getting my sea legs with the help of serious sea sickness drugs! The length of the journey makes me realize quite how far away the Antarctic is. Already the outside world is becoming further away as it is a struggle to realize what day of the week it is. Occasionally I think of something such as is Beth watering my plant, and how was Harrison’s driving lesson with Peter, how wrong Sophie was about my croc shoes and they are just perfect for these conditions, and what a godsend Sam’s down jacket has been as it is now so much colder now that we are in Antarctic Waters. Tomorrow we land at the e-base at Bellingshausen to meet with Robert and his team, and hopefully see Penguins and Seals too.

Charlie’s initial thoughts on climate change…

Climate change has made me more conscious that I need to do something myself and not leave it all to the responsibility of governments.