We lost another hour last night. Literally. For every other
time change Peace has had the TV on a channel with the time change directions
on it but not last night and we just missed the little notice on Reflections.
So we didn’t change our clocks or watches or devices! The good news is that Clay
got up early to go to the gym and noticed that his device time was different
than the wall clocks. So he came back and woke me at what I thought was 6am but
he promised me was 7am. We were just making the turn into Crocker Bay. The seas
had been choppy all night and it was 30F with a strong wind. The sun was trying
to break through mostly cloudy skies. We had received Unexpected Adventure
tickets last night and were still trying to decide whether or not to go.
Yesterday we definitely made the right decision to refuse the fast boat at Beechey
Island. The landing by zodiac on shore would have been worth it but $40 more to
stay offshore in bad weather was definitely a no go. Today we won the lottery
for 2 $149 zodiac tickets with no landing. Yesterday at the recap & briefing
Tim Soper had said we would go up to the end of a fjord at Crocker Bay and find
2 tidewater glaciers. The shore excursion letter we got did not say that. It
said we would pause off Crocker Island and have a 1-hour zodiac adventure without
landing at 10:20am. So, when Clay first woke me up and I saw the water and
weather, I said he could go without me that I’d return my ticket. After my
shower when we could see how far up the fjord we had come and the glaciers and no
more white caps, I decided to go. I was glad I went even though besides the tidewater
glacier and some birds, we only saw some glimpses of seals. No one has told us what
kind of seals are here. No one has told us the name of the tidewater glacier
though I feel sure it must be named. I’ve never seen a glacier that wasn’t
named. Tim Soper said last night that this is the furthest north we will travel
on this cruise. We are at 74 degrees 53.74’ N 80 degrees 33.51’ W according to the
navigation map on channel 53 on the TV. I will hope that is accurate. The navigation
map on deck 12 outside Palm Court this morning showed Serenity and Shackleton
both atop the glacier or the land so that must be off a little!
Last night we also got an invitation to a Crystal Society
cocktail and dance party at 5:15pm today. Since there is a 5pm expedition
briefing & recap, we’ll do that instead. I don’t remember if I said but
only a few nights into this cruise we received 1 Crystal Society pin and 2 very
nice, luggage quality Crystal Cruises tote bags for being Crystal Society
members. I don’t know if it’s a mistake or if it is because of this being a
grand voyage or if Crystal always considers you a Society member after only 1
to 3 nights. Whatever it is, it seems at least one of us is considered a
Society Member.
It is 3:40pm and we are still holding at the glacier’s edge.
They have had zodiacs out since about 9am. They started sending out fast boats
this afternoon and helicopters have been coming and going all day. A couple in
Palm Court told me that they had returned 4:30pm helicopter tickets so I expect
we’ll be here until dinner time. The sun was out for a few hours today but it
left this afternoon. The ice fog/low snow cloud crept up the fjord off and on
all day but now we are pretty socked in. They made a good choice if visibility
is going to be low. We wondered if this glacier is actually the same as the one
around the corner in the fjord, if they are attached to one another back on the
land. It seems plausible but we have not been told if they are one or two or
the same, etc.
I don’t know why I had never read or thought about the Canadian
archipelago being full of fjords. But it is. These fjord landscapes are as, or
more spectacular, than anything we’ve seen in Norway, Chile or Alaska. The very
barrenness of the land being north of the tree line may make the scenery even
more dramatic as well as the fact that our weather has been so moody and
atmospheric. It has been spectacular. I highly recommend a North West Passage
cruise of whatever ilk you can get booked!
We only have plans for dinner and recap/briefing tonight so
I will close. Oh, there were 2 alerts we missed sailing in this morning, a
polar bear and a beluga whale so we’d like to be wildlife watching on the way
out, but I guess it will depend. If I can get Internet now, I’ll go ahead and
post this.
photos
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