Ortelious arrived in Ushuaia early this morning and by 8 am the joining expedition staff were all in the van to take us to the Port.

This year I’m working with fellow NZMGA/IFMGA Mountain Guide – Andy (Frog) Taylor.

Joining the ship as staff is not just a simple case of turning up and stowing your bags – there is still the departrtign passengers luggage to get off the shio – provisions to be brought aboard and all the mountaineering equipment to check.

Around 3 pm all onsigners are given a safety breifing by the 1st Officer and then the arriving passengers luggage needs to be brought onboard before they arrive.

Around 4-5 Pm the new passengers arrive and then as we depart the full briefings begin and we start to make our way out of the Begale Passage and onto the Drake – for the next 2 days we will then be sailing south towards the Antarctic Peninsula.

Till next tim