Graham Passage

The day started silently in Graham passage. The weather was good, clearand easy, and a nice wind was blowing through the channel. The channelis called after the ship 'Graham' that first passed the passage in 1922,following a whale. We could sail the whole passage – enjoying theglaciers and mountains around us.During the afternoon we slowly move South. The wind is blowing from theright direction, and with a speed of 3-4 knots we slowly sail towardsour destination for the evening. Around lunchtime our speed has droppedto 0.6 knots, but since we already know we will not make it for ourplanned afternoon landing we now have more then enough time. It keepssnowing the whole afternoon. And many take it as a little time out afterthe last busy days and to gather some energy for our evening walk.After an early dinner we arrive at Cuverville island. Our home, barkEuropa, will drift between the icebergs here, while we go on land for anevening landing. Cuverville is a 2 by 2.5 km island, a steep sided dome.Nearly vertical cliffs surround Cuverville except on the NE coast, wherea gently sloping apron of bedrock extends 200 meters from the shore tothe base of the cliffs. The Island is considered the largest Gentoopenguin nesting site on the Antarctic peninsula.We can either stay on the landing spot with the Gentoo penguins, orchallenge ourselves with an evening hike. From down on the shore it ishard to know exactly how high and how steep it will be. Sarah promisedus we would get warm and we did. The top of the island never camecloser, and after the last steep part was always another steep part. Butin the end we made it all up to the top. In the silent and serenesurroundings of a calm evening in the Antarctic, a wild snowballfight,made up out off all left over energy escalated in the whiteness. In thisway time passed fast and we soon started going down again. Or, to makeit in time, sliding running tumbling down.Back on board the deckhouse and bar soon filled up with even moreleftover energy.Sarah