Hi everyone

A quick post and probably tomorrow we will lose internet so we will be unable to stay in touch. Been a wonderful trip so far, a zodiac tour around what we have been told before was called Bird Island” that Ken and I have done before from a port stop in Honningsvag. This time we were told the correct name of Storstappen Island. However from a zodiac it was much better as we were able to get into a wonderful small cave area with brilliant green algae and interesting rock formations. Ken took a great shot of Ralph and I with the green in the background but not sure we can post that picture from here. We had some swell on one part of the tour that was probably the most swell I have ever encountered on a zodiac but everyone was fine so I am confident that those new to zodiacs are going to be fine for the whole voyage.

After returning from the zodiac trip we got in two games of pooch. Fun to play with everyone and Ralph’s grandson caught on faster than most adults we have taught. He won the second game. This is one fine young man we are all enjoying him. Jim scored a game of 140 what a way to start.

In the afternoon the tough ones among us did a hike from the shore up the cliff side and then walked to the North Cape. Most of our group did that walk but I did not. It was much tougher than anyone had anticipated but all made it safely to the top. They had a bus trip to North Cape for the non walkers from a small fishing village called Skarvag that is home to 47 people, with 8 children in the one school. Reindeer were everywhere and they like to hang out on the football field. There was one big reindeer in front of each goal and the others milling around the field. Really looked like a game was in progress. Unfortunately I do not carry a camera as it would have been a great shot. It was a beautiful sunny day and the scenery was terrific.

We had a nice dinner last night of cheese soufflé, scallops and wonderful prime rib and then CRASHED. Food and service has been very good this is indeed the best expedition ship I have ever experienced.

We are on deck 3 the lowest deck and are doing just fine here. It is very handy as this is where the zodiacs and landings leave from so it is a quick in and out of the cabin. These cabins have a LOT of storage for a cabin of this size and really nice décor with warm woods. We have empty storage space.

Today we attended a mandatory talk on responsible tourism in the Arctic region that was interrupted by a humpback and then fin whale. The ship is now in the process of selecting gumboots deck by deck. We will be called any minute.

We will follow this by lunch, a quick game of pooch, a lecture and then a zodiac tour of BEAR ISLAND where we are told we will get to go into small caves and really get up close and personal with thousands of birds nesting on sheer cliffs, looking forward to that. Back on board there is the welcome aboard cocktail party.

The next day we get close to Polar Bear territory and probably no internet.