Page 17 - Kyalami Estates Issue 1 February 2024
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Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible  Design  26
                                                                                  3.0  Folder (Inner)
                                                                                                     TRAVEL

                                            Penguins, Blackish and Megallanic Oyster   in the South Shetland island chain. Snow
                                            Catchers, Imperial and Rock Shag, Long-  and ice covered the mountainous terrain
                                            tailed Meadowlark, Dark-faced Ground   of all the islands and icebergs floated
                                            Tyrant, White-bridled Finch and the non-  in all directions. Adele penguins were
                                            flying Falkland Steamer Duck.      sighted on an ice floe and colonies of
                                                                               Chinstrap penguins could be seen on a
                                            Life on board ship was never dull and   number of icebergs. The temperature
                                            apart from the half dozen restaurants   even in midsummer was zero degrees,
                                            serving excellent cuisine, there were daily   and we dressed in warm layers when out
                                            trivia quizzes, exercise classes, shows   on deck. Humpbacked whales surfaced
                                            every evening and lectures conducted by   near the ship and penguins could be
                                            six different lecturers on topics such as   seen porpoising in and out of the water
                                            the various ports of call, the geology of   in their characteristic swimming motion.
         Humpback whale                     the area, plate tectonics, the local wildlife   A snowfall covered the open top decks in
                                            and climate change in Antarctica. Also   a few centimetres of snow and added to
                                            on board were a gym, spa, library, heated   the Antarctic experience.
                                            and unheated pools, card room, live
                                            bands and other entertainers.      The ship cruised along the Antarctic
                                                                               peninsular until reaching a latitude of
                                            After leaving the Falklands the ship   64.5 degrees south, almost reaching the
                                            cruised further south across the   Antarctic circle, before heading north
                                            surprisingly calm Drake passage and   again and into the Drake passage. Our
                                            headed towards the Antarctic peninsula.   next port of call was Ushuaia on the
                                            At noon each day the ship’s captain   Argentinian part of Tierra del Fuego on
                                            would broadcast the ship’s position in   the southern tip of South America. The
                                            terms of latitude and longitude, current   Drake passage is noted for its storms
                                            speed, wind speed and time of arrival   and we experienced a force 10 gale with
                                            at our next destination. Birds seen in   waves metres high, causing the ship to
                                            the Drake passage were Cape Petrels,   pitch and roll. Plates and glasses crashed
         Light Mantled Albatros
                                            Southern Fulmar, Sooty Shearwater and   to the floor and passengers were asked
                                            Slender-billed Prion. The first land sighted   to remain in their state rooms until the
                                            was Deception Island, one of the islands   storm subsided many hours later.












         Southern Fulmar












                                            The Antarctic peninsula




         Wondering Albatross

















         Megallanic Horned Owl              Adele Penguins riding on an iceberg

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