by Ryan Markiewicz | Dec 22, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Getting to Antarctica today. Yesterday we took a Zodiac ride around Elephant Island, the place where Ernest Shackleton’s crew took refuge for the 4 months or so it took for Shackleton and Worsley to navigate a lifeboat 800 miles in some of the roughest seas on earth to get help (If you have not read the book, Endurance” or seen the Shackleton movie, it’s an amazing true story of grit and cohesion and survival.
In fact, both William Shatner and the astronaut Scott Kelly said that it felt like a religious experience being there, seeing the exact spot from which these guys endured. And, in their talk, they each made the point that even though Shackleton’s mission was a failure, his ability to adapt to reality (their ship first got stuck in the ice/then crushed) and change “the plan”, from “being the first to traverse the entire Antarctic continent”, to now, finding a way of getting all 28 men back to England alive. Incredible story of heroism and leadership.
We have already seen penguins (we’ll see LOTS of penguins), seals, and a few whales, and we’re just getting to Antarctica. And we saw (and heard—like thunder) a glacier “calving” yesterday, where the ice breaks off and falls into the ocean, loudly, and creates what we are seeing hundreds of already, icebergs. Took some pics of them this am from our ship. And you’ll notice that even though it is only 5 am, it is light. No darkness in Antarctica at this time of year, their summer.
And, it struck me as funny, that down here, in the God-forsaken place at the bottom of the world, the temperature was 29 degrees Fahrenheit while back home in Erie, it was 24 hahahahaha.
Monument to Chilean officer Luis Pardo on Elephant Island where the men sheltered for 4 months until Pardo steered his ship to rescue them
Penguins are everywhere down here.
Our ship, from the Zodiac
Lots of albatross’ following the ship. They hardly ever land. Always on the wing.
We’re seeing icebergs everywhere
Lots of penguins
Hallie & I 🙂
Piece of 10,000 year old glacier ice
Note–we DO have internet connection here due to Starlink. If you have any questions or comments, please just email me, and I’ll get back to you.
Onward!
by Ryan Markiewicz | Dec 20, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
The first couple of days onboard has us navigating Drake’s Passage, the way to Antarctica.
I think it’s about 500 miles, and since it is the place where the Pacific Ocean runs into the Atlantic Ocean around Cape Horn (the southern tip of the Americas), it can be rough sailing.
We have about 30-mile-per-hour winds and 10-foot waves, so it’s a little rough, but the Seabourne Venture is a sturdy icebreaker, so while we are rolling a bit, I’ve seen a lot worse. This is doable.
Now, Yuriy made the point last night, “Why would you leave the lovely warmth of Florida to go down to freezing cold Antarctica?” and my half-facetious response is, “Because I’m a dumbass.” And there is certainly SOME truth to that.
But, as William Shatner, our host, (Captain Kirk from the original Star Trek) said at his welcoming talk–because humans have always been “curious” creatures. That even from the days we first stood up, we have wandered and traveled, looking for “What else is out there?”
I’ll take that as the better (at least more romantic) answer.
Onward!
by Ryan Markiewicz | Dec 19, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary.’ I’m not sure why that old song popped into my head. Probably because so far, just getting to the ship to start that cruise has been a 36-hour journey. Somehow, I had not calculated for that. But…it’s a long way to Tipperary (Ushuaia). Left our place in Florida at 4:15 am. Left at 8 from Miami airport and flew 9 hours to Buenos Aires. Crashed at a nice hotel in BA. Got up at 4 am this morning to grab some breakfast and catch a 6 am flight to Ushuaia (the southernmost city on earth) and will then (FINALLY!) get to the ship to begin our 10-day cruise to Antarctica. All part of the deal.
I can tell already that this cruise will be different. It is a smaller boat, probably around 200 passengers. An ice-breaker to punch through the ice. The clientele is much younger/more varied than the usual cruises we have been on. And, you can already tell some very interesting people. Not just the “stars” of the show but many of the passengers themselves. An eclectic group. Normally on these cruises, we just keep to ourselves. Friendly enough to others, but not looking to make new friends. This one, I think, will be different.
I’m just wondering, what will be the “highlight” of this trip? Will it be the ship? The service? The talks? The celebrities? The passengers? The excursions? Or just the landscape, unlike any other on earth?
I’m excited to find out. Will let you know.
The red dot is Buenos Aires. A long way from Florida (9 hours). Then we fly to the southern tip of the Americas, Ushuaia. That’s another 4 hours. Then we cross Drake’s Passage to get to Antarctica.
Charles Duke is one of the five astronauts aboard. A legend!!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Duke
Landing in Ushuaia. That’s our ship awaiting us.
Wonder which one we’re taking??? 🤪
Onward!! -JB
by Ryan Markiewicz | Dec 18, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Heading South!
Cool video from Neil deGrasse Tyson below.
-JB
by Ryan Markiewicz | Dec 16, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
All,
Getting ready to head out early Wednesday for our adventure. Will keep in touch (hopefully we have Starlink/wifi. No cell service down there 🤪)
These are some of the guests who will be onboard. I hope to meet them and learn from them.
Excited! Talk soon.
-JB
by Ryan Markiewicz | Nov 4, 2024 | Berlin's Wall
Check this out. Pretty cool.
https://fb.watch/vDPLg3YjSl/?
I know you may not be a Bills fan (or a football fan). And some of you folks overseas might not even know much about football at all (though I know the folks in England, Germany, Mexico, and Brazil do, and our BIG fans 😉).
But I am a big Buffalo Bills fan and was at the game Sunday. It was an amazing game. Came down to the last play. The Bills did not play anywhere near their best game and still won. That’s not easy to do against NFL competition. And Miami’s quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played GREAT!
And though many of you know I am often critical of Bills’ coach, Sean McDermott, I think this was a very ballsy call to go for the winning FG as he did.
- It was over 60 yards. Longer than Bass has ever hit and longer than any in Buffalo Bills history.
- TBass (the Bills kicker) has had a rough year plus. He seemed to lose his confidence toward the end of last year and has been shaky.
- McDermott going for the FG in that situation took guts. The safer bet was a Hail Mary or even a punt to go into OT. The danger with the FG attempt is that 1. It could be blocked and returned for a TD or 2. If Bass misses (and who thought he would make it, honestly?), the Dolphins get the ball on the Bills 49 with only a few seconds left but with 2 timeouts. One 15-20 yard completion the Dolphins they could have kicked a much more makeable game-winning field goal. Gutsy call.
Now, I know how much McDermott and the rest of the team have had TBass’ back. And no one would have blamed him for missing a 61-yarder at the buzzer. But had he missed, and had the Dolphins scored a last-second FG, McDermott would have been pilloried for going with a guy who has been inconsistent all year (including missing an XP earlier in the game).
So, my hat’s off to McDermott for sticking with his guy, for having faith in him, and for putting his own rep on the line by bringing him out in that situation.
And clearly, you can see from the video how happy all of Bass’ teammates were for him.
And I would not be surprised if this kick (hopefully 🤞) restores Bass’ confidence, turns his season around, and maybe even saves his career.
Good for him. Good for McDermott. Good for the team. A good lesson for all of us. We have to keep faith in each other, lift up those who are down, don’t give up on them during tough times. What makes a team stronger.
Go Bills! -JB
PS–here’s a look at the play:
https://x.com/danfetes/status/1853183208164151737?s=61&t=wOTQcoLRVs8n-Qq-W8brCQ
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