Slow morning for us today. We slept really late, had our coffee then wandered up to the Club for breakfast. And what do we behold in the Guest Relations lobby?  The Hunger Strikers who have obviously slept there!  Oh dear me, really?  Again, what is that really going to accomplish besides make a lot of people uncomfortable and irritated here on the ship.  It certainly won’t help accomplish their goals, whatever they may be.  Sigh.

Ok, on with our day.  Across to the lounge we go for the Faces of Antarctica, or who owns the White Continent? with Artem.  A really good historical look at the continent that remains largely unclaimed, just with a system of treaties and agreements that govern it. The basics are:  The peninsula is the most prominent geographic feature of the Antarctic, extending 250 miles in the direction of S. America.  Transantarctic mountains divide the continent into West and East Antarctica (East is much larger).  There are two different ice sheets, one each under West and East; the ice sheet under the East is much thicker than under the West, measuring at least 3 miles deep in the deepest parts.  Today there are about 70 research stations belonging to different countries spread throughout the continent.  From a historical perspective, land claims began before WWII with a number of countries staking out territories and setting up stations.  Interestingly, Argentina and Chile developed civilian settlements where approximately 50 people live – just regular citizens, not scientific research.  The UK was one of the earliest claimants, proclaiming sovereignty of a large portion of the continent as early as 1908.  By the 1958, the 12 countries actively exploring Antarctica decided to make the Antarctic treaty.  Signed in 1959, they agreed that no single country could make a claim to the territory of Antarctica, the land was to be exclusively used for peaceful purposes and guaranteed freedom to scientific research to be shared by all.  Because of that treaty the land remains unclaimed.

More countries have begun exploration there, most recently China and India, both with a number of stations scattered through the territory.  In 1998 the Madrid Environmental Protocol was added to the treaty to ensure environmental protections, including such things as requiring all sled dogs to be removed from the continent so they wouldn’t despoil the environment or bring any invasive diseases.  Artem goes into much more detail, but the gist of it all is that Antarctica isn’t a place for countries to race against each other to build and do research, but to help each other in understanding the most pristine area on earth. Cooperation, not competition is the rule.

Next there is a very fun cooking demonstration with Chef Eddy who makes an excellent shrimp risotto.  And we even get samples!  Definitely a recipe we will be making once we get home.  Lunch time.  And while we know that menus are set way in advance and rotate, we still would like to think that somebody back in the kitchen has a great sense of humor.  While yesterday’s theme was Mexican, today’s is Russian.  Yep, kid you not.  Borscht, Russian salad, Russian pudding.  With the Russian Hunger Strikers within smell distance to their own food.  Priceless.  As is the fact that the random quote that is always at the top of the daily plan today is “The lovely thing about cruising is that planning usually turns out to be of little use.” from Dom Degnon.  (PS – we tell Annemieke about it, the quote is truly random cut and paste, and she immediately changes it.)

There has been a change of schedule today, instead of the presentation on Scott and Amundsen at 2, we will be having a Mandatory Guest Update meeting in the lounge.  Uh oh.  We grab our Kindles and head to the lounge directly after lunch to get our seats.  Ed then goes to the gym, I decide to stay put because people are coming into the lounge and I don’t want to lose our seats. The Chinese are already here in a huge group discussing whatever they discuss.  They have written a letter, which their entire group signed, and presented it to Brandon at last night’s briefing.  Our intelligence gathering has learned that they are demanding a full refund for this cruise, a free future cruise to Antarctica and all their travel expenses reimbursed.  Hey, go for the gusto.  Ain’t gonna happen, but if you don’t ask……

As we are waiting, whales are sighted – so out I run to the bow of the ship to sort of grab a photo – we saw a lot of blows, taking a photo is another story.  But I did manage to get some great shots of the Petrels flying about the ship.  It is wicked cold out there though – that wind.  Yikes. I don’t stay too terribly long and then head straight to Allan for a hot chocolate to warm up!

2 o’clock arrives and Brandon begins his talk – basically reiterating everything that has already been said, explaining the situation once more and reading out loud the compensation letter we all received.  The Russians are sitting right up front, really close to the podium.  The Chinese are gathered in the center of the lounge.  When Brandon reads the compensation letter, the Hunger Strike Russian boos really loudly and a chorus of “no’s” ring out from the Chinese. Oh, this is going to get ugly.  Brandon soldiers on, explaining that the staff and crew are listening to everyone and want to hear and converse with everyone. After the meeting all the Expedition staff will have paper for everyone to write down their concerns and complaints, which will be collected, scanned and sent to the home office.  A very nice gesture, in addition to the free Wi-Fi.

Then we begin the Q&A.  Ugh.  The Russians jump up and dominate the conversation with ridiculous questions like why we didn’t go back to Cape Town (they say it was closer than Ushuaia – not), accusing the staff of hiding the propeller problem, claiming it started before Cape Town, asking if the authorities have been notified about the Hunger Strike on board and that passengers are not getting food and water (they have been offered food and water, their personal choice is to turn it down), is there a consulate that they can contact (we are in international waters, the ship is governed by the laws of Liberia, the country under which it is flagged). A bunch of very aggressive and unreal questions and statements.  The Captain comes up to talk about the issues and make some excellent points to which the English speakers all clap (us, the Aussies, the Brits) – and when we do all the Russians and the Chinese start looking around at us with these evil stares.  This is a little frightening.  This happens a few times, with the same results.  Not to sound too paranoid, but it was uncomfortable at best.  

There are no security personnel up here – probably a wise decision as that would have stoked the fires even more (although the Captain does say that both the Coast Guard and the Police will be boarding the ship in Ushuaia) – but all the Expedition Staff is up here and strategically placed around the room. Richard, with his years and years of Army experience, has positioned himself right behind us and you can feel the energy vibrating from him.  He is literally on his toes, ready to pounce if need be.  Definitely give us a little sense of security.

Next up, the Chinese, who add to the complaints that they want someone to come on board and talk to them about the issues.  As if we can fly someone and parachute them onboard.  They are most concerned about the money.  The whole thing sort of devolves and just keeps going around and around in the same circular conversations.  Brandon finally puts an end to it and people go storming off – don’t know how many did the letters – not many from the looks of it, so what can they expect?  Sigh. 

We wait for most of the crowd to disperse, don’t want to get stuck in an angry mob jam, before heading back to the cabin for the rest of the afternoon to digest the meeting happenings.  There isn’t anything on the schedule besides the “How big is it?” game in which we are not interested.  This situation is just crazy.  We really can not say enough about the Officers, Expedition Staff and Crew. They have done everything possible to be transparent, talk to us, listen to us and share all that they know.  It isn’t their fault the propeller shaft is damaged, it isn’t their fault that we can’t go to Antarctica – safety first people!  These passengers obviously have no idea what a disaster it would be if we went to the peninsula and then broke down completely.  Search the internet man!  There are videos of that exact situation and they are not pretty!  We’re bouncing around enough in relatively calm seas – no way you want to have the same situation on the peninsula or God forbid the Drake!  Hey, we aren’t happy with the offer of compensation either, but we’ve taken the steps that were offered – i.e., emailing corporate at the email address they provided – to express our displeasure and thoughts.  Whatever happens, happens.  It is a corporate decision.

We feel really bad about the situation and hate how the staff is being treated. So, taking matters into our own hands, we send another email to the corporate email address expressing our concern for the staff and giving them all huge kudos for how they have handled an unforeseen and uncorrectable situation.  We know they are reading emails and we just wanted to ensure that corporate understands, from a passenger perspective, the situation here.

Sigh. That’s all we can do is sigh. The evening briefing is blissfully quiet, what else is there to say?  We get a little talk from Miguel on penguins, a talk from Henri – oh and we’re also celebrities!  They put up a picture of our zodiac at Cooper Bay – we’re famous! Ha!  and then it is off to dinner.  After dinner drinks with Allan – and as we are leaving the Captain is there, so we thank him for all he’s done and express our appreciation for everyone.

Then it is back to the safety of our cabin and TV to end the evening.  Let’s see what tomorrow brings.