Lat 39 56.3 S
Long 058 47.8 W
COG 215 SOG 4.5
Weather good to very good. Sunny and bright ful moon at night.

Time for an update.

Last week we landed safely in Montevideo, Uruguay. The city had a very 
relaxed vibe although there are about 1.2 million people living there.

We stayed in Montevideo for 5 days. Part of the crew and Voyage crew/ 
guests went home and others came. We got stores, new spare parts, some 
extra sleep, live music and a beer.
I handed over the ship to Captain Klaas and now have a new role on board 
as First Officer, ready to discover the Falklands, South Georgia and the 
Antarctic. I am very happy and will learn a lot I think.

  On the day of departure to the Falklands, just before we left I went 
with a ship chandelier to gather the last items in Montevideo.
Some screws for the bosun, Loctite for the Engineer, cement for the 
anchors, a hub for the IT department amongst many more items.

In his car we drove to many different places.
First we went to something that looked like Playmobil Land, people with 
bright outfits, bright forklifts, bright helmets and colourful 
signalling posts, but they didn't move to much.

The highlight was the drive-in tool shop where you park your car inside 
this huge shop surrounded by endless pumps, electric screwdrivers, 
welding machines and many more items. My personal Credit Card was about 
to burn through my pocket, very eager to spend money. Luckily I was able 
to contain myself and bought nothing. Well almost nothing.

Just before I left Holland I quickly went to an outdoor shop to find 
some Antarctica clothes.
For the last 10 years I have been able to escape the severe winter 
conditions. It was time to trade my shorts and flip-flops for something 
more weatherproof.

I got a pair of very big Everest-and-beyond-climbing-shoes, each one is 
about as big as I am. (I say this because I am used to only wearing 
Flip-flops. For their size the shoes are surprisingly light though.)
I bought thermal underwear and a hat and then my budget was done.

So here I was. Ready to conquer the Antarctic in my Thermo Underwear.
Even with logo of the Bark Europa attached to it, it still would not 
look very professional.

I had to come up with a better plan. Time for Plan B
At home I found my spendex-Iceskating outfit and a 
bright-tight-wind-block-bicycle-shirt.
Although this was better, I was still afraid that I would be arrested if 
I arrived in a bycycle-Iceskating outfit with an energy bar and Banana 
in my back pocket at the beach in St George or Deception Island

Plan C,
To wait for further Antarctica shopping till arrival in Montevideo when 
my new monthly allowance is in my account.

The ship chandelier brought me by a shop for safety items. This is where 
I got lucky I found everything that I needed.

There was a very friendly man surrounded by endless boxes in an old 
building, outside it was 27 degrees Celsius.

When I explained I was to go to Antarctica, He started climbing over one 
of the big-box-mountains-ridges and then, from far away, somewhere 
behind the first series of box mountains I heard his voice.
I heard some other noise and the appeared with my new outfit.
It was Silver Grey and the size of a space outfit. It has reflectors and 
I could add a golden cap to the front and breathing apparatus to the 
back. Ready for the moon!
He told me this was special for people that need to work in extreme 
refrigerating plants and other space projects. I am a happy man!

In the mean time we are at sea. The water temperature has dropped to 12 
degrees and the air temperature is 11. Every day we loose 2 degrees on 
the thermometer. Let's see when it will stop.
I look forward to more cold and all the beautiful things we'll encounter 
during the coming period.

Safe sailing Fos