So we started our Antarctica season on the 1st of November in the port of Montevideo by welcoming 30 new Voyage crew/Guest. 

Our voyage will bring us first to the Falkland Islands or Malvinas for some other nationalities then to South Georgia and Antarctica and finishing just before Christmas in Ushuaia, (Arg.). 

I decided to leave Montevideo straight after all the paperwork with customs and immigration was done late in the evening because the weather forecast gave us a good north-easterly breeze for the first 24 hours. 

That worked out as a good decision, we were flying along with 9 to 10 knots on a Southerly course and passing Mar del Plata already the next evening. 

The total number of bodies on board is 46 and we are setting a new record in the amount of different Nationalities. 

Having 20½ nationalities looks like an odd figure but we are living in odd times. 

If you are wondering who is having a half Nationality….the fact is that we have somebody from Barcelona and somebody from Madrid in our crew and I am not sure if I should count them as 1 or as 2 different Nationality these days. 

EUROPA is the most international tallship platform sailing the oceans and up till now without any problems, so that should be reassuring for the rest of the world…we are the proof that it can work out well. A square rigger needs teamwork otherwise you get nowhere. 

On board we have people from: Spain, Catalonia, USA, Canada, New Zeeland, Australia, Argentina, South Africa, Togo, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, France, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Israel, Great Britain and the Netherlands. 

The first 2 days without problems, I will keep you updated ;-) 

Alles Wel 

Klaas