Today was the day for embarkation. Most of us got long flights from home to Ushuaia, and were eager to get on board to start our trip.

Welcome on board

Today was the day for embarkation. Most of us got long flights from home to Ushuaia, and were eager to get on board to start our trip.

During the morning we could enjoy the city, waiting for the afternoon when we were supposed to make our way to the ship. Between 16:00 and 17:00h the ship and the crew was ready to welcome us on board, as the Europa lyes in Ushuaia Pier, looking elegant moored between several other Antarctic vessels, Cruise ships and fishing vessels. All of them more modern Motorships, but the Argentinean flag ship, the Libertad, a fully rigged Tall Ship, sail training for the Argentinean Navy, that during the last couple of days is paying a visit to the Southernmost city in Argentina.

As we approach the afternoon, after 17:00h, all begin to gather and introduce themselves on the Ship’s Main Deck. Coffee, tea, and cake soon were ready for us to enjoy. Our passports and flight information was collected in the library while Skinner, one of the guides for our trip, took pictures of all of us, to put together the “ship’s facebook” to be posted soon in the Deckhouse Pinboard, to get to know each other’s faces and names more easily. While all this was going on, we got some time to unpack, rest a little from our long trips to get here, or enjoy the view from the deck for the first time.

After the crew introduction lead by our captain Eric, we got dinner and straight afterwards we already started familiarising with the ship itself and the rope handling, while Lex and Jordi were doing a presentation to Welcome us on board, doing a Voyage introduction presentation.

We spent the night alongside, planning to leave around 06:00h in the morning.