PLA29-25, trip log, Antarctica - Basecamp - free camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, photo workshop, mountaineering

Today was the day! We all travelled from far away places and made our way to the end of the world; Ushuaia. Our adventure onboard M/V Plancius starting here, and we were all very excited to start our Basecamp adventure. Boarding wasn’t starting until 16:00 so that gave us time to explore the shops in Ushuaia a bit more, enjoy a coffee with a piece of pie, or buy that last extra hat and pair of gloves.

In the afternoon we made our way down to the port where we soon found the charming and gracious M/V Plancius. Among the large cruise ships, she looked rather small, but that only ignited our enthusiasm even more.

Boarding was smooth and while walking up the gangway we were greeted by the friendly and excited expedition team. Once we all had boarded it was time for a mandatory abandon ship drill. Chief Officer Martin introduced himself and then explained the procedure. When the alarm was sounded, we made our way to our muster stations and started putting on our bulky orange life jackets. Then the abandon ship order was given, and we all made our way to the lifeboats where Second Officer Don gave us some more information on the procedure. That also ended the drill and now it was time to relax, explore the ship a bit more and enjoy seeing the ropes being loosened for our departure.

At 18:30 captain Evgeny welcomed us on board with inspiring words and together we toasted with a glass of champagne or orange juice. Our expedition had now really started and there was no way back!

Expedition Leader Adam introduced himself and the expedition team and he explained to us what to expect in the coming days. It’s a very experienced and passionate team and they we’re all eager to start this journey with us. Hotel Manager Albert then informed us how things work on the ship and where everything can be found.

It was a lot of information to process, but at 19:30 dinner was announced and we relaxed and enjoyed the delicious buffet.

After dinner the doctor had organised a pill & patch party for those of us who needed sea sickness medication. Some swells were expected so it was good to prepare the body for this.

While we sailed through the Beagle Channel on our way to Antarctica, the sun slowly set and so did our eyes. Time to sleep! Good night everyone!

The night was interesting as we had been warned that the ship would start rolling around midnight, and sure enough, it did. Some handled it better than others, so breakfast wasn’t well attended.

After breakfast, Adam, our expedition leader, gave a series of mandatory briefings. They were fascinating, covering the rules of the Antarctic continent, biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of diseases or invasive species, and perhaps the most exciting the zodiac briefing. The zodiacs are essential for getting off the ship in remote areas without ports.

Most people were grateful that Adam kept the briefings concise, as some of us preferred to spend more time lying down.

In the afternoon, we checked our equipment to ensure we weren’t bringing any invasive species along. After thoroughly inspecting and cleaning our gear, we signed a declaration allowing us to enter Antarctica.

Koen, our photo guide, gave us an introduction to wildlife photography, followed by a recap session led by the expedition staff. Adam explained the plans for the next day, Steffi spoke about the significance of the Drake Passage and how the opening of that gap influenced the entire planet, whereas Narly gave us a fascinating look into mountaineering, particularly crevasses.

What a day! It felt like being back in school, but in the best way possible. Learning about the pristine region we’re about to visit is truly exciting.

The second day in the Drake Passage was a shaky one! The swell and wind continued from the previous day and some of us were still feeling the motion of the ocean. After a quick breakfast, the plan for the day was preparation for the special activities during our base camp trip. During this trip, we would get the opportunity to participate in six activities: shore landings, zodiac cruises and scenic ships cruises as our standard activities. On top of that we could do mountaineering, kayaking, and camping as well. An action-packed trip and sleeping would probably be done once we arrived back home!

Before we were able to sign up for these activities, mandatory briefings needed to be attended to get important safety information. For some of us, this would be our first time on a zodiac, and mountaineering, kayaking, or camping weren’t a huge part of our daily routines back home either. So, these briefings are extra helpful to ensure everyone is safe and on the same page.

The first briefing was from our mountaineering guides. They explained the various equipment needed such as harnesses and crampons whereas they also shared how to safely transit over potentially crevassed ridden landscapes. The second briefing was for our campers. Valeria and Brian presented the logistics of camping in Antarctica, both with infectious excitement in their voices.

They showed us the kit needed for camping and explained how we would be responsible for digging our own sleeping pit, setting up our sleeping bag. And then they really sold open air camping to us by telling us about falling asleep in the brisk Antarctic night temperatures under a sky full of stars.

The third and final briefing was with Erin for those wanting to kayak. Erin has extensive kayak experience both in Antarctica and all over the world and knows these waters well. We would be in tandem kayaks and get the opportunity to paddle amongst wildlife and towering icebergs.

After a delicious lunch, it was time for the activity sign up. We were divided in 4 different groups and were called up to register our activity dates. Some of us weren’t feeling too good, but still put in the effort to make it up to the lounge. Excitement was in the air and anticipation was growing as tomorrow we would see our first penguins and we would start with our cool activities!

After all the briefings, it was time for a lecture. Expedition guide Elizabeth gave the first wildlife presentation of the trip. She has been studying whales for the last 10 years and presented on the basics of what is a whale or a dolphin, followed by snapshots of the various species we could see along our voyage. Now we got even more enthusiastic about the chances of seeing cetaceans and after the lecture, guests went outside to start scanning the horizon.

In the evening, Expedition Leader Adam presented the plans for tomorrow; our first activity day. After hearing from Adam, Jakub gave a recap about ice and glaciers as we had spotted our first iceberg of the trip! Coincidentally, shortly after, we also could see land. Land Ahoy! Eager guests got an early sleep to prepare for what tomorrow has in store.

This morning, we arrived in Antarctica. The excitement had been building over the past two days as we were shown glimpses of what was to come on various briefings. For those that got up early we were greeted by icebergs in the fog.

The fog adding to the suspense and mystery of this incredible place. It wasn’t too bad though and we managed to see our first whales, Humpback whales in The Gerlache Strait. And as the fog cleared we were treated to some spectacular scenery as well as our first penguins on ice.

As breakfast time neared, we approached Orne Island, our first destination. We passed the spectacular Spigot Point, again with more humpback whales in the waters around the ship.

After breakfast we were invited to set foot onto Orne Island, our first steps onto Antarctica, and as we did it started to snow, adding to the experience. We were excited to see our first penguins up close, Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins with well grown chicks. We watched in amusement as the Gentoo chicks chased the adults around begging for food.

The Chinstrap chicks were very vociferous but a little less active, instead seemingly shouting at the adults to give them food. Another animal that gave us great entertainment was an Antarctic Fur seal that was wandering around the snow, showing off.

We then had to pull ourselves away to return to the ship for our transit to our next destination. We travelled through more spectacular scenery as we enjoyed another great lunch on board.

After lunch we enjoyed the journey to Damoy Point. Damoy is situated on the Northwest of Wiencke Island. There is a relatively small hut there, Damoy hut, that is maintained as a museum by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.

The hut was built in just 8 days by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) as a small airport lounge servicing Rothera Station. Personnel were shipped into Damoy and then flown from there to Rothera. In early and late summer there was too much ice to get the ships any closer to Rothera. The air strip was on top of the glacier nearby. It is a beautiful place to visit with huge mountains all around and a fantastic space to walk around to see the various Gentoo penguin colonies. We also found a snoozing Weddell Seal laying in the snow.

After a good walk and a look around the hut it was time to return to the ship. The weather was sunny and calm as we returned which bode well for this evening.

During recap it was confirmed that this evening would be the first opportunity to go camping. The first group of 56 lucky people excitedly ate dinner and got ready to go camping.

At 7:15 AM Adam woke us up with his soft voice and from the moment we opened our eyes we were excited for another day in Antarctica. The way south towards our next destination lies through one of the most picturesque and impressive geographical objects of the Antarctic Peninsula – the legendary Lemaire Channel!

Before having breakfast, we all dressed up and proceeded to the outside decks to enjoy the beauty of this wonderful channel. The Lemaire channel is only 600 metres wide in some places and on both sides almost a kilometre tall vertical mountain walls were reaching for the sky. This scenery with icebergs, glaciers and calm weather made an unforgettable impression on us all.

After breakfast we prepared for our first activity of this day – landing at Pleneau Island. The island is located near the southern end of Lemaire Channel and it’s a small granite outcrop with gentle topography inhabited by a colony of Gentoo penguins. The weather was great today, not too cold, and with very little wind. Adam welcomed us at the beach as we arrived in the Zodiacs. The expedition team prepared the landing site in advance, so we strolled around the island from one penguin grouping to another along poles inserted into the snow. From the island’s viewpoint we observed a beautiful iceberg-packed shallow bay on one side and steep glacier-covered mountains on another. A truly majestic Antarctic landscape.

By 12:30 we were all back on Plancius for lunch. In the meantime, the ship didn’t have to change its position as for the afternoon a Zodiac cruise in this area was planned. At 2:30 PM we embarked the Zodiacs hoping to find lots of wildlife and beautiful icebergs! All our guides were driving, and they took us to different parts of the graveyard, the bay and surrounding areas.

Some of us found ourselves observing active and curious humpback whales from up close as they approached our boats.

Others went towards the icebergs where they found Weddell and a good number of big Leopard Seals. The icebergs are all individual pieces of art and it’s amazing how nature creates such a variety of beautiful shapes. Despite the cold wind and snow, we stayed out until the end even though the cold had gotten to us eventually.

But we all knew the coffee machine onboard also offered hot chocolate so soon we would be warm again!

Back onboard we joined the expedition team in the lounge for a daily recap where Adam presented the weather forecast for the evening and the following day. The chances for rain or sleet were too big and with considerable wind speeds camping wasn’t going to be feasible so unfortunately it was cancelled. No problem, we’ll enjoy the warmth of the ship!

We awoke early this morning as we were excited to visit our next landing site. We boarded the Zodiacs and made our way to Port Charcot. Port Charcot has an amazing history as it is the location of the second Charcot expedition which overwintered in the bay. They built a magnetic hut where they attempted to execute reliable magnetic measurements and on top of the hill they built a cairn. Unfortunately, a thick fog had made its way in which prevented us from enjoying the magnificent views over the bay. However, we could hear multiple whale blows and occasionally we managed to see a glimpse of them feeding in the waters below.

On the other side of the landing site, we could visit a Gentoo penguin colony where we often find small numbers of Adelie and Chinstrap penguins as well. Because of the fresh snow our boots didn’t get too poopy walking here, contrary to the walk up the hill where we had to cross thick layers of guano. We already prepared for a boot scrubbing session back at the landing location!

After a delicious lunch, we arrived at our second landing of the day: Petermann Island. This island was discovered by a German expedition in 1873–74, and named by Eduard Dallmann for August Petermann, a noted German geographer and founder of Petermann’s Mitteilungen.

Petermann offers beautiful viewpoints over extensive iceberg gardens or graveyards whereas we can also visit an Adelie penguin colony here. The Adelie’s have a shorter breeding cycle than e.g. the Gentoo penguins and when we arrived, we only found them in small numbers as most of them had left for the soon arriving winter already. However, with the Adelie’s you only need a few to fully enjoy them and with multiple chicks around it was a pleasure to observe them.

After the landing our captain manoeuvred the ship skilfully through the scenic Lemaire Channel heading towards our camping location.

We had a lovely dinner and we enjoyed the warmth and comfort of the ship before preparing for a night out in Antarctica.

The camping night started out nicely with calm weather and dry conditions, but early morning the wind had picked up significantly and we were glad when the zodiacs arrived to bring us back to the ship. Sleeping in the snow had been a wonderful experience and the ride back to the ship felt like a true expedition. Time to catch a bit more sleep now.

The morning started early for many of us as it had been the second camping night. Most of us had slept very well and needed to be woken up by our camping guides Valeria and Brian. Unfortunately, the wind had picked up, and the weather became a bit unpleasant. Our pick-up team—Koen, Martin, and Steffi—got us back to the ship safely, though most of us ended up getting a little wet. Well, I suppose this is all part of the Antarctic experience! It's fascinating how quickly the weather can change. It served as a reminder of how challenging conditions must have been for the first explorers in the early 20th century. They didn’t have the luxury of a warm Plancius waiting for them with a hot shower and pastries at the bar.

Some of us went back to bed, while others stayed awake. Either way, we all got our daily wake-up call from Adam, and the day officially began.

In the morning, we set off on a lovely zodiac cruise around Skoncorp Cove, a glaciated bay in Paradise Harbour. This area is also home to Brown Station, a summer-active Argentinian station, where we saw some of the dirtiest gentoo chicks on the planet! As we cruised by, we enjoyed the stunning views of the ice-filled bay. We spotted several crabeater seals hauling out on the ice, and a few leopard seals rested on the beautiful ice floes, offering us fantastic photo opportunities. We were left speechless as we slowly made our way through the cracking ice, soaking up the scenery. The glaciers had been highly active, filling the bay with ice which made driving through challenging at times. We even witnessed some calving from the surrounding glaciers. What an unforgettable morning!

The galley team surprised us with a fantastic burger menu, and after a tiring, chilly morning, we devoured the delicious lunch, recharging our energy for the afternoon's activities.

In the afternoon, the team offered us a split landing at Stoney Point. This meant a quick stop at a fantastic viewpoint overlooking the bay and a short zodiac cruise to explore the surrounding waters for marine wildlife. The landing was wonderful. From the viewpoint, we could see our fellow travellers out whale watching, and the panoramic view of the mountains and ice-filled sea was absolutely breathtaking. The zodiac cruise was equally rewarding, as we were able to find whales that had eluded us earlier in the day. We also had great views of their diving behaviour.

Although the wind had picked up, by now, we were accustomed to the Antarctic conditions and even braved a polar plunge on a windy day! At the end of the afternoon, we gathered at the landing site, stripped down, and took the plunge into the cold, clear Antarctic waters. Holy “bleep”, it was freezing! But everyone appeared to be happy, despite the shock of diving into water just above freezing temperature.

What a day it had been! We were looking forward to the coming days and what the expedition team would show us next in this pristine, untouched part of the world. After a fantastic dinner and some drinks at the bar, most of us went to bed early, but happy.

What an incredible morning we had! It all kicked off with a perfectly organized breakfast in the dining room, setting the tone for an unforgettable day. After breakfast, we set foot on Danco Island, and the weather was nothing short of perfect.

The skies were a brilliant blue, and the sun bathed everything in its golden glow. The landscape around us was jaw-dropping, with distant views that seemed to go on forever.

As we made our way up, we passed countless Gentoo penguin colonies, and at times we could see dozens and dozens of fluffy penguin chicks. At the summit, we were treated to a breathtaking 360-degree view of the glaciers that surrounded us on every side.

After our hike, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, feeling recharged and ready for our second continental landing at Neko Harbor. Here, we were once again surrounded by towering, active glaciers, and we witnessed the stunning natural phenomenon of calving up close! The glacier kept calving, and we even saw a few avalanches tumbling down. Everyone was so captivated by the sheer power of nature that we couldn’t tear ourselves away as we waited eagerly to see more of this awe-inspiring display.

As we hiked further, we were treated to spectacular views of the Gerlache Strait and the glaciers stretching out before us. And yes, more Gentoo penguin colonies!

On our way back, the tantalizing smell of BBQ wafted through the air, and we could hear the music building in the background. It was time for the BBQ party! After a quick recap and information about next day's adventures, we were invited to the aft deck to enjoy a unique Antarctic BBQ. The energy was electric once dinner was over. The tables were cleared, the music was cranked up, and we all danced and celebrated together, reveling in the beauty of this amazing journey!

This morning our bridge team navigated us wonderfully to our first activity location, Foyn Harbor. Our gracious Plancius was surrounded by towering snow-capped and glaciated peaks, offering views of the harsh, yet pristine, environment which we will be exploring this beautiful morning.

Foyn Harbor is situated on the east side of Enterprise Island and is surrounded by whale filled waters and stunning landscapes. It’s also the place where we can see the remains of an old shipwreck, the Governoren.

The Governoren was one of the largest whaling factory ships of its time, as it could catch and process the whales onboard. This design and construction was more economically viable for the whalers. The Governoren was known for producing more than 22,000 gallons of oil and was one of the most technically sophisticated ships of its time.

In 1915 the crew allegedly threw a party to celebrate one of their most successful whaling seasons to date before returning to Norway.

Alcohol was flowing richly, and the crew were dancing below deck when things got out of hand. Someone knocked over an oil lamp off the table and the ship caught fire. As the ship was fully loaded with hundreds of barrels of whale oil, the fire was quickly fuelled and became uncontrollable. To save the lives of the crew the captain decided to steer the ship towards the shore and ran the ship aground. The ship and its valuable load were lost, but all 85 crew members survived. It must have been quite the hangover the next day.

After visiting the Governoren we continued into the bay to see and enjoy beautiful deep blue icebergs, striking towers of glacial walls, and curious humpback whales! The whales were mostly resting, but that gave us lots of time with them and we enjoyed their loud blows and slow movements. We also saw Weddell seals, Gentoo penguins, Antarctic fur seals and even a couple of Minke Whales.

We had gotten quite cold, but then Hotel Manager Albert came to the rescue with third officer Solina! They offered us hot chocolate with rum and whipped cream. It was a delicious treat, and it warmed us up enough to stay out for at least another hour. What a great morning!

Next, we headed to our last landing in Antarctica and our third continental landing location, Portal Point. Portal Point is on the Reclus Peninsula at the northwestern entrance of Charlotte Bay offering stunning views, a nice leg stretch, and feeding humpback whales close to shore.

Portal Point also has the remains of the British hut Cape Reclus, which was established in 1956 and occupied for survey work from 1957-1958. A research group from Station O at Danco Island, a landing site we previously visited, overwintered here to continue survey work. Additionally, a four-man exploration group led by Wally Herbert completed the first traverse by dog team arriving in Cape Reclus from Hope Bay after 2.5 months of exploring.

Everyone took in the views from Portal Point having been informed this would be our last Antarctic Peninsula landing of the trip. With this in mind, we took time onshore to slow down, contemplate, reflect about the voyage and enjoy our last landing. Once back onboard we headed north and were accompanied by numerous humpbacks, penguins on icebergs and the evening itself was simply gorgeous with beautiful light and a stunning sunset. A perfect farewell from the Antarctic Peninsula.

This morning Adam’s soothing voice woke us up at 6.45, the reason being that we were about to transit through Neptunes Bellows, the entrance into Deception Island.

Deception Island is an active volcano which had its last eruption in February 1969 when the British Antarctic Survey base at Whalers Bay was evacuated for the last time.

The Bellows is a narrow gap in the caldera wall which allows sea water to flow into the caldera and such offering a natural harbour and entrance into this active volcano. We were all very excited to be able to transit through with Cape Petrels flying around and Fur Seals playing in the waters around us.

After another fabulous breakfast we were called to board the zodiacs for our landing at Whalers Bay. It was a mystic and dramatic approach as the old factory buildings, relics of the old whaling times and the research station appeared through the mist and steam. The steam is created by thermal activity, and we could feel the warmth when we put our hands into the water and into the sand right below.

Once we had explored the buildings, furnaces and storage tanks we walked along the beach, admiring more fur seals and doing our best to avoid those that wanted to play with us. We passed long abandoned wooden rowing boats, whale bones and other remains as we walked along towards Neptunes window.

After a steep climb to the ‘window’ we had a dramatic view out to sea and in the opposite direction stunning views over the whole of Whalers Bay. What a fascinating place!

We returned to Plancius for lunch and the ship made its way out of Deception Island heading towards Elephant Point.

Elephant Point at Livingston Island is also one of The South Shetland Islands. It is a stunning location with interesting geology, beautiful lichens and mosses, and lots of wildlife. There were Gentoo penguins and Giant petrels in large numbers, but the stars of the afternoon had to be the Elephant seals. They were huge and laying together in large heaps, the steam rising from their warm bodies as they huddled together. Their deep guttural noises were incredible, and we were all in awe.

Sadly, before long, it was time to return to Plancius for the last time. The zodiacs shuttled us back to the ship and we started preparing for the Drake Passage. The forecast wasn’t too bad, but just to make sure we would be OK, doctor Aneska opened her evening pharmacy for those of us in need of medication.

No wakeup call this morning, and although we enjoyed a bit of a sleep in, we also felt a bit melancholic that we had set sail towards Ushuaia after 7 unforgettable days in Antarctica. The weather forecast hadn’t been too bad, and the ship was rocking gently this morning. We were more or less in between weather systems and into the greens so nothing we couldn’t handle.

Today a full lecture program was scheduled with a good variety of topics. Koen started the day with a presentation on Adobe Lightroom. This is a software program that enables us to get more out of our photos. You can compare it to developing your photos, but then with endless possibilities. With small adjustments related to contrast, exposure and colour, photos look immediately different and hopefully better ;).

Then it was Jakub’s turn. He talked about the state and fate of glaciers and ice sheets. This wasn’t a good news only presentation and the information Jakub shared made us think more deeply about the future of our planet.

During our expedition we encountered large numbers of humpback whales, and they all made us fall in love with them. Elizabeth shared with us her knowledge about these fantastic gentle giants in her humpback whale lecture. Her passion was infectious, and we felt privileged to have experienced close encounters with these intelligent, social and conscious giants of the oceans.

Brian closed the lecture program with information about wilderness survival. Brian shared interesting stories, and it was clear he feels very much at home out in the wilderness.

During the day the other guides were on the bridge looking for wildlife. Although it was a relatively quiet day, we did see several species of Albatross and we even had a brief encounter with a pod of pilot whales, unfortunately seen by only a few lucky spotters.

After dinner we spent time in the lounge, chatting and mingling, and maybe working on the thousands of photos we took during our adventure. It was a relaxing day and after 7 intense and very busy days it was nice to relax a bit.

Good morning M/V Plancius! Our second day of sailing on the Drake Passage towards Ushuaia. And again the weather was favourable as the swells weren’t much bigger than yesterday and during the day the movement should even decrease. Perfect conditions for having a good breakfast in the restaurant this morning.

Today the expedition team had more lectures scheduled with a good variety of topics. During our 7 days in Antarctica the days were completely filled with activities and that didn’t leave time for more extensive lectures. With more time on the Drake it was great to get more information about the guides’ specialties and passions.

Steffi’s lecture was titled “Why penguins don’t wear socks” and with such a title our curiosity was immediately triggered so we made our way up to the lounge. It was a very interesting lecture and it is amazing how animals manage to survive the harsh Antarctic conditions and keep themselves warm.

Next it was Martin who shared with us the important role photography plays in relation to conservation. As always Martin delivered his presentation with excitement and wit.

After lunch and for many of us a nap, it was Valeria with a history lecture about the Race to the South pole. The race was between Scott and Amundsen who were both very eager to be the first to reach the South pole, but in the end it was Amundsen who managed to be there first.

In the afternoon we started to see land and we were sailing relatively close to Cape Horn. For us to relax a bit more, the expedition team put on a documentary about sailors passing the notorious and infamous Cape Horn and we immediately realized how easy our Drake Passage had been compared to what some of the sailors had endured while rounding Cape Horn.

Then it was time to ‘dress up’ for captain’s cocktail. The expedition team were also wearing something a bit fancier than their daily uniforms, and this added to the festive atmosphere in the lounge. We drank champaign and the captain spoke thankful and inspirational words. Then it was Adam’s turn to say his thank you’s before we were shown the slide show. The slide show was made by Elizabeth and Valeria with photo and video contributions from the entire expedition team. The slide show was great with funny moments, but also moments that made us tear up. It was a wonderful trip and this slide show is a great souvenir and memory to bring home with us.

Then we had our final diner on board, and it was yet another delicious meal. The dining room was buzzing, and we enjoyed our last night the fullest. Albert then took the microphone to thank his entire hotel crew who did such a magnificent job both in front as well as behind the scenes. What a great team he has!

In the meantime, we had entered the Beagle Channel and the pilot was now in charge of getting us to Ushuaia where we would arrive around midnight. Good night everyone!

This morning Adam woke us up one last time with his soft and soothing voice. We will surely miss him waking us up. We opened our eyes and realised the ship was no longer moving and when we looked outside we saw we had arrived back in Ushuaia. We made our way to the breakfast restaurant once more and while eating we already started saying our goodbyes to the lovely stewards who had been so good and friendly to us. In the meantime the expedition team had carried out our luggage and then unfortunately Albert announced the ship had been cleared by the authorities and that the buses to the airport had arrived.

We said goodbye to our fellow passengers who had become our friends and with whom we had shared this unforgettable adventure. The expedition team was there as well and we were sad to have to say goodbye to them too. But with firm hugs and big smiles we parted ways while we looked back to our beautiful Plancius one more time. Our expedition had been amazing and we would never forget this great adventure!

Total distance sailed on our voyage: 1708 nm

Southernmost position: 65º04.2’S / 064º01.9’W

On behalf of Oceanwide Expeditions, the Captain, Crew and Expedition staff we would like to thank you for a wonderful time, it has been a pleasure sailing with you.