Last night our weather luck finally ran out, and the winds built to a full gale from the southwest. A few guests didn’t join us for breakfast, and those that did traded stories of being tossed in their bunks and personal items flung from nightstands to the floor. The National Geographic Orion was escorted into the narrow Stanley harbor by squadrons of sooty shearwaters who found the winds to their liking. Getting the ship to the dock required some skillful maneuvering by the officers and deck hands, but the ship was cleared by lunch time.
It seemed strange to be at a dock, surrounded by trucks and all the hustle and bustle of a commercial pier after so many days away from civilization.
A number of options were offered for our afternoon ashore. Some choose the guided “Highlights of Stanley” bus tour while others simply walked to Stanley to town to shop and explore on their own. Those who signed up for the Gypsy Cove beach and bird hike had to endure some gusty winds and fast moving rain showers, but the close up views of Magellanic penguins in their burrows more than made up for any weather.
At six o’clock, our ship set sail once again, and we headed west for more adventures tomorrow.
