29 March 2016 - Puerto Madryn
I awoke just before 7 and Les made the first pot of coffee. We sat on the balcony and watched the sun rise at 0733. Shortly thereafter, the ship began to slow as it entered the harbor. Slowing the ship causes enormous vibration and trembling - it sounds almost as if we are running aground.
This is sunrise coming into Puerto Madryn, ship heading west, from our aft balcony. We are completely thrilled!
We watched the shore crew moor our stern lines while I took photos. Pretty neat!
The pilot boat rushes up behind us as we are mostly stopped alongside the pier. They come up close enough that someone on the ship, down on deck 3 below us, throws the mooring lines to someone on the pilot boat. There are two sets of three morning lines, one for each side of the ship.
The longshoremen wait on the mooring platform. The pilot boat moves over close, and one of the men throws a line down to the pilot boat. The line is used by the longshoreman to haul the mooring lines up to the mooring platform. Then the other longshoreman attaches them to the mooring bollard. This was so cool to watch!
The job done, the pilot boat comes around the platform, and the longshoremen club down the ladder and aboard. Then they go drink coffee, or rum, or something, until it is time to unmoor.
Then we went to work out. I spent a lot of time warming up in the gym - they do have foam rollers so I didn’t need to bring mine. I also ran 3 miles while Les was walking, until they stopped me from running on the port side, as the crew was doing a mandatory evacuation drill and they will lower the boats on that side. I could have continued running on the starboard side only, or gone to a treadmill but I chose to halt. While I was running, one of the ship’s crew was walking the other direction, and waved to me every time around. More about this tomorrow.
Here we are at S42° 45.739' W65° 01.389'
For the drill, they ring the alarm - 7 short and a long. Then the crew stations report in via radio. Then they close the water tight doors from the bridge. Then they close the fire doors from the bridge.
Since the drill is for crew only, we are going to get breakfast at the buffet. I am looking for more smoked salmon, pickled herring and fresh fruit.
We went ashore and walked around Puerto Madryn a bit. On the way back, we found a table on the sidewalk in front of the Lizard café where we sat for some re-hydration - 750 ml bottles of Stella Artois. It was very, very cold and tasted very, very good. 
I don’t know - it kind of looks like Les is trying to hide the evidence. Busted!!!!
We decided to walk all the way instead of riding the shuttle across the viaduct out to the ship. That is where we took these photos:
The sun!
We spent the rest of the afternoon consuming a bottle of Champagne, the rest of our first bottle of Cabernet, and a full bottle of Merlot.
The Wine Steward is ...
out of practice
Watching the casting off was very impressive as the seas were much heavier than earlier today when we moored. As we backed around and headed southeast, the sun set, and we were off on the next leg of the journey, to Stanley.
The seas are much heavier as we prepare to unmoor. The job is easier though. They only have to wait for the ship to loosen the lines, then they throw them off into the water and the ship tells them in.
Then we went to dinner at le Bistro, and drank another bottle, this time, Malbec. Along with escargot, salmon, and cheesecake. It will take a lot of exercise to eliminate all that!
Sunrise to sundown, this touring is long, hard work. We tour hard!
Les picked this brochure up at the tourist bureau. It made for some serious reading. But not after the cold beer at the Lizard - until I got home, that is.
