Land ahoy

The fourth and fifth days of navigation have been much more pleasant than the first three. Calm waters have made a big difference to my comfort level... I am no longer seasick, even without the patch.

Yesterday evening we celebrated our last night at sea with the traditional party. Lots of music, lots of dancing, lots of drinking. The ship is very quiet this morning. I suspect a number of people will not be feeling too perky when they wake up.

It is a grey day, and there is a mist on the horizon. The southern tip of Tasmania is barely visible, rising above the mist. We should reach it in six hours time. It will be great to set foot on dry land again!

We shall stay in Hobart for the weekend, sleeping on the Astrolabe, and shall start our 24h plane journey back to France on Monday morning.

The adventure is nearly over. I am very much looking forward to being back home, but at the same time I am sorry to leave Antarctica behind. There is a magic about the place I cannot quite explain...