Embarkation on the Douglas Mawson

Today we boarded the MV Douglas Mawson, named after Australia’s most famous Antarctic explorer./

He claimed to have fallen into a crevasse and was dangling at the end of 14 feet of line and with frost bitten hands and with his skin peeling off in sheets, but went hand over frost bitten hand up the line a few times before extricating himself. Great story but considered unlikely.

The ship was commissioned in December and really looks brand new.

Cousin Lester and I are in the cheap seats on the 3rd deck. This is Lester’s first time out of the site of land and he is handling that and the deck heaving under his feet with his customary aplomb.

Meanwhile, Leonard’s luggage didn’t get out of Auckland in time for our departure and he went on quite a shopping trip at American Airlines’ expense.

Forgot to mention that we had a nice predeparture walking tour of Dunedin with its most impressive giant murals. We even encountered a muralist at work.

So as the sun sinks behind the south end of the South Island we bid a fond farewell to Dunedin