Despite a very long New Year’s Eve night, we caught an early flight out of Sydney to make our annual pilgrimage to St. Barths with good friends.  Sadly, Ric and Loraine had to stay behind after Loraine’s regular cancer check-up indicated a return of the disease.  We were all so upset.  But despite weeks of tests “confirming” cancer,  she insisted on biopsies to be certain.  12 hours before she was to begin chemo the results showed she was, in fact, cancer free!  So the joined us two days late, and we had a crazy celebration at Nikki Beach as soon as they got off the plane.  Tears of joy all around!

 

Meanwhile,

the ship was headed to deep, deep Antarctica without us.  The Ross Sea, as close as you can sail to the South Pole was the goal, six days of sailing from Tasmania (each way).  The ship actually set a record for the farthest south a marine vessel has ever been.  Good friend Tom Warner took some amazing shots from our deck and shared them with me.  This are HIS photos, we weren’t even on.  Feels like cheating, but the pictures are so great I had to share them.  Thanks Tom!