Spring Moon of the Southern Cross
In spite of my desire to see the Southern Cross we’ve not had a clear night, even out of Coquimbo with 300 clear skies a year; the Humboldt Current kicks up enough moisture to create cloud cover over the ocean. Over head, too, is the Larger Magellanic Cloud, a naked eye galaxy only 200,000 light years from earth and named after Ferdinand Magellan.
Ferdinand figures into tonight’s sailing since the Captain estimates we will hit the Straits of Magellan about 7 pm Santiago time. The Straits of Magellan will take us to Punta Arenas, the big city around these parts, where Kate and I take off for Ottway Bay and penguins up close.
The next three days will find us still sailing in the mass of islands and peninsulas that make up the end of the Americas in the south. On the 12th we will round Cape Horn.
Our ship has instituted biological control measures, meaning more frequent washing of hands, crew serving food on the normally cafeteria Lido deck, closing the self-service laundries and isolating sick passengers in their staterooms until 24 hours of disease free time has passed. Though I had a cold, neither Kate nor I (so far) have succumbed to a GI illness making the rounds, something on the order of turista.
It’s hard to fault Holland America since they push hygiene and have done since the cruise started. Still, it’s a difficult situation for all concerned.
