We had a trivia night, singalongs, and more than one South African braai (barbeque) on the helipad during which expedition members and crew grilled dinner, danced, looked for whales and celebrated our group achievement. It felt like a floating bubble of joy.
All good things have to end, though. As we drew close to Cape Town, expedition members packed their bags, boxed-up their equipment and started making plans for life back on land. I wandered the halls of the S.A. Agulhas II, asking as many people as I could find to reflect on their expedition experiences. (You can see their responses here, and if you want, add your own!). The vast majority of expedition members told me that their favorite part of the journey had been getting to know the other people on the ship. I have to agree with the group's wisdom. For 40+ days, more than 100 people from 12 different countries worked closely together towards a common goal. We learned a lot from each other, overcame challenges together, and ultimately achieved our goal… together. I think Shackleton would have been proud.
The S.A. Agulhas II arrived at Cape Town harbor before sunrise one morning, and we all got off the ship in the darkness to get our passports stamped. The people in front of me in line were leaving for France, Fiji, Switzerland and other areas of South Africa the next day. The people behind me were bound for England, Germany, Chile, Alaska and Mongolia within the week. The incredible crew of the S.A. Agulhas II would ready the ship for its next journey to resupply the South African research station on Marion Island.
