![\"albatross1\"](\"https:\/\/halley2014.aq\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/albatross1.jpg\")
<\/a> For the first week there wasn’t much to see, other than the occasional petrel or albatross that was flying around the ship. These were heavily photographed however (what with there being nothing else to take pictures of!) and were very good at timing their close fly-bys for the exact moment nobody was holding their camera! Once we got to the sea ice, there were a lot of icebergs, penguins and seals to photograph. ![\"iceberg1\"](\"https:\/\/halley2014.aq\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/iceberg1.jpg\")
<\/a> The food aboard the ship was excellent, with the option of a cooked breakfast each morning and both lunch and dinner featuring a salad bar, cold meats, soup, bread, cheeses, and a choice of main meal, all followed by a dessert or two. With their not being a lot of physical activity aboard the ship (apparently there was a gym somewhere), it would have been very easy to eat quite a lot! ![\"penguins1\"](\"https:\/\/halley2014.aq\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/penguins1.jpg\")
<\/a> We arrived at the Brunt ice shelf early on Christmas day, and spend the day sailing along the coast looking out for penguins and other wildlife. Christmas lunch was a fantastic three course meal – the menu read as follows:<\/p>\nSantas Blood Capsicum Soup
\n~~~
\nLobster Tail Salad
\nArtichoke & Pine nut Salad
\n~~~
\nRoast Turkey
\nWalnut Stuffing, Pigs in Blankets
\n~~~
\nSpinach Stuffed Fillet of Beef
\nRed Wine Jus
\n~~~
\nCider Baked Ham
\n~~~
\nChateau & Duchess Potatoes
\nBrussel Sprouts
\nRoast Melody of Vegetables
\n~~~
\nBrandy Soaked Christmas Cake
\nChristmas Pudding Brandy Sauce
\nCreme Brule’s
\nCheese & Biscuits
\nNuts
\nAfter 8s<\/p>\n
Sufficed to say, it was a really good meal! The next morning we packed up our things, and departed for Halley VI. The journey aboard the RRS Ernest Shackleton took two weeks in total. It was an interesting experience living aboard a ship – the constant rolling motion, the close quarters – although at times was a bit monotonous, as we were …<\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"