January 22 – Isla Robinson Crusoe

January 22, 2017 – Isla Robinson Crusoe, Chile
The night before last the sea was very rough so yesterday the ship sped up so we were docked off this island by 11pm and everyone could have a good night sleep.
A few things that are newsworthy happened during our sea day yesterday. First I went to see the doctor again. My ear infection is gone but he was worried about my cold progression. I am now on prednisone and a stronger antibiotic and am feeling much better. Our 7pm trivia team won and we each got $3 grand dollars. I have $30 already. Last night was also our third gala night and an Officers Ball. I had dinner with 2 of my trivia teammates, Brian and Sally at 8pm . Coincidentally their table had a ship’s officer assigned to it for gala night. Last night it was the ship’s doctor and his wife. When an officer dines at your table, they supply the wine. Unfortunately I had to forgo the free wine because of the medication I am taking. I so enjoyed eating at 8pm the I have asked to be moved to fixed dining and seated at Brian and Sally’s table for the rest of the cruise. I did not go to the Ball but went to my room to sleep.
At 8:45am Linda and I boarded the tender to go to Isla Robinson Crusoe. 98% of the island is a National Park. This is the island where a man named Alexander Selkirk was marooned. Dafoe used Selkirk story as the basis for Robinson Crusoe. There is one small town with 700 residents. We paid the 5000 peso fee ($7.50) to enter the National Park and hiked around for an hour. We walked across the village to the cemetery and to a viewing platform where we could see sea lions in the ocean. There was one sea lion who appeared to be doing a water ballet. He would roll over and stick one flipper up and wave it.
As we are headed south our daylight hours are increasing. It is strange to have it light at 10pm in January. We received our pillow gift tonight. It is a detailed map of Patagonia and the Chilean fjords. We will be sailing through the fjords on January 25 and 26.
Forgot to mention that we have been spotting whales on a daily basis for the last 5 days.
Tomorrow is a Sea Day as we head to Chiloe Island, Chile.