Done in Dunedin

[The Ship is about to leave so no time left to jump off and upload pics until Sydney.]

Today was our last day ashore in New Zealand before beginning our return. Connie and I walked the little neighborhood of Port Chalmers in Dunedin (pronounce like "Done Eden"). This little borough is filled with monuments. The Scots, who settled this city known as the gateway to Antarctica, gave it the Scottish name for Edinburgh back home. Byrd, Scott, and many other Antarctic explorers used this town as the jumping off point for their expeditions according to the small maritime museum just off the dock. It was also home to several intrepid sailors, including one who received the US Navy Cross for his valor at Guadalcanal, despite serving on a NZ ship at the time and only noticed posthumously "in dispatches" by Her Magesty's forces -- apparently colonials still did not rate in WWII despite their critical role in England's survival. Sad.

Anyway, eschewing the many excursion options, we walked the town until Connie's legs ached. We did not make it to the top of the main hill, but beyond some statues, the only view is of a couple of unpopulated islands that stand between us and the shores of Antarctica. The water temperature was a balmy 55F (13C) in the harbor. Tonight, we wander around the South Island via the Antarctic Ocean. Tomorrow, we roam the inlets of Fiordland onboard the Princess and head home...