farther south into Lemaire than any vessel in this thaw

we trawl through brash ice

seeking activities for the afternoon

(as if wonder needs our doing to be real)

the argentine islands are iced inaccessible

but the captain calls a pit stop

to deliver reparation tools

to faraday base

(now under ukraine management)

to refurbish a ramshackle

but, i’m assured, historic

hut

watching a leopard seal

i miss the hut’s significance

entirely