March 9, 2007
Drake Passage Sadly, today was our last day on board the ‘Explorer II’. Yesterday we paid a bit of what Jannie likes to call the “Drake tax” as we rocked and rolled bit but today we are enjoying a Drake Lake with wonderfully calm seas. In the morning we joined Jannie and Sally for a disembarkation briefing to learn about our travel details. In the mid-morning we heard David Wilson’s lecture ‘Murder in the Land of Fire: Savagery, Darwin and the Tale of Jemmy Button.’ It was an interesting tale of history and intrigue at the end of the world. After lunch we spent some time on deck with the naturalists or finished our packing. It was wonderful to be out in the warm sunshine as we saw lots of black browed albatrosses following the ship. For our last tea time, Maitre d’ Dmitar Potkonjak prepared a delicious Crepe Suzettes. It has been wonderful to sample all the savoury treats prepared for us throughout the cruise. Our last formal activity of the day was an Expedition Overview. Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas thanked all the guests for sailing with us and talked about how smoothly the trip had gone. Russ introduced a slide show that featured photos of our various landings and many people recognized themselves disguised in their red parka. There were some incredible images and we were stunned when we realized how lucky we had been with the weather most of the time in Antarctica and the wildlife we had encountered. Finally, we enjoyed a preview of a DVD of the second half of the voyage to Antarctica presented by the photo staff. We also raffled tickets to benefit the “Save the Albatross” campaign, the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue and the ‘Explorer II’ welfare fund. Guests who purchased tickets stood the chance of winning a sea chart with our route and signed by the senior officers onboard, one of Patricia Silva’s ink drawings or a singed print of the whales of the southern ocean. There was excitement in the room as the winning numbers were announced. These final days of this expedition have been dominated by reflection and celebration. Guests gathered together for lunch, dinner or an evening cocktail to commemorate the wonderful time that we’ve all shared together in Antarctica. In the mid-morning, Stephanie Martin presented her lecture ‘Whales and other Tales’. She gave us a brief history of whale research from the time when zoologists could do little more than dissect whales brought in by whalers to present-day techniques of attaching radio tags and other devices so that the movements of diving habits of whales can be tracked from orbiting satellites. A bit later, ornithologists Marco Favero and Patricia Silva presented a talk entitled “Albatross – we have a problem!” They explained how thousands of these magnificent birds (as well as many petrel species as well) are being inadvertently caught and drowned in long-line fisheries worldwide. The presentation was sobering but at the same time hopeful, as we were reminded of our ability to make a difference for albatross through our simultaneous roles as consumers, voters, financial supporters and educators of others. With some determination, we can solve this problem. In the mid-afternoon, everyone came from all over the ship at tea time for ‘Chocolate to Die for!’ All the choc-a-holics appeared for the special chocolate buffet created by our Pastry Chef and his team. Enjoying the slight chocolate buzz we gathered back in the lounge for the last lecture of the day for ‘Cape Horn: Gateway to the South’ by Ralph Eshelman. This presentation covered how before the building of the Panama Canal in 1914, the Magellan Straits and passage around the tip of South America via Cape Horn were the shortest sea routes to the west from the Atlantic. Sailing ships often faced difficult winds and currents sometimes mixed with cold and stormy seas. Cape Horn gained a reputation for being the most feared cape in the world. Some of the shipwrecks we saw in the Falkland Islands were the result of being so damaged during their attempt around the horn that they limped into Stanley where and were declared total losses and abandoned. Then there was just enough time to change for Captain Giovanni Biasutti’s Farewell Cocktail Party. He told several amusing anecdotes and we all shared in a toast before going into dinner. We had a very pleasant evening during the wonderful gala dinner and many people lingered over cocktails in the bars. It was early morning expedition day on the ‘Explorer II’. Ignacio gently woke us up at 6:00 am to call us out on deck to see the spectacular scenery as we cruised through the Lemaire Channel. This area is nicknamed Kodiak gap because of its sheer beauty of immense rocky cliffs surrounding a very narrow channel. The Captain guided the ship through the bits of icebergs as the sun rose to shine a pink and yellow glow to the snow capped mountain peaks. It was flat calm and the mountains reflection on the waters surface was breathtaking. Everyone was out on deck trying to take it all in as we also had great looks at crabeater and leopard seals resting on the ice. We made sailed the length of the seven mile channel and then waited for two other small cruise ships to sail through the channel. While we waited we saw a humpback whale dive just off the ship’s bow and then sailed back through the beautiful channel. In the mid-morning we continued to sail through amazing scenery as we sailed through another narrow channel to have a ship cruise through aptly named Paradise Bay. We were surrounded by a blue sky, majestic mountain scenery and warm sunshine. We saw the Argentine station Almirante Brown where there was a maintenance crew worked on the buildings. We saw cliffs of amazingly contorted strata and colorful lichens, with nesting Antarctic terns, cape petrels and blue-eyed shags. As the ship sailed towards our afternoon destination we enjoyed a special BBQ for lunch. Under ideal conditions we feasted out on the open decks while the ‘Explorer II’ Quartet played many old favorites and there was lots of dancing around the pool deck. In the afternoon we had a landing at Neko Harbor which was our second continental landing of the trip. Once ashore we had the option of simply beach-combing near the landing site or walking slightly further along a well- marked trail up to an old Argentine refuge hut that was surrounded by molting gentoo penguin adults and chicks. Then we wandered along the coast’s edge towards the end of the beach where the glacier rests. It was such a still and peaceful afternoon and we could have stared at the beauty of the glacier for hours. In the evening we had another lively dinner and then enjoyed the entertainment of the crew show. All and all a really fantastic way to end our time in this amazing part of the world!
The wind continued to howl throughout the night and we could not make it to our planned destination at Deception Island. We continued to sail south throughout the morning. Marco gave us interesting insight about the “patrollers” of the bird communities, the giant petrels and skuas, which are always looking for free meal. It was sunny and the scenery was gorgeous as we sailed along Trinity Island with its impressive mountain tops. There were several sightings of humpback whales but we were determined to make our destination for the afternoon. We sailed south to Cierva Cove for our afternoon zodiac cruise. Cierva Cove is in Huges Bay which has enormous glacial fronts and is a place for scenic beauty. Our Cruise Director Jannie Cloete and Chief Housekeeper Ann Bennet met us at the gangway and made sure we were properly prepared. Off we went to see what we could discover. We first went to a small island which we had our first sightings of Chinstrap penguins. We were amazed at how they high they climbed up the island and we had a chance to see how pugnacious they were. We zoomed our way through small bergy bits of ice and were wowed with the translucent blue color of the ice. We had several close looks at one of the two top predators of the area, the leopard seal. The zodiacs cruised through some of the loose ice and around icebergs. We discovered leopard seals hauled out or resting on several the larger icebergs. One iceberg had two leopard seals and one crabeater seal! Several boats also had close looks at leopard seals as they swim right next to the zodiacs. There was also the chance to have a close look at impressive icebergs. We saw several ice caves and even a few gentoo penguins resting on the ice. It was a wonderful afternoon of exploration and discovery.
Our morning was filled with sunshine, calm winds and fantastic scenery. We sailed through Antarctic Sound which is also known as “iceberg alley” and it lived up to its name. We were awed by the size of the magnificent tabular icebergs which can be several miles in length. It was exciting to be on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula as this area is little visited by ships and we felt like true adventurers. After lunch we had the chance to step back on terra firma for a landing at Hope Bay. This small bay, just three miles long and two miles wide, was discovered by Nordenskjöld and the Swedish Antarctic expedition in 1902. It was named in honor of the three expedition members who spent the winter there, and the remains of their hut can still be seen close to the landing site. These days Hope Bay is home to the Argentine Esperanza Station. We were welcomed ashore by some very friendly Argentines and after being split into groups we went for a tour of the base. Our first stop was at an overlook of the base where we took pictures of the station and also of the remains of one of the huts from Nordenskjöld’s expedition. From there we were invited to join the base personnel for a cup of tea and a chance to send postcards or purchase some souvenirs. It was a very interesting to see what it would be like to live in such an isolated part of the world. We also saw some groups of molting gentoo penguins and realized that this was our chance to step on the seventh continent! It was a wonderful afternoon to stretch our legs and get a chance to experience a taste of what this magical area has to offer. The winds were strong throughout the night so we continued to make so progress towards the Antarctic Peninsula. It didn’t deter the dedicated and keen birders who were up on deck early to watch the albatross effortlessly handle the wind and waves. Our first lecture of the day was ‘Blubber, Blubber, Oil and Trouble’ by our historian David Wilson. He gave us an excellent overview of the history of exploration in the Antarctic. It makes us realize that we are sharing similar sea conditions but on a much nicer vessel! In the mid-morning we heard about ‘Rocks, Fire and Ice-The Geography, Geology, and Glaciology of Antarctica by Ralph Eshelman. It was another interesting lecture where we learned about how geology shapes the entire continent. After lunch the cinema was full and many people took the opportunity to sample many of the books from the extensive library. In the early evening we listened to the expedition staff explained about penguin migration, a bit more history and a wonderful rendition of a beautiful poem. We are just lucky that given the conditions we are on a luxurious ship. We experienced a bit of the ‘furious fifties’ today as we sailed through a storm with strong winds and good sized swells. The ‘Explorer II’ handles a rough sea very well with its stabilizers and a lot of us spent time on the bridge seeing the waves breaking over the bow. It was incredible to watch the albatrosses soar above the swells without a care in the world. In the morning Ralph presented his second lecture of the cruise, entitled, “Heat Makes the Crust Go Around: Subduction leads to Orogeny.” He helped us understand how continents are being driven over the surface of the earth by convection currents within the earth, moving at about the rate of growth of our fingernails. Then it was Macro’s turn with his presentation ‘Penguins, Penguins, Penguins.’ He gave us a penguin primer showing the diversity of penguins around the Southern Hemisphere with particular emphasis on the species that we’ll likely see in our voyage. We then enjoyed lunch in the dining room as it was a bit too rough to eat in the Verandah. In the mid-afternoon we heard ‘A Year in Antarctica’ by former British Antarctic base commander Russ Manning. He delighted us with his stories and beautiful photographs from all his incredible years of experience being in this part of the world. The next event was a special and scrumptious Austrian Strudel Buffet. The Hotel Director Beat Hofer, Executive Chef Nico Edens and Sous Chef Michael Wiesner treated us to delicious Austrian delicacies. Stephanie Martin gave our last lecture of the day about the ‘Whales of the Southern Ocean.’ She told us which species of cetaceans that we might see during the cruise along with bits of natural history about the animals.In the evening we had another informative recap and then enjoyed the beautiful music played by Chantal Sanders in the Shackleton Lounge.
Throughout the night the wind continued and we felt a bit more rolling of the ship as we continued to sail southwards along the South Georgia coastline. Our plans for an early morning landing were thwarted due to high swells both at the landing site and at the gangway. Our fearless expedition leader decided to head to Drygalski Fjord because he knew not only would it be sheltered but we would have fantastic views of the Risting Glacier. We made our way up this narrow fiord to come face to face with this breath-taking tidewater glacier. Captain Biasutti expertly maneuvered the ship so we all could have fantastic views of the ice. Several times we were excited to see huge slabs of ice fall into the sea in a calving. There were Cape petrels feeding just along the edge of the glacier and we were even lucky enough to spot a single snow petrel. After leaving the Fjord it was decided to try to head into Smaaland Cove, a place no other ship has been into before. The captain sent out a small scout boat with a depth sounder to make sure there where no rocks or shallow areas as he maneuvered the ‘Explorer II’ into this tight cove. The conditions were safe enough and it was decided we would have a zodiac cruise to discover the area. We braved pelting rain and had a wonderful time as we got to see our first Macaroni penguins! These are the most numerous penguin species on South Georgia but they are found in very isolated parts of the island and there is never a guarantee to see them. It was wonderful to see their long, yellow plumes as they climbed their way up the steep hill sides. We also had the chance to see a King penguin, a Chinstrap penguin, a Gentoo penguin and a Macaroni penguin all on one spot, how fantastic! ‘Explorer II’ was a very quiet ship after lunch as most of us took a much needed rest after all the amazing things we experienced the last two days. In the early evening we had a recap where we heard a bit more about King penguins and what causes karabatic winds. After dinner, the entertainment continued with the Liar’s Club. Cruise DirectorJannie Cloete was the MC of this game where the audience has to guess which of the four expedition staff members were telling the true definition of several different words. The team members came up with hilarious and sometimes far fetched meanings which made for quite an amusing evening.
It was an incredible morning with calm seas and a stunning sunrise. It was a beautiful morning with crystal clear skies and incredible view for our landing at St. Andrews Bay. This is a bite two miles wide by three miles long which indents the northern coast of South Georgia immediately south of Mount Skittle. It was truly a once-in-a- lifetime experience as not many ships are able to land on this beach that often has large surf waves pounding onto it. This area was most likely first seen during the British Expedition under the Captain Cook in 1775. Those early explorers may have had the same jaw dropping expressions of amazement as we did when we first saw the largest king penguin colony on South Georgia. The colony at St. Andrews is estimated to have 100,000 nesting pairs of king penguins and you have to see it to believe it! We hiked up the beach past more fur seals to a small hill site for an overlook at this truly massive and impressive penguin colony. The first thing we noticed was how incredibly loud it was with all the calls the penguins made. You could hear the higher-pitched whistle of the chicks calling to their parents for a meal of regurgitated lantern fish or krill. We also saw several small herds of reindeer wandering along the valley searching for good grazing areas. Who knows how many hundreds of photos were taken as we spent the morning soaking in the wonders of this amazing place. During lunch we repositioned to our second landing of the day at King Edward Cove. Tucked away in a quiet cove was our port of call, Grytviken – at first glance merely a rusting, abandoned whaling station, yet this is a place soaked in history from another age of Antarctic exploration and exploitation. The most important period in the history of Grytviken and South Georgia was the whaling era from 1904 to the mid 1960s. In fact during the early part of this period South Georgia was the major center of whaling in the world due to the depletion of whale stocks in many other parts. We landed on a beach just below the Grytviken cemetery. Here, many of the whalers who lost their lives in the pursuit of whale oil and baleen are buried, but perhaps more significant is that this is the place of rest of Sir Ernest Shackleton. He died in Cumberland Bay aboard his ship, the Quest, in January 1922. David led us in a toast to “the Boss”. Then we walked around the remains of the whaling station to the church and the museum. The outer buildings were removed last year for safety reasons so we were able to wander through what remained of the whaling station. At the far end of the station is the South Georgia Whaling Museum which has been established in the old Manager’s quarters. It has only recently been established but its many artifacts and displays provide a vivid vision of what whaling and whale processing must have been like in Grytviken’s heyday. Also in the museum was a superb gift shop. Besides the museum, the best preserved building at Grytviken is the church, established in 1913, which was a restoration project for the British troops that used to be based at the nearby King Edward Point Garrison. The Garrison is no longer present and the buildings and facilities on King Edward Point are now owned and run by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). We walked through the buildings towards King Edward Point itself to see the cross Shackleton’s mates from the Quest built in memory of their friend. It was a fantastic day full of wildlife, incredible scenery and history.
Overnight the winds and swell continued to increase to rock the ship a bit. We arrived at the northern part of South Georgia to attempt a zodiac cruise but the weather gods were against us. The winds were just too strong for safe boat operations and the ‘Explorer II’ continued to sail south towards our next planned destination at Right Whale Bay. While sailing David Wilson gave an excellent lecture about Sir Ernest Shackleton’s life story and he focused on his time in South Georgia. The winds were still too strong for the planned landing so we decided to seek some shelter. We sailed just slightly further south to a much more protected region of South Georgia that has the remains of three whaling stations. We landed along the beaches of the former whaling station in Stromness Harbour. Finally it was calm and even the sun was shining. We were not allowed to tour the truly dilapidated remains of the station for safety reasons but could clearly see many of the buildings just beyond it the beach which was coated with fur seal pups of the year. . This station was established in 1912 and operated as a whaling station until 1931 when it became the largest ship repair yard in the Southern Ocean during the whaling era. We walked past many of the large propellers as we started the adventure of the day. Stromness is the area where Sir Ernest Shackleton and his men finished their epic crossing of South Georgia. We walked up to the well-known waterfall that they slide down in their desperate attempt to reach the whaling station. We saw several herds of reindeer fairly close to where we walked and enjoyed the good leg stretch as we took in the breathtaking scenery surrounding us. After the wonderful afternoon, we had a short briefing by Expedition Leader Ignacio who told us about our plans for tomorrow. Yet as we experienced today, things could change in a moment’s notice so we’ll just have to see what tomorrow brings. One of the modern day complaints that you hear from people is that there never seems to be enough time to relax and slow down. Well a day at sea is the perfect chance to have things slow down a bit and just relax. Not that there weren’t many activities offered throughout the day. The first talk of the day was by Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas for our mandatory briefing for conduct while ashore in South Georgia and Antarctica. The essential aims of this talk were to ensure that our visits there are conducted safely and that the environment is not disturbed nor do we impact any wildlife. The sea was fairly calm so there was lots of time to walk around the decks. Although we were shrouded in mist and some fog, every now and then the visibility would be good enough to see some of the majestic seabirds swirling off the stern of ‘Explorer II’. We saw several giant petrels, wandering albatrosses, and the ever confusing diving petrels. It was refreshing to just take in the salty air. The day’s excitement wasn’t quite finished yet. We were approaching Shag Rocks, an island outcropping in the middle of the Scotia Sea. This is an area of very productive waters filled with lots of life. Geologist Ralph explained about the origins of this area while ornithologist Marco told us about all the birds we were seeing. Marine biologist Stephanie was just about to make an announcement when she saw a blow of a whale just of the ship. The sea conditions were quite choppy so it took her a couple of sightings before she excitedly told us with a voice full of enthusiasm that it was a blue whale! Blue whale sightings are extremely rare since this particular species was hunted extensively during the whaling era and no one knows exactly how many blue whales there are in the southern ocean. Upon the next surfacing we saw that it was two blue whales; a mother calf pair! We had several distant looks at these massive animals and it was just exciting o get glimpses of them. Unfortunately it was just too rough for us to continue to follow them but it was definitely a day to remember!
We are steadily making our way towards South Georgia and it was a very relaxing morning with calm seas and even some sunshine. There are quite a few keen birders onboard and they joined Assistant Expedition Leader JD for Birds before Breakfast first thing in the morning. It was a great morning to be out on deck as several wandering albatrosses were zooming and circling around the ship for hours. This is one of the wonders of sailing in the southern ocean and we frantically tried to capture their grace and beauty with our cameras. Throughout the day we heard more interesting lectures on seabirds and conflicts with longline fishing, the geology of the Falklands and South Georgia in addition to a lecture about the fascinating history of South Georgia. There was lots of time to catch up on reading, play cards or even stroll around the deck. In the evening we enjoyed another entertaining recap with Marco teaching us flap like the albatrosses and Patricia made us chuckle with all the new information about the “red-jacketed albatrosses.” After tying up at the local floating dock Cruise Director Jannie Cloete and Assistant Cruise Director Sally Millns had arranged a multitude of organized tours to choose from. Some of us took the Stanley highlights tour where we were taken by coach to see many different areas of interest including the museum, the airport, the school, the hospital, the gnome garden and Government House. Others couldn’t resist a chance to ride around Stanley in a decant limo or to take a trip out to see a working sheep farm. Some of us went out to Sparrow Cove where gentoo penguins were gathered in a rookery. Another popular option was Battlefields tour where we visited the settlement at Fitzroy. We got a feel for the countryside as we drove over rough terrain. We saw a few of the famous Falkland stone runs as well as some of the battle sites and memorials. For those of us not on an organized tour or with some extra time, we had the opportunity to explore the quaint town of Stanley on foot. We took in the picturesque houses with their multi-colored tin roofs, the open grassy lawns often inhabited by a family of Upland Geese, and the cornucopia of gift shops and art galleries that are scattered along the waterfront and throughout town. It was a lovely place to amble around, or grab a pint at one of the local watering holes. In the evening many of gathered for cocktail hour in the Shackleton Bar, where stories of the day’s events intertwined with the sounds of laughter, and soothing background music provided by the ship’s Cocktail Pianist, Chantal Sanders. It was a wonderful day of exploration in this far-away corner of the world.
In the morning we landed on one of the remote islands in the northwest part of the Falkland Islands. The name is named after a sealer who worked in this area in 1872. First we went for a good leg stretch and went for a walk and saw a gentoo penguin colony. The walk ended at the island’s settlement which is owned by Rob and Lorraine McGill who welcomed us with open arms. They had set up an elaborate and delicious traditional tea for us. We enjoyed the cakes and treats they offered us before wandering down to the beach to see the flightless steamer ducks and various seabirds feeding along the shoreline. During lunch ‘Explorer II’ repositioned to Steeple Jason Island. The Jasons are a chain of reef-strewn, tide-ripped islands which stretch 40 miles north and west off West Falkland towards Patagonia. Grand and Steeple Jason rise dramatically to around 1,000 ft and may well have been the first of the islands in the Falklands to be sighted by Europeans during their pioneering voyages to the southern oceans in the 16th century. It is only the second time that the ship has landed at this remote and difficult to reach landing site. Once on shore we had to clamber over a few boulders on the beach. Our first stop was at a small gentoo penguin colony where we saw mostly adult penguins going through their annual molt. All of us walked over to see the albatross and we walked along the dramatic coastline as the thousands of birds were swirling in the sky above us. As we approached the colony we could hear the plaintive call of the serenely beautiful black-browed albatross and when we got there we were in absolute awe of the sheer numbers of birds. There were literally thousands of them! It was an incredible experience. We split into small groups and then the naturalists took us through the tussac grass to get a closer look. It was wonderful, a truly once in a life time experience! After the long day of traveling yesterday, we slept quite well in the calm conditions. After our first onboard breakfast, we had the opportunity to exchange our complimentary parkas for better fitting ones and to exchange boots. Later in the morning, Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas gave an overview of our expedition while Assistant Expedition Leader Geraldine Massayn told us about the guidelines for using our zodiacs and how to properly dress for the polar conditions. Our first enrichment lecture of the voyage was Dr Marco Favero’s presentation on the ‘Awesome Albatrosses-Seabirds of the Southern Ocean’. An introduction to the life-history patterns of tube-nosed seabirds, with information on the advances in technology that allowed during the last year to know better about the breeding and foraging strategies of these animals. Conservation issues affecting this group are also addressed. In the mid-afternoon Dr. David Wilson gave us an overview of Falkland Island history in his presentation ‘You say Mavinas- We say Falklands.’ The often-bloody history of the islands sets the framework for the life of the modern ‘Kelper’ as well as explaining many of the memorials and relics of war that we may see around the Islands - but especially near to Port Stanley. Many of us were astonished to hear how long the islands have been a centre of conflict and welcomed a simple overview of the astonishingly complex history of the Falklands. Much of this history is reflected in the place names of the sites which we are hoping to visit. Many people joined the naturalists out on the pool deck to see the ‘Petrel Station’. There were about 15 giant petrels’s swirling and swooping around the back deck. It was challenging but great fun to try to capture them with our cameras. Just after David’s talk there was a special onboard event, Gourmet Galley Tea Time! Our wonderful Executive Chief Nico Edens plus the rest of the galley staff opened up the Main Galley for us to take a tour where they also served delicious delicacies in the main restaurant. The cooks were chopping up a storm as they prepared our dinner. It is not on every ship that you get a chance to see what happens behind the scenes in a very busy ship’s galley! The last lecture of the day was ‘An Introduction to Port Stanley and the Falklands’ where several staff members told us about the history and the wildlife that we might see tomorrow. Then there was just enough time to change into our finery for Captain Giovanni Biasutti’s Welcome Cocktail Party. The Master of the ‘Explorer II’ formally welcomed us aboard and introduced us to his Senior Officers. We all had a very enjoyable evening that was rounded off by a superb gala dinner.
We arrived into Ushuaia, Argentina today, excited to finally begin our holiday adventure to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica. This small town of 45,000 residents, located at the extreme tip of South America, is the southernmost city in the world, and is known as El Fin del Mundo (The End of the World). It is a charming town with graceful frame houses and a central shopping area where tourists from all over the world buy souvenirs to remember their time in this unique area. A spectacular back drop of mountains rises behind the town while the Beagle Channel runs to the south in front of it and we were treated to a sunny but windy day. Some of us were treated to a traditional Argentine BBQ and folk dance show at a local restaurant while others had the chance to explore the town a bit.In the late afternoon, we boarded the ‘Explorer II’ and were greeted by the friendly staff and crew. After getting settled into our cabins, we had an emergency lifeboat drill followed by an introduction of the Expedition staff by Cruise Director, Jannie Cloete. Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas briefly talked about our cruise and everyone went to dinner, excited about the adventure that we were embarking on!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sadly, today was our last day on board the ‘Explorer II’. We paid a bit of what Jannie likes to call the “Drake tax” last night as we rocked and rolled. In the morning we joined Jannie and Sally for a disembarkation briefing to learn about our travel details. In the mid-morning we were treated to a special presentation by Scott Pelley entitled ‘Adventures with 60 Minutes.’ Scott delighted us with stories about what it is really like to be a TV reporter. After lunch we spent some time on deck with the naturalists or finished our packing. Then In the afternoon we were privileged to be able to have Dr. Paul Andrew Mayewky, Director of the Climate Change Institute, University of Maine at Orno, present a talk about “Antarctic’s Role in the Global Climate System.” We were fascinated to learn that the Antarctic serves as the world refrigerator but at the same time the Peninsula is the fastest warming place on the planet. For our last tea time, Maitre d’ Dmitar Potkonjak prepared a delicious Crepe Suzettes. It has been wonderful to sample all the savoury treats prepared for us throughout the cruise. Our last formal activity of the day was an Expedition Overview. Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas thanked all the guests for sailing with us and talked about how smoothly the trip had gone. Russ introduced a slide show that featured photos of our various landings and many people recognized themselves disguised in their red parka. There were some incredible images and we were stunned when we realized how lucky we had been with the weather most of the time in Antarctica and the wildlife we had encountered. Finally, we enjoyed a preview of a DVD of the second half of the voyage to Antarctica presented by the photo staff. We also raffled tickets to benefit the “Save the Albatross” campaign, the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue and the ‘Explorer II’ welfare fund. Guests who purchased tickets stood the chance of winning a sea chart with our route and signed by the senior officers onboard, one of Patricia Silva’s ink drawings or a singed print of the whales of the southern ocean. There was excitement in the room as the winning numbers were announced. These final days of this expedition have been dominated by reflection and celebration. Guests gathered together for lunch, dinner or an evening cocktail to commemorate the wonderful time that we’ve all shared together in Antarctica.
First thing in the morning David Wilson presented ‘Edward Wilson of the Antarctic: a hero in the family’. David is a great nephew of Edward Wilson; he gave us a flavour of his extraordinary life, from a uniquely personal perspective. Illustrated with many of “Uncle Ted’s” paintings and drawings, the lecture covered his prodigious output of artistic and scientific work, as well as his contributions to both of Captain Scott’s Antarctic expeditions, aboard Discovery and Terra Nova. In the mid-morning Stephanie Martin presented her lecture ‘Whales and other Tales’. She gave us a brief history of whale research from the time when zoologists could do little more than dissect whales brought in by whalers to present-day techniques of attaching radio tags and other devices so that the movements of diving habits of whales can be tracked from orbiting satellites. After a tasty lunch, many of us worked on journals or just had a restful nap. In the mid-afternoon former British Antarctic Survey base commander Russ Manning presented ‘A Year in Antarctica’ and he delighted us with his stories and beautiful photographs from all his incredible years of experience being in this part of the world. Then everyone came from all over the ship at tea time for ‘Chocolate to Die for!’ All the choc-a-holics appeared for the special chocolate buffet created by our Pastry Chef and his team. Later in the afternoon, ornithologists Marco Favero and Patricia Silva presented a talk entitled “Albatross – we have a problem!” They explained how thousands of these magnificent birds (as well as many petrel species as well) are being inadvertently caught and drowned in long-line fisheries worldwide. The presentation was sobering but at the same time hopeful, as we were personally reminded of our ability to make a difference for albatross through our simultaneous roles as consumers, voters, financial supporters and educators of others. With some determination, we can solve this problem. The wind had picked up throughout the day so the Farewell Cocktail Party was postponed but we still thoroughly enjoyed our Gala dinner. Many people lingered over cocktails in the bars despite the conditions. Our first stop of the morning was in Whalers Bay where we went ashore to explore the partially buried remains of the Hektor Whaling Station and the remnants of the British base, complete with an airplane hangar. We walked down the pebbled ash beach towards Neptune’s Window. Groups of cape petrels were feeding just on the shore edge on krill cooked in the slightly heated water. Further down the beach whale bones, barrel staves and water boats littered the area and provided another poignant reminder of the impact of whaling on these waters. Then we hiked up a short slope to Neptune's Window for a fantastic view and a closer look at the at cape petrels nesting in the cliff face. It was a short trip back onboard ‘Explorer II’ to sail to Pendulum Cove. This is widely regarded as the best swimming hole in the Antarctic; the geothermal heated waters at Pendulum Cove make it possible to bathe at the water’s edge. Large clouds of steam were rising from the ash shoreline, which seemed like a good sign for the bravely foolish (or foolishly brave!) attempting the “swim” today. It was a wonderful day for the swim with no wind and 88 hardy souls participated in this once in a lifetime event! After the swim, the Explorer II retraced her steps through Neptune’s Bellows as geologist Ralph Eshelmann gave us a summary of what rocks we were seeing. Historian David Wilson also told us a bit more about the historical background of this fascinating place and then it was back out to sea.Then we sailed north towards King George Island to pick up the team from 60 minutes and we also had scientists and base personell from the Polish Artowski station. Our expedition staff gave a very light hearted and entertaing recap to end our last day in Antarctica.
First thing in the morning we sailed through the spectacular Aguirre Passage to reach the sheltered waters of Neko Harbor. The zodiacs had to zigzag around many bits of brash ice to make their way to the landing site. Once ashore we had the option of simply beach-combing near the landing site or walking slightly further along a well- marked trail up to an old Argentine refuge hut that was surrounded by molting gentoo penguin’s chicks. Then we wandered along the coast’s edge towards the end of the beach where the glacier rests. It was such a still and peaceful morning and we could have stared at the beauty of the glacier for hours. In the afternoon we went for a zodiac cruise along the coast in the aptly named Paradise Bay, an area of stunning beauty. The cruise started by the Argentine station Almirante Brown where there is a maintenance Then there was a chance to have a zodiac cruise along the coast which revealed cliffs of amazingly contorted strata and colorful lichens, with nesting Antarctic terns, cape petrels and blue-eyed shags. We then went into a spectacular cove ringed with glaciers and littered with brash ice. Several Minke whales were also spotted and a few seals were resting on the ice. During the evening we had a re-cap where the naturalists told us a bit more about some of the wonders we saw during the day. Just another amazing day in Antarctica!
Our morning excursion is to land on a small island in Mikkelsen Harbor, situated on the southern end of Trinity Island. Mikkelsen Harbor was first discovered by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04. As we approached we could see that it was a rocky island of about 60 feet (20 meters) height with a few gentoo penguin colonies. We landed on a beach with a large collection of whale bones. There were bones from many whales and our marine biologist Stephanie Martin explained about whale anatomy and that we were probably seeing skulls of blue and fin whales. These were the remains of a large flat bottom boat and one smaller one, both quite well preserved considering they have probably been there since the 1930’s when left by the whalers. With relatively easy walking we were able to follow the flagged trail over the top of the island and look all around its coast. ‘Explorer II’ then moved about twenty miles south to Cierva Cove for our afternoon zodiac cruise. Cierva Cove is in Huges Bay which has enormous glacial fronts and is a place for scenic beauty. Our Cruise Director Jannie Cloete and Chief Housekeeper Ann Bennet met us at the gangway and made sure we were properly prepared. Off we went to see what we could discover. The zodiacs cruised through some of the loose ice and around icebergs. We discovered leopard seals hauled out or resting on several the larger icebergs. There was also the chance to see Minke whales swiftly cruising by our boats. In the evening just before recap, the bridge spotted two humpback whales. Captain Biasutti gave us the opportunity to see these fantastic marine mammals up close. The whales surfaced close to the ship and it was incredible to see right down into their blowholes. It was a fantastic day full of beautiful scenery and lots of wildlife sightings.
We spent another day on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula, this area is little visited by ships and we felt like true adventurers. In the morning we woke to discover that there was lots of ice surrounding the landing site so it meant we had an extended zodiac ride zooming through tabular icebergs and bits of brash ice. It was an exciting landing as we would step ashore on the continent at Brown Bluff. Brown Bluff is a scenic spot that lies on the eastern side of Tabarin Peninsula and was named by the Falkland Islands Dependency Survey in 1946 for the prominent cliff of reddish-brown volcanic rock, which dominates the landscape. We wandered along the beach to see a sleeping Weddell seal and several fur seals. There were small groups of adult gentoo penguins molting and it was quite comical to watch them race around as if they were trying to shake out some itchy feathers. It was a beautiful day with warm sunshine and we just enjoyed the chance to soak in all the scenery. During lunch the ship repositioned to Hope Bay. This small bay, just 3 miles long and two miles wide, was discovered by Nordenskjöld and the Swedish Antarctic expedition in 1902. It was named in honour of the three expedition members who spent the winter there, and the remains of their hut can still be seen close to the landing site. These days Hope Bay is home to the Argentine Esperanza Station. We were welcomed ashore by some very friendly Argentines and after being split into groups we went for a tour of the base. Our first stop was at an overlook of the base where we took pictures of the station and also of the remains of one of the huts from Nordenskjöld’s expedition. From there we were invited to join the base personnel for a cup of tea and a chance to send postcards or purchase some souvenirs. It was a very interesting to see what it would be like to live in such an isolated part of the world. The day ended with another illuminating recap, a delicious dinner and a stunning sunset. Our day began at first thing in the morning. Overnight we sailed through Antarctic Sound aka “iceberg alley” on the east side of the Antarctic Peninsula. This area is jaw dropping beautiful because of the concentration of massive, tabular icebergs. We hoped to reach a small little island for a landing but due to heavy ice conditions we changed our plans to an exciting zodiac cruise through the ice just off of Anderson Island. It was an atmospheric morning with gentle snowfall and chilly conditions. We slowly made our way around the gigantic masses of ice with one tabular berg estimated to be over two miles long and at least 200 plus feet high! We bundled up warmly and discovered several fur seals resting on the ice. There were frolicking playfully in the fresh snow and these juvenile males are down here to feed on the last of the summer krill. We also saw a few crabeater seals and even our first leopard seal. The air was filled snow petrels, cape petrels and south polar skuas and we soaked in all the sights around us. Just after the cruises finished it was time to warm up with a nice hot chocolate and listen to an interesting lecture by our geologist Ralph Eshelman. We turned back north towards our next destination at Paulet Island. The Captain slowly maneuvered ‘Explorer II’ towards the island during lunch and we saw a variety of seals resting on the icebergs. Paulet Island has a small circular volcanic cone which is 1,158 feet high and was discovered during James Clark Ross’s expedition (1839-1843). We landed on a cobble beach and slowly made our way past a group of fur seals towards a blue eye shag colony. It was wonderful to watch all the chicks stretching their wings and testing the water for potentially the first time. This is an Adelie penguin nesting site but the majority of the colony had already finished with the breeding season yet we saw small groups of chicks just resting along the shoreline. Paulet Island also has a historic hut from Dr. Otto Nordenskjold’s 1901-1904 Swedish Antarctic Expedition and we had the chance to have a closer look at the remains of it. During one long, hard winter twenty two men stayed in the tiny hut and it was truly hard to imagine how they must have suffered. In the evening we had another recap and dinner was a lively affair as everyone compared stories of what they had seen throughout the day. Who knows what adventures tomorrow might bring?
Happy Valentine’s Day! We made great progress overnight as we continued to sailed further southwards. There were several small groups of Cape petrels swirling around the ship and it was great fun to try to capture these beautiful little brown and white birds with our cameras. Today we heard lectures about penguins, seals and the life story of Ernest Shackleton. The most important presentation of the day was the IAATO (the International Association for Antarctic Tour Operators) briefing. In order to familiarize us with the rules and regulations Ignacio Rojas, our Expedition Leader, gave us a briefing on how to conduct ourselves as tourists in the Antarctic. While on board ‘Explorer II’ we are obliged to ensure that the beauty of these destinations is not compromised by our presence. Just after lunch, there was an announcement from the bridge that three fin whales were spotted just ahead of the ship. We raced out on deck in our parkas with our cameras to see these leviathans. The whales were racing together and we had fantastic looks of the whales as several times they surfaced right next to the ship. In the afternoon we anchored just off of King George Island to drop off a film team from the US television show ’60 Minutes’ who will be covering a story about global warming impacting the Adelie penguin colonies on the island. In the evening we had our first recap held in the lounge. Various members of the staff tell us a little bit more about things we had seen during the day and then Ignacio gave us a briefing about our exciting plans for tomorrow. We are all looking forward to our first day of landings in Antarctica!
Our first full day onboard the ‘Explorer II’ was full of opportunities to learn about the wildlife that we hope to see during our journey. We heard various lectures about albatrosses, whales, geology and an excellent overview of the various historic expeditions to Antarctica. After our first onboard breakfast, we had the opportunity to exchange our complimentary parkas for better fitting ones and to exchange boots. There was lost of time to walk around the deck for a good leg stretch and take in the fresh sea air. In the afternoon there was a special onboard event, Gourmet Galley Tea Time! Our wonderful Executive Chief Nico Edens plus the rest of the galley staff opened up the Main Galley for us to take a tour where they also served delicious delicacies in the main restaurant. The cooks were chopping up a storm as they prepared our dinner. It is not on every ship that you get a chance to see what happens behind the scenes in a very busy ship’s galley! There was just enough time to change into our finery for Captain Biasutti’s Welcome Cocktail Party. The Master of the ‘Explorer II’ formally welcomed us aboard and introduced us to his Senior Officers. It was a wonderful way to end our day at sea. We were fortunate that it was a sunny and warm day and we enjoyed seeing a bit of this booming tourist town. In the late afternoon, we boarded the Explorer II and were greeted by the friendly staff and crew. It was a lovely afternoon, as we sailed, we soaked in the sunshine and enjoyed the last views of trees we would see for the next ten days. After getting settled into our cabins, we had an emergency lifeboat drill followed by an introduction of the Expedition staff by Cruise Director, Jannie Cloete. Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas briefly talked about our cruise and then the rest of the expedition staff introduced themselves. Everyone went to dinner, excited about the adventure that we were embarking on!
Drake Passage Through the night the swells and wind had picked up quite substantially, we felt a bit of the ‘Drake shake’ and fairly enough, it was a small price to pay for what we had experienced down south. We were paying a bit of ‘Drake Tax’ now as the ship rolled around, but as long as we moved around carefully, the ship was incredibly stable. After breakfast our Cruise Director, Jannie Cloete, gave us an important disembarkation briefing, and ‘walked us through’ the procedures to be followed upon our arrival in Ushuaia. Before lunch, former BAS base commander, Russ Manning gave us a lively presentation on his time spent in Antarctica. Having over wintered three times at Signy Island, he aptly titled his talk – ‘Life at the Edge’. After enjoying our last lunch on the vessel, most of us were cabin bound for a while, doing the ‘dreaded packing’ – trying to fit it all back in the luggage. Many folks joined the team of naturalists out on deck, to watch the little petrels fly, and the albatrosses soar at the stern of Explorer II. Once again teatime had an additional special treat – Crepe Suzettes were prepared today by our Maitre d’ Dimitar Potkonjak. Finally at 1700, the Expedition Team gave a ‘look back’ at our exciting voyage of discovery to Antarctica. They were all introduced to us again, and they rounded off the cruise with a wonderful slide show capturing the essence of the trip. Finally, we enjoyed a preview of a DVD of the second half of the voyage to Antarctica presented by the photographic team. We also raffled tickets to benefit the “Save the Albatross” campaign and the ‘Explorer II’ crew fund. Guests who purchased tickets stood the chance of winning an illustrated sea chart with our route and signed by the senior officers onboard, one of Patricia Silva’s ink drawings or a photograph by Paul Sutherland. There was excitement in the room as the winning numbers were announced. Guests gathered together for dinner or evening cocktails to reflect upon the wonderful time that we’ve all shared together in Antarctica. We had made new friends, and had an adventure of a lifetime. ‘And now to conclude. Is it worth doing?’ Ask any member of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and you will receive the reply: ‘Yes; I wouldn’t have missed it for worlds’ and ‘Would you go again?’ ‘Rather! Such is the call of the South!’ - T. H. Orde-Lees. Diary of the Endurance expedition
Drake Passage Edwin Mickleburgh wrote ‘Antarctica left a restless longing in my heart beckoning towards an incomprehensible perfection forever beyond the reach of mortal man. Its overwhelming beauty touches one so deeply that it is like a wound.’ Explorer II was well and truly in the Drake Passage now, having left the great white continent in her wake. A gentle but increasing swell rocked her gently northwards. Most of us slept in this morning, and enjoyed a late breakfast before heading for the Main Lounge for the start of today’s lecture series. Husband and wife team, Marco Favero and Patricia Silva took a look at long-line fishing and its effects on the Albatross populations. Later in the morning Jason Hicks gave a talk on one of the most debated topics of the decade; climate change. Entitled “Global Warming – Modern Reality or Political Spin? Just before lunch a few of us met with the photographer, Paul Sutherland, to submit pictures for the ongoing Digital Photo contest. All entries had to be in by noon today, which kept many of us busy downloading and sorting photographs from the last four busy days on the Peninsula. Paul Sutherland, also gave us a presentation entitled ‘Dramatic Bird Photography’ and gave more hints on how to capture these elegant birds on the wing. Teatime this afternoon was a decadent affair – Chocolate to die for! – a chocolate buffet prepared by our Pastry Chef, Jose and his team. During tea our Executive Chefs, Nico Edens and Quinn McMahon and their staff opened up the Main Galley for us to take a tour. It is not on every ship that you get a chance to see what happens behind the scenes in a very busy galley! Tucker Scully gave the last presentation of the day covering the conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources – and how the Antarctic Treaty system protects marine species. There was just enough time to change for Captain Giovanni Biasuttis’ Farewell Cocktail Party. He told several amusing anecdotes and reminded us of some highlights of the expedition, and we all shared in a toast before going into dinner. We had a very pleasant evening during the gala dinner and people lingered over cocktails in the bars.
Mikkelsen Harbour & Cierva Cove Today would be our last day in Antarctica, and once again the sun was shining brightly as we made our way to shore for our first landing this morning, at Mikkelsen Harbour. This rocky island located in a small bay on the southern side of Trinity Island is marked by a navigation tower and a refuge hut. Gentoo penguins were scattered all over the island, most of them already in the molting stage. Hundreds of whale bones lay along the landing beach, and there was even an old water boat – all well preserved from the whaling era. Whaling in the Antarctic did not start until 1904 when steam catchers armed with Sven Foyne’s deadly harpoon gun sought right and sperm whales, which would float after they had been harpooned. On the way back to the ship we cruised by some Weddell Seals hauled out on the rocks. These are among the largest, plumpest seals, with proportionately rotund bodies, small heads and short flippers. This is the most southerly breeding seal in the world inhabiting both pack and fast-ice south to 78°. Weddell seals are highly vocal underwater, singing in a series of trills and chirps – being in the zodiacs, we were able to approach closely without disturbing the animals. Our second activity for today was a zodiac cruise at Cierva Cove in Hughes Bay, a place famous for its scenic beauty, icebergs and whales. As we set off from the gangway the first Minke whales were sighted, and later in the cruise we encountered humpback whales too. These baleen whales have a unique way of feeding in relatively shallow water. They plough through the concentrations of plankton, gulping great quantities of water, expelling it through filter-plates of whalebone and pressing the large tongue against the roof of the mouth, then swallowing the catch of uncountable numbers of small krill and larval fish. The Minke whales were curious, and put on a great show as they swam around the boats, blowing bubbles, and turning over to show us their white under parts. Cameras were clicking away, and all of us were shouting with joy – we could not believe our luck – three days out of four we had sunshine in the peninsula, and now on our last activity, the whales joined the zodiacs, to give us an unforgettable farewell. Back on board, Captain Giovanni Biasutti, found more humpback whales as we headed out of Hughes Bay and they too gave us a grand show – lob tailing and waving their flippers about – the most striking feature of the humpback whales is the extraordinarily long flippers, nearly a third of the body length. It had been ‘a whale of a day’ and the expedition team entertained us once again at the recap session – they were all in high spirits too, after such a spectacular day. After dinner many folks sat together in the Shackleton bar and spoke about Antarctica, the strange but beautiful continent at the bottom of the Earth.
This morning we awoke to slightly overcast skies and a light breeze blowing as we sailed past the western side of Wiencke island into Port Lockroy, a wide harbour between Flag Point and Lécuyer Point. Named for Edouard Lockroy, the French politician who assisted Charcot’s French Antarctic Expedition, this harbour has a broad panorama of steep and rugged mountain slopes, topped with glaciers. Port Lockroy was established in 1944 as Base A during Operation Tabarin. The original station hut ‘Bransfield House’ still survives as the core of the main building here and is the oldest British structure remaining on the Antarctic Peninsula. The repair and conservation of Port Lockroy as a historic site and museum began in January 1996, and today it provides visitors with an impression of life and conditions at an Antarctic station as it were in the 50’s and 60’s. Surrounded by Gentoo Penguins the area around Port Lockroy was quite small, so only half of the group landed, while the others did a zodiac cruise around the small neighbouring island of Jougla Point, and the icebergs in the harbour. Later in the morning the grand swap took place, making it possible for all of us to enjoy all the activities and do some shopping too!. After our departure from Port Lockroy, Captain Giovanni Biasutti took the Explorer II through the spectacular Neumayer Channel. This channel is 16 miles long and about 1 ½ miles wide. The southwest entrance was first seen in 1873. Cuverville Island, named for a vice admiral of the French Navy, is home to the largest Gentoo Penguin rookery in the Antarctic Peninsula area, and when we arrived on shore, we were greeted by penguins marching back and forth. We walked around the beach area looking as these flightless birds went around their daily routine. It was another glorious afternoon in Antarctica! Back onboard guests were treated to an afternoon of Austrian delicacies as our Executive Chefs prepared Strudel in addition to our regular afternoon treats. Before dinner, guests attended a recap and expedition briefing where Ignacio Rojas, the Expedition Leader shared the plans for our final day in Antarctica. The sun was glowing in the sky while guests enjoyed another sumptuous dinner. People lingered around on the decks as the sun set, rewarding those who stayed up with another magnificent Antarctic sunset.
Neko Harbour, Paradise Bay & The Lemaire Channel Roald Amundsen wrote of this place – ‘Glittering white, shining blue, raven black, in the light of the sun the land looks like a fairy tale.’ Explorer II entered the very picturesque sunlit Andvord Bay – the backdrop - sharp mountain peaks, and glaciers and ice all around us – ‘Pinnacle after pinnacle, peak after peak, crevassed, wild, as any land on our globe, it (Antarctica) lies unseen and untrodden.’ Heading for the Eastern shore of Andvord Bay this morning, we would make our continent landing at Neko Harbour, named after Christian Salvesen’s floating whaling factory ship, ‘Neko’. Once ashore we visited our first Gentoo penguin rookery. This penguin is the third largest of all the penguins and has a slaty-black head, topped eye to eye with a neat white bonnet, and a reddish-orange bill. There was not much room to move around the penguins at this site, but this morning was an opportunity to just sit and take it all in – the view was truly breathtaking. During lunch we sailed around to Paradise Bay. The Hotel Department had prepared a lavish Barbeque for us on the pool deck, and the Explorer II band entertained us in the sunshine. We sailed past large icebergs and strips of broken up ice – the views surrounding the ship were out of this world – it was not possible to have lunch, without hopping up every 5 minutes to take more pictures, or marvel at the ice. Some folks even started dancing, everyone was extremely happy. At around 14h30 we took to the boats for our first zodiac cruise around Paradise Bay. We started off cruising past a small Argentine station called Almirante Brown and then headed further along the coastline passing nesting cormorants and some Pintado petrels, with chics hidden in rocky crags. As we rounded the next corner, we saw a massive glacier on the southern bay and next thing someone shouted ‘look up!’ a huge avalanche was happening way up in the mountains, icy smoke billowed down the glacial flanks, and the sound rumbled and echoed around us. It was such an awesome sight, we sat there speechless for a while, before carrying on towards the tide water glacier in Skontorp Cove. The Expedition staff drove the boats and interpreted along the way, we had a chance to ask questions and among other things we learned that Edvard Skontorp was an outstanding Norwegian whale gunner who commanded a whaling ship way back when. Once back on board most of us just stayed in our parkas, and went out on deck as Explorer II headed for our farthest south position to the famous Lemaire Channel. We arrived just as dessert was being served. The channel is around 7 miles long and 1 mile wide and often referred to as ‘kodak gap’ – the peaks of Booth island lay to starboard, and the peninsula was to the portside of the vessel – the mountains rose straight out of the sea, and towered above us. There are not enough superlatives to describe the beauty of the Lemaire Channel or the sunset that waited for us at the Southern end. Today was one of those days one wishes for – some folks were moved to tears, overwhelmed by the breathtaking scenery and the way the entire day had unfolded, we had sensory overload. The sky turned every shade of orange and yellow and ended in pinks and mauves, and finally Captain Biasutti turned the ship northwards and we headed for our next destination – Port Lockroy.
Half Moon Island & Deception Island, South Shetlands During the night Explorer II headed towards the southern half of the South Shetland Islands. The ship was shrouded in fog, as the Captain made the approach to Half Moon Island, a crescent-shaped island, lying in the entrance to Moon Bay between Greenwich and Livingston Islands. Straight after breakfast, the first group of us embarked the zodiacs and headed for shore. What a sight awaited us, fur seals were standing gallantly on the beach, and chinstrap penguins were moving back and forth up and down a pebble slope. Our Expedition Leader, Ignacio Rojas, greeted us and gave us ‘the lay of the land’ and then we were off, a gentle climb took us to a plateau overlooking a large channel of water and in the distance we could see the glaciers on Livingston Island, breathtaking scenery. Thankfully the fog had lifted, and patches of blue sky were appearing as we ventured closer to the chinstrap penguin rookery. Over 3000 pairs of penguins nest here – little birds with blue-black backs and white cheeks, white under parts, and a thin black line – the ‘chinstrap’ crossing the chin. Mini-mountaineers, we watched as they hopped and walked across rocky slopes to their respective nesting sites. On the southwestern side of the island, stood a few orange buildings, the location of an Argentine Station, called ‘Camara’. A couple of the personnel came over to the landing site and offered to stamp everyone’s passport with a much sort after Antarctic souvenir stamp. We headed back to the ship, and as Captain Giovanni Biasutti, took the ship into the Bransfield Strait, he spotted four humpback whales. He stopped the ship and the whales gave us the show of the day! All of us came out on deck to see these leviathans of the sea displaying one of their feeding techniques, which is simply to engulf krill swarms, just under the surface of the water. There was a constant ‘barrage of clicks’ as the photographers leaned over the rails and filled their memory cards with new portfolios of whale blowholes, fins and flukes. During lunch Explorer II headed for Deception Island and everyone was invited out on deck once again, for the narrow entrance through Neptune’s Bellows, into this ring shaped ‘drive-in’ volcano. Once safely through, we anchored at Whalers Bay, and took the zodiacs to a broad, flat, cinder beach, strewn with volcanic ash and cinders of various sizes. Once ashore we could walk around the old buildings, barrels, equipment and whalebones left here by the whaling stations and research groups who once operated in the area. We could also walk along the beach and upwards towards Neptune’s Window – a rectangular ‘break’ in the caldera’s rim for a view over the Bransfield strait. It was a fascinating place, beautiful in its starkness. All along the shoreline plumes of steam rose from hot springs with a strong sulfurous odor. This would also be the spot for the ‘polar plunge’. Some of us were brave enough to take a ‘dip’. At the waters edge, the water was very warm, even hot in places, from the geothermal activity, but as soon as one ventured out a couple of meters, it was icy cold. Most of us shouted and laughed and others were speechless, it was an invigorating swim, but something one could not withstand for a long period of time. The zodiacs gave priority to the swimmers and whisked them back to the ship to warm up. We had been out the entire afternoon and once the last group arrived back to the ship it was just in time for dinner. Many of us decided to turn in early, as we now realized this expedition was action packed, and one had to be ready for another spectacular day!
We all slept well last night, and awoke to another beautiful day outside. The lecture schedule continued after breakfast, with our marine biologist introducing the whales of the Southern ocean, followed by an enlightening talk about the political history of Antarctica and the Treaty system. After spending some time out on deck, eagerly watching for whale blows, we headed for lunch, and the Captain announced we would be approaching Elephant Island later in the afternoon. The bridge informed us at around 14h00 that we had now officially crossed the Antarctic Convergence!. It is a physical boundary very easily and precisely detected with a thermometer by the sharp change in temperature as one passes from one zone to another. The convergence is the biological boundary of Antarctica, where the warm, more saline surface currents coming south from the tropics meet the cold, denser and mainly non-saline waters moving north from the Antarctic. These conflicting currents clash, converge and sink. This afternoon we had our mandatory IAATO (The International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) briefing and a zodiac briefing – so we all gathered in the Main Lounge where our Expedition Leader, Ignacio Rojas and his assistant, JD Massyn, briefed us as to what the codes of conduct were when going ashore in Antarctica. At the zodiac briefing we learned there was a fleet of 12 zodiacs on board, and this would be our mode of transport to and from shore for the rest of the voyage. Just as the briefing ended, Captain Giovanni Biasutti invited us all to come out on deck as we approached Elephant Island – we donned our parkas, and went out on deck to find to our great surprise - the first Iceberg of the trip – a large tabular berg, with pintado petrels flying across the massive sheer ice cliffs. We stood in awe of its beauty, and could not believe how many different shades of blue we could see in the ice – streaks of cobalt blue, interspersed with a soft turquoise. We could just make out Elephant Island through the fog, and the nearby Clarence Island too – land ahoy! Snow covered, jagged peaks, stuck out here and there, the land looked inhospitable, and in the evening’s recap session we were reminded that this was the place where Shackleton had left 22 of his men on a narrow spit of land at Point Wild. During dinner humpback and fin whales were spotted, and the Captain changed course to give us a better view, but soon we had to leave these large creatures in peace, and resume our course to Half Moon Island, our first stop in Antarctica.
Cruising further south this morning the fairly large swells and strong winds hardly affected our passage from the Falkland Islands to the South Shetlands. We had a following sea and the sun was shining outside, who could want for anything more, crossing an ocean with such a wild reputation! Most of us chose window seats at breakfast this morning, enjoying the view outside before heading to the Main lounge for the start of today’s lecture schedule. We started off learning more about photography and how to take pictures in a dramatic and ever changing environment. Later, our onboard marine biologist introduced us to the Seals of the Antarctic and the afternoon was dedicated to geology and penguins. Many of us spent a lot of time out on the stern pool deck today, to watch the albatrosses and petrels flying around the ship. Highly accomplished dynamic soarers they rely on a constant supply of wind to catch the updrafts and glide gracefully between the swells and the troughs. The naturalists were out on deck identifying the different species, while the photographers tried to capture their majesty in flight. These birds constitute an integral part of the Antarctic ecosystem – we had close ‘flyby’ sightings of black browed albatross, wandering albatross, giant petrels and the little Wilson’s storm petrels. In the evening we got together for a cocktail party to honour our Regent Seven Seas Society guests. Our most cruised on this cruise, were Virginia & Art Reich with 524 cruise nights traveled. After dinner, some of us joined accomplished pianist, Chantal Sanders, in the Shackleton bar, for a repertoire of classical and light blues music, before turning in for the night.
Early this morning Explorer II sailed into Port Williams with the historic Cape Pembroke lighthouse, just off her port beam. The colorful rooftops of Port Stanley came into view as Captain Giovanni Biasutti carefully maneuvered the ship to come alongside at FIPASS, a large floating dock. After spending some time out on deck, we came inside for a hearty breakfast, before setting off on our shore excursions for the morning. Many of us opted for the Sparrow Cove penguin adventure where the emphasis was more on natural history, and we were rewarded with outstanding sightings of our first Gentoo and Magellanic penguins, as well as a large number of the shorebirds which occur in these parts. Others joined the Port Stanley Highlights tour either traveling by bus or in a limousine, and drove through town with one of the local guides giving delightful insights into the daily life here. Some of us simply collected a map and an audio wand from our Cruise Director, Jannie Cloete, and off we went, to discover and explore on our own. Explorer II relocated to Port William for a bunkering operation in the afternoon, so in order to return to the ship from town, we could take one of the ships tenders or take our first zodiac ride. On the zodiacs some of us got really lucky as a large group of Peale’s Dolphins joined us around the boats. These dolphins are enthusiastic bow-riders, capable of long, low leaps, interspersed with acrobatic higher jumps, splashing us in the boats. We were already pretty wet, as the rain had started to come down, but now, the additional dolphin splashing just made us laugh and shout in sheer delight. Once everyone was safely back on board the expedition team gave us a recap of the days activities, a fun and informative time together, where we could all exchange information. After dinner, the bunkering operation was complete and Explorer II set sail – finally heading south towards the great white continent.
We woke this morning to clear skies and impressive seas. Thankfully, the large swell and winds were coming from the stern, making it a fairly comfortable passage to the Falkland Islands. Today the Lecture program began, and the Expedition team started to prepare and inform us about the adventure that lay ahead. From Seabirds of the Southern Ocean to a Falklands Medley of information, this International team of Lecturers and naturalists oozed enthusiasm and were all incredibly keen to share their knowledge. Finally our expedition leader gave us a briefing on our plans for visiting Port Stanley tomorrow. In the evening we were formally introduced to Captain Giovanni Biasutti at a cocktail party in the Main Lounge, followed by the Captains Gala Dinner – a sumptuous affair! This morning we arrived in Ushuaia, traveling from all parts of the globe, to embark on a true adventure to the Great South. The small city of Ushuaia, with a population of 45,000 people is the southernmost city in the world, affectionately knows as El Fin del Mundo – the End of the World! After a quick overview of the city highlights we enjoyed lunch at Club Hipico with folkloric entertainment. The dancers, dressed colorfully in traditional dress were a true delight, as we enjoyed the local cuisine. At around 15h30 we finally boarded Explorer II and the ships staff were waiting on the gangway to greet us. Once we had been shown to our staterooms we made our way up to the Verandah for a glass of champagne to celebrate the start of our expedition. The early evening started off with a mandatory lifeboat drill, followed by some time to get ourselves orientated on board. Our Cruise Director, Jannie Cloete, and the Expedition Leader, Ignacio Rojas gave us an introduction to the expedition team and to the ship. After a leisurely dinner, we settled in for a good nights rest as Explorer II sailed through the Beagle Channel towards the Falkland Islands.
Sadly, today was our last day on board the ‘Explorer II’. We paid a bit of the Drake tax last night as we rocked and rolled a bit. In the morning we joined Jannie and Sally for a disembarkation briefing to learn about our travel details. The last lecture of the cruise was by Tim Baughman in his talk ‘The Last Expedition of Edward Wilson and Captain Scott.’ By the time Tim Baughman finished his lecture on Robert Falcon Scott’s last expedition, more than a few people in the audience found themselves with tears running down their cheeks. Scott has suffered a great deal from character assassination since 1979 but Tim gave us a much more balanced view of this British hero. After lunch we spent some time on deck with the naturalists or finished our packing. For our last tea time, Maitre d’ Dmitar Potkonjak prepared a delicious Cherries Jubilee. It has been wonderful to sample all the savoury treats prepared for us throughout the cruise. Our last formal activity of the day was an Expedition Overview. Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas thanked all the guests for sailing with us and talked about how smoothly the trip had gone. Russ introduced a slide show that featured photos of our various landings and many people recognized themselves disguised in their red parka. There were some incredible images and we were stunned when we realized how lucky we had been with the weather most of the time in Antarctica and the wildlife we had encountered. Finally, we enjoyed a preview of a DVD of the second half of the voyage to Antarctica presented by the photo staff. We also raffled tickets to benefit the “Save the Albatross” campaign, the Antarctic Humpback Whale Catalogue and the ‘Explorer II’ welfare fund. Guests who purchased tickets stood the chance of winning a sea chart with our route and signed by the senior officers onboard, one Patricia Silva’s ink drawings or a singed print of the whales of the southern ocean. There was excitement in the room as the winning numbers were announced. These final days of this expedition have been dominated by reflection and celebration. Guests gathered together for lunch, dinner or an evening cocktail to commemorate the wonderful time that we’ve all shared together in Antarctica.
We are enjoying a Drake Lake with flat calm seas and sunshine. It was perfect for an early morning walk around the promenade deck. Our lecture series continued with Marco Favero and Patricia Silva took a look at long line fishing and its effects in ‘Albatrosses –We have a Problem! This IAATO-Save the Albatrosses Campaign lecture, linked with the traditional fundraising. In the mid-morning geologist Jason Hicks gave a talk on one of the most debated topics of the decade; climate change. Entitled “Global Warming – Modern Reality or Political Spin? The beautiful weather continued and may people enjoyed the afternoon out on deck soaking in the sunshine and watching the few birds soaring behind the ship. In the mid-afternoon former British Antarctic Survey base commander Russ Manning presented ‘A Year in Antarctica’ and he delighted us with his stories and beautiful photographs from all his incredible years of experience being in this part of the world. Everyone came from all over the ship at tea time for ‘Chocolate to Die for!’ All the choc-a-holics appeared for the special chocolate buffet created by our Pastry Chef and his team. After this gastronomic feast we heard the last presentation by Stephanie Martin entitled ‘Whales and other Research Tales.’ Stephanie shared several stories about her experience studying cetaceans and explained about how evolving techniques and new technology are aiding scientists in studying these charismatic mega fauna. Then there was just enough time to change for Captain Giovanni Biasutti’s Farewell Cocktail Party. He told several amusing anecdotes and we all shared in a toast before going into dinner. We had a very pleasant evening during the wonderful gala dinner and many people lingered over cocktails in the bars.
It was another calm night as we made our way towards the South Shetland Islands. First thing in the morning we approached Deception Island, so-named because of its deceptive appearance. It looks like an ordinary pile of rock but there is a narrow entrance, appropriately named Neptune's Bellows, through which ships can pass to find themselves in the center of a flooded volcanic crater or caldera, like a doughnut with a thin slice removed, to allow ships access. After passing through the Narrows we went over to Whaler’s Bay for a look at the remains of the whaling station and have a good leg stretch. We walked along the black sandy beach past whalebones, barrel staves and waterboats which litter the area and provide another poignant reminder of the impact of whaling on these waters. We continued to hike up a bit of a slope to Neptune’s Window which is a gap in the crater’s rim. After wandering around Whaler’s Bay, the ship repositioned a bit further inside the caldera to Pendulum Cove. Widely regarded as the best swimming hole in the Antarctic, the geothermal heated waters make it possible to bathe at the water's edge. The water was steaming well today and a few boiled krill were on the water line which is a good sign for the bravely foolish (or foolishly brave), who attempted the ‘swim’ today. Apart from those who launched themselves into the depths, it is really a ‘wallow’ as the hot water is very restricted. The event is also the premier Antarctic spectator sport with cameras much in evidence. A good time was had by all and in quick order we were whisked back to the ship in the Zodiacs for a really hot shower to warm up! After leaving the Caldera we had a chance to look at a couple of humpback whales and then discovered a pod of killer whales. It was whale soup as everywhere you looked and very exciting to see so many whales in one area. Just after lunch Expedition Leader Ignacio made an announcement to say there had been a change in plans because of the excellent weather conditions. It was calm enough for us to land at Bailey’s Head which is usually a challenging landing because of big surf pounding the beach. This is only the second time that the ‘Explorer II’ has landed at this magical place as it is the largest chinstrap colony in Antarctica! We landed on the beach and made our way along a shallow river past impressive volcanic rock formations. We had to walk very slowly and sometimes just stop to let long lines of the penguins marching along the beach. Then we climbed up at rocky slope for an overlook of the colony. We only saw a portion of this immense penguin breeding area as it is estimated to have close to 500,000 birds! It was an area full of activity as penguins were feeding chicks and the air was full of their loud calls. It was such an exciting and memorable end to our fantastic time in Antarctica!
Overnight we sailed through the Gerlache Strait to Damoy Point. The fog continued so we had to limit the landing to around the gentoo penguin rookery. It was very atmospheric as the zodiac drivers took us to the landing site. It was a peaceful morning as we just sat and watched the penguins while enjoying the peace of Antarctica. During lunch we slowly sailed towards the Lemaire Channel. The fog cleared and it was time for our special ‘Explorer II’ BBQ. The galley crew went all out to prepare a feast and most people ate out on deck with the “Explorer II Quartet” played. There was lots of ice in the Lemaire and this breath-taking channel is very tricky to navigate since it is on average a mile wide and the narrowest part is only a half a mile wide. The plan changed to have a zodiac cruise up instead of the ship cruising further south. The fog lifted enough for us to see most of the mountain tops. We had close looks at leopard, weddell and crabeater seals. It was wonderful to compare and contrast the differences between the animals. Most of the boats also had a encounter with a curious leopard seal that would follow the boats. What an experience to see one of the top Antarctic predators swimming just beside you! In the early evening there was another entertaining recap and then just after dinner another exciting announcement from the bridge. Today the bridge had spotted some killer whales. It was our first chance to see these stunning black and whale animals. We raced out on deck and were amazed as one of the whales approached the ship several times, swimming right along the port side of the ship. It was a fantastic end to the day!
We awoke to a world of gray mist and fog. We explored a new destination called Zigzag Island; the named is derived from its formation with deeply indented, steep cliffs. This is the first time the ‘Explorer II’ has been to this area and we were all excited to have a chance to discover its treasures. It was a bit challenging as thick fog blanketed the area but we set out to see what we could find. There were juvenile fur seals resting up along the rock edges in an area where Antarctic terns were nesting. We also found a small chinstrap penguin colony further along the island. It was our first look at these tenacious birds that climb up cliff edges to nest in snow free areas. Later in the afternoon we sailed to a small bay on southern side of the Palmer Archipelago called Mikkelsen Harbor. The sun was finally shining and we saw all the glaciers that surrounded this beautiful area in their full glory. We landed on a small cobble beach that was littered with whale bones. We hiked up the rocks and discovered several Weddell seals asleep on the snow. There was a small gentoo penguin colony nesting on the far side of the island. It was another amazing chance to see the antics of the chicks. During dinner the captain made an announcement that the bridge has spotted two humpback whales. It was a mother with a calf and they were bubble net feeding! We watched as the mother would blow a ring of bubbles through her blowhole to trap the krill and then lunge up through the bubbles with her mouth extended open. It was an incredible sight to see this type of behavior. Eventually the first mother and calf pair joined with a second one and both pairs began feeding. The sun was setting and the dramatic scenery was an stunning backdrop to an exciting end to a wonderful day.
Explorer II entered Antarctic Sound and we were up early for our first landing in Antarctica and what a landing as we would step ashore on the continent at Brown Bluff. There was a bit of ice as we approached the cobble beach through a maze of icebergs. We were greeted by the Adelie penguins walking in single file along the beach. It was magical to see these animals in their natural habitat. This area is named after the prominent cliff of reddish-brown volcanic rock that dominated the landscape. There was a small gentoo penguin colony a bit higher up the beach. We had delightful encounters with the gentoo chicks that were huddled up together waiting for the adults to return from a feeding run. Occasionally these chicks can be curious and several of them came right up to us to investigate what these red jacketed “penguins” were all about. The highlight of the morning was to see the tightly packed Adelie penguin colony at the end of the beach. There are about 15,000 penguins in this colony and we could smell it before seeing it! We saw many comical feeding chases were the adults have the chicks chase after them before feeding to make sure it’s really their chick. This was truly an expedition day as after the landing at Brown Bluff we sailedfurther south into the Weddell Sea. We enjoyed spectacular scenery of massive tabular icebergs and towering mountain peaks. There was too much pack ice to reach the planned destination so we improvised with a zodiac cruise in an area full of tremendous icebergs. We saw Adelie penguins resting on smaller icebergs and snow petrels flying around. It was a magical way to start our time in this unique part of the world.
The weather gods were being kind in one way with continued calm seas but taunted us with thick fog. Today we heard lectures about whales, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s famous open boat journey and seals. The most important presentation of the day was the IAATO briefing where we learned about how to behave during the landings so we do not impact any wildlife. There was also a fashion show demonstrating the proper Antarctic attire. In the mid-afternoon the keen eyes of the bridge spotted several fin whales racing around searching for food. It was amazing when we had several whales surfaced right next to the ship and we could seen down its blowholes! As we got closer to Elephant Island we saw our first big tabular iceberg. The Captain circumnavigated around this massive piece of ice and it was great to realize we are now in the biological Antarctic! It was far too foggy to see Cape Valentine on Elephant Island but we had glimpses of its mountain peaks as we sailed past. Our day ended with a recap and briefing discussing our plans for an expedition day in the Weddell Sea and you could feel the excitement throughout the ship. We are all looking forward to whatever adventures our first day in Antarctica might bring!
It was a lovely morning as we had exceptionally calm conditions. There was barely any wind and warm sunshine throughout most of the day. The lecture series continued with Paul Sutherland’s presentation ‘Compelling Southern Ocean Photography.’ A bit later in the morning, there was a call over the PA system to say dolphins had been spotted! We raced out on deck to catch a glimpse of these Peale’s dolphins as they charged through the water and played in the ship’s wake. Then it was time for Charlie Wheatley’s fascinating talk ‘Cold, Green and Deep: Understanding the dynamics of the Southern Ocean.’ The pool deck was full with people enjoying the warm temperatures as they enjoyed an al fresco lunch. Shortly after lunch was finished, another marine mammal sighting was announced. This time it was of the second largest animal that lives on the planet, a single fin whale. It was incredible to see this massive animal slowly traveling searching for food. The mid-afternoon’s presentation was ‘Gondwana: The Origins of Antarctica’ by geologist Jason Hicks. We had a special tea time treat with an Austrian Strudel Buffet presented by executive chiefs Nico Edens and Quinn McMahon along with sous chef Michael Wiesner. We joined ornithologist Macro Favero for the last enrichment lecture of the day with ‘Penguins, Penguins, Penguins.’ All and all it was a very relaxing day at sea as we continued to make our way south towards Antarctica.
Early in the morning Captain Biasutti expertly maneuvered the ‘Explorer II’ alongside the main jetty just outside Stanley, the main town and capital of the Falkland Islands. It was a bit chilly and overcast but thankfully not raining as we boarded buses for the tours. One adventure was a wildlife tour was to Sparrow Cove. We were taken out of Stanley Harbor and across Port Williams by the harbor launch. We then swapped our mode of transport for the traditional Land Rover for a trip across the rugged landscape to a Gentoo Penguin colony. Most of the Gentoos chicks were racing around building up their muscles as they are about to fledge in a couple of weeks. Tea and fine home made biscuits were well received before a bouncy ride back to the boat. The history buffs chose to do the Battlefields tour where we visited the settlement at Fitzroy. We got a feel for the countryside as we drove over the typically rough terrain found outside the main town. We saw a few of the famous Falkland stone runs as well as some of the battle sites and memorials. For those of us not on an organized tour we had the chance to explore Stanley. It is a very picturesque place with all the houses having multi-colored tin roofs and, in some cases, perfectly manicured lawns. Some of us went to the museum to find out more about the rich and interesting history of the islands whereas the rest of us just ambled around and took in the scenery or went shopping for souvenirs. It was a wonderful day of exploration in this faraway corner of the world.
Thankfully the wind gods were kind to us and it remained calm throughout the night. After the long day of traveling yesterday, we slept quite well. It was a foggy morning but not very rough. After our first onboard breakfast, we had the opportunity to exchange our complimentary parkas for better fitting ones and to exchange boots. Later in the morning, Expedition Leader Ignacio Rojas gave an overview of our expedition as well as guidelines for using our zodiacs. Our first enrichment lecture of the voyage was Dr Marco Favero’s presentation on the ‘Awesome Albatrosses-Seabirds of the Southern Ocean’. He introduced us to one of the most incredible groups of seabirds that you can see in this region, the tube-noses, which include the albatrosses and petrels. Marco highlighted the species we will hopefully see and illustrated her talk with some fantastic slides. In the afternoon there was a special onboard event, Gourmet Galley Tea Time! Our wonderful Executive Quinn McMahon and Nico |