Antarctica
February 6-24, 2008 - Trip Report

Mon., Feb. 4-Wed., Feb. 6, 2008 Arrival and time in Ushuaia / Tierra del Fuego National Park
Our group came in a few days early, anxious to be sure we’d be free of airline delays and ready to meet the boat at the appointed time on Feb. 6th. We had a good night’s rest, then mid-morning ventured out to explore Tierra del Fuego National Park. A shuttle bus dropped us off at the end of the road, near a series of trails that would allow us to explore an expansive lakeshore as well as the Southern Beech forest. Right away we found Upland Goose, Flying Steamer Duck and Yellow-billed Pintail; then Lynn spotted a Dark-bellied Cincloides feeding in the runoff of a small stream. A bit further up the trail, we spotted a path leading into the woods that was marked ‘Facil’ (easy); just what Peg needed as she was gimpy from a recent horse injury. Almost immediately, we got into a great mixed flock of birds with Thorn-tailed Rayadito, White-throated Treerunner, White-crested Elaenia and House Wren. We had fun trying to photograph these busy ones and were most successful with the elaenia which was feeding a fledgling. A bit further along the trail Gingy and Peg spotted an immature Black-chested Buzzard Eagle, and later, a flock of Black-necked Siskin. We tried another trail up to a Mirador (viewpoint) of the lake, then down through lush forest back to the road, where we hailed the next shuttle bus to take us to lunch. At an outdoor restaurant, Chimango Caracara provided entertainment for the meal, trying to perch on glasses and dishes on the outdoor tables in search of delectable morsels. Near the restaurant and campground we found some immense trees and Peg had a hunch that Magellanic Woodpecker might be found here. Voila! Almost immediately, Bud said, “Here’s your woodpecker…” and for close to 40 minutes we had grand and close up views. David and Judy arrived from their more extensive hike to find the pair as well. Walking back along the lakeshore we found Great Grebe, Spectacled and Crested Duck and a lovely pair of Black-necked Swans. Feeling very satisfied with our sightings this introductory day, we headed back to the lovely Hotel Glaciars. Several of the group opted for dinner in town, including some who ventured down to the town center early for some shopping.

Wed., Feb. 6 All Aboard!
We woke up to see fresh snow on all the high peaks above town, and throughout the day experienced squalls of sideways blowing snow. Today everyone was free to explore Ushuaia, now a large city of some 65,000 people! Sue opted to return to Torres del Paine National Park to enjoy the beauty and search out new birds; others relaxed for the morning and went into the town center for shopping and to visit the Museum of the End the World. A few struggled with a terrible stomach virus, quite possibly food poisoning – bad timing! Somehow we all met up at 4:00 pm at a staging area for boarding ships. There Annie, the Program Director for our voyage, greeted us with a warm smile, giving directions on how to enter the pier and board the ship. The wind was howling and skies were gray, but we could still see the large mountains around Ushuaia and our sense of adventure remained strong. While the ship was moored at the pier we had time to explore and look around to find the various deck top viewing areas, the bridge, the library and life boats. There was a beautiful welcome buffet with fresh fish and seafood, fresh fruit and juice. Woody, our Expedition Leader, went over a few vital announcements and before long the ship’s whistle ran seven blasts indicating our life boat drill. With the November story of the boat that hit ice, forcing evacuation, we all paid close attention and did our part. We started motoring out the Beagle Channel around 6:00 pm, threading our way between islands, watching Kelp Gull, Southern Giant Petrel, and Chilean Skua from the deck. Dinner was served at 7:30, and we enjoyed meeting several of the crew. A few hardy passengers went back out on deck, and were rewarded by seeing Peale’s Dolphin and, just outside the Beagle Channel, our first penguins – Magellanic Penguins feeding at sea.

Thurs., Feb. 7 A Fabulous Day at Sea
We woke to relatively calm seas, and enjoyed a slow but steady progression of birds crossing the wake of the ship. At first it was mainly Southern Giant Petrel, adult and juvenile; then Jacques, the ship ornithologist, reminded us to look as well for Northern Giant Petrel, distinguished only by a dark or red tip to the beak. By mid-morning we were picking up prions, at first a few, then dozens at a time. These are not easy birds to identify in flight, but as we had hours to do so we all gradually worked out a mental checklist to see if they were Fairy, Antarctic, or Slender-billed, the latter being by far the most common. Prions are filter feeders, scooping up water and passing it through baleen-like plates; we could see them dip from time to time, but mostly they stayed on the wing, graceful and strong, just above the waves. We also saw Sooty Shearwater, White-chinned Petrel, a few Cape (Pintado) Petrel and, for a brief moment, a swimming South American Fur Sea Lion. Common and Magellanic Diving Petrels were visible in small groups ahead of the boat, swimming like little auks, then diving quickly or taking flight, winging away on stiff short wing beats. They and the storm petrels had very different designs, the storm petrels beating wings like butterflies of the sea. We saw two species, Wedge-rumped and Gray-backed, the former by far the more common. It was a glorious warm day, with full sun so we could be out on deck for hours. At one point, a British Navy plane passed over our boat, then a Navy ship quickly overtook us, making a quick turnaround for us to see – other than that we saw no ships all day.

We had a number of presentations, two mandatory ones about safety and the rules of visiting Antarctica, and two educational ones. Rupert went over the taxonomy and life history of Southern Ocean Whales, and Jacques spoke on Birds of the Falkland Islands. The ship’s crew kept us more than amply fed throughout the day, with a surprising amount of fresh fruit and vegetables. This evening they presented stories in the bar, and showed a film in the presentation room. Many, though, opted to just go to sleep; the rocking of the sea cast a spell on our energies and it had been a long, full day!

Fri., Feb. 8 Falkland Islands – Westpoint Island (am) and Saunders Island (pm)
We woke to sunrise over the Falkland Islands, with a lovely orange band of light clearly defining the horizon. Many of us were up on the bridge early, and were rewarded with great sightings of Commerson’s Dolphin leaping out of the water. They played off the bow of the ship for a long time, providing great fun to watchers and photographers alike. Amidst their play we started to see long lines of red krill in the water, a veritable river of krill, so lush was the sea near Westpoint Island.

A bit before 7:00 the Captain expertly maneuvered us through a narrow passage to a protected harbor. Here a local family was set to meet us, providing vehicle support for those not wishing or able to walk across the island to a Cliffside Rockhopper Penguin and Black-browed Albatross nesting colony. Along the way we saw Falkland Thrush, Dark-faced Ground Tyrant and Long-tailed Meadowlark; Sue spotted a Red-backed (Variable) Hawk as well.

Soon we were walking trails through dense native Tussock Grass, the cover of which allowed us to approach the nest colony at very close range. The birds ignored us completely, and went on about the business of rearing chicks. Black-browed Albatross chicks were enormous balls of fluff that had yet to sprout many wing or body feathers. Their dark eyes and bill were endlessly expressive as they awaited the return of parents with food. With so much going on around them, boredom did not seem a problem. Rockhopper Penguins were entirely intermingled with the albatross, and there seemed very little aggression. The exception was an albatross seeking mud for its nest, under the carefully selected and collected grasses a Rockhopper Penguin was obviously guarding. We watched earnestly for several hours, moving around the colony to fresh vantage points. It was noisy place, full of various penguin and albatross noises. Adult albatross did a lot of whistled greeting calls, then clacked their bills, stretched their wings…. We witnessed a few come in from the sea, using what can only be described as a crash landing technique for entering the colony – feet first, quickly followed by a breast slam on hard rock, ouch! Rockhoppers are almost constantly vocal, but few can rival the punk quality of a male braying and carrying on. Rockhoppers drop their head back, inverting it completely, then open their gapes wide, bray towards the sky, all the while shaking their golden plume feathers rigorously – any rock star would be proud to frame up such a display!

A small stream ran adjacent to the main colony, and several individuals loafed, preened and seemed to stage here for a trip down to the beach, where some took to the surf to feed, and others appeared just to want to bathe before waddling back to their chores and chicks. The morning passed quickly; before boarding the ship we were treated to tea and sweets in the home of the island’s owners. They must have baked for days, as there were homemade mincemeat tarts, several rich cakes, jelly tarts and cookies. Every one of us had tea in lovely china cups, the best dishes were put out for us, and a lovely patterned tablecloth. We were also free to walk amongst the farm’s outbuildings, where we found Black-necked Siskin, more Striated Caracara and dozens of Turkey Vultures. Several shelters were available for the animals, some ancient and made of driftwood and peat, others modern and roomy – likely all necessary when the winter gales grew challenging. It is difficult to describe just how isolated this farm was. One of our drivers had come as a young boy; now 25 years later he had his own farm in another cove. For him the lifestyle obviously stuck – it would have been fascinating to learn more about the family on this windswept lonely outpost. To a careful eye beauty did abound, patterns and colors of lichen on the beach rock, the shapes of trees of the windbreak, the asymmetry of the beckoning cove, two sailboats moored at sea….

We returned to the ship, and the Captain set off for Saunder’s Island, another privately owned island about two hours away. There a large man with a big smile greeted us, David Gray, proud of his remarkable island with its 10,000-plus Gentoo Penguins. Gentoo Penguins were all over the beach as we landed our zodiacs, keeping company with Magellanic Oystercatchers, Crested Duck, and Dohpin and Kelp Gulls. We walked over huge mats of kelp, and then trod over spongy layers of guano and grass, where clumps of Sea Cabbage were still in bloom. Their large gray leaves were coated with fine hairs, testimony to the drying power of the wind and the plant’s quest to retain water. We all spread out quickly, photographers by nature the slowest, but many just entranced by all the activity. The young Gentoo Penguins were very curious; if one stayed in one place or bent down, two or three would approach, looking intently into one’s eyes or the lens of a camera. The colonies were spread over a raised mid-section of the island, with a beach on either side defining the narrows where we had come ashore. On the flatter areas were thousands of well-spaced Gentoo Penguins, all with large chicks. These chicks were in various stages of molt, some getting quite sleek while others could best be described as having a ‘bad hair day’. Many of the chicks were fatter than their hard-working parents. A few adults still stood by their stone nests, rearranging the stones, occasionally presenting a stone to a mate. Chicks were relentless in their efforts to get a parent to feed them, pecking at their bills, and erupting in long-ranging chase scenes reminiscent of two year old temper tantrums gone wild. Some of the large males gathered atop small mounds and brayed with gusto. Real havoc erupted around marauding skuas, which were abundant and agile, harassing parents feeding chicks, and patrolling to attack or scavenge the remains of any sick or injured penguin. By all measures it was a successful breeding year with LOTS of chicks around.

At this site, there were four species of penguins in total, on the lee of a small hill there was a colony of about twenty King Penguin, one with a large chick, and the others protecting eggs or very small chicks with their fine feathered pouches that covered their feet. With patience, we could see the almost naked chicks; occasionally one would raise its head and be preened by the adult. On hillsides above us Magellanic Penguins and Rockhopper Penguins had staked out colonies; the latter at a great height requiring ultimate energy for the penguins to reach. Sue and Sheila hiked up for a view, and found Imperial King Shag and Snowy Sheathbill as well. We all ended up on the far beach, where crèches of fledgling Magellanic Penguins were trying out the water. The light was soft and gray and as they waddled through the surf we saw perfect reflections – fun! We returned to the ship for dinner, and motored off into the night. Jacques had rescued a Common Diving Petrel from the swimming pool just before dinner, and kept it to show those interested in the bar. Holding it firmly he explained the tough muscular nature of the body, the long, paddle-like wing, and the probably ancestry that links diving petrels to the penguins. With no further ado, one lucky woman set it free to the sea.

Sat., Feb. 9 East Falklands / Stanley
We woke to an announcement that we would pass through the narrows for a fine view of Stanley and everyone assembled on the bridge to watch our approach. Colorful buildings decorated the shoreline, several other ships were in port, and buses waited to take us to the town and for some birding at nearby Gypsy Cove. It was very windy, a cold biting wind alerting us that our days so far had been out of the ordinary and quite mild. We bundled up to walk the trail past several beautiful wild beaches. The sand was white, and when the sun peeked out the color was cerulean, quite a lovely sight. One beach held a huge crèche of Magellanic Penguin adults and young, huddled together like a scene out of “March of the Penguins”. We had a Black-throated Finch female, and what we hoped was the endemic Cobb Wren, but turned out to be the more common streaked Grass (Sedge) Wren. Falkland Thrush and Dark-faced Ground Tyrant were other songbirds flying about the headlands, and on the water, we found Rock Shag, Imperial Cormorant, and South American Terns, all with hungry begging chicks. David and Judy elected to hike with Jacques, our “bird man”, and told us of a group of Two-banded Plover with one Rufous-chested Dotteral in winter plumage hanging with them. They walked a good distance at a brisk pace, and managed to see both male and female Black-throated Finch and the beautiful Long-tailed Meadowlark.

By mid-day we were happy to duck into the buildings of town, and many learned quite a bit at the local museum. Others went in to use the Internet, to browse through the stores and galleries and to visit the historic church with a whalebone arch just outside. The afternoon brought blue sky and a welcome decrease in wind speed. Pauline in the bar announced “Happy Hour and a Half” when we returned, naming the drink of the day a Stanley Refueler in reference to our lengthened stay here to allow for added fuel.

Sun., Feb. 10 and Mon., Feb. 11 Days at Sea
Calm seas blessed us on our two-day journey between the Falkland Islands archipelago and South Georgia. The only land we would pass were two small rocks (Shag Rocks) sticking out to sea near dusk on day two; otherwise it was a wide blue expanse of ocean. We had bright sun for much of the time, and light wind, which made for pleasant time on deck. Such divine conditions cut down on the number of birds sightings, but we saw at least a few of the representative species, and many followed the ship, allowing us to compare plumage to our numerous field guides. The prions proved to be difficult; in time we sorted out Slender-billed, Fairy and Gray. Wandering Albatross were present continuously and in good number, so we could study several of the seven phases of plumage – from the brilliant white of full adults, to the rather comical splotched pattern of juveniles. White-chinned Petrels were present in low number, joined at times by tiny storm-petrels – Black-bellied, White-bellied and Wilson’s. We had lectures morning and afternoon, and a briefing to outline special rules for visiting South Georgia. Jacques gave two talks on birds, and helped us to tally up our growing list. Rupert gave an excellent talk on seals and Natalie prepared us for the essence of ice. There was still plenty of time to be out on deck or up at the bridge, where both Minke and Humpback whales were spotted. The photographers had fun at the stern trying to capture images of each species as they whirled back and forth across the aqua-colored wake.

The sea was deep midnight blue for much of the time, turning gray only as we neared the Antarctic Convergence Zone near the end of day two. Each evening they showed appropriate films; “Life in the Freezer” (David Attenborough) and an Imax production on South Georgia. Scotty gave an excellent two-part program on Ernest Shackleton’s legendary expedition. A fun event for Peg and Gingy was attending the white wine tasting. Noz and Pauley put on a lovely event for 16 of us, with delicious cheeses from the chef, and a whole repertoire of wines on our daily menu. Between breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea we were all too well fed!

Tues., Feb. 12 - Fri. 15 South Georgia
We arrived in South Georgia in good time, and before breakfast we motored past Bird Island and then slipped into a spectacular cove where we had hopes of starting our time in South Georgia with a zodiac cruise among penguins and fur seals. We were delighted to see Macaroni Penguins in the water, along with the colorful Kings; in the distance, we could see what looked like a gray haze bisecting a steep slope of tussock grasses – a Macaroni nesting colony in a most inaccessible place! The Captain tried his best to position the ship for us to disembark to the zodiacs, but swell and chop precluded this on both port and starboard sides. So there we were, lined up in all our wet gear layers, ready to get off the ship after two days at sea, and no go—at least not for the morning. While we were disappointed, the panorama of magnificent peaks held our interest, as did the promise of visiting Salisbury Plains with its massive King Penguin colony just after lunch.

Words fall short in describing a visit to one of these colonies, where you literally walk among tens of thousands of curious, fearless animals with a backdrop of snow-clad mountains and a foreground of surf and the beach. The penguins stand erect; when curious they puff up their chests and waddle more purposely, making direct eye contact and almost touching you with a bill. They come in groups, and like humans have little internal relations going on while they investigate you. Fur Seals number in the thousands as well and one quickly learns to keep a close eye, especially when engrossed in photography. They have big teeth and move fast and teenaged rogues find great sport in challenging you. Clicking two stones together or clapping seems to keep them at bay, but walking near the beach or one of the back lagoons is rather like running a maze for their pestering. King Penguins are beautiful; what seems like a clean black, white and orange head pattern soon reveals subtle shades of yellow, an almost red in the prime breeders, and in many a lime green sheen on the crown and neck. With so many penguins, the color show is stunning for there literally are penguins as far as your eye can see. Some of our group joined staff members to walk around the edge of the colony and up to a higher elevation viewpoint so they could look down across the extensive flat area of the beach and back beach.

Others of us remained on the beach for quite some time, enchanted by watching the Kings come and go in the surf, and entranced by their greeting, courting, trumpeting and body postures. From our landing spot, one could walk the beach in either direction and never be more than a few feet from the penguins. Kneeling and sitting for photos and observations, we quickly took on the odor of penguins; it permeated our clothes, tripod legs and dry bags, later lingering in the halls of the ship where our coats dry. We had lots of time here, almost four hours for those who wanted to observe in detail or walk to the high point. Everyone had a euphoric glow to them at happy hour and dinner. As Judie White said, it so surpassed whatever she expected; indeed, penguins are irresistible.

The scenery also surpasses the imagination; the rugged mountain ranges rise right from the sea, and many valleys still hold large glaciers that come right down to meet the wind and waves. The pink light of dusk creates long shadows and highlights; great to be up on the bridge watching prions and petrels and albatross on the wing with such a background.
We then enjoy a sunset Zodiac trip to Albatross Island in search of pipits, but with gale force winds we contented ourselves with grand views, the delight of hundreds of storm petrels feeding and great looks at Leapord Seal.

The following morning we visited another colony, this time in a broad, semicircular bay known as Fortuna Bay. We left early, pre-breakfast, to land on a rocky beach rimmed by an immense glacier, waterfall and cascading stream. Here we found introduced reindeer visible in the distance. Several of the group walked the beach.

Back aboard the boat for breakfast, we passed into Stromness Bay where Shackleton had walked down to the whaling station announcing to the world that his long-lost party was miraculously alive, though separated from each other, and with some urgently awaiting rescue from Elephant Island. We could see the end of the impossible route he walked, after rowing some 800 miles across open ocean. At that time of year the waterfalls we viewed today were frozen; one last hazard to deal with in his epic journey.

We next arrived at the spectacular harbor of Grytviken, where high peaks and glaciers provided a background to the various buildings, vats and shacks left from the whaling era. On a side hill there was a graveyard, surrounded by a white picket fence. A prominent grave marked the burial of Ernest Shackleton, buried here in view of the Southern Ocean. We made a toast to Shackleton, with Scotty reading a tribute, and all of us pouring a bit of beer on the grave with respect. Just outside the fence, we had a background symphony, with enormous Southern Elephant Seals emitting groans and flatulence, joined by the squeals of Fur Seals and the exultant cries of courting King Penguins. The weather could not have been more perfect, with full sun providing warmth and cheer.

From the graveyard we all scattered, as we had a full afternoon to explore the site. Many enjoyed one of several hikes offered in various directions, with time to visit the museum and gift store, where we could buy and mail cards home. Today presented the first calm water for the kayakers, who paddled out into the larger bay where several shipwrecks recorded past disasters. One hike went up in elevation, past a helicopter wreck from the Argentine Conflict in 1982. Views were stunning, several wildflowers were in bloom, and on a steep ledge we found two fuzzy Pale Mantled Sooty Albatross chicks. Returning on the beach, we had our first close up view of Chinstrap Penguin, with its painted on smile – cute! Others hiked out a level seaside trail to Shackleton’s memorial at the edge of the harbor.

The next morning we visited another massive Gentoo and King Penguin colony at Gold Harbor, initially setting out in a squall, which cleared up after several hours. We were once again enchanted by the antics of King and Gentoos Penguins present in about equal number. We found numerous fat chicks of both species, and while observing or photographing them we had to be ever-watchful for aggressive Fur Seals. There were many Snowy Sheathbill and Antarctic Skua working the colony over for scraps; they came in to investigate our line of lifejackets, pulling on buckles and straps as if they were entrails. Scenery was splendid here, with a wide-reaching bay, tall surf, and a massive hanging glacier behind. We had plenty of time to explore, and many walked to the end of the beach where a small pond sat at the base of the glacier.

In the afternoon we tried to land at Royal Bay, but winds gusting up to 60 knots precluded use of the zodiacs and we could not leave the ship. Luckily the Captain was game to take us sightseeing, and from the bridge we could see the grand scenery. Both in the bay and back out in the open ocean as we continued we spied huge chunks of ice, and many icebergs. On this Valentine’s Day at sea, we celebrated a special event – the marriage of Mo and Paulee, two of the crew members. Mo looked divine in her dress made from a bed sheet trimmed with duct tape. They closed the bridge a short while for the ceremony, where the Captain heard their vows against a background of pink icebergs and perfect sunset skies… Afterwards we toasted them in the bar, and enjoyed a great evening on the ship.

The ship was repositioned to the Southeast corner of the island at Cooper Bay, arriving just after breakfast. This is a beautiful bay, rimmed by high mountains in the distance, and in the foreground bent and twisted metamorphic rock, covered by colorful lichens. The geology of the island changes at this point, so we were cruising around a remnant patch of Gondwonaland.

In a rocky cove that required some tricky maneuvering, we found Macaroni Penguins close up. On the rocks of the cove they came and went to the sea; a huge colony of this species lay above us. They nested on rocks between sections of dense tussock grass, fairly close together. This species is declining in number, but was once the most numerous on South Georgia. This was the first time we got close to them, having mainly seen them porpoising in the water as they fed. They were cute, reminiscent of the smaller Rockhoppers we had seen in the Falklands. Close to them, we found a number of resting Antarctic Tern, and a very large Weddell Seal. Fur Seal were present in unbelievable numbers; on the longer sand beach, they rested among giant Southern Elephant Seal. We found a small colony of Chinstrap Penguin and several pair of South Georgia Pintail, an endemic duck species. The swell and chop was challenging as we crossed over to view the shores of Cooper Island, where penguins, particularly Chinstrap, Gentoo and Macaroni, were abundant. When all were safely aboard the ship, we moved on to Drygalski Fjord, a dramatic, beautiful feature on the southern side of the island.

Within the fjord, a side trip by zodiac took us in to Larsen Harbor, where the waters were calm and the sea like glass. The kayakers had a grand adventure, paddling the length of this branch of the fjord. We got great looks at Fur Seal and Elephant Seal, and found a lone Weddell Seal asleep on one of the beaches. Several of the boats came alongside a steep cliff to catch glacial meltwaters to sample the taste of pure water. While watching some South Georgia Shag preen themselves on lichen-clad rocks, Peg heard a songbird, the island’s ONLY songbird – a South Georgia Pipit. Several of us were on the lookout for this non-descript species, as several references list it as the world’s southernmost songbird, and it’s endemic to South Georgia.

Peg got a quick glimpse, but the bird disappeared in dense tussock grass and we moved on. On our way back we checked for it again, and were delighted to find it feeding well within view at the center of this small promontory. We radioed to the other boats that the ‘pipit had been found’ and several came in to see it. By dinner there were many jokes about the pipit, and many happy pipit viewers. Scenery was the star of the day, however; we ended our time on South Georgia in sunshine as the Captain navigated the length of the fjord, all the way up to almost solid brash ice at the headwall glacier.

Noz arranged for us to have delicious brownies and hot chocolate up on deck, and we all got stunning views of the rugged front of a glacier. Cape and Snow Petrel were flying about, landing on the water to feed. Several of us tried to photograph these lovely birds, which were a treat to watch in motion against a background of jade green water. We were quite captivated by our time in Drygalski Fjord and really hated to leave. As we left land behind, however, the sight of tens of thousands of Antarctic Prions at sea greeted us. There were literally swarms of prions in the sunset light – as far as your eye could see. They were likely staging for a return to nests on Cooper Island; we saw them just swirling about the ocean – what a spectacle! By nightfall we were in the open ocean, with a two-day trip ahead of us to reach Elephant Island.

Sat. Feb. 16 Day at Sea
We spent a relaxing quiet day at sea today, in miraculously calm conditions. Annie commented she had never had such mild conditions between South Georgia and the Peninsula. The Captain kept a straight course with excellent time, averaging 12.5 knots. The birders were out early, marking Cape Petrel, Antarctic Prion, Black-billed Albatross White-chinned Petrel, and Black-bellied Storm Petrel as species noted. Even this far from shore we kept seeing King and Chinstrap Penguins, as well as countless Fur Seal, who moved agily away from the ship, only to float with flippers in the air. Sue kept a vigilant watch, and had great luck to see Minke, Humpback and Sei Whales, the later coming quite close to the ship; five in total. There were two morning presentations, Scotty reviewing the saga of Scott and Amundson racing for the pole, and Rupert sharing his underwater diving experiences with rather amazing shots of Leopard Seals and all kinds of sea life next to the ice. The bread pudding dessert at lunch was a big hit, but powered more than one nap. Nat presented a talk on Humpback and Minke Whales, while Jacques gave us a review of birds seen on South Georgia. By now, the pipit had taken on legendary proportions, with people who never imagined such an activity now comparing notes, or making jokes about the significance of the sighting. Calm conditions prevailed through the afternoon. Just before dinner, Annie announced we were passing a BIG iceberg – big turned out to be almost 2 nautical miles long – quite an impressive sight! At dinner we celebrated Judy Hinderliter-Smith’s birthday with a cake. Later that evening Mo showed a film of three New Zealanders kayaking the length of the Antarctic Peninsula as far as the Antarctic Circle – quite an adventurous tale.

Sun. Feb. 17 Day at Sea
Today the seas were rolling pretty well, a more normal pattern for the Scotia Sea. Nat presented information on long-line fishing and the problems with by-catch of albatross, and Scott and Rupert gave tours of the ship. Skies were gray, with few new birds around, save the Southern Fulmar – a new species for our journey recorded this day. Paulee’s drink for the day at Happy Hour was called ‘Shades of Gray’ – a comment on the weather today! Overall, it was a good day to read, work on photos, visit with other passengers and nap. Brian ran a quiz in the bar as evening was ending, playing short clips of songs of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s that had nature in the theme, or in the name of the singer. Out of 26 points few of us got more than 15, but one team came in victorious at 21. Amazing what we find to entertain ourselves so far from any land, especially from any homeland.

Mon. Feb. 18 Elephant Island Zodiac Cruise / Wine Tasting
Early risers got a great view of two FinWhale just off the starboard side of the boat this morning. Just before breakfast, having crossed some 800 miles of ocean from South Georgia, we gained sight of majestic peaks, crowned by snow – Elephant Island, along with two smaller islands, the outer group of the South Shetland archipelago. Views got better and better, and we once again lucked out with weather, as the Captain maneuvered us into a position where we could disembark and visit the famous site of Shackleton’s 22 men camped for 137 days, awaiting rescue. They slept in overturned boats and fed themselves on penguins – our conversation held wonder at their fortitude. There was little beach left today, just a monument to the Chilean Sea Captain who had rescued them. Chinstrap Penguins nested and rested all around this, and further up the steep cliffs behind. Right next to this small spot of questionable shelter was an immense glacier, which we cruised along admiring the dense blue ice. It calved a chunk as our last two zodiacs cruised by – an impressive sight and sound. This was an adventurous zodiac ride, with huge swells, patches of brash (broken) ice we had to motor through, and many large rocks lining the shore. We returned to the ship passing a smoothly textured iceberg, where several dozen Chinstrap Penguins were hauled out. It was a regular spot for them, evidenced by krill stains on the snow, and well indented trails up to the crest, where several Chinstraps kept an eye to the sea. Chinstraps were active in the water as well; in all respects, they appeared most comfortable in their icy world. We had a late lunch and started our path to Half Moon Bay, still farther south across more open ocean. Fog rolled in, cutting down our visibility. We had another round of talks before dinner, and sixteen of the group met for a red wine tasting in the library, where once again they had a nice cheese plate and a large selection of wines to await our review. We celebrated Peg’s birthday tonight – what an adventurous day for a birthday! The movie tonight was most appropriately ‘Endurance’.

Tues., Feb. 19 Shetland Islands / Half Moon Bay
Woody announced with our wake up call that we had come onto some true Antarctic weather, and he was right. Light snow, rain and sleet danced around us as we waited in line to load the zodiacs, and it stayed with us the entire morning. It still felt good to get off the ship and go exploring. The stone beach was washed with surf, and held the wreck of a once sturdy ocean going boat, most likely the size that Shackleton and his men had miraculously crossed to South Georgia in. Chinstrap Penguin were everywhere; on patches of snow a big group of male Fur Seals played with abandon. Chinstraps are particularly heart warming with their painted-on smile, and this was the first time we walked amongst them in any number. The chicks resembled Gentoo chicks and were nearly full grown, just still fluff balls of brown, molting in to white. Chinstraps are very vocal, and between begging chicks and bugling adults it was a lively place. South Polar Skua harassed the colonies; on the trail to the left of the cove we found two feeding on a fairly fresh penguin kill, the sheathbills stayed back hoping for crumbs. Several of the group walked over to the lonely Argentine research station, a cluster of orange buildings on a raised part of the island. It gave them a nice walk, and wonderful views of the small harbor we had come into for shelter, and a very large fjord on the other side of the island. The far shore was rimmed by glacial ice, and about half way through our visit a large chunk calved off, making a loud sound like gunshot. Conditions for photography were very challenging, with the moisture falling sideways in wind. It was almost impossible to keep anything dry - perhaps another day! Pizza for lunch was just the right thing; lots of good calories to burn off on our afternoon excursion.

We traveled south for several hours, arriving at Neptune’s Bellows, the entrance to Deception Harbor, just before three. We passed one very impressive crater that was being eroded on its coastline perch, but the crater we would enter was immense, three by five miles in size. Woody announced our entry would be a feat of navigation worth observing and the bridge and bow were filled with passengers as we threaded our way through the narrow entry, avoiding Raven Rock on our port side. Colors and patterns of the lava were intense, with shades of red, yellow and orange revealing a high iron content to the volcanics here. We all had the conception we would round the corner, and find a safe and calm anchorage. Instead the wind seemed to have a tunnel effect, a true deception. We disembarked on the lee side but were told to expect a wet ride over to the beach. Many of the group hiked up to Neptune’s Window, a dramatic saddle-shaped break in the crater wall. Bill had the best reward, for just as he reached the viewpoint a Humpback Whale breached, giving him a grand show. It was a steep walk up there, and at the top the wind could nearly blow you over, but after several days at sea the walk was most welcome. There was an abundance of material left here from the time of whaling, several wooden buildings now were piles of scrap wood, three old boats had sunken into the sands, their colors taking on those of the landscape as moss and lichen encrusted them. There were whale bones and at one side many metal buildings, boilers, vats and at one end an entire warehouse. A Weddell Seal slept soundly at the end of the spit, beyond reach of where we were allowed to walk. Closer to the landing area for our zodiacs, Antarctic Skua appeared in good number, resting on the warm sands and bathing with gusto in a back lagoon. They squabbled and argued about position, demonstrating some fancy flying and the aggressive nature of their beings.

While we were out exploring, Scott and crew had dug a rectangular pool, into which they poured seawater, which was warmed almost immediately by the hot sands. Undaunted, people disrobed to slim bathing suits in the howling wind and took to the pool with gusto. There were many sound effects of discomfort then great comfort and back to the race to put clothes on again. Sue and Sheila represented our Naturalist Journeys contingent and enjoyed themselves very much. Colin led the crowd to dive into the cold Antarctic Ocean, only to spot our two Norwegians already taking a dip further down the spit, just to have a swim! As most of us were bundled in four or five layers against the cold wind, the swimmers had our utmost admiration. Once back aboard, the tearoom was full of those seeking hot chocolate and warm drinks; bundled up we went back on deck to watch the Captain navigate back out of the crater, out to sea, and over to the Antarctic Mainland, our long awaited destination scheduled for the next morning.

Wed. Feb. 20 Wilhelmina Bay / Cupperville Island / An Antarctic BBQ
Our early birds, which always included Sheila and Sue up on deck and today had many others, experienced some grand and glorious scenery to inspire them this morning at dawn. By 7:00 Woody was on the microphone announcing whales – including a very close sighting of a mother and calf Humpback Whale. It was a lovely sunny morning, and we were in classic Antarctic scenery, rimmed by mountains, glaciers and all around us icebergs, broken brash ice and bergie bits. Rock protrusions were bold and dark, but snow and ice were the major element of all scenery. Indeed, our temperature had dropped to 0 degrees Centigrade, there was a cold wind, and the color palette of the landscape had changed completely, showing us cool whites, blues and pinks, the colors of winter. We spotted our first Crabeater Seal on a nearby iceberg, and later found a bull Fur Seal as well. The morning activity was a Zodiac Cruise, there literally being no land in a 360 degree circle to land on, even though we’d reached the mainland. The bay was rimmed with glaciers – a spectacular sight for all. The two first zodiacs surprised a Leopard Seal on a kill, but it quickly went off the ice into the water and we did not find it again. We enjoyed taking photos of icebergs and glaciers, and then found a mixed group of Arctic and Antarctic Tern, with young of the year, first year Antarctic, and adults of both species. They were perched on floating ice, picturesquely positioned on high points of the ice flow. In flight they were delicate in form but firm in their sense of place, as always with vocal force they let us know this otherwise quiet end of the bay was theirs. The morning passed very quickly, and soon we had to be back on board for our next adventure.

To top off a great morning, one of the highlights of the entire journey happened just as lunch began. Two Humpback Whales approached the ship at very close range just off the port side. Bright sun brought out white color of the pectoral fins, giving the impression of jade colors reminiscent of a Caribbean beach. They stayed at the surface, breathing slowly, moving about the speed of our ship. Occasionally they would sink and then raise their heads vertically, but most of the time they lay prone, propelling themselves along with strong strokes of their wing-like fins. Perhaps they were curious; they were certainly not afraid as we lined up on the various decks above them, those on the bow so close!

Time on the beach at Cupperville Island gave us more time with penguins, Gentoos being the featured species. We strolled at leisure, snapping yet more photos. Bud captured some amazing shots of a Leopard Seal devouring one of the unfortunate, or perhaps less agile, ones.

To celebrate our actual landing on Antarctica, for many travelers aboard their “7th continent”, they had us bundle up for dinner on deck – an Antarctic BBQ dinner! Judie and Bill were among the first to arrive and don comic hats; we kidded Judie about being a ‘cheesehead’ the rest for the rest of the trip. They had all sorts of delicious meats on several large grills, side dishes and beer and hot spiced wine. The mood was festive, and for quite a time our cameras were turned from the impressive scenery to our own merriment. They blared dance tunes from a boom-box and soon part of the crew was dancing.

After dinner, the Captain started the engines, and then threaded our boat out to sea, through a long narrow channel, passing at what felt like arm’s length from house-sized icebergs. Each iceberg held its own artistic texture; the effect of them floating by the score, backed by larger mountains and glaciers, was almost surreal. Sue, Sheila and Peg lingered on deck a long time, taking in the beauty.

Thurs. Feb. 21 Argentine Research Station / Neko Harbor
Today we all looked forward to landing on the mainland proper – Antarctica soil at last. We woke to snow and fog but it was light, and did not stop our planned arrival. Our landing occurred in a rather anticlimactic way – at a dock at an Argentine Research Station, where, lo and behold, we found a sign saying, “Tourists this way”! We got a good laugh of that, then walked beyond the station threading our way through a Gentoo Penguin colony that also held a few nesting Chinstraps. Many of the group climbed a
steep, snow-clad hill which led to tremendous views of the harbor. Those of us lingering below had fun watching them return quickly, by sliding down on their butts. Enough butts made the trip that there were ruts, and jumps. In time it was very fast, and very comical, a bit of romping good fun in Antarctica. Rose Marie took time to visit with several of the Argentine men stationed there, learning about their tasks, length of assignment and challenges.

In addition to the hike and visit to the station, we set out on a cruise on which we had good views of a nesting shag colony, and a Snowy Sheathbill chick. We rounded the point and passed into a cove with dense brash ice, so dense that our boats pushed ice along as we sought gaps to travel in. We found the still bloody remains of Leopard Seal kill, and a Crabeater Seal appeared in the water, rising up close to our kayak group. Pat was fortunate to see Minke Whales quite close to her zodiac this morning, and with luck the others followed suit in the afternoon.

The Captain then moved to Neko Harbor near Anvord Island, a place of magnificent scenery. Our afternoon cruise provided a Minke Whale extravaganza, in which these inquisitive beasts passed again and again under and between several quiet zodiac boats. The thrill of seeing them so close, and getting to watch them for twenty minutes or more, was remarkable. After they moved off, we continued past the wall of an immense glacier; then found both Crabeater and Weddell Seal resting on respective ice blocks. It was a totally amazing day, with great weather. It was sad to realize our grand journey was ending, and we all savored time in a final Gentoo colony. This colony was quite spread out, on a rocky slope above a cove, with an ice wall backdrop provided by an immense glacier. Gingy laughed so hard she could hardly hold the video camera still as she filmed Peg being vigorously investigated by a begging penguin chick. These Gentoo chicks were large, active and demanding. Several adults had finished breeding chores and were in full molt. Lynn enjoyed taking portrait shots of birds sitting in piles of feathers, with various areas of feathers left on their bodies in comical patches

Someone spotted a lone Adelie Penguin on the hill and we all climbed for a view. Most of the Adelies had returned to the pack ice after nesting, and we were happy to find this one, our seventh penguin species for the trip. Throughout the afternoon we listened to booms and cracks of dramatic ice-fall; a few were lucky enough to witness some of the ice wall calving.

Before dinner, with Woody acting as auctioneer, the ship staff held a fundraiser for the Save the Albatross campaign. Everyone was generous; the prize bid going for a chart of the voyage carefully plotted and now so full of memories. To end this fine day, as we sailed away from land and out to sea, we watched several breaching Humpback Whales off the starboard side of the boat. They were leaping completely out of the water, time and time again, much to the delight of those viewing. It was a perfect evening, with relatively easy seas, sunshine, and long, lingering twilight.

 

Fri., Feb. 22 and Sat. Feb. 23 Days at Sea
The scale of our voyage was felt in depth as we traveled between each leg of the trip, mainland to Falkland, Falklands to So.Georgia, then on to the Antarctic Peninsula. The feeling of remoteness of this part of the world was increased by the realization that we would need to travel two full days back, through intense cold and endless gray skies to reach the southern tip of South America where we would disembark. They made the days fun by serving all too much food and by providing interesting lectures. Those on deck spotted an occasional albatross and a few groups of shearwaters, but no legendary numbers described often when crossing the Drake Passage. We encountered whales quite a way off ship, either Sei or Fin. Day Two brought quite a bit of excitement to those with stronger stomachs, as we hit BIG seas, with waves crashing over the bow.

They kept us off the lower decks, and one gal, dressed for the final Captain’s dinner, got soaked out on the 6th deck bridge wing – so intense were the waves! Many of the group thoroughly enjoyed feeling the full force of the Drake, on our final day marking nine meter waves. Several of us (including your journal writer) went to bed to avoid sickness, but one day of two weeks was not bad, and we could still rise for meals or a short foray out on deck.

One of the forays was to watch a trip video by Colin, the staff videographer. He did a great job and filmed all of it during our voyage, making the finished product very personal. As gale force windspeed reached 55 knots we made it down to the lecture room to see Rupert’s work cataloging the ‘Best of Photos’. Many of the group had turned in copies of their 10 best digital images, and it was really fun to share them. Indeed they burned CD’s for all of us who wanted them for memories of this amazing voyage.

We sighted Cape Horn in Chilean waters towards end of the day, and though we were sad to end the voyage, we were happy to see land, and particularly happy to see calm seas by dinner. By this time we were near foundered on food, but they laid out quite a feast for the final Captain’s dinner, including a chocolate and ice cream wonder called the ‘Antarctica Bomb’ for dessert. Our suitcases were returned to our cabins, and this evening we packed up our clothes that would carry that memorable penguin guano smell back to loved ones at home….

Sun., Feb. 24 Arrival in Ushuaia
Our elegant and highly skilled Captain masterfully parked the ship at the dock, and soon we were back on Terra Firma after a grand adventure! By 9:00 a.m. we disembarked for a shopping frenzy, and several of us enjoyed coffee at the Old Warehouse, a delightful spot recommended by Sheila and Sue, who had scouted Ushuaia prior to our voyage. Along the waterfront we spotted an immature Black-crowned Night-Heron hiding on an old boat, a Bar-winged Cincloides and a Ringed Kingfisher at the harbor, and had a chance to photograph a pair of very close Kelp Goose. Kevin, with another group, found us in the airport to say he’d found a last species, Magellanic Snipe, but alas, we were through security, in our airplane clothes and ready for a long day of travel. One just can’t have it all, but now having been to the southern End of the World, Fin del Mundo, we felt in many ways that we had….

Photos by Peg Abbott

 

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