A nice calm day at sea

When we woke up in the morning we were already in the Drake Passage, about which you can read the most harrowing stories. It is supposed to be one of the most dangerous and windblown bodies of water on Earth, but - what do you know - it was a calm and easy day. That was good as some of us needed some time to let the sealegs grow and get some rest from the long journey here. Luckily there was just enough wind so that the birds were able to fly. We had a chance to observe albatross and other seabirds soaring about Fram. These magnificent creatures have been the most cherished companions of sailors for centuries and when you see them ride the wind in all their grace and elegance you really begin to understand why.

The day was also filled with all kinds of lectures which even hightened our expectations ofAntarctica. The topics ranged from birdlife to climate change, ecology, and the history of this remote continent ... and,oh yes, we were also tempted to go for more excursions when we will return to South America. Bookings need to be at the expedition desk by tomorrow, so we really must make up our minds.

All in all it was nice way to begin the advenure of Antarctica and the conditions were perfect, but who knows what tomorrow may bring. The weather forecast looks as if Neptune won't be as friendly for the entire duration of the crossing...

The Adventure Begins

What an exciting day! True, we had to get up terribly early to catch our flight to Ushuaia, but once we were here we were met by glorious weather and we spent the day in and around this ever growing outpost in Patagonia. We were greeted by the first penguins, albeit on a weather pole, who reminded us that we would be going South soon to an area where only a few select are privileged to go: Antarctica - and there the Weddell Sea, which is truely one of the last frontiers in modern tourism. .... But, first things first: in the early afternoon we finally reached our vessel; there she was in the harbour and the sun reflected her name beautifully in the calm waters. Suddenly many things had to be done: check-in, the opening of the cruise account, handling all kinds of documentation, and of course collecting the jackets for our expedition: all these things took some time, but none of it was tedious due to the good nature of the friendly crew, staff, and passengers.

We are on our way already, sailing in the Beagle Channel towards open waters and the weatherforecast for tomorrow is good, so we can sleep quietly and soundly and dream of our great adventure; let's see what tomoorw will bring in the infamous Drake Passage.

Farewell Antarctica (it's been a blast!)

Sir Francis Drake was blown into his namesake strait in 1579, but it was not until 1616 that Cape Horn was rounded from east to west for the first time. Two Dutchmen, LeMaire and Schouten sailed around it in the Unity. However, they named it for their other ship, Hoorn, which had accidentally burned on the Patagonian coast. That ship had, in turn, been named for their home town in Holland. 395 years later, the Fram had such a calm Drake crossing that she was also able to round the Horn, from east to west. Under stormy skies and wicked winds we rocked and rolled as we sailed these notorious waters. Anja and the Captain bestowed this parting jolt of excitement upon us before we slipped into the sheltered Beagle Channel.

Between dinner seatings a bidding war developed for the prize souvenirs of our voyage – beautiful watercolours painted by Mark, the ship’s flag and the British Admiralty chart with the course of our journey plotted on it by our Navigation Officer. Bird Life International and the Antarctic Heritage Trust will both benefit from our magnanimous charitable donations, thank you.

A northbound Beagle means only one thing…our voyage is drawing to a close. Tomorrow we bid farewell to MV Fram, to friends, to Antarctica. Perhaps, just maybe, through some twist of fate or insatiable urge we will one day return to the Deep Cold South.

Our Snow Petrel Flight Attendant

Another smooth Drake was the perfect tonic for winding down after an exciting five days of landings and cruises in and around the Antarctic Peninsula. We were accompanied by different species of seabirds, and for the better part of the day, a solitary snow petrel flew with our ship. Perhaps this pure white iconic bird of the Deep South was reminding us that our journey was not yet over. The calm waters allowed for a full programme of bridge tours and lectures, covering a broad spectrum of Antarctic topics in various languages. For those of us who remained awake, these talks buoyed our chances in the ever competitive MV Fram Antarctic Quiz this evening.

Although we had sun for much of the afternoon, dark foreboding skies enveloped our ship as twilight turned to night. For many, this underscored our great fortune with the weather during our voyage. Even when raging winds had threatened our very first landing in the South Shetlands, we had been able to go ashore to wonder and explore. Our bearer of weather news, Anja, informed us that tomorrow’s weather will resemble today’s, and with that comforting news we settled in for another relaxing evening.

Eternal Treasure

Final footsteps were set upon the beach at Brown Bluff. This area is adored by expedition staff for good reason: Adélies pour over the pebbly shores beneath 750 metre volcanic cliffs and a huffing hike up the ridge is rewarded with awesome views over Antarctic Sound, itself festooned with big beautiful ice and porpoising penguins. Gentoo chicks were old enough to perform their hilarious feeding chases, the seemingly alarmed parents managing to keep a short stride or two ahead. Who knew such short legs could propel a little wobbly object at such speeds?

Our afternoon sailing in Antarctic Sound was a befitting farewell to this magical land. Patches of blue sky broke through a grey-white cloud cover, colossal drifting tabulars dwarfed everything in their shadow, including our vessel, rafts of Adélies – thousands of them – skimmed and splashed their way across the sea surface, orcas in pursuit, and a bitingly cold wind was a constant reminder of our locale and our vulnerability in the face of nature.

As we left Antarctic Sound and entered the Bransfield Strait, the thinning field of ice shimmered, reflecting back the yellows, pinks and oranges of the setting sun. Over time, our final glimpses of bergs and ice-clad lands will merge with our first impressions of Antarctica and with all of the wonderful days in between. The rich memories we sail away with are precious. They will become fixed, cordoned off from the elements and experiences of everyday life. They will never abandon us but will radiate light and warmth and joy whenever we wish to access them. Antarctica will be with us for all time.

Seventh Heaven

Oh, and northbound through the Lemaire yesterday evening? More humpbacks, minkes, a dozen crabbies snorting and puffing around our boats, and one of the leopard seals vocalizing audibly with a trilling whistle as we approached…are you kidding?!?

Almirante Brown Station, Paradise Bay. For many this was No. 7, the Seventh Continent, our first footsteps on Continental Antarctica. Today we would be treated not to brilliant sunshine, but to dramatic metallic skies that parted in timely fashion to allow heavenly sunbeams to radiate selected mountains and glaciers. The contrast in light and texture was glorious, all the more so as the setting was Paradise Bay.

For the ultimate view we clambered and crawled
Up the steep slope to the height.
We ooohhed and aaawwed,
Took a seat and yee-haaawed,
And slithered back down without fright!

To ply the waters of Wilhelmina Bay is another highlight of any Antarctic expedition. We spent the afternoon here in the company of humpbacks and seals, glaciers and shipwrecks, before returning to the Gerlache Strait and sailing north for tomorrow’s adventure in Antarctic Sound.

Antarctic Riviera

Another stunning day. You just can’t ask for better weather, especially when you are sailing through the legendary Lemaire Channel. Early this morning our 5 Polar Cirkle boats sped off ahead of the Fram southwards through the strait. It was a visual smorgasbord of crabeater seals, spectacular ice, a leopard and two humpback whales. The views from the ship were equally as majestic, running the gauntlet between soaring glaciated peaks. The prize at the end of the run was Petermann Island, which never disappoints. Some of the most difficult terrain we have yet encountered did not prevent us from visiting the blue-eyed shags and Adélies, nor from hiking up for a peek into the mesmerizing ‘Iceberg Alley’.

A warm greeting by the Ukrainian personnel at Vernadsky Station (erstwhile British Base Faraday) rounded out the afternoon, and a fascinating tour of the base finishhhed with a tashting of the tashty locally dishtilled vodka. And then we cruised, big and small, northwards back through the Lemaire in dramatic evening light.

I am a Polar Addict – Polar history, Polar wildlife, Polar beauty. We are half way through our voyage, and surely there are 244 additional addicts on the MV Fram!

BIG SOL (Sun, Orcas & Leopards)

Welcome to Paradise. The day was stunning from start to finish, with unbelievable weather and amazing wildlife. Sailing under brilliant morning sunshine, as Anja made her wake-up call she spied a large pod of orca swimming near the vessel.

We scrambled out on deck to take in the action of more than a dozen killer whales in the Gerlache Strait, porpoising high out of the sea. Those who had grabbed a camera instead of a jacket were none worse for the wear – in this bright sunshine and without a whisper of wind, a light sweater was all that was necessary. Not a bad start…

The weather upheld for our morning at Cuverville. The staff noted that, unbelievably, the chicks had yet to hatch at this large rookery this year. Due to the enormous winter snowfall some of the rookeries are late in their annual breeding cycle, and we wondered how many Cuverville chicks would survive, hatching so late. We walked the shores and hills for splendid views into the Errera Channel and over Rongé Island and the Peninsula, while some paused to watch a small group from the French yacht snowboarding. The end of our landing was sensationalized by a hunting leopard seal that made quick work of one unfortunate gentoo. Much to our amazement, as the staff was ready to leave the beach, the same leopard lunged out of the sea at our Expedition Leader’s legs – close call!



After lunch we were out on deck to drink in the lovely scenery across the Gerlache and through the Neumayer Channel. The atmosphere was hushed as we enjoyed the sounds of the Fram pushing through brash ice, and the seas lapping at her steel hull. We anchored at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island to visit the little museum situated within the old British base. Two new species were spotted this afternoon – snowy sheathbills and showy shoppers (also with bills). It was a relief to finally find some gentoo chicks, which occupied much of our visit. Back on the vessel and joined by the base staff, the sun came down upon a wonderful day, a glowing orange light bathing the frosty glaciers before slipping down behind the jagged peaks of Wiencke Island. What would tomorrow bring...?

Windy Welcoming

We awoke to decidedly stormier seas today, but having found our sea legs we all managed pretty well with the wobbly-two-step.

The bridge tours were conducted at a perfect time as our first giant iceberg loomed on the horizon straight ahead of the ship. By midday the South Shetlands were in view so there was plenty to see, in addition to all the petrels, once we wrapped up and headed out on deck.

As we approached our planned excursion at Half Moon Island it was clear that we would not be able to go ashore. The winds were gusting up to fifty knots here and there was a heavy swell on the landing beach. No fear – we repositioned the ship over to Yankee Harbour on nearby Greenwich Island for a second attempt. Although the winds continued to rage, this second option proved possible, and we made our way to the boot room in anticipation of our first Antarctic landing.

Yankee turned out to be a beautiful blustery affair, plentiful in penguins and seals. There was quite an array of species for our first landing – skuas, gentoos, chinstraps, Weddell, elephant and fur seals – and the dramatic skies highlighted 360 degrees of spectacular scenery. A gorgeous sunset backlit Livingston Island as the Fram sailed for Deception after dinner.

We knew that we had come to the windiest place on earth. As the day drew to a close, we suspected that we just might have come to the most wonderful place on earth as well.

Smooth Southern Seas

The Drake Passage treated us kindly. Gaining our sea legs was not much of a challenge for most as a calm following sea pushed the Fram southwards towards the South Shetlands.

The faces at breakfast looked bright and well rested, and many confessed to enjoying the gentle roll of the ship during the night. The Drake opened geologically about 22 to 30 million years ago, and connects the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean south of Tierra del Fuego. It played an important role in 19th and early 20th century trade prior to the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, but it is the storms that rage through this passage that lend it an unsavoury reputation.

We were truly blessed on this our first full day at sea. Not only was the Drake a smooth ride (Drake Lake!), but the winds were strong enough to support a bevy of seabirds around the vessel. Perspective is always difficult to judge when at sea, and from the dainty storm petrels to the massive wandering albatrosses it was difficult to assess the true size of these avian wonders. The greatest sights from deck were the wandering albatrosses soaring near the ship. These, arguably the largest flighted birds on the planet, would accompany us throughout the day, and usher us along into the chillier regions of the Deep South.

!

Embarkation Day

This is it…Embarkation Day! We arrived in Tierra del Fuego with great anticipation of our upcoming adventure to the frozen Deep South. Much of the day was passed exploring this picturesque town, while at the pier the MV Fram crew and staff were making preparations for our arrival and imminent departure.

Ushuaia, or “bay that penetrates to the west” in the indigenous Yaghan tongue, is a flourishing duty-free port with a fishing industry famous for its southern king crab (centolla). The rugged spine of the Andes stretches the entire length of the South American continent, coming right down to meet the sea here in Patagonia. With a rapidly growing population of 55,000, Ushuaia is one of the most southerly cities in the world, and also the most popular jump-off point for travel to Antarctica.

Coming on board we were greeted by expedition and hotel staff and after checking in to our cabins we began to check out the ship, admiring this beautiful vessel that will be our home for the next nine days. A glorious rainbow spanned the harbour as the last lines were thrown at 19.00. The Fram’s bow turned southwards and we were on our way down the Beagle Channel, past the verdant shores of Patagonia, past the last greenery we would see for some time. We are headed south, far south, to the land of ice, to the most wonderful, pristine place on this planet. We are headed for Antarctica.

Drake Passage

As we make our way northwards across Drake Passage we have time to pause and reflect upon the incredible journey in which we have partaken.  We have truly been lucky with the elements but not for nothing is this the peak season for visitors to Antarctica.  The most important thing weather wise was that we have had very little wind which has made every landing successful.  We had to dodge around ice here and there, but that is to be expected from time to time.

 We have seen many fantastic things.  For many people it was a dream, perhaps a dream of a lifetime to visit Antarctica and now that dream has been realized.  We have made new friends.  We have had many new experiences.  It is difficult to summarize such a trip in just a few words.  It will be a challenge for you to describe your experiences to your friends.  One thing is certain, your enthusiasm will shine through. Flip back through your photographs and revisit this blog and your memories will come alive.

We have learned a lot.  We have learned about Antarctic history, wildlife and geology and as we  continue across the Drake we keep on learning - starting with a quiz this evening that promises to be fun!

The journey is not yet over.  The Drake is a famous passage of water that has been the wreck of many a poor vessel.  But Sir Francis' namesake is treating us kindly.  We have light winds with calm seas once again. Cape Petrels and a host of other sea birds have been following us throughout the day including Antarctic Prions, Wilson's Storm Petrels, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, Grey-headed Albatross and Light-mantled Sooty Albatross.