From Devil Land to Virgin Land

We woke up to a beautiful sunny day... again! The weather has been kind to us during this trip. 

The approach to our first landing site was spectacular. The Fram sailed smoothly through nicely shaped icebergs and bergibits. At 0930 we landed at Devil Island. This 1.6km long island northeast of Vega Island was discovered and named by Nordenskjöld during his 1901-1094 Swedish Antarctic Expedition. 

The island has a fairly big colony of Adelie Penguins (over 2000 breeding pairs) and an exceptional panorama of the surroundings. Hikers had the chance to get to one of the summits on the island which offered 360° views of the Erebus and Terror Gulf and the Vega Island. Two of the stranded parties of the Nordenskjöld expedition were reunited by chance after the long winter on Vega Island. The place were they met was called Cape Well-Met for obvious reasons!

On our way to our next destination we had the opportunity to admire the numerous and spectacular waterfalls on Vega Island. 

We stepped on land that has never been walked upon by tourists before!!! Crystal Hill, on the Antarctic continent. Our Expedition leader picked the spot on the map, it looked very appealing for a long hike, and indeed, it was the perfect place! Two itineraries were proposed in order to reach the two highest points from where amazing views were offered to us. There was also a third option for the passengers who didn’t feel like making a big hike: a cruise on Polar Cirkle Boats to get the chance to have a closer look at the beautiful icebergs surrounding us. 

This has been another extraordinary day in the Weddell Sea!

Continuing in the footsteps of Nordenskjöld

Many of us were outside on deck or in the panorama lounge until late last night. How can you sleep when thousands of beautiful icebergs are floating by, seals and penguin enjoying the sun and seabirds flying around? In spite of the late evening we all woke up early, ice was surrounding the ship. Would a landing be possible? The Expedition leader kept us updated as we were approaching Snow Hill Island, informing us that it did not look too promising for a landing as the ice was too packed.  

Now we are like the old explorers, we never now what is awaiting us around the next corner. Is the ice packed or will we be able to get safely through it? … We had to be prepared!!

The experienced Officers on the bridge managed to navigate through the ice faster than expected allowing us a fantastic experience. 

We arrived at Snow Hill Island and got to see the hut where the Swedish scientists from the Nordenskjöld expedition overwintered in 1902 and 1903, 6 men in a hut with 3 small bedrooms and a kitchen. It looked small to us, but compared to the guys who were left on Hope bay, and who had to build a stone hut, they were in paradise. Snow Hill also offered us the opportunity to admire many fossils and a spectacular scenery.

After this beautiful landing we were already satisfied with our day. But it turns out the day was not over jet!! Pushing through more ice we landed at Penguin point in Seymour Island. The name Penguin point speaks for it self. There were penguins everywhere, 20000 breading pairs and their chicks. Weather again played in our favour and the terrain allowed us to walk right in the middle of the huge penguin colony without disturbing the birds. This was a perfect landing!

Happy Australia Day to all the Aussies on board!! 

Weather it's Dr. Jekyll or Mr.Hyde

There is no place on earth more beautiful than Antarctica in the sunshine. At the close of yesterday evening the sky was also closing in. Clouds had continuously moved in to stuff all of the blue patches full of grey. We went to bed expecting morning weather of a similar ilk.

To our surprise we awoke to sunny blue skies and absolutely calm seas. Hardly a breath of wind disturbed the sea. Not what we were expecting but we will take it!

En route to our landing at the Argentine Base Esperanza we cruised by many giant tabular icebergs. We are now on the north east side of the Antarctic Peninsula in the Weddell Sea. These colossal islands of ice have broken free from ice shelves many miles to the south. They hitch a ride on north bound ocean currents and drift inexorably to where we saw them today.

Shortly after 09:00 we began our landing operations. We could see all of the bright orange buildings of the base from the ship. Esperanza looked like a small town and that is probably the precise image Argentina had in mind when they first laid their sovereignty claims to Antarctica. In the seventies pregnant women were encouraged to come to Esperanza and in 1978 the first child was born here in Hope Bay further bolstering Argentina’s claims.

The tide was high when we arrived which permitted us to land at the quay. Several personnel of the base were there to greet us including the base commander. We were given a guided tour which included an historic stone hut from a Swedish South Polar Expedition in 1901-03. Three men had been stranded there for the winter with nothing to eat but seal meat, penguins and one bottle of Aquavit.

Inside the community centre we had the opportunity to buy souvenirs and mail post cards.

On return to the landing site we found that the tide had fallen buy a metre and a half. We could no longer use the dock and boarded the Polar Cirkle boats from the rocky shore beside the pier.

Our next landing was scheduled for Kinnes Cove at 14:30. It was only about 25 miles from Esperanza but in the short distance between the two landing sites the weather had done a Jekyll and Hyde. Sunny blue skies were now solidly overcast. Our mill pond sea was now laced with white caps. The gentle breezes of the morning were replaced with 35 knot winds. A landing at Kinnes Cove would be impossible.

We spent the next couple of hours investigating two other landing site alternatives in the vicinity but none offered shelter from the wind and the sea.

To make use of the unexpected sea time, lectures were soon arranged and the Framheim and Polhogda lecture halls were soon filled with people eager to learn more about the Geology and biology of Antarctica.

At about 17:30 we entered Fridjhof Sound where we encountered two Humpback Whales, two Minke Whales and several hundred Adelie penguins. Undoubtedly all of these animals were here to share one giant smorgasbord of sea food. We paused for awhile to enjoy the scenery of the sound and the many animals before proceeding out to the Weddell Sea.

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Touching ground

Our day started with the mandatory IAATO Briefing, we were told how we have to behave in our landings in order to disturb as little as possible this last pristine place on earth. We learned that there has been an important introduction of alien species to Antarctica through tourists and scientists. To avoid this, we proceeded to an intense vacuum cleaning process of our landing equipment. 

Shortly afterwards we saw our first conically shaped iceberg, and as we approached the South Shetland Islands we encountered flocks of thousands of Cape Petrels. They accompanied us for a while, displaying their fabulous acrobatic flight all around the ship. To reach our destination, we entered Nelson Strait and as we headed west towards Livingston we saw a three Humpback Whales.

Our first landing in Half Moon Island started at around 16h, we could feel the excitement in the air!  As if we had asked for it, we had perfect sunny weather. Half Moon Island is a 2km long, crescent-shaped island between Greenwich and Livingston Islands. It has a big Chinstrap Penguin colony, with more than 3000 breeding pairs. It used to be a known destination for the whalers that visited the area in the 1800, which is still visible because of the many whale bones scattered around the landing area. One group of hikers climbed up the 102m high hill at the northern extremity of the island and passed in front of the Argentinian Station Camara. Others walked to the other extremity of the island and had the chance to encounter Weddell and Fur Seals. 

One thing is sure, we all came back to the ship with a big smile on our faces!!

What Happens On A Sea Day?

Southern Giant Petrel

In the morning we entered the dreaded Drake Passage, the ride was a little bumpy in the beginning, but calmed down during the day. Apart from some welcomed visits from the seabirds we were alone at sea. We were lucky to spot a Light Mantled Sooty Albatross and several Giant Petrels.

Light-mantled Sooty Albatross

After today’s lecture program we are well prepared for the voyage. All our questions about penguins were answered. Do penguins get cold feet? Are penguins faithful? Have you ever wondered how penguins recognize their kids and spouses in a huge colony when they are all dressed in the same clothing? The secret is they recognize the voice of their loved ones and that’s why penguin colonies can sometimes be very noisy. We had a wide variety of lectures to attend; the incredible story of the Nordenskiold expedition, geology, whales and seals.

With a day at sea we had time to get familiar with the ship. Many used the day to relax in the panorama lounge on deck 7 and some even used the opportunity to visit the gym and sauna. Tomorrow morning we will reach Antarctica and hopefully we will have the chance to set foot on land again.

The Land of Fire

Tierra del Fuego. The land of fire. The very name of this storied land conjures a sense of romance and adventure. Our voyage to the land of ice begins in the land of fire. There is a certain poetic symmetry to that.

It is about a three and a half hour flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia. Excitement built as we made our descent to the Ushuaia airport. We could see our ship, the MS Fram far below.  

 After collecting our luggage we had time to explore Ushuaia on an introductory tour or go on an excursion to Lago Escondido. Exploring the streets of Ushuaia there is still a feeling of a burgeoning frontier town. Certainly tourism is still growing here. Ushuaia is the gateway to one of the last really great wild frontiers. While it is the height of summer the weather is cool and a jacket is still required. Many of the local people are on vacation. By the early afternoon all of the restaurants were filled with a mixture of locals and tourists.

At 16:00 we boarded the buses that would take us on a very short ride to the pier. Smiling crew members greeted us as we walked up the gangway and into the ship. Soon we were issued photo IDs and were escorted to our cabins where our luggage was already waiting for us. Then it was a simple matter to open a cruise account at reception, hand in our medical form to the Doctor and finally, to pick up our spiffy new blue Expedition Jackets. It didn’t take very long to process two hundred people. The lineups were short and the whole procedure was very efficient.

 

The wind had been building throughout the afternoon and as we approached departure time at 18:00 gusts of over 40 knots were ripping across the harbour. We wondered what that might mean out on the more open ocean. But by 20:30 the winds had abated and it was time for the mandatory safety drill.

When we heard seven short alarms followed by one long alarm we gathered at our muster stations on deck five. It was a gorgeous evening on the Beagle Channel. Our attention was split between watching the crew demonstrate the immersion suits and life jackets and admiring the sunset and the beautiful scenery of the Beagle.

Immediately following the drill at 21:00 we rendezvoused in the Observation Lounge on deck seven where we met the Captain and Officers of Fram and were introduced to the Expedition Team and other key personnel from the ship.

Phew! Just about everyone that chooses to go to Antarctica has a very long and arduous journey to make just to get to the starting point. But now it is time to kick back and relax and to let the adventure carry us the rest of the way.

Photos by Mark Woszczalski

From Drake Lake to Drake Shake

It is almost hard to believe, the calm sea we had yesterday. Today, our crossing of the Drake was again rough and shaky. In the morning Karin announced an 8 on the Beaufort scale, but as we approached Cape Horn (which we managed to see in the distance) the waves seemed to grow bigger and bigger.

Despite the movement, we had another day packed with activities. Lectures were given on different topics including a public discussion on climate change. In the afternoon, as usual, we auctioned the sea chart of our voyage. The money raised during these auctions goes to several charities that protect the wildlife of the area, so the chart is not only a beautiful souvenir but it is also a contribution towards the conservation of the unique (sub-) Antarctic nature we have just experienced.

The Captain and all crew & staff bid farewell to our guests that will leave us tomorrow morning. We all hope that you have enjoyed this trip on board Fram, that you take unforgettable memories with you and that you have a safe journey home!

Impressions from Port Lockroy

Today I am the guest writer as the Drake Passage is way too calm for good stories.

As you might have read, Fram dropped me off last voyage in Port Lockroy, the former British Base.
Lets be honest for a moment: when you are coming to Port Lockroy for the short visits that ships usually do, you tent to wonder what the staff there is actually doing all day long when there is no ship. One then imagines it to be a rather quiet spot. If you have travelled with us before, you know exactly what I mean.

It has always been a dream to spent more time in Antarctica at one spot, not to move around and to see a little bit more and get a different input and impression. When I asked the „United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust“ a year ago if there is a slight possibiliy to join the Port Lockroy team for a few days, I was not quite sure if it would all work out.


With Ylva in the shop



It turned out to be a crazy busy time! The main team consists of four women with Ylva as base commander, Claire, Cath and Kat. When I was there we also had a carpenter called Michael (who looks a bit like Harrison Ford) as well as for five days Jonathan who got some technical equipment (webcam, iridium phones etc) going. You get up at around 6.30am every day and then basically work through all day long. As soon as one ship was gone, the next one moved in. And it staid like this for nearly the entire time! Now it is high season in Antarctica and you do not have time to sleep or rest: talking about the history with arriving passengers, restocking the store, counting needed to be done in addition to the ongoing renovation work of the historical buildings.



What I realized very soon is the hard work that the entire team puts into their work- and the total dedication to the project. I realized that this is definately not a relaxing job but is very challenging in many aspects. I learned to admire the girls for their „handyman“ skills and can just say in German: HUT AB! It is interesting to see how ones abilities are stretching, how you want to learn more and more and really get into it. During the time, the work shop was painted as it is hopefully soon part of the museum. It will look absolutely great when it is done and just thinking about it makes one smile. The great thing is that despite all the work it was a bit „therapeutic“ as well as you see what you have done in the end of the day. Which as Expedition Leader you never have the feeling that you are totally finished in the end of the day...Often, tasks took long- just to paint a window can take a few days due to the fact that a) it took so long to dry in the Antarctic climate, b) visitors came and one had to leave the current work and c) something unexpected happened all the time. Which was great! Carrying wood and other rubbish to the landing site for the soon-to-be pick up by the HSM Protector was not an easy task. Not because it was heavy alone, but also because you had to go over slippry stones and you just knew that you could not afford to miss-step on any of those and slide and fall.

We were 7 people in a very tiny building and a confined place but without any hesitation I can say: I loved every minute of it! But I do think that porridge for breakfast ist something that you have to grow up with to

REALLY appreciate it.

No Deception at all!

Today was our sportive day! Hiking and swimming were two major activities during Fram’s stay in the famous caldera of Deception Island.

The fittest of us started for a 4 hours hike in the morning, heading from Whalers Bay towards Baily Head at the outer part of the island, where a huge rookery of chinstrap penguins is located.

In the meantime, the remaining passengers had ample time to explore the rests of an old whaler’s station and a British base that was destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1969. For many of the guests this was also the opportunity to try out a swim in Antarctic waters.
After lunch the Fram repositioned and we had a second landing at an (at the moment) uninhabited Argentinean station. Another walk started in this moonlike volcanic landscape and again our final destination was a penguin colony. Some of us managed to get close to it, others enjoyed the beautiful view (and sound!) from above the ridge.
All in all it was an active last day in Antarctica!



No hope for Esperanza

During the night we made good speed and in the morning we were in the eastern part of the Bransfield Strait. The sea has calmed down considerably and we enjoyed an agreeable sea day with good weather, a little bit overcast. The sunshine gave us a good view on the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula with high snow covered mountains and glaciers coming down into the sea. During the morning and also in the early afternoon we had lectures about the Nordenskjöld expedition, seals, penguins, ice and geology.

Around noon we reached the entrance of the Antarctic Sound, more and bigger icebergs especially tabular icebergs appeared and the wind became stronger and the waves higher.

Around 15.00 we arrived at the Argentinean Station Esperanza, we contact its crew and they told us, that there is no possibility for a landing under the prevailing condition. Our Expedition leader decided to wait until the weather conditions would have improved and went further into the Antarctic Sound to enjoy more of this marvellous scenery. We came close to Brown Bluff and checked the condition for a landing here, but the swell was too high for a safe operation with our Polar Circle Boats. Though the wind was blowing and we had quite high swell, we still had nice sunshine and could enjoy a the wonderful scenery of the Fridtjof Sound and the western part of the Weddell Sea with the high brown cliffs of the volcanic coast and the volcanic islands, glaciers, some small waterfalls and again lots of picturesque icebergs.

Turning back we passed again the Esperanza Station and again the swell was too high for a landing operation. We continued slowly through the Antarctic Sound, still cruising. Finally we made our way into the Bransfield Strait and sailed for our next exciting destination, the active volcano Deception Island.

Pory Lockroy & Paradise bay

What a dramatic weather change within 8 hours! Yesterday evening leaving the Lemaire Channel we enjoyed sunshine. This morning at Port Lockroy we were confronted with snow, temperature around 0°C, a storm with Beaufort 9 to 10, real Antarctic conditions and no chance for a landing. But the captain put the ship further into the bay into sheltered waters, the wind calmed down and we could land within a short delay. It was a new experience for our passengers to be on land under these conditions and most of them went directly into the Museum of Port Lockroy for shopping but also for looking how research was done 60 years ago.

The Gentoo Penguins breeding around the station had well grown chicks much bigger than what we saw on Cuverville Island. At noon the snowfall stopped and we set sail for Paradise Bay. The wind calmed down more and we had a comfortable passing through the Neumeyer Channel and a calm crossing of the Gerlache Strait. We arrived at 15.00 in the Paradise Bay and started landing at 15.30. Obviously the glaciers coming down into the bay had calved considerably and did so during our stay. A broad field of brash ice and small icebergs were laying between the Fram and the landing site, but our experienced drivers with the solid Polar Circle Boats succeeded in bringing us ashore. In the course of our landing the currents moved a big part of this ice away so things became easier. Most of the Passengers climbed up the hill and sled down on their back. Some just enjoyed the scenery and observed the small Gentoo colonies. It was a mix of sun, rain and snow the whole time. At the end nevertheless the sun came through and showed us for a few moments why this bay was named Paradise Harbour by the old whalers.

Around 19.00 we left this wonderful place to go north for Hope Bay.

Penguins, ice and glaciers – Classic Antarctica at its best!

To describe a day like this is almost impossible. It is difficult to transmit with words the beauty of what we have experienced and what we have seen. Even for us it is difficult to take so much in – all in just one day!

In incredible weather we had another close encounter with penguins and their tiny chicks. We had ship cruising through breathtaking landscape and passed the famous Lemaire Channel with its impressive glaciers and snowy peaks.

As the ice conditions deteriorated on its southern end, we had to turn, but that gave us the chance for a polar circle boat ride in the middle of the Channel. Like miniature icebreakers our little boats pushed the way through the brush ice. So not only did we have a close encounter with penguins today, but also with true Antarctic ice.

In the Drake and at Half Moon Island

The morning saw us still in the Drake, but it has calmed down considerably and we experienced a very smooth Drake Passage with a low but long wave swell. The sun was shining the whole day and there were only a few clouds. The temperature of the sea water has dropped to 3 – 4 ° C. We passed the Antarctic Convergence in the early morning. This convergence separates the cool Antarctic waters from the warmer waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. This line is also an important ecological boundary. To the North we have the sub-Antarctic regime and to the south we see Antarctic wildlife. So also the bird species following our ship changed. We could observe only some few albatrosses and close to the South Shetland Islands they disappeared. Instead we had more Giant Petrels, Southern Fulmars and swarms of Cape Petrels were dancing in the air around the Fram.

At 13.00 we saw the first Iceberg and soon after we sighted land, the South Shetland Islands. At 15.45 some Whales passed by and at 16.00 finally we arrived at our first landing site in the Antarctic: Half Moon Island.

Our friends the noisy chinstrap penguins were still there, busy as always coming from and going to the sea. Also three Weddell Seals were hauling out at the beach.

At the end of our visit around 20.00 some more clouds came up, hiding a part of the sun and produced dramatic scenery in the sky to say good bye to us. During Dinner we heaved anchor and sailed towards our next destination Cuverville Island.

Again back through the Drake

Before enjoying something you have to work for it and before experiencing the beauty of Antarctica you have to suffer the Drake Passage.

After the clearance by the Argentinean authorities, we set sail from Ushuaia. After six hours in the calm waters of the Beagle Channel giving us a comfortable first half of the night we entered the rough seas of the Drake Passage.
There were waves up to 6 to 8 meters high though we only had wind about Beaufort 6 to 7.

The high swell was the relic of the heavy storm we encountered during our way north through the Drake Passage to Ushuaia two days ago. It takes two days for the sea to calm down after such a heavy storm. Some of our passengers, exhausted by the long voyage from all over the world to Ushuaia, suffered from seasickness. Others were on the outside decks, to observe the true friends of all seamen, the masters of the winds, the albatrosses accompanying our ship the whole day together with some Giant petrels and Cape petrels.

The whole day long we listened to lectures about things and subjects we are going to see during our stay in Antarctica like penguins, whales, seals, ice, geology and history in English, German and French. Westerly winds supported the ship to higher speed and we will reach our first landing at Half Moon Island in time tomorrow afternoon. The wind calmed down during the day and the waves smoothened thus most of us could enjoy the Welcome Dinner at the end of the day.