Good fortuna in Fortuna Bay and Stromness

The bay was named Fortuna Bay after Fortuna the first whale-catcher to operate out of Grytviken in the early 1900’s.  Fortuna Bay is home of a colony of King Penguins of about 7-8,000 breeding pairs, located about 1 km inland from Whistle Cove our landing site. On the colony at this time of the year, was possible to observe basically all the breeding stages, from copulations, eggs, recently hatched chicks to well grown nestlings.  Which is a plus for anyone looking into the breeding biology of this species of penguin.  At this site we were able to see what probably will be our last time to see Reindeer and penguins together on this island, since the local government is planning to eradicate the reindeer very soon.

Reindeer at Fortuna Bay - Photo: Manuel Marin

A young King Penguin - Photo Manuel Marin 

 With great fortune the weather did accompany us the whole day, and some of us went for a hike or the so called the Shackleton Walk which is a crossing from Fortuna Bay to Stromness.  Retracing the last bit of the route that Shackleton, Crean and Worsley hiked before reaching a place with humans. This is a 5.5 km walk that transverse  some hills trough a mountain pass with a maximum elevation of 300 m.

Young seals at Fortuna- Photo: Manuel Marin

Stromness harbor that started to operate in 1907 as a whale processing place and about 1931-32 became a ship repair yard for the South Georgia Company.

A view to Stromness -Photo: Manuel Marin

Wonderful South Georgia Island

Entering Drygalski Fjord
Photo by Anke Timmerberg 

Everyone was up and on-deck at 0800 as we rounded Cape Disappointment and entered Drygalski Fjord. We were very fortunate as the skies were clear and we could see the high and sharp mountain peaks in the distance

Nearby was Cape Disappointment, this name given by Captain Cook that reflected his mood when he realized that the land he had been sailing along was an island and not the northern tip of the Great Southern Continent that he had been sent to chart.

Drygalski Fjord is a classic fjord: straight with a U-shaped valley having nearly vertical rock-wall sides and a flat bottom. The rocks on the northern side were originally part of the continent of Gondwanaland. While the southern side rocks are younger volcanic lava formations. As we left the fjord, on the few small north-facing areas we saw green patches of tussock grass and fescue. More green that we have seen since leaving Beagle Channel for Antarctica so long ago.

Albatross off the eastern coast of South Georgia Island
Photo by Anke Timmerberg

The Fram motored northward in fog but it burned off as we entered Cumberland bay and anchored at Grytviken. This area is a natural wonderland with the king, rock-hopper and gentoo penguins, plus an active community of young fur and elephant seals. In addition the history is everywhere, from the cemetery dominated by the markers at the graves of Sir Ernest Shackleton and Frank Wild, to the old whaling station.

Grytviken and the Fram
photo by Anke Timerberg

You can look at the machinery for cutting whales and the boilers for cooking out the whale oil and the storage tanks for storing the oil prior to shipment, but it is hard to imagine the intensity of the activity that took place here until the whaling ceased in 1965. The whaling stations of South Georgia processed 175,250 whales between 1904 and 1965. There are other man-made attractions at Grytviken, one is the boat shed with the replica of the covered lifeboat the “James Caird” that Frank Worsley navigated to South Georgia with Shackleton and 4 others. There is also the museum with numerous displays inside the building and in front of the building there are harpoon guns, claws for pulling whales ashore by their tails and saws for cutting whale bones. Last but not least we visited the museum store where we purchased shirts and hats to remind us of this wonderful day at South Georgia Island.

Young elephant seal
Photo by Anke Timmerberg

In the Scotia Sea

Today we have been enjoying a day of a smooth sailing. Everything started earlier than usual because last night we had to change the time on our watches, to 1 hour ahead, to South Georgia time. Now, time-wise we are closer to Europe than yesterday. From now on, it is only a matter of sunrise before we have our first sight of South Georgia Island.

What a privilege to be here and travel in these waters in such comfortable conditions. Because of this, we clearly appreciate how good life has been for us. We are well aware that we are following the same route as Shackleton almost a century ago. He and his companions were in a much smaller vessel called James Caird. The Caird is smaller than our lifeboats. Their purpose was to reach South Georgia and to mount a rescue voyage to retrieve their companions left behind in Antarctica on Elephant Island. We have it much better now, we don’t need to get wet, to suffer the cold or to deal with the uncertainty of our position in this wide ocean. Never knowing if we are going to hit or miss South Georgia our island destination. On the contrary, we have all the necessary navigation and weather information in advance and we can open our minds to the new and interesting topics we are learning about in our familiar little ecosystem called the Fram.

Some of the sights and views which we were able to enjoy were provided by one of our friends from Norway Olav Agnar Frogner to whom we say thanks. Here are some of his pictures and we know that tomorrow he will see and do much more on land. We recognize that he and his countryman on-board will enjoy their visit to South Georgia Island with its years of Norwegian heritage.

 The Fram has been calm and steady during the day and therefore the conditions have been optimal for enjoying lectures, bird-watching, reading, conversation and the challenges of our evening onboard quiz prepared by the Expedition Staff.

Following Shackleton

We are now heading towards South Georgia and this is almost the same route that Sir Ernest Shackleton took after leaving the small Elephant Island. 6 men sailed in a small lifeboat hoping to reach South Georgia’s whaling station. The James Caird was only 7 m long and due to the bad weather conditions (yesterday we experienced how the Southern Ocean can be!), they only managed to take 4 times their position during the 17 days of their journey. It seems almost a miracle that despite all odds, including a hurricane that hit them just when they reached South Georgia, they finally managed to land safely.
On board Fram, we have the opportunity to learn all about these great expeditions during lectures and through documentaries shown on board. On top of this, we are lucky to have Henryk Wolski with us – he is an adventurer himself and repeated the odyssey of Shackleton in a replica of the James Caird in 2000. That means we got first-hand information on the hardships and challenges that have to be faced in such a hazardous journey. 

Lectures! - Photo © Annke Timmerberg


Luckily, Fram is much more comfortable then the James Caird! The hardships that we have to face entail things such as trying to avoid putting on weight or having to take the tough decision whether to attend a lecture, to eat some waffles or to just relax in the hot whirlpool on deck!

Waffles! - Photo © Annke Timmerberg




Bridge Tour! - Photo © Annke Timmerberg



Lay On Macduff!

Brown Bluff
Photo © Annke Timmerberg

Yesterday we were apprised of two possible plans for this morning.

Plan 1:  Attempt a landing at Brown Bluff at 09:00.  This would be a landing on the actual continent of Antarctica.

Plan B:  If Brown Bluff was a no go due to weather or ice conditions, we would try for the Argentine Base Esperanza.  This would also be a continent landing.

Tabular Iceberg, Antarctic Sound
Photo © Annke Timmerberg

However we knew before we got to Plan 1 that Plan B was not possible.  The two landing sites are just south of the north end of the Antarctic Peninsula on the east side, in Antarctic Sound.  In order to get to our 1st choice of Brown Bluff we had to pass right by Esperanza. The winds were blowing 20-25mps (metres per second) when we reached Esperanza so we knew a landing there in the early morning was extremely unlikely.

 At Brown Bluff the wind was slowly but steadily increasing.  In addition there was a barrier of brash ice and growlers all along the beach. Even if there hadn’t been any wind, the ice would have made a landing there unlikely.

Winds at 20 - 25 metres per second.
Photo © Annke Timmerberg

We decided to bide our time in the area in hope that the wind would drop and that perhaps later in the morning we might have better luck.  We continued a little further south into the scenic area of Fridjof Sound.  The strong winds made our entrance into the Weddell Sea even more dramatic.  Large waves crashed into huge tabular icebergs sending walls of sparkling white spray five or six stories into the air.  By now the wind was whipping off the tops of waves and casting them as long streamers of spray.  Whirligigs of spray helter-skeltered across the sea and then violently dissolved into nothing.   Ahead of us lay an impenetrable barrier of icebergs and multi-year sea ice.  It was dramatic.  The cold and violent beauty that mother nature had on display for us this morning was in stark contrast to the warm comfort of Fram.  

Beaufort force 11, Antarctic Sound
Photo © Annke Timmerberg

Eventually it didn’t make sense to wait any longer for the wind to abate so we headed north once again into Antarctic Sound.  In succession we passed Brown Bluff and Esperanza.  Even the dustiest of landlubbers amongst of us could tell that an attempt to go ashore would be madness.

Well, as in the oft bastardized words of Macbeth, “lead on Macduff”!  Onwards to the Scotia Sea and to new adventures in the wilds of South Georgia!

A Base Great Gray Day

Since we departed from Port Lockroy the weather changed to a gray, rainy and misty sky, which did not change through the day.  We had some early morning lectures while in transit and we reached King George Island for the medical evacuation about mid morning.

Photo: Anke Timmerberg

Photo: Anke Timmerberg

Photo: Anke Timmerberg

In the afternoon we went to shore and visited the different bases around Maxwell bay, the Chilean base of Eduardo Frei that is close together with Escudero from Chile and Teniente Marsh from the Chilean Airforce, that owns and run the airfield located in King George Island.  Also next door is Bellingshausen a Russian station in the South Shetland Islands.  While waiting for the weather to clear up and to have a response as when the plane will arrive to pick up the passenger that required a more detailed medical attention. 

An exceptional day at Cuverville and Lockroy





Fram from Cuverville Island

photo by Anke Timmerberg



We awoke and enjoyed breakfast as the Fram motored through the scenic and windy Gerlache Strait. As we arrived at Cuverville Island we could see a new-fallen layer of snow covering the beach and the hill-sides. The wind decreased and the sun broke through the clouds, in a word our landing was perfect. The gentoo penguin colonies were active and most of the birds that were born early this summer have now lost their down and are full-sized. They now enter the water to feed on their own. There were two other notable occurrences to report: Firstly we sighted a very rare all-white gentoo chick.



All white Gentoo chick
Photo by Anke Timmerberg



Secondly we saw some recently hatched chicks. Our ornithologists told us these chicks and the other very young penguins that we saw will not survive. There is not enough time before the winter sea-ice forms for these birds to loose their down and grow to the nearly adult size that they must reach to take open water and feed themselves. Such is mother nature.



After lunch we headed through scenic Neumeyer Channel on our way to our afternoon landing at Port Lockroy. By now the sky was overcast but there was no wind and the landing was smooth. The area around Port Lockroy was explored by the members of the first French Antarctic Expedition. The expedition leader was Jean Baptiste Charcot and he named the site for a French politician who helped him obtain funding for the expedition. During WWII the British occupied the site and built several buildings. The purpose of this base was to look for enemy shipping in the region. After the war the buildings were used as a base for geologic and biologic field parties and for atmospheric research. Early research and mapping was done by the members of the Falkland Island Dependency Survey and later the research was carried on by the British Antarctic Survey. As a research base Port Lockroy closed in 1962 and was not restored and re-opened as a museum until 1996. In 2006 the base facilities plus museum, post office and store functions were turned over to the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. The Trust is uses the profit margin funds from the sale of books, stamps and clothing to maintain or restore Antarctic historic sites. Today we did our part in the museum store to support this good cause.

On our way from the museum and store to the landing site we were able to watch a leopard seal dine in a gentoo penguin.

Leopard seal eating penquin off Port Lockroy
photo by Anke Timmerberg

In the course of dinner there was an announcement from the Captain and the Expedition Leader. We have a medical emergency onboard. As a result we are now underway northward to the Chilean Base on King George Island. From the March-Frei Base the patient can be air-med-evacuated to Punta Arenas.



We are there, in Antarctica.....the land of dreams.

What a day: Now we are officially in Antarctica, and all this although we did not suffer very much. Hard to believe, but really, the crossing of the Drake Passage was smooth as fresh snow, we neither felt the bump of crossing the Antarctic Convergence and under extraordinary good conditions we made our first landing in the tiny, but beautiful Half Moon Island. This is our first day in Antarctica and we have experienced so many things, have seen so many different animals and our senses were filled with new smells, sounds, and views. It has been an unforgettable day and this is only the entrance to this vast continent. We have learned that the South Shetland Islands are something different than the Antarctic mainland. It is hard to believe that there can be something more spectacular that we have seen so far. But the more we know about Antarctica, the more amazed we are. It is a mesmerizing feeling to be here, it is like being in a dream and we know that there is so much more to discover.

We would like to share some of the images we have seen with you and here is a small sample of some of the days views: Please, tell us if you would also like to come with us next time. We promise you we will enjoy this place and leave it untouched and undisturbed, so next time, you come to visit Antarctica you can have the same pleasure as we have.

Some of our friends, the penguins are beginning to migrate to northerly latitudes in the ocean and we hope, they will find their way back to this rookeries next season. Until that time, we will preserve this memories in this short report and this few pictures which will be with us for the rest of the time.

Now we have to go to rest, because the excitement of tomorrows program looks also very promising and we will need all of our energy for the day ahead.

Drake Lake!!



Incredibly calm waters - is this really the Drake?!

Photo © Annke Timmerberg

There are two forms of experiencing the Drake: either the Drake-Lake or the Drake-Shake. Today, the smooth version gives us the opportunity to obtain our sea legs in a nice, gradual manner. Not like other trips where passengers need to cope with waves and rolling straight away! 

The bad side of such amazingly calm waters is that our biologists struggled with their birding workshop on deck: no objects of interest showed up at all!


No birds...

Photo © Annke Timmerberg

The reason is that the birds of this region use dynamic soaring as means of locomotion. They need wind in order to glide effortlessly through the air. If there is no wind, they have to flap their wings and that consumes a lot of energy. In this case, they tend to rather rest on the water and wait for the wind to pick up again.

However, there are 8 more sea days to come. There are good chances we will go through rougher weather (almost certain I would say!) and this also means there will be many more opportunities to watch the beautiful albatrosses!

 

In lack of birds... a theoretical photo-workshop




...and finally the ONE bird - a black-browed albatross!!

Photo © Annke Timmerberg



Day 1 of a 19 Day Grand Adventure

Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Photo © Annke Timmerberg

It was a beautiful fresh day when our plane landed on the tarmac at the small airport in Ushuaia Tierra del Fuego.  As we stepped out of the airport to the waiting motor coaches we could see beautiful snow-covered mountains.  It was obvious that it had snowed overnight in the higher elevations surrounding the southernmost city in the world.  February 24 and winter was already knocking on the door of Ushuaia and yet the 1st official day of autumn is still nearly a month away.

Photo © Annke Timmerberg

The snow seemed an appropriate beginning for a journey that is going to take us to Antarctica, South Georgia, The Falkland Islands and then Buenos Aires.  This is the last trip of the season to Antarctica for Fram.  Indeed it is the last trip in the southern hemisphere.  

For those of us that live and work onboard Fram we are excited.  It is an exciting way to end the season and it means that new destinations are just ahead! 

For the Expedition Team, South Georgia is always a place that gets us revved up.  The wildlife and the scenery blow the doors off just about anywhere else.

And then there are the Falkland Islands. Warmer, greener landscapes, different species of wildlife.  Flowers!  After a season of rocks and ice it is so refreshing to see flowers and green grass and to hear song birds once again.

Mandatory safety drill before leaving the pier.
Photo © Annke Timmerberg

It is 21:30 and our voyage is well underway.  We are comfortably ensconced in our cabins.  We all have spiffy new blue jackets.  We have opened our cruise accounts and registered our info with the ship’s doctor.  We took part in a mandatory safety drill before we left the pier.  We have had a delicious buffet dinner and then we all joined the Captain for a welcome cocktail on deck seven in the Observation Lounge.  We have had a busy afternoon since joining Fram but now we can relax.

We are sailing westward in the Beagle Channel on our way to the southern Atlantic Ocean and then Drake Passage.  The skies are overcast but the sea is very calm.  There is a light breeze blowing of ten knots.  We have ideal conditions.  There should be a gentle ocean swell to rock us to sleep.

Extra added attractions!

Overnight the ocean swells increased and by breakfast time the Fram was rolling gently in swells up to 7m or 22ft in height. The swells and wind were coming from behind the ship and served to push us northward as we motored across the northern half of the Drake Passage.



Diego Ramirez Island
Photo by Anke Timmerberg

  The first major benefit of our speedier passage was that Captain Andreasson was able to steer the Fram on a close approach to the island named in honor of Diego Ramirez. Ramirez was the navigator on the 1618 to 1619 Spanish expedition that was sent to map the coastline and seafloor off southern South America. The island is a large rookery that contains Black-browed and Grey-headed albatrosses plus Giant Petrels and Cormorants. The penguin “family” is well represented by macaroni and rock-hopper penguins.

  

Cape Horn
Photo by Anke Timmerberg



Our good fortune continued as in the early evening we passed by Cape Horn. This fabled cape was first rounded by the Dutch captains Schouten and LeMaire in 1616. The original name was Kaap Hoorn as Hoorn was the home city of one of the captains. The name was modified over the years and the cape itself became the major landmark of accomplishment for ocean going sailors. Those who rounded Cape Horn were entitled to wear a single gold earring.

With Cape Horn in the background we all gathered in the Observation Lounge where the Captain led us in a farewell salute and wishes for a safe journey homeward. This was followed by the charity auction of the Captains master chart of our voyage showing the ships track and our landing spots. The winning bid was by a man whose grandfather and his grandfather were both sea captains. Both of these old seafarers never rounded Cape Horn but now their grandson and great-grandson has rounded Cape Horn and has the chart to prove it and to pass on to his children. 

As the evening sun on the Cape was obscured by rain showers we continued eastward toward the entrance to Beagle Channel and at 0200 we will pick up our Argentine pilot who will insure that we are at the dock in Ushuaia in time for tomorrow’s tours and our flight to Buenos Aires.

EDUCATION DAY ON A SMOOTH DRAKE

Today education was for everyone on the vessel: meaning lectures for passengers and drills for the crew.  A regular fire drill was this morning which was educational for some and for others just to keep up and not to forget the require actions in case of an emergency.

Photo by:Anke Timmerberg

Passengers had the option to attend to many lectures either in German or English the subjects varied from seabirds, history, geology to adventure. We had the luck to have on board Amir Klink a Brazilian sailor that had done many sailing trips cross the world, many times into Antarctica, including at least twice overwintering and circumnavigating the white continent, even rowing trip from Africa to Brazil

Photo by: Anke Timmerberg

Sleeping? Eating? Who cares?!

Our day was once more fully packed with excitement! Here the chronology in order not to forget anything:

07.00: Famous Lemaire Channel

8.45-12.30: Ice cruising in polar cirkle boats at the southern end of the Lemaire Channel

13.00: Lemaire Channel again (return journey)

15.20: Paradise Harbour

16.00: Errera Channel

17.15-20.30: Landing at Danko Island

21.15-21.45: Whale watching in the Gerlache Strait

All this in incredibly calm and cloudless weather, with fantastic reflections at the water surface and amazing light.

Do you remember, 2 days ago we had snow and storm. But this is Antarctica – always good for surprises. Showing today her amazing majesty and beauty - from the sunny side!

Neko-unrestricted visibility & Port Lockroy-shopping

Neko harbor rokery
Photo by Anke Timmerberg 

During our visit to Neko Harbour the visibility was unrestricted. From the granite knoll above the landing site we had clear and unlimited visibility for 360°. The Fram looked relatively small from our rocky vantage point and in the far distance we could see Mt. Francais (2700m or 9,000ft) on Anvers Island. Sounds drifted up our way from the squabbling of the gentoo penguins below and the glacier to our right grinding and cracking as avalanches and calving took place.

Gentoo parent and chicks

Photo by Anke Timmerberg

The gentoo rookery was an active place with 100’s of nearly full size chicks clamoring for more food. Clusters of skua gulls loitered near the rookery waiting for the opportunity to isolate one of the chicks.

Port Lockroy rookery - occupants
Photo by Anke Timmerberg

The perfect weather conditions continued as we motored through Paradise Harbour on our way to Port Lockroy. The site of Port Lockroy was explored in 1904 by the first French Antarctic Expedition led by Jean Baptiste Charcot. He named the site for a French politician who helped obtain funding for the expedition. The site and the adjacent islands have had an interesting history: first whalers used the locale for flensing their catch, then later during WWII the British built several building and established a base to monitor enemy shipping in the region. After the war the buildings were used for geologic and biologic field studies and atmospheric research by the members of the Falkland Island Dependency Survey, later re-named the British Antarctic Survey. The Port Lockroy site closed in 1962 and was not restored and re-opened as a museum until 1996. At present the facilities are operated and managed by the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust. The Trust is responsible for the restoration and maintenance of Antarctic historic sites. Funds for his purpose are generated by the profit margin realized from the sale of books, clothing and stamps sold in the Museum store. We did our part for future restorations and we tried to stay out if the way of the gentoo chicks clamoring over the rocks in search of any parent who might have food for them.

Port Lockroy boathouse in the foreground
Photo by Anke Timmerberg