Neko and Lockroy

It was an early morning start for some of us as we went over to the Leith Island campsite to help those who over-nighted in the tents to pack their gear and return to the FRAM. By shortly after 8am we were on our way to Neko Harbour.

Neko Harbor was glorious. We had an easy landing with bright blue skies and a warm sunny day. Two days ago at Deception Island it was grim with rain,sleet and strong winds. Today the weather was just the opposite. The great weather allowed us to hold a “full boat” of activities. In addition into our landing at the Gentoo Penguin colony and the hike up to the overlook point, today we also had a kayak cruise as 20 passengers and 2 staff had an easy paddle across the bay. The paddle back to the pick-up point was more challenging and the rapidly falling tide carried long streams of floating ice across the kayakers route. This days photos speak for themselves. 

From Neko Harbor we motored through Neumeyer Channel to Post Lockroy. During our visit to this museum plus shop and post office the weather changed from clear and sunny to overcast and windy with occasional rain and sleet. This did not slow down our touring of the museum and our shopping and writing and mailing cards. The store at Port Lockroy always seems to have quality goodies to purchase ranging from stuffed toy penguins to excellent maps and books.

While some of us were in the restored building others went kayaking around Goudier Island where Port Lockroy is located. The event of the kayak trip was the leopard seal that was extra curious and several times raised its head out of the water near the kayaks to take a look at the paddlers. 

The day drew to a close as we made our evening transit through Lemaire Channel.  

Cuverville Noveau

Strong winds caused the Expedition Leader, Karin, to modify our morning landing at Cuverville Island. Our expected landing site had strong onshore winds and the shoreline was too choppy for a landing. Instead we circled the Island and we were able to land at a more protected location.

The most striking feature of this landing site was the green snow. From our botanist Rudolph we learned that this tiny green algae belongs to a group called ‘snowalgae’ and the nutrients for its survival are provided by the penguin guano from the nearby colony. Also nearby there was a large amount of water running out from the glacier front and onto the beach.

To climb up to the level of the Gentoo rookery the Expedition Team cut a staircase into the snow and ice. This enabled us to walk over the frost fractured rocks and guano goo to view the Gentoo Penguin colony. Cuverville Island is perhaps the largest penguin colony we will visit and interestingly most of the penguins we saw were not adults but were very hungry chicks who pestered the few passing adults for food.  

The Argentinian “Base Brown” was our afternoon visit. The 10 Argentinians in residence were welcoming and we hope they enjoyed our visit as much as did. While there were not many penguins around the Base we enjoyed ourselves by sliding down the slope of the hill behind the base. On leaving we carried away the knowledge that because Base Brown is on the mainland, we had visited the continent of Antarctica.

Our day closed with dropping 21 campers who will be spending the night, or as dark as it gets, in tents on Leith Island.   

A day to remember at Deception

By 8am we were approaching the entrance to Deception Island, but the entrance Neptunes Bellows, was shrouded in fog. As we motored closer the fog and haze cleared a bit and we had a safe transit into the caldera. The bridge officers kept the FRAM’s starboard (right) side near the northern cliff face and we avoided the middle of the channel, where Raven Rock waits for careless Captains. We anchored off the abandoned Norwegian whaling station near the small dry-dock that was used to lift out of the water the smaller support boats for the whaling operations.

Going ashore from the FRAM we had our first taste of today’s Deception weather. Wet and windy were the words for this landing as we had constant horizontal rain throughout our time ashore. In past years we have had cloudy and foggy weather at Port Foster but rain we had today is memorable as it was the most rainfall several of the staff had ever seen to fall and soak Earths driest-desert continent. The rain and wind did not stop six passengers from going for very short swims.

During lunch the FRAM headed eastward to Telefon Bay. The wind did not drop but the rain stopped and the skies cleared a bit. The Telefon Bay site is a relatively recent volcanic cinder ash cone surrounded by loose deposits of volcanic material ranging in size from boulders down to sand sized fragments. The only animals on the beach were a couple of fur seals. This was a rare penguin free landing.

We cleared Neptunes Bellows with no problems and headed south for tomorrows landings.

Glorious then gusty

Brown Bluff was our morning landing and it was picture perfect. The tall brown volcanic rock cliffs were clear sunny. Offshore there were dozens of icebergs and bergy-bits and along the shoreline there were Gentoo penguins and swarms of young Adelie Penguins. The young penguins still had bits and pieces of their down mixed among their newer water-proof feathers. They were exploring the beach front but most were too apprehensive to go into the water for their first swim and attempt at getting their own food.

Also along the beach boulders and rubble there were Fur Seals, Adelie Penguins, Skuas, Kelp Gulls and Giant Petrels.Notable on the beach are 2 large boulders of volcanic tuff, these are called ventifacts and have large planar facets as their original surfaces have been sand-blasted by the winds that often occur at this peninsula at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Looking back at our perfect weather landing at Brown Bluff one person said “It looks just like the Hurtigruten brochures!” and it did. 

During lunch we headed eastward for Paulet Island. It is an understatement to say the winds increased. They did not just increase they turned up the velocities to hurricane levels, more than 35m/s or 75mph. Clearly a landing at Paulet was not to be today. The Captain carefully re-ballasted the FRAM and we turned and headed for tomorrows landings at Deception Island.

Antarctic summer

Dawn and breakfast views revealed that the sea conditions had not calmed significantly during the night. The weather conditions of yesterday continued, however there was a difference. Many of us were a bit more mobile and able to eat breakfast and complete the bio-security vacuuming of our previously used outer clothing and camera bags.

Later in the morning the mandatory IAATO briefing, was held and as discussed in the previous BLOG we all signed in as required. The IAATO rules are realistic and operational and in general they are common sense – do not get too close the creatures and the creatures have the right-of-way. In addition to making up yesterdays planned IAATO lecture today we also were fitted for our insulated and high rubber boots to wear on our landings. Those people who were not able to pick up their wind and water-proof Hurtigruten jackets yesterday, were able to pick them up after the boot rentals..

Today we also had introductory lectures in German and English, these lectures gave us an introduction to the geographic and geo-political situation of Antarctica. Then real Antarctica came into view as we approached Half Moon Island.

The wind dropped the waves and swells disappeared and the sun shined on us. Our first landing was a smooth operation and we went ashore on the cobble beach without incident. From the ridge at Half Moon Island we had a striking view of the glaciers and peaks that form the full crest-line of Livingston Island. Closer and right before our eyes were 100’s of Gentoo Penguins most on nests or hiking the slopes up to the nesting areas. Clean white forefronts on those headed uphill from the sea, full of food for the young while those birds headed downhill were grubby guano stained and off to get more food.

Some of the passengers also went on a glacier hike to the nearby hills and their up-hill trek was rewarded as they were able to slide down on part of their return trip. They also had a close look at the Argentine Base “Camara”. This station is currently manned by a small contingent of personnel painting and maintaining the buildings. It was a perfect afternoon and landing and somehow we felt it was a reward for our nasty passage across the Drake.

On board the FRAM, the day closed with our fashion show of the colorful sweaters and jackets that are available in the store. The models wearing these beautiful clothes were by no means emaciated professionals for the Paris spring fashion shows. These risqué but happy people were our ships officers and the Expedition staff.        

Drake Shake

The sea conditions definitely became worse after the FRAM left Beagle Channel and started its southward transit across Drake Passage toward Antarctica. Many passengers arrive at the FRAM after several airline flights and changing time zones. As a result they are both fatigued and hungry and in completely new surroundings. On-board the FRAM it takes a bit of time to get oriented as to the location of your room and the reception desk and the lecture halls and the dining room. All these issues combine and the today’s breakfast population was a small number.

Sea conditions during today were notable. We had seas between 8 and 9 meters or 25 and 30 feet in height and the wind conditions were in the 20 to 25m/sec or 40 to 45 mph. White capped waves were a common sight as we motored along. The stabilizer wings on the FRAM were in the outward position and they helped smooth the rolling of the ship. Everything considered, most passengers made it to deck 2 to pick up their Hurtigruten wind and waterproof jackets. Larger sizes are better than smaller as polar-fleeces fit underneath and extra arm movement is required when getting in and out of the Polarcirkle boats that take us ashore.

 

The mandatory IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators) briefing was s scheduled for this morning but was postponed as the sea conditions would have limited the number of passengers in attendance. In the late afternoon we did fit in the English and German briefings that provided information on the extra activities that are offered while the FRAM is in Antarctica.

 Also cancelled was the afternoon fitting for the insulated boots to wear ashore. The “muck-boots” are perfect for our landing conditions as they are high enough not to flood when going ashore and they insulated to keep your feet warm when you are ashore.

 

Later in the afternoon more people were up and about and 2 optional lectures were given. Dominic the ships photographer provided many helpful tips to protect our cameras from salt water spray and to improve the quality and composition of our photos. We need to be selective when showing our photos to the home crowd. Dom advised us to intersperse photos of shipboard life and landing scenery as friends and family will not sit through dozens of penguin photos.

The day closed with the hopes of calmer sea conditions tomorrow.  

Adios Ushuaia

Between 4 and 5 pm we boarded the FRAM. It was an overcast and breezy day in Ushuaia and at the pier it was a busy day as ships lined both sides of the pier. Before leaving the pier the FRAM held its mandatory safety drill. We all went to our designated muster locations and were duly recorded as attending. We then gathered in smaller groups to listen for instructions that would be given in an emergency and we were able to watch crew member demonstrate by putting on the survival suits. By dinner time we were motoring eastward on the noted Beagle Channel and from our tables we were looking at the cloud covered mountain ridges that border both sides of the Channel.  

About 3 hours after leaving Ushuaia we passed the Puerto Williams. To Chilean’s this is the southernmost town in the world, while to Argentinian’s Ushuaia is the southernmost town and Puerto Williams is only a village or military base..

At the eastern end of the Beagle Channel we dropped off the Argentinian channel-pilot that had guided the FRAM from Ushuaia. Now we would be turning south, leaving the Channel and heading into the open waters of the infamous Drake Passage. Stay tuned as by tomorrow we will report was it “Drake-lake” or “Drake-shake”??    

Experience of a trainee

Being a geographer and an alpinist from Switzerland I have been fascinated not only by high altitudes but also by high latitudes. Having been to different places in arctic areas (e.g. Greenland, Svalbard, Iceland…) I felt that it was time to change the hemisphere and to take a closer look at Antarctica! In the late october 2013 I boarded the FRAM for the first time – as a passenger, crosssing the Altlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Buenos Aires and further on to the Falklands, South Georgia and to the Antarctic Peninsula.

Aboard the FRAM I met a great team of scientists: biologists, geologists – and geographers. On the way back from the Antarctic Peninsula to Ushuaia I seized the occasion to talk to the expedition leader and to some members of the expedition team – and they encouraged me to apply for a job aboard – and so I did.

I recieved an offer to join the expedition team as a trainee for this trip. As a resuIt I came aboard of the FRAM on the 22^th of January 2015 – this time as a member oft he expedition team!

The welcome by the team was very friendly, and I felt that the team accepted me and the other trainee colleague Christine from Norway right from the beginning. I was aware that it would be very different to work on the ship as a staff member. I knew it would be a great experience and I did want to miss this opportunity.

Of course, my colleagues laughed a bit at the greenhorn, who was not able to say if the Seal on the ice flow was a Leopard Seal or a Wedell Seal – or was it a Crab eater??? But I was here to learn and to increase my experiences. Anyway, I always got profund answers to my questions.

It also was a great pleasure to have my first lectures aboard and I highly apreciated the contact with the passagers, who were very interested in all topics about this unique area that we were visiting!

Many thanks to the Expedition Leader Karin and to her staff of the expedition team, to the officers and all other crew of the ship and to all passengers!

Fair winds to all of you – I hope to be back aboard again!

Drake northward day 1

As we transit northward across Drake Passage we have a very acceptable ride. The FRAM  is  rolling slowly and only a few degrees from side to side as we move along. It is easy going as nearly all of us have our “sea-legs” by now.

Today and tomorrow are the days for bridge tours with Captain Arild Haarvik giving a short introduction then answering questions from the passengers.

The expedition staff was busy today and will be busy tomorrow giving lectures on various topics from wintering at an Antarctic station to productivity of the Antarctic ecosystem to the workings of the Antarctic Treaty.

 There was a crew drill this afternoon was between a break in the lecture series. Normally the Expedition Staff stays out of the crews way as these safety drills tale place. That was not the case today, as four of us were staffers were selected to be fake casualties for treatment by the ship’s crew plus the ship’s doctor and nurse. All went well as those of us who were ‘injured’ were quickly located and transported some by stretcher to the temporary medical center on deck 5.

The evening closed with the Expedition Staff answering giving short talks and questions from the passengers assembled in our 7^th deck lounge. During the evening the seas and wind increased and tomorrow may be a bumpy day, but late tomorrow afternoon we expect to be in the semi-protected waters near Cape Horn. Then it is on to Beagle Channel and picking up an Argentinian pilot for the transit to Ushuaia and eventually to our homes.    

The full course menu

This morning at Petermann Island we planned the full course menu as in addition to a scheduled landing we had a Polarcirkle boat cruise and kayaking. The Polarcirkle boat cruising was “Cruising with the Chiefs” as the Polarcirlke boats were driven by the Chief Officer, from the bridge, the Chief Officer from the Engine Room and the Chief Purser. The Chiefs touring was very good as, from a safe distance, we saw glaciers calving and icebergs as they tumbled over. We also had Leopard seals and Minke whales close by. The kayaking group included many people who were on their second or third kayak trip with us. We circled about two-thirds of the island and in the course of our paddling we felt very small compared to the grounded icebergs in the south-facing bay.

On shore we could walk in two directions, the left direction took us to the south facing overlook where we saw the bay that was nearly filled with grounded icebergs. The distant horizon was dotted with many other icebergs. The right hand direction took us near the Gentoo penguin colony and farther on we reached the Adelie penguin colony and the adjacent, but smaller Blue-eyed Shag nesting area.

Our northern transit took us through Lemaire Channel, then Gerlach Channel to Paradise Bay where we passed by the Argentinian Base “Almirante Brown” and the Chilean Base “Gabriel Gonzalez Videla”. Notably in 1948, the Chilean President Videla was the first head of State to visit Antarctica. In the course of our several transits we saw many feeding Minke whales, a few Orcas and so many seals or “hot-dogs” that our bridge lookouts stopped calling attention to them.

Dinner time conversations were interrupted as we spotted breaching Minke whales. Most of us crowded to the port side dining room windows to see this spectacular whale show. This was a fitting closure to our Expedition as we motored northward with the sun shining on a large tabular iceberg and the Melchior Islands in the distance.