USHUAIA-FAREWELL FOR THIS SEASON:

The FRAM is clearly visible at the pier in Ushuaia and though it is overcast there is almost no wind today. Calm days are rare in Ushuaia.

By mid-afternoon passengers and luggage started arriving at the FRAM. Frieda’s pleasant voice welcomed people onboard and explained the check-in procedures. Before leaving the pier the FRAM held the mandatory safety drill. Everyone was checked off at their muster station and when the drill was complete the dock-lines were cast off and we were on our way to Antarctica.

Beagle Channel was misty with some light rain but we could still see the mountains and ridges bordering the sides if the channel. On the intermediate elevations we could see the clear demarcation of the tree-line. About two hours after leaving Ushuaia we passed Puerto Williams,

Chile, this town on Navarino Island is regarded by Chileans as the southernmost town. Argentinians regard Ushuaia as the southernmost city. To most of us this debate is not a major concern. Our major concern is the weather and sea conditions we will encounter as we head south. Later  this evening we will drop of our Argentinian channel pilot at the eastern end of Beagle Channel and then we will head south in the open sea crossing the infamous Drake Passage to Antarctica.   

ROLLING TOWARD THE HORN AND BEAGLE CHANNEL

The morning seas and winds are from the southwest, behind us and the FRAM is rolling along northward toward Cape Horn. On board we have had bridge visit tours where the Captain kindly answered many questions concerning navigation and the operation of the FRAM. During the day our time was occupied with Expedition Staff lectures, in both English and German. Southern topics included the lives of Cormorants, wintering over in Antarctica, the Antarctic Treaty and an overview of Tierra del Fuego.  As we are northbound the lectures covered northern topics such as the original FRAM’s voyages to the Arctic, the geographic contrast between the Antarctic and the Arctic and an introduction to Svalbard.

We plan to have Cape Horn in sight by the late afternoon and hopefully we will be allowed to pass close enough to see the sculpture of the Albatross in flight.

The Captains farewell cocktail will be followed by the MV/FRAM charity auction. Three items are available for bidding: the ships Hurtigruten flag, the nautical chart of our trip and a Keith Shackleton numbered print. Notably the winning bids are tax deductible and all the money from the auctioning of these items goes directly to the Antarctic Heritage Trust to restore and preserve the buildings and equipment at the old research stations.   

After midnight we will pick up the Argentinian pilot for navigation assistance as we head west in Beagle Channel. We expect to be dock-side in Ushuaia by breakfast time on the 25^th. Then it is good-by to the FRAM and her staff as we all head home from Antarctica with our brains and our cameras filled with lasting memories.       

EASY CROSSING NORTHBOUND:

Today we have relatively smooth sailing as we cross the Drake Passage. Onboard we had the opportunity to visit the FRAM’s bridge and to hear several lectures. Two lectures were looking backward as Tomasz told us about his time wintering over at Arctowski Station and Bob told us about his work and the clean-up programs that have been initiated since his first assignment to Antarctica.

Two other lectures focused on the FRAM. Ralf told us about the original FRAM’s Arctic expedition in 1893 to 1896 and Frieda told us about her experiences as she travels on the modern FRAM in both Arctic and Antarctic expeditions.

This evening we get to test how much we have learned while on the FRAM. The Expedition staff has put together a quiz that will test us on our ability to answer questions concerning the information we learned in the lectures: penguins, treaties and hippopotamuses are involved.    

OUR LAST LANDING DAY:

At Vernadsky and Pleneau plus Lemaire Channel and then the Drake Passage.

The staff of Vernadsky welcomed us ashore this morning. The station is operated by the science division of the Government of Ukraine. The history of the station is worth telling. The site was selected and most of the buildings were built by the British in 1954 and it was given the name ‘Faraday’. When this station opened one of its main focuses was exploration of the upper atmosphere. Measurements taken at ‘Faraday’ were the first to measure the extent of the ozone depletion zone or hole above Antarctica. These measurements, now monitoring, continue to the present time and they are now taken by Ukrainian scientists at Vernadsky Station. There is no confusion here for in 1996 the British government transferred Faraday Station to the Ukrainian government and this long term, valuable, series of measurements continues uninterrupted.

In addition to our scientific tour Vernadsky also hosts a port office, a souvenir shop and a friendly pub.

Pleneau Island is at the southern entrance to the Lemaire Channel. The granitic rocks that compose the island had been rounded and smoothed as they were over-ridden by glaciers. Most of the granitic surfaces we saw were are scratched and show linear striations, these were ground into the bedrock by rocks carried along at the glaciers base. This island is a one stop shop to see many of the birds and seals that inhabit the Antarctic Peninsula. For example we saw multiple generations of Gentoo Penguins and Antarctic Terns. Also present were Blue-eyed Shags, Kelp Gulls, Skuas and both Fur and Weddell Seals.

Many of us delayed our Filipino dinner to stay out on deck as we passed between the towering walls of Lemaire Channel. As the day closed we closed on headed to the observation lounge for the Crew’s performance in the Cruise Show while the FRAM headed northward to cross the Drake Passage.  

  

NORTHBOUND:

Our morning consisted of fog, following winds and slight swells.

During this break in our landings we had two sets of lectures, one on whales and the long-ranging sea birds and a second set on the race to the pole and glaciers, snow and ice.

Our afternoon landing was at Prospect Point. There were many large pieces of floating ice along the shoreline but eventually we found a small landing spot. From the beach we could climb up on the glacier and from there we could walk to the site of the British “Base J”. All that remains of the base are the foundation columns. The summary of the base’s life and purpose is recorded on the small signboard attached to one of the pillars. The base was built in 1957 and closed in 1959, during this time the scientists conducted topographic and geologic surveys. As the result of a 1994 comprehensive evaluation of all the British bases, this base did not make the cut and the buildings were removed in 2004.

Down the Gullet and why not?

Our morning was spent exploring the ice conditions in the area known as the Gullet. If this narrow passage is passable it would allow the FRAM to motor northward along the east side of Anvers Island. However if ice is blocking the channel the FRAM will have to reverse its heading and proceed south then west then north around the western- outside coast of Adelaide Island. The first route is not only shorter, but saves diesel fuel and provided spectacular scenery. 

The weather conditions were not cooperative. At breakfast time the FRAM were headed north into the Gulllet. We were facing strong winds, ground fog and a nearly solid barrier of floating seaice with bergy-bits. The radar showed the ice conditions to the north to be the same. The captain took all these factors into account and at about 9:20am he reached the decision to turn the FRAM’s heading from northward to southward. This means we will have to follow “Plan B” and go around the southern end of Adelaide Island, then pass along the western side of the Island on our northbound transit.    

And why not land? On our southbound transit we pass by Pourquoi Pas Island and ‘why not’ as the name of the island translates from the French - land there. We did land there in a small bay that was well protected from the swells. On shore a significant number of male fur seals were lounging about. Pourquoi Pas Island provided us with different type of landing spot and a close up of the fur seals.

In the late afternoon we had a “swell landing” at Jenny Island. From offshore we spied several Elephant Seals lounging on the rocks and as we had not seen this species of seals before we decided to do a short landing at Jenny Island. The landing beach has significant swells and the surging Polarcirkle boats needed four or more Expedition Staff to steady the boats as we landed. There was a steep climb up the cobble beach face to a relatively level stretch were we could walk and then photograph the Elephant Seals. During our landing adventures the seals did nothing but lounge around and barely opened an eye or two.

Now to round the southern margin of Adelaide Island and head northward.

Down in the sunny south

Our morning started as we skirted the south end of Adelaide Island and headed east for our landing at Stonington Island. Stonington Island is the site of two now abandoned bases. In 1939 “EAST BASE” was established by the US naval officer Richard Byrd. The US Antarctic Service used the base until 1941. After WWII the buildings were re-occupied by the Finn Ronne Expedition in 1946 to 1947. The buildings were partially restored in 1990-1991 and attached photos show the present condition of these buildings, suggesting it is time for a bit of restoration of the restoration.

Stonington Island also is the site of British “BASE E”. This base was established in 1955 and operated until 1975. As can be seen in the attached photos, the condition of the buildings at this base again suggest that the time is ripe for a restoration.

Meteorology was an important program at both bases. In addition both bases had dog teams and carried out extensive topographic mapping and geologic studies of the adjacent areas of the continent. At the time the bases were operational a glacier front extended from the mainland across water to Stonington Island. This enabled the drivers to have long runs to exercise the dog teams and to have a starting “highway” for the exploration surveys of the continent. Today one would have to load the dogs and equipment into boats and cross from the island to the mainland. The connecting glacier front from the mainland has melted and retreated and now Stonington Island is truly an island with no above water connection to the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula.

 Our afternoon landing was at Horseshoe Island. Here we found British “BASE Y” this site operated as a major research facility from 1955 to 1960. Though abandoned after 1960  it has been restored and preserved by the Antarctic Heritage Trust. The interior with its original radio equipment, food supplies and magazines is a complete time capsule of the late 1950’s. Outside the view was spectacular in all directions. The rocky knoll close to the base hut provided a crystal clear view, in all directions, of the nearby and distant mountains. The sun shone brightly all the time we were onshore. And if 6 people stood in a circle and everyone looked in a different direction, every person had an unforgettable view. It is an understatement to say that the views did not fit inside a camera.

There were innumerable icebergs both in our landing site bay and outside in the channels. Close-up views of these bergs and the high peaks forming the backdrop were enjoyed by our kayakers and Polarcirkle boat cruisers.

In closing, today has to be one of the most unforgettable days of this trip and a lifetime!             

  

Our Transit Southward

The FRAM spent the morning heading south and soon after we crossed the Antarctic Circle King Neptune appeared as we had entered the southern reaches of his Kingdom. He was not pleased with our unexpected entry into his Kingdom but he was willing to be forgiving IF those who had not entered this part of his realm before – became his subjects by being initiated with a dousing of cold water. Many of us were initiated and now we are pleased that our new King is happy and will let us continue south with fair winds and following seas.

Soon after the initiation we arrived near Detaille Island. A scouting expedition went ashore and returned with the news that a safe shore landing was not possible. So instead Karin the expedition leader turned the page to plan 2. We would all be able to go cruising in our Polarcirkle boats among the many grounded icebergs that are nearby. The cruising trips were often different as some followed whales, others photographed castle-like icebergs and some saw several seal lounging on pieces of old sea-ice.

As the day closed we began our journey south toward Stonington Island and Horseshoe Island.