This Monday morning started as usual the last days: air
temperature about zero, cloudy to
overcast and nearly no wind. But after some time the weather changed into a
typical Antarctic one: completely overcast with deep clouds hiding the
surrounding mountains and it started a slight snowfall which lasted during the
whole day. We started our landing at Port Lockroy at about 8. 30.
Port Lockroy is a former British research station which was
turned into an Antarctic Historical Monument.
First it was established as Base B during the British operation Taberin at the end of World War II in 1944. It was
changed into a research station in 1952 and was abandoned in 1962. In 1996 it
was restored and is now the most visited historical site in the Antarctic. It
lies on the tiny Goudier Island and the surrounding of the buildings is
occupied by Gentoo Penguins and turned into a small rookery.
Port Lockroy Museum (Bransfield House)
Only a small group of persons is allowed to be on the Island
and just 35 persons can be at one time in the museum. There we could admire the
old research instruments and got an inside in the living conditions in this old
research station. But the most interesting room in the museum was the museum
shop and most of us used the short time for “power shopping” or writing post
cards. The waiting time could be used for taking photos of the Gentoo penguins
and their chicks.
Shopping at the museum shop in Port Lockroy
Port Lockroy writing postcards
At the southern end we had a short but very impressive boat
cruising for everybody. We curved around lots of stranded big icebergs in white
and blue colours. We fought through crashed Glacier ice and relics of the
winter sea ice. All this took place in the fairy and mysterious scenery produced by the overcast sky and the
continuous snowfall. But the most impressive experience were the sighting of
two leopard seals lying separated on small ice flows. Sometimes the opened their
mouth and showed us their powerful jaws.
At 21.30 the campers set out to Petermann Island to have an
overnight in tents.
Cruising in the ice (Southern Entrance of Lemaire Channel)
Leopard Seal (Southern Entrance of Lemaire Channel)
