Let's start again

As we arrived at the FRAM, the sun was shining and the winds were only a bit of breeze. These weather conditions are on the rare side in Ushuaia as the sun commonly only peeks through the clouds between rain squalls and the winds are often quite strong.

On-board we turned in our passports to the ships purser and then we were assigned our cabins and registered in the ships computer system. Now we can lock our wallets with our driver’s licenses, our money and our credit cards in our room safes. Captain Arvid and his bridge officers will take care of the driving and our card opens the door to our cabins and we can even shop at the ships store as the trip progresses.

Before leaving the dock in Ushuaia we attended the mandatory safety drill, where we learned the location of our lifeboat stations. After the drill we were underway for Antarctica with Ushuaia fading astern and the Beagle Channel welcoming as the FRAM headed east. The green hills and mountains bordering the Channel gave is a clear view of the tree-line as at our present southern latitude the tree-line is a clear demarcation with the southern beech trees below and only grasses and stunted shrubs above.

Out channel transit was highlighted by the accompaniment of a small pod of dolphins. Dolphins are common in the channel but these particular dolphins were species that is rarely sighted. Our biologists viewed our photographer, Dominic’s images and agreed the dolphins were Right Whale Dolphins, albeitly this is a confusing name but that is the identification of our bow wave friends.

Just after the dolphins departed we passed Puerto Williams. This collection of homes and villages is Chilean and is regarded by the Chileans as the southernmost town or village in South America. The Chileans and the Argentinians spar over the terminology and as far as the Argentinians are concerned, Ushuaia is the southernmost town in South America and Ushuaia is at best a village or military town.

 Dinner followed and after that we all gathered in the observation lounge for our welcoming by Captain Arvid and his staff. The evening closed our Expedition Leader, Karin Strand, giving us a head-up on tomorrows activities as we proceed south across Drake Passage toward our rendezvous with Antarctica.

Our last landings in Antarctica

On Thursday morning Fram arrived at Almirante Brown for the second continental landing of this trip. Passengers were brought ashore with the zodiac boats to have a look at the station and the Gentoo penguins. Two viewing points were set up to enjoy the view of the surrounding area. One went all the way up to a high hill allowing everyone to enjoy a breathtaking view before sliding down on the snow slide. Many went back up for a second or third slide down. As opposed to some of the previous slides we had on other landings, this slide had a few twists and turns making it even more exiting.

Our passengers were also able to join the cruising in the zodiacs, that took them far into the bay along the immense glaciers and icebergs. The kayak trip was once again a great success. It is the perfect way to experience Antarctica from a unique perspective.

On the way back to the ship, we brought everyone on a little cruise with the zodiacs around the corner to see nesting Cormorants (blue-eyed shags).

In the afternoon we visited Port Lockroy. This British base is the perfect place for visitors to get some souvenirs, send postcards and visit the museum. On top of this, we were able to see Gentoo penguins with chicks from upclose. There was one rock just in front of the main building, on which 3 penguin couples were nesting. One was sitting on the nest while 2 others kept stealing its stones for their own nests. It was a very entertaining scene to watch but we couldn't help but feeling a little bad for that Gentoo.

In the evening we enjoyed the view of hundred of picturesque icebergs in the company of humpback and minke whales. Our Musician Myles played piano and sang songs for the guests the entire evening in the Observation Lounge. 

Our days at sea

After two days at sea, we are getting closer to the Antarctic Peninsula. On Friday we left the beautiful weather of South Georgia and headed into the wild ocean. On our way to Elephant Island we encountered high wind speeds and waves of up to 10 meter high. These were perfect conditions for some dramatic shots of the forces of nature:

Passengers were able to sign up for activities in Antarctica and attend several lectures on varying topics. We had for example an introduction presentation to Antarctica and one about the geology of the Antarctic.

During these two days the ship was surrounded by many sea birds like the Cape Petrel:

Stanley

After two very successful landings on New Island and Carcass Island, our passengers enjoyed a day in Stanley. We were once again lucky with the weather and only had 10 minutes of rain. Like they say here in the Falklands, “if you don´t like the weather, just wait a few minutes”. 

Passengers were able to hop on free shuttle buses that drove to the city centre and back every 30 minutes. They were able to enjoy the landmarks and museums and went for some shopping. Even our crew went on a last Christmas gift hunt.

Besides the normal landing, our guests were able to join excursions to experience Stanley and the surrounding areas even further. They were able to choose amongst the following:

-                      The Falkland Nature Walk:

This (approx.) 3 hour walk was a great success. About 20 people joined the excursion that took them on a beautiful nature path through the stunning landscapes of the nature surrounding Stanley. Peter and Louise (the local guides) kept telling us this was the perfect moment to do this walk as the many plants were flowering. We saw at least 5 of the 17 endemic flowers that call the Falklands Home and got to taste some of the legendary plants like the Scurvy Grass that is high in Vitamin C and prevented people from getting scurvy. We also saw the famous Diddle-dee, the Devil Strawberry and the Tea Berry. The wildlife was very abundant as well. We saw many flightless Steamer Ducks, Crested Caracaras and Magellanic Penguins in their nesting holes and on the beach at Gypsy Cove.

-                      Stanley Highlight Tour:

The tour allowed participants to see all the highlights Stanley has to offer and see these extra things you wouldn´t see when you visit on your own. It was the perfect way to get a good inside view and knowledge of what this city really has to offer and experience the rich history this place has.

-                      Scenic Air Tour:

Four of the passengers joined a (approx.) 45 minutes flying excursion over Stanley in a twin engine Britten-Norman Islander aircraft with war pilots. We were able to get unique views of Stanley and its surrounding areas and learn a lot about the town. We got a real taste of the mountainous terrain, wild landscapes and natural coastal beauty. During the flight we got to see places like Gypsy Cove, Cape Pembroke, the lighthouse,  Lady Elizabeth shipwreck, Kidney Cove, Port Louise, Mount Tumbledown, Longdon, Two sisters and Harriet, Stone Runs, Fitzroy Farm and Bluff Cove Lagoon.

–             Bluff Cove Lagoon:

This beautiful privately-owned farm with a pristine white wilderness beach is home to over 3000 Gentoo Penguins, and a small growing colony of King Penguins. We were only able to reach the site by four-wheel drive vehicles on a very exciting (in a bumpy way) safari! We did this with small groups of 4 people per car.  We were greeted by the rangers who quickly informed us about the site and took us to see a very rare Leucistic (partial albino) Gentoo penguin.

After tea/coffee/hot chocolate and over 15 sorts of home-made cookies and cakes with Diddle Dee, we were ready for the wild ride back to the ship or the town, depending on the guest's wishes.

–                    Bird Watching in Falkland Islands:

This (approx.) 3 hours walk aloud the passengers to witness the beautiful nature and spot birds with the help of local guides. On this excursion they got to see the following birds:

- Rufous-chested Dotterel

- Magellanic Snipe

- Blackish Oyster Catcher

- Turkey Vultures

- Upland Goose

- Flightless Steamer Ducks

- Southern Giant Petrel

- Rock Shags (cormorants)

- Ruddy-headed goose

- Long-tailed Meadowlark

- Correndera Pipit

We left Stanley at around 4 PM and got to see a few nice beaches with penguins on the way out. Once on sea, our ship was surrounded by many birds like the Wandering Albatross. A great start to our journey towards South Georgia!

The start to a new adventure

Today we started off in a new adventure: we set sail towards the Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic continent! At about 16.00 the first passengers arrived on MV Fram. It was busy like in a bee house on all the check-in desks: cruise accounts were opened, luggage distributed to cabins, cruise cards handed out, additional excursions were booked and yeah well, everyone just “settled in” onboard the ship, with which we will sail into 2015!

And before we left Ushuaia all of us had to attend a mandatory safety briefing. So the General Alarm set off and we dressed warm and got outside on deck 5 to our muster station to follow the briefing.

After a very nice dinner buffet in the board restaurant (we hope everyone tasted the fantastic brownies for dessert…), it was time for the Captains Welcome cocktail! We got to know the officers, our international expedition team, and last but not least, learned some useful information about our own cosy cabins. And full of expectations and excitement we fell into our beds – a very good night everyone!

A Pile of Walruses

We awoke on day five of our odyssey to find heaving grey seas and an overcast sky. Northern fulmars reveled in the chaos, skimming over the wave-tops and past the port-holes. In contrast, the more frantic looking little auks flapped hysterically to escape from the path of the ship. As ever, we are at the mercy of the seas and the conditions demanded we abandoned our proposed morning landing and continue up the Hinlopen Strait, seeking more sheltered attractions.

Our route took us close by a bird cliff of some fifty meters, disappearing into the mist high above the ship. The rock, stained with guano from years of occupation, hosts the nests of the Brünnich's guillemot in their tens of thousands. From all sides the birds soared out of the fret, calling to one another. The scene appeared almost otherworldly; a strip of rock caught between the sea and the mist, dyed a ghostly hue by the low light conditions.

Fram ploughed on, seeking calmer waters in which to land. We found them at Kinnvika; a small settlement established to host a scientific collaboration in the 1950's. It was constructed at exactly eighty degrees north and now lies abandoned, though it remains well-maintained. 

The terrain on which it is built is inhospitable to say the least. Life, as adaptable as it is, has struggled to gain a foothold here. The ground is bare rock, packed together and cycled into geometric formations by the permafrost.

The fog lifted for just long enough to enable the guests to spend a few happy hours wandering about the fascinating site, taking in the abandoned buildings and machines which are largely accessible.

Back on board, the mist descended again as dinner was being served, so that our final stop of the evening, the island of Moffen, came out of nowhere. This bizarre place lies some kilometers of the coast of Spitsbergen and takes the form of a shingle doughnut, the hole in the middle filled by a brackish lake. 

It is a protected nature reserve and is home to several rare species of bird, the Arctic fox and an abundance of walruses. As these creatures gave the whole ship a lesson on relaxation, a discussion opened up as to what the collective noun for a group of walruses should be. We settled on a "pile" of walruses (the rather disappointing correct answer is "herd")

Ice Time, Bear Time

The second half of yesterday presented us with strong winds coming from the North. Uh, oh… This is where we want to go, this is where the ice is coming from, this is where the mouth of the Hinlopenstretet opens up like a funnel towards the ice.

That means one thing: Expedition. Only one way to find out what the conditions are - go there and see for yourself.

But before we get hit by the ice we want to hit it ourself. The ice edge seems to be on the eastern shores of Nordaustlandet, pretty far south. So we approach the vast expanse of white, lower the Polar Cirkel Boats and take a ride into the endless brightness. It is a mind-blowing experience, knowing that from here to the North Pole you might even walk. So much space!

Everbody’s faces were glowing on return, not so much of the morning temperatures, but rather of enthusiasm.

Well, there is no free lunch… The ice that gave us this wonderful morning experience suddenly seemed to be closing in from all sides. So FRAM had to show what she’s got, for the next hours we were crunching through the ice sheet with much less speed than anticipated. Here goes the afternoon landing. The question is even more pressing: Will we be able to go through Hinlopen Strait in the first place? What if…?

Well, our Expedition Leader Karin managed to get the positions of two other expedition vessels on the East side of Spitsbergen, even talk to the captain of one of them. The information was a relief: Not only had they found a clear passage, but also our next stop, Torellneset, was not iced over.

So here we go, into the ice a little more!

Luck favors the brave. And so - just before the afternoon lectures were about to start - we hear the familiar “bing-bong” from the bridge: Polar Bear on the ice! This is what we were yet missing on this voyage, the bears where they really belong to!

And it proved to be the best possible bears you can imagine. First resting on the ice, occasionally lifting the head, yawning, sticking out the tongue, then slowly walking away, giving us ample opportunity to get the best shots, in perfect light.

Of course the lectures (one of them about - ice, of course…) were interrupted and only continued after the “bear was over”.

In the evening the material that kept us busy was chiseled into something beautiful during the food and ice carving demonstration.

What Does the Fox Eat?

 

As the guests slept, Fram made its turn northwards for the first time and steamed towards Barentsoya. This island is the fourth largest that comprises the archipelago of Svalbard, but has little in the way of human history. Robust ice conditions in centuries past made it almost inaccessible to sea-farers of old. However, what it lacks in human history, it makes up for in the natural variety.

We skirted the coast, heading for Freemansund. This passageway does not suffer fools lightly and is plagued by strong currents if caught at the wrong tide. It is navigated nonetheless for its on-board reputation as "The Polar Bear Corridor". On this occasion it did not disappoint, with a total of eight bears spotted along the decaying coastline. Indeed, so ubiquitous was the presence of the world's largest land carnivore that by the time we arrived at our only landing site of the day, a wait ensued for three of the bears stationed nearby to depart before we could begin our landing.

Under the watchful eye of one remaining (but fortunately distant) bear, a heavily armed expedition team landed on the island to secure the beach. The wind built throughout the afternoon, recording gusts of over 20m/s that aggravated the surrounding waters as the guests were ferried ashore. Those who braved the waves were richly rewarded.

They were to be entertained by an eddying flock of kittiwakes, tethered to a narrow canyon in which they had constructed their colony. Arctic foxes swept the floor, picking off the young, the weak or simply the unwary. Some even scaled the sides of the canyon, ambushing unfortunate birds which were wrestled down from the cliffs in a welter of feathers. Those kittiwakes that strayed too far from their compatriots found themselves battered to exhaustion by a gang of Arctic skuas, attempting to brutalise the birds into surrendering their last, half-digested meal.

The show was dynamic and enthralling; appearing all the more so for the barrenness of the desert that surrounded it. Somehow here, in this fissure in the rock, life had concentrated and competed ferociously for the right to survive another year in this wilderness. All the main players were too busy to care much for the bunch of blue-jacketed observers who came and went in procession, staring up at the relentless nature of life on Svalbard.

 

The evening held more relaxed entertainment than the amphitheatre of the birds - the crew fashion show. Press-ganged members of staff were paraded back and forth wearing various items from the on-board shop and painful smiles on their faces (much to the amusement of the guests). So ended another splendid day in the High Arctic.