North
goes South: Jenny North’s diary of the trip of a lifetime
to Antarctica…
Hello again, welcome to part three of my adventure, which will
conclude my diary. The following covers all the landings we made
and the journey back to our port and then home.
Day 8 Friday 11 January
Now the excitement really begins. Cameras at the ready!
We arrive at King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland
Islands and are to land at Arctowski Station.
It is a Polish-run research station established in 1977 where, believe
it or not, they have a greenhouse in which they grow their vegetables!
The weather forecast today is cloudy with sleet, temperature (max)
1 degree C.
Red tags are third out today, so we have to wait (im)patiently for
our turn to be called, watching as the earlier landings take place.
At last our turn.
Quickly donning all the cold weather gear, two hats, two pairs of
gloves, two pairs of socks – it feels very strange and very
awkward to move at first, but necessary and you soon adapt to wearing
all the extra clothing.
Life jacket on and into the Zodiac for the five-minute ride to the
landing stage where we jump out into the shallow waters of the beach.
Crew members are there to help and they have earlier put lines of
cones marking the areas where we can walk.
Nevertheless if any wildlife decides they want to walk in front
of you, they have to be given priority (of course) and other crew
members act as ‘penguin police’ to help both us and
the wildlife.
Adelie penguins are abundant here, but the not so the Gintoo and
Chinstrap penguins spotted on the beach.
Also on the beach (a very rocky place) is a female southern elephant
seal sleeping on the beach. There is also the skeleton of a baby
sea with the head still intact. Apparently this was not there on
the last landing. Also not there was the snow now on the hills surrounding
the beach and we spot penguins taking the easy way down the hillside
on their bellies.
The beach is littered with old whale bones from many years ago,
bleached white from exposure to the elements.
There is plant life here in the form of lichen and we are warned
not to tread on any we see as recovery to the damage could take
several years. Unusually, there are albatrosses and petrels here,
the albatrosses a rarity. The wind is very cold, but there is so
much to see you do not notice it.
We are allowed an hour on shore which gives plenty of time to explore
the area – including the inevitable gift shop!
Then it’s back on board for a hot drink – by this time
the hot chocolate has run out (the top-up delivery having arrived
too late at Ushuaia), so it’s just tea or coffee for the rest
of the cruise! Everyone is so excited about what they have just
seen and cameras are examined for the best shots.
After everyone is back on board we set sail – by now it
is lunchtime, I have learned my lesson about how much to eat.
In the afternoon there are all sorts to keep us occupied. A lecture
about the Antarctic Ecosystem by Craig Franklin (yes another New
Zealander), various forms of exercise in the Spa, an afternoon quiz
or just walking round the decks enjoying the sights as we sail past
icebergs and watch for sightings of whales.
Listening to my music, I walk round the upper deck area 18 times
which equals 1 mile, a nice form of relaxing exercise.
Mind you my camera and binoculars are always to hand ready for
anything I need to spot, like an unusually shaped iceberg. We are
told by the experts that ‘you can never have too many photos
of icebergs’!! The evening is informal with entertainment
in the show lounge, a film in the cinema or on the television in
the cabins.
Day 9 Saturday 12 January
Today, we hear the sad news about the death of Sir Edmund Hillary,
only to learn that on board is one of his grand-daughters.
A beautiful, sunny day at sea cruising the Antarctic waters to
the most northern point of our journey, Elephant, Clarence and Cornwallis
Islands. The largest, Elephant island, is an ice-covered, mountainous
island only about 20 sq km in area with the highest point some 852
m (2792 ft). We are so lucky, the peak is visible today causing
great excitement to the experts as they say the peak is rarely visible
because of the low cloud which normally covers the island.
At the most northern tip of the island is Point Wild.
It is on this island that Ernest Shackleton’s crew took refuge
for 4 months in 1915/16 after the loss of their ship Endurance while
Shackleton set out in an open lifeboat on an epic 800-mile voyage
to South Georgia to get help.
Later on the cruise we see the latest Endurance, a Royal Naval vessel
which patrols these waters.
Lots of birds and icebergs later in the day, including a huge
monster which is so large it has a name, B15D.
Its movement is tracked by satellite. It is estimated that this
iceberg measures some 25 x 8 nautical miles, but this constantly
changes as parts of the berg break off.
Iceberg names are derived from the Antarctic quadrant in which
they were originally sighted.
This particular one is located in a zone designated ‘B’
by the scientists, hence the name.
Plenty of lectures today - Shaun Powell on the Seals of Antarctica,
Sarah Mager talking about Climate Change and the Fate of Antarctica
and Tim Baughman again, talking about the explorers Baron de Gerlache
(Dutch) and Charcot (French) who explored the waters we were currently
sailing.
Lunch today is a Scandinavian buffet, or a bowl of soup, on the
Lido deck, or the usual four-course affair in the main dining room
– and yes some passengers did eat all this, then afternoon
tea, followed by the four-course dinner in the evening. I believe
some then also ate the late night supper!! I did not, I hasten to
add.
Evening attire is casual tonight, with a show in the theatre,
a film and another trivia quiz. I was in a team with some of the
lecturers and Zodiac drivers. Alas we did not win.
Day 10 Sunday 13 January
Another day at sea, cruising the Antarctic Sound (euphemistically
called Iceberg Alley) passing Hope Bay, an Argentine scientific
station. It has its own mayor, post office and school and it is
here that the first child born on Antarctica was delivered in January
1978. Today we see vast amounts of ice floes with penguins on them
and wall to wall icebergs.
It is in this are that our Ice Captain takes over the helm. Huge
excitement today from our experts, as juvenile Emperor penguins
and Crabeater and Weddell seals are spotted on the ice floes.
The experts say they have never seen these penguins and seals so
far north before.
Again the weather is superb with so many different varieties of
birds and wildlife to see. So many rare sightings at this latitude,
some people are even lucky enough to spot killer whales! Sadly,
not me. Who would have thought that to spend a day sailing through
icebergs and ice flows would hold your interest for a whole day.
Of course, commentary from the bridge on what and where to spot
the wildlife helped.
Two lectures today. Craig Franklin on Deep Divers of Antarctica
– how penguins are able to dive so deep. And Noel Miller on
Artist’s Perspectives of Antarctica.
There are also the usual exercise classes, bridge lessons, art classes
and browsing in the ship’s shop to keep you amused.
Informal dress tonight with a presentation in the theatre ‘For
God Sake Look After Our People’, extracts from letters, slides
and diary entries during Captain Scott’s final expedition
to the South Pole in 1913. Excellent and emotive readings.
During the night as we sailed through Iceberg Alley, we were told
that there had never been so many crew members on lookout as there
had been that night!
Day 11 Monday 14 January
Wake up for an early start as we arrive in Paradise Harbour for
our next shore excursion.
It is here that we will actually set foot on the Antarctic Continent
for real. It is snowing!!
As I come back from breakfast, my cabin steward is busy making
snowballs which he laughingly threatens to launch at me!! A Japanese
lady asks the steward to get some snow for her which she promptly
eats! Not so bad as it sounds, as the snow is pure here.
Paradise Harbour is a Chilean military base and has a museum and
shop for the tourists.
It is one of the most visited areas of the Antarctic. It is also
home to a very large Gintoo penguin colony.
Reds are out second today (we are getting there) and we wait in
anticipation to be called and take the short Zodiac ride to shore.
The first thing that hits you is the smell. At first it seems over-powering
but it is amazing how quickly you dismiss it when there is so much
to see.
Surprisingly, there is a proper path up from the landing stage,
with penguins everywhere. nesting right alongside, so you are walking
within a foot of the parents and chicks.
We sight the Wilson’s storm petrel, common to this island,
also many other petrels, albatrosses, skuas, terns and gulls which
are more rarely seen here.
Again out time on shore is limited to an hour and with so much more
to see and do, this time passes all too quickly.
Before we can get into the Zodiacs to return to the ship, we have
to have our boots cleaned. This process consists of leaning forward
against a chair and holding your boots over a large bucket of seawater
while a crew member scrubs them. Only then are you allowed to go
back to the ship!! Even so the smell lingers on and it is not unheard
of for fellow passengers to forlornly ask for the rest of the day,
‘do I smell?’
Only one lecture planned for today by Tim Baughman about the Last
Expedition of E Wilson and Captain Scott. However, the scientists
we picked up from Arctowski Station have agreed to give us a small
presentation of their work and life on the base. The talk is given
by the American scientist, who was station at Copacabana Beach across
the bay from Arctowski Station, as the Polish scientists did not
speak much English.
As we set sail again, we are prevented from going through the Lemaire
Channel by ice, an alternative channel is fog bound and so on to
a third alternative to find a safe passage. The weather has cleared
and it is out on deck for some more exercise and scenery.
Casual attire this evening with a musical show in the theatre,
followed by a Parade of the Chefs, followed by a music and dance
show staged by the Filipino crew members.
Day 12 Tuesday 15 January
Another early start for our last shore landing and the reds are
first out!! It is a beautiful morning with pristine visibility.
Today we are visiting Half Moon Island with its large rookery of
Chinstrap penguins. The island is very small (about 2km long) and
usually has an Argentine presence.
Today, the base is empty as the Argentine’s navy’s
vessel which operates in Antarctica, is broken and so they are unable
to send anyone to man the island.
As we approach the island in the Zodiac, the smell is not so strong
and we are quickly off the Zodiac onto the beach and amongst the
penguins who are quite oblivious to us.
Again the Penguin Police are out in force. With these penguins
you need eyes in the back of your head to try to anticipate where
they will be wandering next! It is here that I take what turns out
to be my favourite photo. These penguins are real posers. There
are hundreds of penguins with their chicks, who are about two weeks
older than the Gintoo chicks we saw earlier.
They are also very curious creatures and a couple of them stayed
on the beach for hours watching as we had our boots cleaned once
again before returning to the ship.
One can only imagine what might have been going through their
heads seeing all those silly humans having their feet washed!!!
The reds were so lucky to be out first, later the sky clouds a
little and the clarity is not quite so crisp and sharp.
Everyone back on board and we set sail for the last time to start
our passage back to Ushuaia. This will take a day-and-a-half. An
afternoon lecture by Peter Carey, the expedition leader, about his
work on an ecological restoration project of a small island near
the Falklands after the flora had been accidentally burnt by the
British. The work not as easy as it sounds.
Tonight is the another formal evening with the Captain’s
Farewell Party in the bar. I am dining with some of the entertainers
and Zodiac drivers. A very amusing group of people. The atmosphere
in the dining room is very festive and later the sweet (Baked Alaska)
is paraded through the room by the waiters, before being served.
After dinner, the party continues in the bar until late.
By now the ship has started its journey back across the Drake
Passage and the sea is beginning to get rough! Some passengers retire
early!
Day 13 Wednesday 16 January
Day at sea. We are still crossing the Drake Passage. It has been
a rough night and so it continues for the entire day. Later on the
flight home, I find out that the ships stabilisers were not working,
it’s a good job this was not generally known on board ship!
There are plenty of activities planned for the day, but it was evident
that many passengers had decided to start their post-cruise diets
early!! Fortunately I was not stricken as so many others were.
Lectures include Noel Miller talking about the work of the early
photographers Hurley and Ponting and their attention to detail making
their photos of the early explorers so unique. Then later Paul Sagar
talked about his first visit to Antarctica which so nearly ended
in tragedy when he and his fellow scientists were stranded on an
ice floe for five days. He is the only scientist of the group that
has since returned to the area.
The last lecture was a recap of the cruise by the expedition team
who answered questions.
During the afternoon I joined several other passengers for trip
to the bridge, where the rudiments of navigation were explained.
Like aircraft, the ship has an automatic pilot which, at that time,
was being used to steer us back to Ushuaia.
Dress code was casual for the evening with a farewell performance
by the ship’s entertainers and of course, the final trivia
quiz. However, the evening for most, was spent well away from food,
and in cabins packing cases as these had to be ready and outside
the cabin door by midnight.
Day 14 Thursday 17 January
Respite at last. We sail up the Beagle Channel and dock at Ushuaia.
I grab a quick breakfast as I am booked to take a tour of the Tierra
del Fuego National Park which will end at Ushuaia airport for the
start of our flights home. I am also still trying to sort out my
flights home as I had been told the previous day that they had been
changed and I would miss my connection in Madrid which would add
a further day to my journey. Something I wanted to avoid at all
costs.
The trip to the National Park was very interesting. The most southern
golf course was pointed out and we visited the most southerly post
office in the world where we could get our passports stamped and
mail postcards.
We also visit the most southerly point of mainland Argentina where
the Pan American highway ends. This highway runs all the way from
Alaska, some 17,484 km (nearly 10,500 miles), and there were some
bikers there who looked as though they had done the whole trip!
Then it was on to the airport to start the long journey home.
But that, as they say, is another story, suffice it to say that
it did not take the extra day.
I escaped from Heathrow Airport at 11.30 pm on Friday 18 January
to start the last leg of my very windy journey home to Attleborough,
where my dog was very pleased to see me and find out what present
I had bought her!
Footnote:
One of my favourite pastimes as we sailed away for the day was to
stand at the stern of the ship, listening to my music and looking
at the magical beauty of the area. The aura and magic of the place
was spellbinding.
It is very easy to understand how the Antarctic becomes an obsession
with the experts and why they return here so many times.
During my time on board mv Discovery, I met lots of wonderful
and interesting people from all over the world and with whom I am
now busying exchanging e-mails.
Thank you for sharing my diary with me. I hope it has given you
an insight into this stunning area of the world. It was an amazing
holiday and adventure and I felt very privileged to have visited
such a beautiful place.
Back
to part two