Travelling South Again

11 januari 2008 - Expectations

Back in the south to be on board my ship again. And on the verge of travelling even further south. It always is an adventure, even though this is my fourth season on the ship, the third one travelling to the Antarctic. There is a sense of expectation on the ship now. The previous crew have left, all those remaining and those new have been working hard to get everything cleaned up on time, and the ship looks in good shape. Sunshine on deck, so we can welcome the guests with coffee and "facturas" (pastry) outside. Always a good way to start a new trip.

Ushuaia is getting bigger every year, more shops, more tourist busses, more ships, more people. The people here are generally nice and relaxed, the whole place feels relaxed. Not a bad place to start a trip from. Coming back here for the fourth year means you get to see a lot of familiar faces again, Juan and Diego at the hotel, the surly man at the internet cafe, Carolina on the catamarans.

I am looking forward to travelling to the Antarctic again, to see the icebergs, the whales, the albatross and the penguins, and to enjoy the blue, the light and the silence. It is a special place to visit, quite different from any other place. Again, I know some strange details about the place. Like where exactly to look for the two flowering plants that grow here. And to within the square metre where I can find the two or three couples of Macaroni penguins that breed this far south. I am looking forward to seeing my favourite mountain again. And I know where to find the most beautiful ice cave.

The Europa is a tall ship, and there is a great sense of history on board. The ship is less than 100 years old, but it feels like one of those 19th century barques. We do have the modern conveniences on board, of course, good bathrooms, showers, a network for the computers, and every possible piece of equipment to make sure we are a very safe ship. But it is nice to also have the sails, the rigging, the wheel outside.

We will sail down the Beagle Channel tomorrow morning, with our new trainee crew, and we will be on the Drake Passage before the end of the day. I wonder what the crossing will be like....


13 January 2008 - The Drake Lake

Some days you are not really sure where you are. Today I am on board a ship, sailing not motoring, down this peaceful stretch of water. Wandering albatross, Black-browed albatross, Royal albatross, Giant Petrels, Cape Petrels and Wilson's Storm-petrels around. Sunshine on deck. So did we take a wrong turn somewhere or are we really on the Drake Passage? The weather forecast does say that this will all change later today, that we we get strong headwinds, so we will have to switch the motor on and we will start moving about a little more.

For now we are doing a little more than the speed we need to average and we are heading in the right direction, to the South Shetland Islands where we will have our first landing in a few days time. I'm looking forward to seeing beautiful Barrientos Island again, to meet up with its penguin, elephant seal and giant petrel populations and to marvel again at its landscape.

Right now I am a little drowsy from so much fresh air, all these birds, all these seasickness tablets. I'm back in the rhythm of travelling aboard ship.


14 January 2008 - The Routine

This remains an unusual crossing. We are gently moving, you can feel you're on board a ship, but you don't fall over every minute. And we are actually sailing, no engines, just sails and the wind to get us to our destination. We are moving at a reasonable speed, not necessarily in exactly the right direction, but not far off.

Most of the guests seem to gradually find their way around the ship and they are getting used to the routine. The number of people seasick is way below average so far because the sea is relatively calm. People are working during their watches, and spend as much time as they can up on deck. We've started the lectures with talks on seabirds and on the ice. I'm working on the Antarctic Convergence for a short explanation tonight.

There are plenty of seabirds, just enough wind for them. It always is a lovely sight to see those Wanderers gliding past the ship, staying with us for a while before moving on again.

Every year services on the ship improve. It is now easier for guests to use the phone and to send emails, and in that way keep in touch with home. We also have plenty of volunteers to help keep the home front informed by writing pieces for the ship's weblog. I think two pieces are written everyday, so those who stayed behind will know what we've been up to. If you didn't know yet, check the logbook on www.barkeuropa.com.

Later in the evening

No more sailing, unfortunately, we now hear the gentle drone of the engines. This afternoon we did our bit for science, the ship takes part in the "Aliens in Antarctica" project, trying to determine how many foreign plant species we transport into Antarctica in our clothes, bags and other equipment. We had to "vacuum" some of our guests, their bags and outdoor clothing, and keep all the material derived from that in plastic bags to send for examination in a lab. I wonder what the results of that will be. It was quite hard to find volunteers in the end, because it turned out that most people have bought new clothes for this trip...


15 January 2008 - Almnost there

After a few relatively quiet days the ship is moving about a bit today. This is the time to hold on to your cups and glasses and to make sure you always have a hand free for the ship. Not everybody is willing to do so yet, and some people are willing to battle the laws of nature, refusing to give in to the forces of the swell, the wind and gravity. Yes, it does take you five minutes to put on your pants, and there just isn't a lot you can do about it.

Today we tell the guests about the way to behave when we get to actually set foot on land again. Right now that still seems far away, but we have our first landing scheduled for tomorrow. Or, maybe more importantly, tomorrow we will all be able to have a shower again...

This has been a good crossing though, as we have been able to do a lot of proper sailing. Most of the sails are up, and we are making good speed for the South Shetland Islands. It is lovely and sunny now, which helps put people in a good mood.


16 January 2008 - Beautiful Barrientos

Our first landing and it couldn't have been much better. A beautiful blue sky, very little swell so a smooth ride to shore, and then just lots of Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins, Elephant Seals, Sheathbills, Giant Petrels and Skuas. The magical landscape of Aitcho is different every time, the light is different every time, and the atmosphere is different every time. This time we had bright sunshine, but the land was still to a great extent covered in snow. That meant that for a great part of the walk we didn't have to worry about stepping on mosses. Or "moses", as German Thomas would have it. A wonderful start to this part of the trip.

Some people are happy for different reasons too. If you've been seasick in your cabin for a few days it is just lovely to wake up on a ship that is hardly moving at all, to feel hungry instead of sick, to be able to go and have breakfast
and actually eat.


17 January 2008 - Macaronis

After two days in the South Shetland Islands it on the one hand is still hard to believe I'm back here, on the other hand it is almost as if I've not been away. We landed on Hannah Point on Livingston Island today. A beautiful place, where many different birds nest. The one place out here where there is a good chance you get to meet up with a Macaroni Penguin, there always are a couple, and they were here today. At first they were just lying around, but then they started a little display which impressed the visitors. This also is the place where you can see both kinds of Antarctic plants, the Hairgrass and the Pearlwort. So as a guide you need to keep telling people to keep off the grass. As I got back on to the ship today, I was told to head for the other side of the ship to see a couple of Humpbacks swim past. What more do you want? You just grab the mulled wine that is ready on deck and enjoy the view.

Another beautiful sunny day today, just a little swell, which made for a bumpy ride in the zodiac back to the ship. Not too bad though, I didn't really get wet. So, just another beautiful day in the Antarctic, I guess.


18 January 2008 - Black and White

I am writing this sitting on board a ship which is anchored in the caldera of a volcano. We are in Deception Island, which really is just that, a volcano. This morning we walked in this black and white landscape, this afternoon was the chance to go swimming in the hot springs. It was a perfect day for it, a little windy and chilly, but there was a lot of hot water at just the right temperature. I had wanted to go this time round, but I have such a bad cold at the moment, I didn't want to take the risk. I cannot really afford to get sick. But I'm hoping to get another chance in three weeks time....

After a couple of bright, sunny days, today is a little more cold and grey. It kind of suits the place, the greys and the blacks. The clouds are low, touching the top of the caldera, creating a little mystery.

Later in the evening

Tonight we had a landing at Whalers Bay, one of the strangest places here. Great natural beauty, the black and white landscape has some brightly coloured patches in there. But this is also the place where many whales were slaughtered and cooked, and the remains of the whaling station are a reminder of that era. There always is a ghostly atmosphere here, empty, decaying buildings, falling apart. The only building still in reasonable shape is the airplane hangar, one of the last additions to the site. An eerie place, this Whalers Bay.


19 January 2008 - Icebergs

We are now close to the Peninsula, travelling ever further south. Today was our day for all the icebergs. The narrow passage between Trinity and Spert Islands works as a trap for icebergs, they all get stuck there. This provides us with a great opportunity for seeing some of them close up. We were our in the zodiacs cruising among them. You always need to be careful around icebergs, but you can still get reasonably close and study all the different shades of blue in them. And there are many.

Out here you can also get some nice close up views of the wildlife. Today we got to see a Fur Seal, some Weddells and a Leopard Seal, as well as a nice variety of birds.

Coming back from our second trip the fog had really come in and covered the ship. For a while we weren't sure where she was. We were heading in one direction, but when I turned my head I could just see the outline of the ship to the right. So a sharp turn and we headed home. We all had visions of the Flying Dutchman.


20 January 2008 - The White Ship

Well, we keep getting reminded that this is the real thing and not some amusement park. We had a good programme for today, a Zodiac tour in the morning and a landing in the afternoon. And then it got a little cold and it started to snow, so we are not making as much speed as we should. We skipped the zodiac tour in the morning and still hope to do the landing. We know it's pretty cold and wet now, not just by feeling it ourselves, but also by the fact that Mike, the tough sailor, was out on deck in full sailing gear and wearing a jacket this morning, rather than just a t-shirt. Like he was last night.

Instead of the zodiac tour we have a beautiful white ship, snow that rests on the surface of the water, and a big snowball fight on deck. And the guests get a proper sense of what it is to be out here in the Antarctic. It always is good to think about the first men that came down here. They did not have such a comfortable ship, none of our modern conveniences, none of our sophisticated clothing, but they still managed out here. The explorers from the heroic age didn't come down here for three weeks but for a year or more, living through not just the summer, but through the winter with its cold and darkness. That is a different story altogether.

Evening

We've landed at Cuverville, another lovely spot. For me, this is the place to just sit on the beach for a while and watch the penguins get in and out of the water. The sea is very clear here, so you can see them approaching from quite far away, coming in very fast, sometimes looking up out of the water to see where landing is safe, and then hop on to the beach. Tonight there was a small iceberg just in front of the beach, a good resting place for penguins. They were hopping on and off, pushing each other off, it was an interesting performance, very funny at times.

One of the guests had brought along a small, pooping, plastic penguin, which he put on a piece of ice in the water, hoping for a real penguin to notice it. He got more than he bargained for. A penguin jumped up on the ice and started to examine the intruder. It made for a nice photo, a good entry for the photo competition.


21 January 2008 - The Continent

There is some debate about what constitutes the continent around here. My fellow-guide Dan tells me that a landing at Neko Harbour is a sure step on the continent, there are some doubts about Almirante Brown or Gonzalez Videla, other possibilities. So, depending on what is correct, I might have set foot on the continent for the first time today. Otherwise, that happened two years ago. It doesn't matter all that much to me.

Neko Harbour is a lovely place though. Another lovely beach where you can sit down and watch the penguins arrive, and where you have Wilson's Storm Petrels flying over low. And where people can slide down in the snow. I didn't do that today, though I did go sliding down at Almirante Brown. And I enjoyed that. We were just a small group in the evening, which made it unusual. And before sliding down we had a few minutes silence up on the mountain, just looking out over this unbelievable landscape.

Back at the ship we were visited by a regular, a skua that lives round here and always pays a courtesy visit to ships anchored here. It sits on board the ship for a while, changing landing spots once in a while, and examines life on board. This must be one of the most photograped skuas on the peninsula.

I am writing this late in the evening, our ship anchored in Paradise Bay. It was given this name by men a long time ago, tough men, who thought this the most beautiful place on earth. I understand them, this is a lovely place, and I will sleep well here tonight.


22 January 2008 - Furthest South

When I think of the words " Furthest South" I really think about Antarctic history. Until Roald Amundsen reached the south pole the record for Furthest South was set and improved on several times. Shackleton held it for a while, Scott did (he was in the company of Shackleton and Wilson). It all started with Cook, I guess, and the list includes names like James Clark Ross, James Weddell and Borchgrevink. Now it'll stay Amundsens.

Our furthest south is nowhere near as far, we will only go as far as 65°15'S, still quite a way from the pole. And even still above the Pole Circle. But we still think our reaching this place is worth a party. First we have the barbecue, then a few people start to dance, but they are enthusiastic enough to get everybody going. Some Ukrainians from the nearby research station join in the fun, and one of them is up on deck, dancing in this t-shirt for most of the evening. One of the Spanish girls ends up belly-dancing, one of the Spanish guys plays the mock trumpet, a cowboy hat and silver jacket. In the end even the ones who refuse to dance at first give in. It's a lovely sight.


23 January 2008 - Rain

I can't remember a previous trip with this much rain. Another foggy and rainy day, and we don't get to see the Lemaire Channel at all. Today we landed at Petermann Island, home to the Adelie penguins, and got very wet. People were quite happy though, seeing these beautiful small penguins, but they were also very happy to get some hot chocolate once back on the ship. And they were equally happy going out on deck again a little later to watch four Humpback whales pass by.


24 January 2008 - Shopping

Finally, a sunny and dry day. So what do we do? We go shopping! There is one souvenir shop and post office on our route, and we visited that today. It is a lovely place though, on a tiny island which houses some 600 Gentoo penguins and a fairly large community of Sheathbills. The shop is in a former British base, now a museum, full of items from the fifties. For some people nostalgia all the way. The shop sells postcards, t-shirts and penguin items, as well as the Antarctic tartan. One of the joys of being in this place are the people. Rick has been at Port Lockroy for a long time, working there in the summer, and he has great stories to tell. He also is a very nice person and I always look forward to seeing him again. He has different assistents every year, but they always are nice people. That is probably a condition for getting the job.

This morning we had a lovely walk up at Jougla Point. First a wander round the Gentoo colony, and then on up the hill for a bit of exercise. The weather was lovely, so at the end we all just sat on the beach for a while, enjoying the warmth and the sunshine. Life can be pretty good down here.

It's hard to imagine, being here again, that within 48 hours we will be heading north again and will be on the Drake Passage. Walking among the penguins always is a strange experience at first, but after a couple of weeks it seems only natural and it is hard to remember to keep your distance. I keep having to remind people, but I do understand.


25 January 2008 - More Rain

The last landing today, but only 16 people dared brave the elements, the wind and the rain. Those who did came back soaking wet but happy. Everyone else was quite happy on the ship. People are sorting out pictures for the photo competition and for the crew, and we showed some films on recent British Antarctic history. I enjoyed those, especially because I saw some familiar faces in there.


26 January 2008 - Goodbye

Yesterday morning our last zodiac tour round the Melchior Islands. Here you can take your zodiac into narrow channels between islands, see some seals and enjoy the colours of the snow and the ice. We started the first tour with sunshine and a bright blue sky. A little later on the fog moved in and it got grey again. Two of the small boats decided to go round the outside back to the ship. That meant quite a long ride back with some swell and in the fog. We got back to the ship a little late and a little cold, so I couldn't really go on the second run.

Time for a nice hot shower though, and a little rest before we set out towards the Drake Passage again. Now we are out on the open sea again, the watch system is running and people are busy at the wheel and on lookout. There also is time to just stand out on deck and watch the birds, when they are around. This morning that was limited to Cape Pigeons and the odd Black-browed albatross. But everyone is still hoping for a few more whales.


28 January 2008 - Drake

We are almost halfway back to Ushuaia, we will be at the Beagle Channel in a couple more days. That is the time people will reappear from cabins, the ones who have remained on watch will finally be able to have a shower again, and mobile phones will start to ring. Back to civilization. I always have mixed feelings about that. I like it, different faces, another landscape, ice-cream at Gadget, but I will also miss the isolation of the ship, of being part of a world that is so much smaller and simpler. No news, we haven't heard much of what has been happening in the world outside. It will be nice to get back in touch with the people I care about, to hear how they are, and to share something of my experiences. I know that I will be part of civilization for just a few days, and then my next voyage starts. Another three weeks in a small world.


29 January - Drake Again

We are still on the Drake, and will be for another 24 hours or so. The ship has been tilted in one direction for most of the crossing, so everything that isn't fastened to something heads in that direction automatically. It's hard to hold on to doors and other things, and you need constantly be aware of your movements, often timing them to the waves.

We will probably be in the Beagle tomorrow night, hopefully enjoying some calmer sailing, though I heard there will be a lot of wind. Some people I haven't really seen since the start of the crossing, they will probably start to surface tomorrow evening.

We held another photo competition on this trip, and got over 20 entries to the various categories, some 100 pictures altogether. We just had a showing of all of them in the lounge, and this gave a very nice overview of the trip. Some beautiful landscapes, lovely pictures of the ship, interesting pictures of the people and the wildlife. A slide show, created by some 20 people, creating a beautiful picture. We haven't had all that much sunshine, and that has resulted in eerie pictures of the ship in the fog, a little unsettling.


30 January - Almost

Almost home now, this time tomorrow we may have Ushuaia in sight. I think for quite a few people that will be a good thing, since the ship has been moving about a lot today. Some will miss the sailing and the routine on board the ship, others will be very happy to feel firm ground under their feet.

Today some of the people who have been doing well so far are seasick. I spent a couple of hours in bed this morning, and I just heard the captain isn't feeling too well at the moment. He isn't on watch now, and I hope he feels better by the evening.

The return journey is always so different from the outward journey for many reasons. On the way down people are full of expectation of things to come, we have lectures to tell people about all they will see, we are heading to where we want to go. On the way back people enjoy the sailing, if we can sail, but some would just like to go home and get this long crossing over with.

1 February - Back in Ushuaia

Well, we're back, so I can post this. Soon more, I hope.