Sites and Adventures in the Falklands & Antarctica

What is THIS doing out here????? I bet it was a trip of a lifetime!
see all photos »

Why does one choose to brave the two day crossing of the Drake Passage, both going and coming, to visit the Antarctic? How ever did those early explorers do it in their small sailing ships??? Can you imagine? We passed this sailboat on our return voyage! Not for me! But it looks like they were ready for fun with their canoe and kayaks! They waved cheerfully.  Of course that was BEFORE we came into the 20 foot waves!

It seems that adventurers choose to go for any number of reasons (an independent poll conducted by Dr. Sally, approximately 30 interviews, January 22-February 2, 2008), with the most often mentioned ones being: the last frontier, their last continent to reach, following the great explorers of the past, seeing ice bergs and glaciers before they are gone, the wildlife (both birds and mammals) and just plain cruiseaholics – “it’s where the Adventurer was going next.” People are very loyal to this cruise line!

It is an amazing place, this white continent!

Catch that sign above the door? Even I had to go "shopping"!
see all photos »

There indeed is an excellent mixture of cruising experiences with beautiful land and sea vistas, and both historical, scientific and wildlife zodiac landings and cruises. One quickly becomes accustomed to entering, riding and exiting the zodiacs! Everyday there were two to four opportunities available! They are remarkably stable craft and our drivers were mostly well trained. Some seemed more able to keep us dry. No one told stories of people falling out or of the boats flipping, but then why would they (tell)???? One told of how a driver fell out as he was being pulled up in his zodiac – he survived.

The Ukranian Akademik Vernadsky Station, once the British Faraday Station.
see all photos »

Arriving in the Falkland Islands first, we were able to become accustomed to the ship and the zodiacs before we made the Drake Passage crossing and hit the ice filled seas. In fact we had spectacular weather which made our visit to both Carcass Island and New Island particularly enjoyable. Leaving Ushuaia on the Beagle Channel we almost immediately started seeing penguins, mostly Magellanic and a few Gentoos. At Carcass Island in the Falklands, however, we stepped ashore and into our first (of MANY) penguin colonies…a combination of the two already mentioned who seem very compatible. Carcass is a privately owned island and the McGill family welcomed us into their home for tea (for a handsome fee from Clipper, no doubt) and a truly amazing spread of homemade and scrumptious pastries after a walking tour of the coast. Here we began to learn the amazing habits of the penguins and other local birdlife, particularly the caracaras, skuas, upland geese, steamer ducks, crested ducks and speckled teals. We also saw a night heron! Denny got this great picture of a South American Snipe.

The McGill settlement on Carcass Island, the Falklands.
see all photos »

The walk was great – good to be on land and stretching our legs – we followed furrowed trails and walked among the tussock grass. The Magellanic penguins nest in burrows so we had to be careful where we stepped. When we would come near they would hover down and look just like rocks laying about until they twitched. Chicks peaked out at us as we walked past.

New Island was the first of many wonderful “once in a lifetime” experiences on this trip! It is the most westerly inhabited island of the Falklands and presented us with both an 18^th century deserted whaling factory at Whaler’s Bay to explore and gigantic colonies of rockhopper penguins and blackbrowed albatrosses. Two years ago in New Zealand I became intrigued with albatross and their story, never would I have believed that I would be able to walk among them as we did here! Watching them fly behind the ship or float upon the sea was sensational. But here we were able to sit among them and watch as pairs as they preened and groomed one another, fed their chicks and soared off the cliffs. Totally spectacular! There was also an amazing colony of thousands of breeding pairs of Blue-eyed (Imperial) cormorants. And of course, wherever there are chicks, there are the skuas!

The "tea" they served us after our walk through the tussock and Magellanic burrows.
see all photos »

Thank you Lord, our crossing of the Drake Passage was “exceptionally” easy! Our first zodiac cruise in the Antarctic was to Elephant Island to see the place where Shackleton’s crew spent 105 days under overturned lifeboats praying for rescue. What a story that is! Shane, our Historian, gave a presentation based on the diaries of these men. A monolith with a plaque dedicated to the Captain and his ship who rescued them was built where the boats lay. There were, of course, penguins nesting all around the island plus a grand group of elephant seals (hence the name of this island). Man they are BIG and loud and smelly!!!!

Postcard perfect view at the end of the hike!
see all photos »

Thereafter for days we would make two or three (and even four once) excursions per day from the ship to and around islands to visit old whaling stations and penguin colonies – chinstraps and rockhoppers and gentoos mostly. Hundreds of thousands of breeding pairs with chicks almost grown – ones who will go to sea for the winter. They were everywhere -- on ice flows and bergs as we sailed past and in the water darting about the ship and the zodiacs. Fun to see but of course the joke became NOT ANOTHER PENGUIN!

What a view -- made the hike up so worth it!
see all photos »

Twice Denny and I joined a small group of “long walkers” to hike up mountainsides to spectacular views. The first time was just a hike, however from the top we were able to see minke whales and watch them feed. The view was indeed indescribable. (See picture.) The second one, though, was a climb – a pretty stressful challenge in parts. We crossed a boulder field and then kick-stepped snow stairs up a snow field (sometimes stepping through to an ice layer). I had to make my own as no one else had my short legs and stride. Bummer! Up another boulder field and more kick-stepping continued our ascent of the increasingly steep mountain side. It would have been just about as steep a ski run as you might want to ski and I did slide down on my back – which was fun after I unintentionally started off. Denny was able to walk all the way down on his heels, glasading just a bit. The view at the top was indeed well worth it, plus the bragging rights!

Whales and birds sighted below!
see all photos »

There was an excellent geologist aboard, Howard Falcon-Long, who really brought the creation of Antarctica alive for us! He always wanted to chase away the penguins and hose off the rocks so that we could “really see” the interesting stuff of the land! LOLOL He gave clear and excellent presentations about the potential for global warming and the consequences and put it all into perspective with those who speak of the natural cycles of the Earth. Finally I thank I understand it! He was a treat to walk with through the islands with volcanic pasts and present threats. Deception Island and Baily Head with the HUGE chinstrap colony – all of it was overwhelming in a sense and yet majestically peaceful!

Abandoned buildings at Whaler's Bay.
see all photos »

Howard (the geologist) also taught us that there are tabular icebergs that are huge pieces of ice that have calved off the glaciers and ice shelves all the way down to brash ice, the little floating pieces. These tabular ones can be maybe 20-40 feet high and miles in length and width, sometimes grounded because only 15% is above the water. I like the “bergie bits” which are smaller ice flows that have been carved by the wind and the seas to beautiful shapes and often have seals and penguins resting on them.

Gravesites at Whaler's Bay
see all photos »

One of our most interesting stops was the Ukranian Science Station called Akademik Vernadsky. The scientists met us at their dock and gave small groups tours of their facility. The men have excellent English and seemed to love to have visitors. They have a great bar where they offered us vodka shots with orange slices that you first dip in coffee and then sugar. They also have this tourist shop pictured here – I had to have this picture! Later when we returned to the boat, Rick, our mammal specialist, gave a presentation on his life at this same station when it was British owned and run, called Faraday. He was a diver – can you imagine diving in the Antarctic? They loved to dive with the seals, even leopard seals. Can you imagine 7 or 8 months when you are locked in by ice with no one but the other dozen or so assigned there with you? He learned to love it and they did incredible things along with their scientific studies! His team was one of the first to report the ozone hole – we could see the instruments in the roof. Lots of great cross country skiing and animal viewing! Rick showed us a sequence of pictures of how an antarctic bay turns from water to grease ice to pancake ice to solid ice and back. It is an amazing place, this white continent!

The vats at Whaler's Bay where the whale oil was rendered and then kept in the storage tanks until it could be shipped out.
see all photos »

We were fortunate with weather all through this trip and the captain took us through the famous Lemaire Channel both going to and coming from the Neko Harbor stop on the Antarctic continent. It is a beautiful cut through high mountains with heartstopping vistas. It is also known for whales and did we see them! But then, that is for the next entry…stay tuned!