"If Antarctica were music it
would be Mozart. Art, and it would be Michelangelo. Literature, and it would be
Shakespeare. And yet is something even greater; the only place on earth that is
still as it should be. May we never tame it." — Andrew Denton
Antarctica – the white wilderness at the bottom of the
world. Surrounded by turbulent seas and
rimmed with ice shelves, mountains soar to 15,000 feet above an average
mile-deep ice cap. Antarctica contains 72% of the world’s fresh surface water
and 90% of the world’s ice. In spite of
all this water, this coldest continent is also earth’s driest continent – it is
a desert with dry valleys that haven’t seen snow in a million years. Antarctica has no permanent residents; the
maximum population is in summertime with around 4,000 scientists and support staff working in research stations scattered around the continent. This number drops to 1,000 in
winter.
Antarctica offers adventure, excitement and discovery in one
of nature’s last, most remote strongholds.
We came with Grand Circle Cruise Line and good friends Dennis and Vicky
Shepard and Carol Brownson. Our story
begins in Buenos Aires, where we met our Trip Leader, Gonza …
Ed. Note: Neither words nor
pictures can adequately describe the magic and grandeur of Antarctica. The photographs in this blog can be enlarged by a simple click of your mouse - this will give you a slightly better idea of where we've been and what we've seen.
Buenos Aires is Argentina’s capital city, rebuilt in the early 20th century to
look a bit like Paris, Madrid, Rome and Liverpool. Part of its appeal and
romance is due to its resembling a faded version of all these. The shady plazas, huge parks, smoky corner
cafés and newspaper kiosks provide for a pleasant big city experience – despite
the heavy round-the-clock traffic. Our
visit here was brief.
City Center is the city’s historic and
commercial nerve center. It is the place
where the city’s onetime splendor and dreams compete with the grittier, more
cynical realities of the 21st century.
Plaza de Mayo
is the original main square laid out at the city’s founding in the 1580s. The colonial plaza became Plaza de Mayo to
commemorate 25 May 1810, when crowds assembled here to celebrate the end of
Spanish rule. At the plaza’s center is
the Piramide de Mayo, an obelisk
raised in 1811 for the anniversary of the May revolution.
The Casada Rosada (Pink House) is the presidential palace. Built in the late 1800s, it stands where Buenos Aires' 17th century fort, later the Spanish viceroy's palace, once stood. The central balcony has been the soapbox for any number of demagogues and dictators. The Perons used the lower balcony to be 'closer to the people;' this was also used by Madonna in filming the movie, Evita.
The Plaza is the site of all great
gatherings and protests; the Madres de
Plaza de Mayo still march here every week to protest the ‘disappearance’ of
their loved ones during the last military government. The Madre’s internationally famous symbol – a
white headscarf – is painted on the tiles encircling the pyramid.
On one side of the plaza is the
Catedral Metropolitana (Metropolitan
Cathedral), where Pope Francis served as bishop before his promotion to
Rome. This neoclassical cathedral, with
its precise columns and cornices, looks a bit incongruous amid all the chaos
that surrounds it. The present building
is the sixth cathedral on this site; work started in 1753 and was completed in
1910.
Across
the street, the Calbildo was headquarters
of the city council from 1580 to 1821 and the place where revolutionaries took
the first steps towards independence.
Today it houses the Museo
Historico Nacional de Calbildo y de la Revolution de Mayo.
La Boca is the working class barrio that was
until the late 19th century the city’s entry point for both goods
and immigrants. When the docks moved
north, the area declined and crime and unemployment soared. Today, visitors are attracted to this
colorful place that celebrates Argentina’s favorite sports: soccer, politics,
and tango.
Estadio Alberto J. Armando, aka La Bombonera, is the home of the Club
Atletico Boca Juniors, the local top-flight soccer team. The team colors of blue and yellow are
ubiquitous on walls and balconies throughout the neighborhood.
Caminito means
‘little walkway.’ The corrugated zinc
sheets stacked up on each side of the street owe their colors to the
impoverished locals who begged incoming ships for leftover tins of paint. These days the street is filled with tango
dancers and tourists, but Caminito’s color and chaos continue to charm.
The
tango was invented in La Boca and
our trip leader arranged for us to have a demonstration and short lesson in
this dance that has become a symbol of Argentina. Our instructors were professionals; their
students were pretty inept, but we had fun trying.
.
Recoleta is one of
Buenos Aires’ most affluent neighborhoods.
It is the home of the Cementario
de la Recoleta, the final resting place of Eva Peron. The cemetery opened in 1822. Its entrance leads into a network of narrow
passages surrounded by high walls. The
cemetery is home to hundreds of illustrious corpses, laid out in a compact maze
of granite, marble and bronze mausoleums.
A stroll down its avenues is one of Buenos Aires’ unique experiences.
Many Argentinian presidents are
entombed here, along with soldiers and scientists, heroes and villains. We came to see the resting place of Maria Eva
Duarte de Peron, better known as Evita.
Our last stop in Buenos Aires was by the river, for a look at
the historic ship, A.R.A. Uruguay, which is now a floating museum. During its operational history, it has served
as a gunboat, school ship, support ship, fisheries supply ship, and survey
vessel. It is thought to be the oldest
ship in South America, but its big claim to fame came in 1903, when the Uruguay
rescued the Swedish Antarctic expedition, whose ship had been destroyed by ice.
All over Buenos Aires (in fact, all over Argentina), we saw people sipping yerba mate – the national drink of Argentina. It is an herbal tea made from a shrub native to South America; the act of drinking it is a ritual in which the cup is shared with family and friends. The cup (traditionally a small gourd) is passed around, with everyone taking a sip until the cup is empty. Many people carry around a bag of tea leaves, a drinking gourd and a thermos of hot water – they seem to sip mate day and night.
First
established as a penal colony, Ushuaia is
the southernmost town in the world. The old End of the World Prison is now a combination prison museum and
maritime museum and includes exhibits detailing the history of Ushuaia from the
time it was first settled. Today, this
rustic town is the jumping off point for exploring the Tierra del Fuego (“Land
of Fire”) and for expeditions to Antarctica.
We also visited Tierra
del Fuego National Park, Argentina’s
only coastal national park and one of the largest nature reserves in the world.
Its 155,600 acres protect the southernmost stretch of Andean-Patagonian
forest. The park’s beech forests,
rivers, lakes and bays are home to a grand variety of birds, including this Patagonian Sierra Finch and Kelp Gull.
We walked the Senda Costera trail leading to nice views of
the coastal scenery of Bahia Lapataia. The end of the Pan-American
Highway is at Lapataia Bay – stretching from Alaska almost literally to the
“end of the world.” According to the
sign, the distance between this spot and Alaska is a whopping 11,090 miles.
We also walked along Bahia
Ensenada, an inlet off the Beagle Channel.
It is said to be surrounded by mountains as far as the eye can see, but
low clouds confined our views to the shoreline.
After
visiting the park, we had a taste of Argentina’s favorite cuisine –
barbecue. The menu consisted mostly of
meat – lamb, beef and pork sausage. There
was even a floor show - a beautiful black-face ibis strolled by our table.
Back in Ushuaia, the self-proclaimed End of the World, we
boarded our ship, the M/V Corinthian. The Corinthian
has navigational, communications, and safety equipment for plying the waters of
Antarctica’s Drake Passage. The ship is 290 ft. long and can carry up to 98
passengers. Our cabin had all the
comforts of home; the safety belts on the bed were a special touch just for
this trip. We were told that this trip would not be a
cruise; rather we were embarking on an expedition – and it would not take long
to understand the difference.
Leaving the docks at Ushuaia, we headed down the Beagle Channel, which separates
Argentina's island chain of Tierra del Fuego to the north from remote Chilean
islands to the south. The channel
was named after the HMS Beagle, the British expedition ship that carried
naturalist Charles Darwin this way in 1833.
The Les Eclaireurs
Lighthouse marks the dangerous rocks at the entrance to Ushuaia Bay in the
Beagle Channel. This is known as the Lighthouse at the End of the World; it’s
the last mainland reference most sailors see on their way to Antarctica.
Onboard, we were split into four groups, each with our own Trip
Leader. We were introduced to the team
of naturalists who provided lectures about Antarctica, its wildlife, and
its history. They also piloted the
Zodiacs – all our landings were “wet,” meaning we climbed out of the Zodiac and
waded ashore. Once ashore, the
naturalists and our tip leaders pointed out things of interest, answered
questions, and generally kept us out of trouble. The four groups were color-coded and named;
with our fearless leader Gonza, we were part of the Meandering Oranges.
There were
lots of rules to follow. The various tour companies taking visitors to
Antarctica belong to the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators
(IAATO). Under IAATO rules, only one ship may be at any landing site
on a given day and no more than 100 passengers are allowed ashore at
any one time. It a ship carries more than 500 passengers, no landings are
permitted, only sailing past.
These folks are serious about visitors having no impact on the continent and its inhabitants. IAATO guidelines are meant to ensure the best possible experience for visitors while protecting what is one of the most unique and fragile environments on Earth. Before our first landing, our parkas and waterproof pants were inspected for any seeds that may have been caught in the Velcro.
On every
landing, we stepped in a tub of special disinfectant for our boots. On each
return to the ship, our boots were pressure washed, disinfected again, and
stored in a locker on the back deck. Staff were available at every step
to assist with zipping jackets, fastening life jackets, boots on, boots off,
whatever help was needed.
And our ship’s crew was serious about not leaving any of
their passengers on an island in Antarctica.
We each were assigned a number and had to turn over our tag to indicate
leaving and/or returning to the ship.
A note here about our costumes. There were many layers - long underwear, shirt, sweater or sweatshirt, cords or sweat pants, waterproof pants. On the feet were several pairs of socks, foot warmers and boot liners. On the hands were a pair of waterproof gloves, sometimes with hand warmers crammed into the palm. On the head was a knit cap, and a fleece buff around the neck. Grand Circle provided the red parka (which we got to keep) and the boots (not to keep). The final touch was the sporty life preserver. We were mostly warm enough for a couple of hours outside, especially if the sun was shining and the wind wasn't blowing. Temperatures were generally in the 30s and 40s - further south was colder and colder.
We were cautioned at the outset that the key to this adventure would be flexibility. The weather is unpredictable and the daily itinerary was always subject to change. As it turned out, the weather gods were mostly smiling—the plan was to attempt six landings but favorable weather, sea, and ice conditions allowed us to undertake eight adventures off-ship. Two were in the South Shetland Islands, four were on islands off the Antarctic Peninsula, and two were on the continent itself.
More on that later – our first challenge would be crossing
the Drake Passage, a 700-mile
waterway between South America’s Cape Horn and Livingston Island in the South
Shetland Islands; it connects the southwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean with
the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean.
The Drake, named after the 16th-century English explorer Sir
Francis Drake, is the shortest crossing from Antarctica to any other
landmass. It is also the most
treacherous.
The Drake divides the cool, sub-polar conditions of the
southernmost part of South America from the frigid, polar regions of
Antarctica. There is no significant land
anywhere around the world at the latitudes of the Drake Passage. This is key to the unimpeded flow of a huge
volume of water – about 600 times the flow of the Amazon River – through the
passage and around the continent of Antarctica.
Our crew warned us that the Drake Passage has only two
temperaments: ‘the Drake Shake’ or ‘the
Drake Lake.’ We were instructed to
‘Drake-proof’ our cabins in preparation for heading into the Drake Passage,
which we were scheduled to reach around midnight. We went to bed wondering what the night would
bring …
After all the hype, crossing
the Drake Passage wasn’t bad at all.
It certainly wasn’t a lake; there was plenty of rocking and rolling, but
we managed not to roll out of bed. We
awoke to falling snow and spent the day watching birds, attending lectures
provided by the ship’s naturalists and enjoying the fine meals prepared by Chef
Larss Regenberg.
Thirty-six hours later, it was all over – we had reached the South Shetland Islands, the first land sighted after emerging from the Drake Passage. This group of islands north of the Antarctic Peninsula is separated from the peninsula by the Bransfield Strait. There is no permanent habitation on these islands aside from the personnel at research stations and a variety of penguins, seabirds and seals. Our journey took us in and around this chain of islands, eventually reaching the Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica. It is the continent’s biggest, most prominent peninsula, extending 810 miles to the north of the mainland.
As we walked along the beach, we got a good look at all three
types of penguins found on King George Island. Left to right: (1) The
Adelie Penguin is the classic ‘little man in evening dress.’ Their most distinctive marking is a white
ring around the eyes, beaming out of an otherwise black head. (2) The
Chinstrap Penguin is found in the
rocky land and islands of the Antarctic Ocean.
They are named for the distinctive narrow band of black-tipped feathers
that extend from ear to ear under their chins.
(3) The Gentoo Penguin is the
third largest species of penguin in the world.
They are recognized by their orange beaks and the flecked white marking
above their eyes.
As we boarded our zodiac to return to the ship, we were greeted by another beautiful Adelie Penguin and a charming female Elephant Seal.
We sailed in the zodiac to get a closer look at the hillside penguin colony and were rewarded with a good look at a group of molting elephant seals. The Southern Elephant Seal is the largest seal in the world. It spends 80% of its time at sea, only coming to shore to breed, give birth and molt. Large ‘beachmaster’ bulls can weigh up to 4 tons and are the most sexually dimorphic mammal in the world – they are six times the size of females.
Leaving Arctowski, we sailed south across the Bransfield Strait, and near the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, we entered the Antarctic Sound, also known as Iceberg Alley. It was named after the first ship to have sailed through this body of water from the Bransfield Strait to the Weddell Sea (in 1902). Here there are hundreds of icebergs of all sizes, as well as smaller chunks of ice called bergy bits and growlers.
Icebergs begin their lives as snow. As it falls on land, the snow gradually forms
glaciers or ice sheets, which build up and crawl toward the coast over hundreds
or even thousands of years. When these
frozen layers eventually reach the sea, they begin to float. Finally, an iceberg breaks off (or “calves”)
into the open water.
The icebergs were amazing, but the Sound also was a great place for spotting birds and other wildlife. We saw our first humpback and minke whales here, as well as some critters who found icebergs to be a convenient resting place.
It might be quiet on one end of the island, but there are
plenty of penguins here.
They’re nesting on the rocky hills …
They’re heading downhill to catch some fish for dinner …
They’re heading uphill to feed hungry offspring …
They’re strolling along the coast, checking out the large
red-coated visitors …
Or just playing in the snow ...
Or just playing in the snow ...
Two non-penguin birds were spotted: an Antarctic Cormorant and some Kelp Gulls. The Antarctic Cormorant is also known as the Blue-Eyed Shag; it is the only bird to keep a year-round nest in the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. The Kelp Gull is the most common gull species of South America; it breeds on coasts throughout much of the southern hemisphere.
The whole scene is endlessly fascinating to watch as they go about their lives, but once again it’s time to move on.
Torgerson Island is a small spot of land,
approximately 400 yards across. It lies
at Arthur Harbor, on the southwest of Anvers Island. We took a Zodiac tour around the island,
expecting to see some nesting Adelie Penguins.
There were plenty of penguins, but so much more to see – especially
icebergs. They were plentiful, gigantic
and beautiful.
On the island itself there were seals: Southern Elephant Seal, Weddell Seal, and Crabeaster Seal. This was our first sighting of Crabeater Seals, the most numerous type of seal in the world. They actually don’t eat crabs, but feed almost exclusively on krill.
We also spotted nesting Southern
Giant Petrels and Kelp Gulls. Neither bird’s nest is much to brag about,
but they seem to get the job done.
Palmer Station lacks the space and staff to deal with our whole boatload of people at one time, so we made this visit in shifts. The captain was kind enough to offer bridge tours while we were waiting our turn; he and his first officer showed us their very impressive array of instruments for navigating safely through waters that have treacherous tendencies.
One of the expedition team
members used a Zodiac to clear away some of the ice so that we could make it
ashore, where our welcoming committee was waiting.
The view from the top revealed … more penguins. They own this place, though they seem totally unaware of the incredible beauty of their home place. Blue water, blue or white ice, white snow, gray clouds, sometimes blue sky – who knew this frozen world could be so breath-taking?
It seemed that every bare spot was occupied by penguin nests,
with one or two chicks watched over by one of the parents. A couple of brown skuas added some drama to
the scene, as they tormented the penguin parents in hopes of grabbing a chick
for lunch. Sad to report, they were
eventually successful. This is not an
easy place to stay alive.
We made our way back down the hill (much easier than going
up) and walked around for a closer look at some of the nesting birds and the
huge glacier in their backyard. Several
folks took this opportunity to just be still and take in the wonder of it
all.
The Gerlache Strait
separates Anvers Island and Brabant Island from the Antarctic Peninsula; it was
named after the Belgian Adrien de Gerlache, who explored this area in 1898. This is a famous body of water in the Antarctic
Peninsula, known for its spiky blue icebergs, whales, snow and mountains. We were not disappointed.
The strait was lined with great white mountains along both sides, occasionally punctuated with
glaciers flowing into the sea.
Tidewater glaciers, of course, lead to icebergs, and these were plentiful.
They came in all sizes and shapes, including a couple that were larger
than our ship. Even in daylight, the
captain had to do some fancy maneuvering to dodge these monsters.
Icebergs weren’t the only thing in the water. We saw swimming penguins and humpback whales,
but the big excitement came when we spotted a pod of Orca (also known as
killer whales) feeding just off the bow of the ship.
Lion Sound is a small passage between Lion Island and the
southeast coast of Anvers Island. It was
discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, 1897–99. This would be our last visit off-ship; we
loaded into our Zodiac for a quiet cruise around this icy, calm body of water
surrounded by towering mountains.
All too soon, it was time to head home, but first … the Drake Passage was waiting for us. The crew told us to anticipate a moderate
crossing. If that was moderate, we sure
don’t want to experience a rough crossing.
Things moved around in the cabin and we had to hold on to railings to
make our way around the ship. No fear – we didn’t miss a meal – food was great
throughout the trip.
BONUS FEATURE: Our trip leaders put together a video of our expedition.
It is available for viewing at https://youtu.be/m352LiQybRU
WILDLIFE LIST
Ushuaia and Tierra del
Fuego National Park: Patagonian Sierra Finch, Upland Goose,
Austral Parakeet, Flightless Steamer Duck, Chilean Swallow, Southern Lapwing,
Black Neck Swan, Magellanic Horned Owl, Kelp Gull, Dolphin Gull, Black-Face
Ibis, Kelp Goose, Blackish Oystercatcher, Neotropic Cormorant, Southern Giant Petrel,
Black-browed Petrel, Imperial Cormorant, Chilean Skua, South American Tern,
Sooty Shearwater.
Drake Passage and
Antarctica: Birds:
Black-Browed and Wandering Albatross; Antarctic and Neotropic Cormorant;
Dolphin and Kelp Gull; Adelie, Chinstrap, Gentoo and Magellanic Penguin;
Black-Bellied Storm, Blue, Northern Giant, Painted, Snow, Southern Giant, and Wilson’s
Storm Petrel; Sooty Shearwater; Snowy Sheathbill; Brown, Chilean, and South
Polar Skua; Antarctic and Arctic Tern. Mammals: Crabeater, Leopard, Southern Elephant and
Weddell Seal; Humpback, Killer (Orca),
and Minke Whale.
