Seal Attack

Posted on November 23, 2011 by

It’s been a busy couple of days in Antarctica with no time to blog! Yesterday we sailed away from the storm at Deception Island and into the sunshine and calm seas of the Antarctic Peninsula. Ice all around and seals lying like lumps of lard on every available space. Orcas were circling the seals and krill were swarming.

The ice stopped us from reaching our destination but provided the opportunity to cruise in some spectacular scenery … soon the zodiacs were launched and we were walking amidst the penguins and zipping in amongst the ice flows to see the seals. Crabeater seals yawned and blinked at the strange intrusion but the most excitement came from a lounging leopard seal I spotted. I pulled the zodiac up to the ice and watched with awe as the powerful beast examined the strange sight of a fully laden zodiac eyeballing it from a distance of five meters across the ice … and then decided to take a closer look.

In fact, the beast charged across until it was a mere meter away before the ice gave way and deposited the animal (in a rather ungraceful manner) in the water …but not before the seal bumped it’s head on the side of the boat! Pandemonium ensues with screaming passengers and people jumping onto the floor of the boat. Meanwhile the leopard seal circled underneath, nudged the side of the boat and then worked out we weren’t worth the effort. Five minuted later she gracefully leapt from the water and resumed her slumber on the same chunk of ice … back on the boat hearts still thumped and the grins were spread from ear to ear.

Then back to the mother ship, some spectacular whale sightings with humpbacks feeding off the bow of the ship and thumping their huge tails in a spray of spume against the backdrop of the snowy peaks of the peninsula.

A quick cruise to the next landing, and an impromptu decision to camp on the continent for the night saw us scrambling to get all our gear ready, and ultimately saw me leading a group of thirty nervous passengers on their first night on the ice. Portal Point offered panoramic views of the icy waters and was a wonderful place to sleep under the stars with a light flurry of snow settling on the slumbering shapes of the shore party. There is certainly no better bedroom than Antarctica!

Right now we have completed another day of landing in scenery that is staggering even after years of working in Antarctica, and are now heading into the Drake Passage and back to Ushuaia. The seas are calm and the whole ship is partying. It’s always a little sad to leave the ice .. but then again, I’ll be back in a few days!!

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Extremes

Posted on November 20, 2011 by

Yesterday we were hunkered down unable to hold anchor in wild weather with winds gusting to over 100 knots. The wind was whipping the water into a writhing carpet of foam, the waves were rolling the ship from side to side and stray items were flinging across the cabins. Clearly landings at Deception Island were not going to be an option and we spend the day talking about how impressive the weather was and how barren the black rocks of this active volcano appeared.

Likewise, the morning was heralded by gusting winds and ominous grey clouds,yet by breakfast the wind was such that you could just about stand up on deck without being flung into the frothing ocean and we decided to have an attempt at launching the small boats and getting to shore. As it turned out the wind gradually diminished and after a couple of hours of strolling amidst the crumbling remains of the whaling station at Whalers Bay, the clouds were trailing away on the horizon and the wind was dropping.

Two hours later we were sailing through calm seas and exploring the brilliant white sea-ice of Pendulum Cove beneath a clear blue sky. Penguins glanced anxiously at us as we followed leads in the ice into the heart of white and I even managed to get sunburnt.

Now we are crossing the Bransfield Strait with the Antarctic Peninsula stretching out before us, the sun glinting of icebergs on the horizon and a gentle following sea rocking the boat gracefully. It is certainly a rapid change but this comes hand in hand with any venture in the South …. It can be horrible one minute and benign the next … I just hope the order of weather does not reverse itself tomorrow when I shall be sleeping under the southern skies in a thin goretex bag while we camp out at Dorian Bay!

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The Volcano

Posted on November 18, 2011 by

At present we are anchored in the caldera of an active volcano in the South Shetland Islands. Deception Island was named after the fact that it took them a few times of sailing around the island before they discovered that through a narrow entrance named Neptunes bellows, you could sail into the empathy expanse of water that is, in fact, the crater of an active volcano. It could equally have been named for the fact that while the island seemed like a sleeping giant it was, in fact, rather a light sleeper. In just 30 years ago the island awoke and spewed pumice and ash all over the various scientific bases that have taken over from the whaling stations that set up shop here in the early 1900’s causing panic and the evacuation of all personnel.

The glacial record of ash deposits in the region suggests that this volcano does actually erupt every 30 years and the fact that the last catastrophic eruption was in the early 1970s is some cause for concern, but right now, it is a sheltered anchorage and a place to catch up on sleep after a very bust first day in the Antarctic.

We awoke at 6:00 for a early landing at Barrientos Island in the Aitcho group where we walked upon the fresh snow of the season amidst Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins with a few Weddell Seals thrown in for good measure. The landscape here is absorbing and I could spend hours immersed in the jagged rocky peaks, glaciers and icecaps if it wasn’t for the thousands of penguins constantly passing to and fro as they establishing their nests for the season… and it looks like it will be a great season as the gentoos are already proudly defending their eggs  which last year at this time were merely a glint in the eye with many penguins being punished by heavy snowfalls and thus not laying until much later. However, this year the season looks good, and at our second landing of the day we were again greeted by hordes of chinstrap penguins getting ready for a busy season of raising chicks. A busy season ahead for me as well as I prepare for several months sailing around Antarctica, but a few moments amidst the grand scenery, vibrant life and strong smells (penguin colonies smell like ..well… guano) reminds me that this really is paradise.

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Aitcho

Posted on November 17, 2011 by

We are now lying at anchor off Barrientos Island in the Aitcho group. The sea is calm, the occasional penguin is gracefully sliding through the water and the scenery is dominated by icecaps, bergs and the dramatic basalt outcrops of the South Shetland Islands. No matter how many times I visit this continent, the first time I see Antarctica every season is always a thrill and leaves me with a crazy grin …. It’s great to be back in the ice!
Early to bed tonight so as I’ll be landing early in the morning and walking (or waddling) with the penguins!

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Towards the ice

Posted on November 16, 2011 by

This morning I awoke early to feel the swell of the Drake Passage tossing my body around the bed and various loose items around my cabin. I must be on my way to Antarctica!

After a quick tidy up of my various scattered belongings however, I took the time to take in the splendour of being on the southern seas – rolling waves crested by white caps, wind-whipped foam lining the deep blue water … and of course the birds. While sailing all summer up the Norwegian coast in our own little yacht accompanied by northern fulmars, puffins, guillemots, gannets, razorbills and various gulls it’s easy to forget just how numerous the sea birds of the Southern Ocean are.

In Norwegian waters there is generally one or two birds in sight of the ship … Strolling on the pitching deck this morning I was greeted by clouds of seabirds trailing after the ship like a wheeling cloud of moths over a flame. Wandering albatross, giant petrels, pintados, storm petrels, southern fulmars, black-browed albatross and more all formed a soaring entourage to herald our passage towards the southern continent. In an ocean that stretched around the globe it’s hard to feel alone.

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Icy Avarice

Posted on October 31, 2011 by

As I prepare for another season of working in Antarctica with the tourism industry it is hard not to reflect on how accessible this most remote of continents has become. No need to pack the ponies or push the pack of huskies onto the ship anymore, getting to Antarctica is relatively straight-forward these days. As a tourist you can choose from several companies offering trips in the Antarctic Peninsula and even beyond – you can even choose the level of luxurious add-ons that will make your trip more comfortable. And as a scientist, the days of ship-born visitation are fading … most national operators now adopt fly-in programs to open up the continent to science.

The isolation of Antarctica is being gradually eroded by human ingenuity – and now opportunities exist for people across the globe to view one of the most pristine and remote environments on the planet. However, easy access to Antarctica also means that the resources of the frozen continent are tantalizingly close.  Several nations have recently made subtle changes to their goals regarding Antarctica (http://www.worldcrunch.com/led-russia-quiet-rush-may-be-antarcticas-resources/3999), and Russia has made it quite clear that the resources of Antarctica should be accurately assessed with a view towards future extraction (http://theconversation.edu.au/antarctic-visions-what-is-the-future-of-australias-forgotten-territory-2799).

Antarctica has long been heralded as a reserve for peace and science. This is one of the few places on Earth where big business and industry are forgotten, where scientists and intrepid adventurers are able to sidestep the demands of modern society to observe wilderness in its most untouched form. To look “the wild” in the eye and see ourselves reflected there is something that changes a person’s perspective on the world and for many, leaves us with a drive to protect the last remaining wild places on the planet from the implacable advance of industry.

For me, the idea of opening up Antarctica to mineral exploitation is an indication of avarice winning out over common sense. Various political agreements make Antarctica a very special place in regards to politics – the continent (and its natural resources)  is protected by international agreement that make it a showcase of cooperation in the interest of science, the environment and world peace. As the world reaches a population on 7 billion (http://7billionactions.org), everyone recognises the need to make sustainable decisions to safeguard the planet for future generations … digging up the non-renewable resources from the last untouched corners of the globe seems a very short sighted solution to ensuring our collective future.

Dredging the “undiscovered” oil from the Arctic has been justified in the interest of national security and the economy of the Nations fringing the Arctic Ocean – what could possibly be the justification for flinging away 50 years of conservation, peace and science in the Antarctic to blunt our avarice on the frozen rocks of the icy continent?

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Waving the white flag: the surrender of sea ice

Posted on September 16, 2011 by

Despite the continued clucking of climate sceptics the sea ice in the Arctic is continuing to dwindle each year. Sea ice in the 2011 season represents the second-lowest summer ice extent since records began (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14945773) and all signs indicate that this retreat will continue.

Some are hailing the retreat as an opportunity – new shipping lanes are emerging and resources historically guarded by impenetrable ice are now opening up. Soon the millions of barrels of oil and gas locked beneath the Arctic seafloor will be ripe for the taking. Super tankers will be able to carry the precious fuel though the dwindling ice fields to western markets were we can pump this Arctic gift into our SUVs and trucks to burn. Some will wrinkle their noses as the fumes of Arctic oil scratch at their sinuses as the carbon escapes our exhausts to join the army of anthropogenic gases circling above our planet to continue the attack on the ice.

As the sea ice of the Arctic grows and shrinks with the seasons it seems a slowly flapping white flag signalling the surrender of the sea ice – an easy flag to ignore as it is well beyond the sight
of most of humanity …. and it gets a little smaller every year. But the surrender of the ice is seen by some eyes.

The Arctic is not entirely barren – indigenous people have called the frozen north home for thousands of years and to local communities the retreat of the ice represents the retreat of a lifestyle that defines them. The lost ice means that many of the animals that the Arctic people rely upon are also lost. Certainly, there are also opportunities that come in the wake of the retreating ice…. but what good is a fist full of oil stained cash when the larder is empty?

And, of course there are other less human eyes that see the retreating ice. Though comprehension may be beyond animals such as the polar bear and the walrus, the ice unravelling beneath their paws and their flippers may be flagging the end of their species. Many arctic animals depend upon ice as a platform for breeding or hunting in the short summers of the north. No ice may mean there is no future for many of the species we love to see in our BBC documentaries – a disappointment for many lounge chair naturalists certainly, but a disaster for the species involved.

For two in the blue the retreat of the ice may make our trip north next year a little easier, less ice means the way is clear to explore more of the amazing coastlines of Svalbard and Greenland. A thrill for us certainly, but ultimately a poor consolation prize.  In a way it feels like we are joining the gold rush flocking north in the wake of the ice – joining the industrialists sailing north to seek their fortunes amidst the remnants of the ice. I only hope that we leave the Arctic a better place when we turn south again. We head north to records the surrender of the sea ice, and I hope that a few may listen to the cry for mercy.

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Autumn in the Arctic – time for a dive

Posted on September 14, 2011 by

The season is coming to a close here in the Arctic; the days are growing shorter, a bitter wind is whipping through the rigging of Widdershins and the faint threads of the Aurora Borealis can be seen in the skies some nights. Given the cooling weather, yours truly made sure to don a few extra layers underneath the dry suit yesterday before jumping into the water for a quick SCUBA dive.

It’s actually been a while since the gear has seen the water and this was just a test dive to make sure all was working well – in a couple of weeks I’ll head south to do some real diving … but not too far south! Scotland will be by destination and I will soon be donning my dry suit in the lochs of the west coast with Graham Edgar, a renowned marine biologist from Australia. The aim is to familiarise myself with the ReefLife survey methodology: www.reeflifesurvey.com – this is a collaborative program between recreational divers and scientists that aims to collect marine biodiversity data from around the world.

Following a week of training we’ll be using the ReefLife survey methods to collect biodiversity data throughout our pole to pole journey – a continuous band of data to show which denizens of the deep are to be found in the shallow waters between one pole of the Earth and another. The program will see us diving in diverse environments from the sea ice in the Arctic to kelp forests and coral reefs near the equator. It will be a big project but a lot of fun and great contribution to our knowledge of the earth’s marine ecosystems.

Yesterday the dive was in shallow water where hermit crabs and starfish were clambering over the mussel shells lying beneath the hull of Widdershins … but before we finish our trips we will dive in some of the most spectacular dive locations on the planet and see some of the truly amazing denizens of the deep ….can’t wait!

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On two sides of the sunset

Posted on July 9, 2011 by

After arriving in Tromsø I had to say goodbye to Patrick and Norway. All this exploration and fun was a great chance to break away from the desk for a while, but my PhD called me back to the world of science … thus I now sit in the warm Swiss sun while Patrick looks after Widdershins in the constant, but somewhat less powerful sun of the Arctic. While I dive into statistics and (epi)genetics, Patrick will start preparing the myriad of things that still need to be done before we can head further North next year.

While sailing along the Norwegian coast we rarely had a chance to wear less than two pairs of trousers and about three jumpers under a wind- and water-proof jacket, and I had almost forgotten that June means summer for the rest of Europe. When I arrived back home in Zürich I almost fell over with heat-shock. Even though I arrived after 10pm the temperature was still over 25°C, hotter than it’s ever been during the whole trip! The second surprise was the sunset – it actually got dark over night, the first proper night since about two weeks! Up North the sun didn’t ever touch the horizon, it just kept going round and round forever. Patrick complains that the sun is stalking him as it circles the boat at night peeking through the windows to keep him from sleep…

Well, and now it’s almost two weeks since I’m back to workaday life. Of course analyzing my data statistically is not half the fun we had during our trip north, but it’s only ten more months until we start our big adventure.

 

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Hvale – Beauty and the Beef

Posted on June 27, 2011 by

Lofoten now lies in our wake with the jagged peaks silhouetted against the horizon – as we sail north we are born upon the last warm tendrils of the gulf steam along the steep drop from shallow shelf water  to the deep abyssal plain. This is the realm of whales, and in the Bleik Trench sperm whales gather each summer to feed upon the huge squid in the deep water. So of course we gathered there as well to see the whales! Unfortunately the first day of searching came up a complete zero, and the closest we came to seeing a whale was the many advertisements for “Hvalbif” (whale beef) in the restaurants of Andenes where we stayed for the night. And it seemed like this was going to be repeated the next day after eight hours of sailing along the shelf waters with nothing to keep us company but the many fulmars circling about the boat.

Until suddenly the call came: “Hvale!!!!”….

It was a single sperm whale logging on the surface but it was enough to make the hours worthwhile. The huge beast was rather indifferent about the appearance of Widdershins with its goggling crew and happily rolled about in the ocean swell before dipping towards the depths, raising its tail heading off to seek squid.

As the day was already growing long and we had many miles to sail we decided to call it quits and headed for sheltered waters and the inshore route to Tromsø. We are currently sipping hot chocolate amongst the hordes of tourists rugged up in several jumpers, patented Norwegian “tourist” beanies and hiking shoes …. Meanwhile the locals are strolling around in (very) short skirts, sandals and skimpy tops (ouch … I was doing research for the blog Léonie). I guess 10 degrees is the height of sultry summer weather here-abouts.

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