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Category Archives: Patrick in Antarctica
Ice is nice
Today we climbed up to a ridge overlooking the British base Port Lockroy and had a stunning view over to the mountain range named snow white and the seven dwarfs – the range has a white peak followed by seven smaller peaks all in a row. The horizon stretched forever, the sky was a deep blue and the white sparkled. But despite all the wondrous scenery, my eyes were drawn to the foreground where a small red yacht was tucked into a sheltered bay behind Port Lockroy. Two years and we’ll be here under our own sail, and despite the daunting barrier of the Drake Passage, stunning days like this make me long to be here with the freedom of the southern winds in our sails. It also makes me think … I’m pretty lucky to get down here, privileged in fact. The Antarctic holds a rare beauty that draws you in and holds you fast. We head back to Ushuaia tonight but already I’m looking forward to coming back in four days and watching the penguin colonies change with the passing season and welcome the whales back to the Southerly feeding grounds. It’s a tough job …
Colour remake
Just 5 days since we were last in Antartcica but it is a different world. Where last time it was grey windy and waves crashed on the black shore this time the sky is a vivid blue dome covering a crystal clear sea – the ice is a brilliant white suffused with every shade of blue ever conceived. Days like these make Antarctica splendid. The highlight? Today it had to be lying on my stomach in the snow with the sun beating upon my back while I watched carving glaciers crash into the sea over the Weddel seals on the ice in front of me… or maybe cruising through a million sculpted icebergs in Cierva Cove … the down side? Well, I won’t complain too much about sunburn …
High seas and strong breeze
Today we were up at 5:00 to launch zodiacs in a strong swell off Half Moon Island. My job was to run the skiers up to the landing around the back of the island, which is a long haul in big swell carrying a lot of gear. All went pretty well until we got to the steep beach landing, only to be deluged with a steep swell that must have originated from a glacial carving event. Ended up with waves crashing over the back of the boat and chunks of ice swilling around my feet. Yet another day in wet trousers. Still another fantastic day in Antarctica – and the wet cold feeling rapidly disappears while wandering around the chinstrap colony.
Next landing was at Deception Island were the swell had also picked up and the wind was howling through at about 35 knots. These passengers have had an exciting trip so far with pretty challenging conditions but most of them have taken it in their stride … perhaps its just insanity since nearly a third of them insisted on swimming at Deception despite the weather! But as I said … an early start and I need my sleep…
Surfing into the Shetlands
We made good speed over the Drake this time and managed to arrive in the South Shetland islands early enough today to squeeze in a quick and cheeky landing at Yankee Harbour. It’s a fantastic landing with a huge spit, which is actually the remnant of a glacial moraine wrapping around a bay flanked by a glacier. On the spit are gentoo penguins and elephant seals. The later attracted the Yankee sailors whom the bay is named for who descended upon the seals for blubber that was sold for oil. The remnants of the sealing are scattered on the beach including the rusting remains of a tripod that was once used for boiling down those seals unlucky enough to be around when the sailors where in port.
The landing was spiced up somewhat by a stiff breeze and a rolling swell that built up over the moraine causing the zodiacs to surf in over the break in the spit. Great fun, but a few of the passengers wore a somewhat grim expression as the waves crashed around us and the spray flew up into the boats… but the staff were having a ball! I was at least … or at least until one of the passengers life vests inflated. The only gallant thing to do for a guide is to sacrifice my warm floatation jacket, give it to the passenger and don the inflated collar jacket over my under coat … very wet and cold trip back to the boat… but still a lot of fun. Welcome to Antarctica!
Bits and birds
Another Drake passage with a long swell setting the boat to a slow swinging roll. The wind is quite and the birds are drifting long behind the boat as if drawn to this small speck of steel adrift in the endless ocean. We have Royal and Wandering albatross that ghost in occasionally to inspect and a cloud of black browed albatross, giant petrels and cape petrels that seem loath to stray far from our wake. We also spotted a spectacled porpoise today which is a rare sight in the Southern Ocean (I say “we” because I missed it ..damn). Otherwise it is plain sailing with Antarctica at the bow… hoping to reach land by tomorrow afternoon!
29 November – drake days
The last couple of days have been a typical drake crossing with endless sea swell and seabirds. Having left Antarctica probably for the last time, the passengers on the Ioffe are making full use of the bar to drink various toasts to the white continent. Last night a little Chinese lady who does not speak a work of English cornered the expedition staff and literally forced us all to down several beers with her. Buying rounds of ten beers at a time and getting very grumpy when we tried to sip rather than scull. Strange the people you meet. Right now Cape Horn is hidden in fog but we are just offshore heading for the Beagle passage.
Posted in Drake passage, Patrick in Antarctica
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27 November 2010
Overnight we steamed across the Bransfield Strait while a party raged in the bar … but there were a few sore heads in the morning! No worries though, remarkable how a quick dip in Antarctic water clears the head. First stop of the day was Deception island where we wandered around the ruins of the British Antarctic Survey base and a few more adventurous types braved the water for 10 seconds of fame and a photograph. Then half moon which is a standard stop but 
very nice – also got there at low tide which means you can cross the flooded spit of land that is separated from the main island at high tide … doesn’t happen often but if you get across there is a colony of Blue Eyed shag that is pretty cool. Now we are battening down the hatches for the mighty Drake!
Posted in Deception Island, Half Moon Island, Patrick in Antarctica, South Shetland Islands
Tagged Antarctic Shag
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26 November
Last night I slept under the Antarctic midnight sunset and was lulled to sleep by the sound of Gentoo penguins trumpeting their love to potential partners. Those with the best call were busily engaged in energetic lovemaking around us while snowy sheathbills darted around the snow banks picking up unspeakable morsels left behind by the penguins. Not a great deal of sleep was had as I was in an open bivvy that seemed to be a magnet for wandering penguins that tripped over my weary bulk several times. Not too bad I guess but sleep seems to be a long lost friend right now.
The rest of he day ran like a typical day guiding and driving Zodiacs in Antarctica – Packed up the camping early to make our first landing at Port Lockroy were I ended up spending most of my time helping floundering passengers out of thigh deep snow and guiding them over slippery rocks as the tide continually retreated making boat operations difficult.
Sometime tonight we will pass over the rusting hulk of the explorer onthe sea floor where she sank 3 years ago … here’s hoping we don’t join her!
Posted in Danco Island, Palmer Archipelago, Patrick in Antarctica, Port Lockroy
Tagged Gentoo Penguin, Snowy Seathbill
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25 Novemeber
The ice is fighting back and has managed to hold us back from two landings today. As a result we were forced to restrict our activity to cruising around the ice. Pushing through heavy ice is a blast though! No time to write as I have to go and get gear ready for a night of bivvying under the perpetual Antarctic sun at Danco Island.
Posted in Danco Island, Patrick in Antarctica
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24 November 2010
Woke at the crack of dawn.. but dawn is less of a crack and more of a gaping chasm here in Antarctica and lasts for hours …despite this I caught at least the first half of dawn when I dragged myself out of bed at 4:00 to jump in a small rubber boat to charge around icebergs. Minutes later I’m hanging from a crane 25m above the water and descending into the cold ice waters with seals, penguins and whales on my mind.
The first stop was Orne Harbour where I cruised past chinstrap penguins and leopard seal…then a quick dash up to Cuverville Island to see the largest Adelie penguin colony on the Antarctic Peninsula, and finally a landing and hike at Neko Harbour. The last is a particular favorite of mine with a churning glacier descending into a tranquil Bay populated by Gentoo penguins. The Glacier is fast and furious …by glacial standards, and drops icebergs frequently. Today a HUGE carving happened that sent a wave right up over the beach. I was onshore and though I avoided the worst we lost a bit of gear and I spent the rest of the landing wet up to my waist. Still …a great landing. I blazed the trail for the long walk up to
the ridge and then to the next bay where there were about seven Weddel seal asleep. I managed top get 20 minutes sitting alone on the beach listening to the Weddels sing in thier sleep accompanied by the trumpetting of Gentoo penguins.
A beautiful place to be working.