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Antarctic Peninsula Shore
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A mildly choppy overnight sea turned calm again as we sailed down the east, lee side of the Antarctic Peninsula – black rocks pocked through snow and ice.
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Icebergs were everywhere, some with penguins resting on them or just occasionally seals, more often than not rocks masquerading as seals. Pristine blue bergs nestled against dirty brown ones, blocks of sea ice against glacial calves. The large icebergs, the ship swerved around, the smaller ones were ignored. Now and again a judder would ripple through the ship as it glanced a slightly larger iceberg.
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Icebergs Close to ship
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Icebergs
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As we sat eating our breakfast shoals of penguins flew by as they rose and dived back into the water dolphin style.
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Cape Petrels, Antarctic Terns and Skuas occasionally flew by.
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Icebergs
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Crabeater Seals on iceberg
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Penguins, either solitary or in small groups, that were resting on the icebergs would dive off the far side as the ship approached. Crabeater Seals also took the opportunity to haul themselves out.
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Devil Island
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At last we neared the twin, stubby horn shaped, peaks of Devil Island, discovered and named by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04, and prepared to go ashore.
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Waiting to go ashore
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The shore was lined with an extensive colony of Adelie Penguins with only a narrow strip where we could land and walk through without disturbing them. Parents returning from sea fed their chicks.
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Adelie Penguins
Feeding chick
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Adelie Penguin
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Adelie Penguins Nest
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Looking down on colony
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Once on shore we were able to climb up to the southern peak, though discouraged from climbing the final few metres of the peak itself. The going, though a little steep, was reasonably easy, passing over scree and pumice .
After sitting around and eating large frequent meals it was great to get a good stretch of the legs. Views all around and down on to the colony were well worth the climb.
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Descended again, passing by the nest of a South Polar Skua, to a spur above the shore where I was able to sit and watch the penguin colony from afar, as well as a colony of people gather close to the penguins and a few skuas circling about.
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South Polar Skua
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Explorer
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Looking out over the water everything was peaceful and still. The outline of the Explorer reflected in the water, with the surface rippled by the wake from the zodiacs. The silence was only broken by the calls of the feeding penguins.
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Explorer Surrounded by icebergs
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Returned to the ship by way of a tour of some icebergs.
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Ice column
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After lunch, just as we were about to receive a briefing on the afternoon’s activity, a pod of Killer Whales showed themselves. Everything was forgotten as we stood for 45 minutes watching their antics and taking photos.
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Brown Bluff
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In the late afternoon we arrived at Brown Bluff at the north-east end of the Antarctic Peninsula, a large 745m cliff of volcanic origin, named by FIDS following a survey in 1946. Once we landed there we had completed visits to all seven continents.
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To get a better view we climbed a lateral moraine ridge, the goes was steep and very soft, slipping back with every step forward, but in time we reached the top and were suitably rewarded.
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View along Brown Bluff shore
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Rock pool
Brown Bluff
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After about 10 minutes we descended back to the beach and strolled along looking in rock pools.
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Cliff
Brown Bluff
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Adelie Penguin carcase
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We had heard reports of a Leopard Seal being seen at the far end of the beach and so we made our way along, but we were too late, though there were a number of carcases about.
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Along the beach there were wide ranges of interesting rock types, presumably carried to there by glaciers.
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Rocks
Brown Bluff
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Weddell Seal
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Returned to the zodiac pick up point and set off on a tour of the local icebergs one of which had a Weddell Seal on it, lazing away the afternoon.
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Suddenly we heard that the Leopard Seal had been spotted and so we zipped over and were treated to the spectacle of the Leopard Seal attacking two penguins – nature at its rawest.
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Leopard seal
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Adelie Penguins in ice cave
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As an antidote to the brutality nearby was a charming setup of two penguins in an ice cave.
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As we were leaving we heard a crack - 20m away an iceberg broke up and turned over, it’s as well that we weren’t any closer.
Returned to the ship to compare photos and reminisce on an amazing day of events.
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Although the sea was a little choppy overnight as we sailed westward to pass down the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, the day started sunny and mild at 3°C.
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The first part of the morning was spent with a talk by Bob on ‘Otto Nordenskjold's Expedition', which was stranded in the Antarctic from 1908-1910. His story of survival is almost up to that of Shackleton.
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Cape Petrels
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The remainder of the morning was spent enjoying the sunshine on deck watching and wildlife that came our way and admiring the magnificent scenery as we sailed along the Bransfield Strait, named in about 1825 by James Weddell, for Edward Bransfield, Master, RN.
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Whale to port
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Soon we were rewarded with the sighting of Humpback Whales that for a while entertained us with dives, tumbles and turns before they became board and moved off,
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Humpback Whales
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Humpback Whales
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Humpback Whales
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Fluke print
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Shore
Gerlache Strait
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At the south-wester end of the Bransfield Strait is a string of islands known as the Palmer Archipelago, these are seperated from the Antarctic Peninsula by the Gerlache Strait, which we next turned down. Palmer Archipiligo was named for Capt. Nathaniel Palmer who explored the area in 1820 and Gerlache Strait was named for Lt. Adrien de Gerlache, leader of the Belgium Antarctic Expedition of 1898.
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Shore
Gerlache Strait
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As we sailed along the coast the sun continued to shine on the surrounding mountains. Snow and ice covered everything except for shear cliffs and even then the snow managed to cling on in places.
On numerous icebergs, Crabeater Seals also lay sunning themselves.
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Crabeater Seal
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Dining Room
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As we ate lunch in comfort, we were able to watch the panorama slip by.
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We were not alone in the area, a Russian ship passed going in the opposite direction.
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Russian Ship
Gerlache Strait
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Forecastle
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Shore
Gerlache Strait
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Shore
Gerlache Strait
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Shore
Gerlache Strait
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Occasionally we would step inside the bridge to see what was going on, but more often to get out of the chill.
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Bridge
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Later we passed by the Chilean base of 'Gonzalez Videla', whose primary function is to support Chile's claim to the Antarctic, as well as sell souvenirs to tourists on passing ships. We continued on to a deserted Argentine base, called Almirante Brown, where we stopped and went ashore to climbed up a hill behind the base. Fritz dug a snow hole to demonstrate how he obtained data of glacier formation and conditions. After, we returned to the bottom of the slope by sliding down the hillside.
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Almirante Brown Base
From top of hill
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Fritz in snow hole
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Sliding down hill
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Tern
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By a hut at the base a tern kept up a warning call, she had a chick hidden under a step to the hut.
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Tern chick
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Shags
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To complete our stop we took a zodiac tour along the shore into Paradise Harbour to look at the various rock formation, shag colonies and icebergs. But the highlight was a Leopard Seal laying on and iceberg.
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Leopard Seal
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Glacier
Paradise Harbour
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Crabeater Seal
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Sunset
Paradise Harbour
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For the evening meal we had a BBQ on the after-deck, some hardly soles sat outside but we preferred the comfort of the dining room. As the sun set we watched for the changing of the colours and although there was a red tint the effect was not dramatic.
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Over night we had crossed Flunders Bay to arrive to the north of Cape Renard.
A still morning but with low misty clouds welcomed us. The water was still, only rippled by the slightest of breezes. On board the fine mist blew in to our faces, like pins, as a result of the ships forward motion.
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Icebergs
Lemaire Channel
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To the front the Lemaire Channel. The channel was named by Gerlache for Charles Lemaire, Belgian explorer of the Congo. Ice all about enclosed us,Crabeater Seals occupied many of the flat icebergs whilst Gentoo Penguins swam in the clear water. Deep blues were reflected between the snow and the clouds.
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Forecastle
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Icebergs
Lemaire Channel
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Penguins
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Penguins
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Chief Engineer
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At breakfast we anchored in a bay and with the stillness of the water we were able to see that there was a slight leak of oil on the starboard side. The Chief Engineer peered anxiously at it but we were reassured that it was nothing serious.
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Oil slick
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For our first trip of the day we were taken on a zodiac tour of the bay to view the many and wondrous shapes of the icebergs, that tended to accumulate in the channel. With the majority of an iceberg being under water and air being a better insulator than water, the bottom of an iceberg melts more quickly than the top making it, after a while, top heavy, resulting in the iceberg rolling over. The process is then repeated resulting in the marvelous water-sculptured shapes. The water was so clear and still that it was possible to look down to the sunken part of the bergs. In the meantime, as usual, Crabeater Seals and Penguins kept us company.
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After the tour we were taken to the granite shore of Planeau Island, with Gentoo Penguins, Skuas and Gulls in residence. It was good to be able to stretch our legs and warm our feet by clambering over the rocks, being careful not to get too close to the nesting skuas which warned us off by diving at us. A number of the penguins were sitting on small chicks. This was the first time we were able to return aboard with warm feet.
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Crabeater Seal
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Skua
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Shells
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Moss
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Skua chick
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Penguin with chicks
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The anchorage was the furthest south we would travel. We turned around and returned back along the Lemaire Channel, the water still flat and reflecting the shore side. The low cloud had risen to 200m.
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For the afternoon we made a visit to Port Lockroy, discovered and named by Charcot of the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903-05 for Edouard Lockroy, French politician and Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies, who assisted Charcot in obtaining government support for the expedition.
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Queuing for shop
Port Lockroy
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The British base set up in 1944 as part of Operation Tabarin, the object being to deny the Germans any Antarctic Territory, and later deserted. The base was later restored and is now open as an historical site. This was one opportunity to shop in the Antarctic.
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Close by to Port Lockroy was an island with Gentoo penguins. On the previous two days the temperature had risen to an unseasonable 15°C resulting to many chick dieing from heat exhaustion and attacks by Skuas when abandoned by parents seeking survival in the cool sea water.
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Huts
Port Lockroy
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Whale bones
Port Lockroy
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Shags
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Shore
Neumeyer Channel
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On leaving Port Lockroy we sailed along the Neumeyer Channel, which we were informed was well worth being on deck for, but after the outstanding sights of the past few days we found it to be nothing different.
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Neptune's Window
Deception Island
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Overnight we crossed the Bransfield Strait to the South Shetland Islands. Rose early for our arrival at Deception Island, a large volcanic caldera with a narrow sea entrance called ‘Neptune’s Bellows’ forming an excellent sheltered harbour. To one side was another feature called ‘Neptune’s Window’. The name Deception Island has heen in use since at least 1821, Neptune Bellows was so called about the same time due to the strong gusts of wind that blew along the channel.
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Neptune's Bellows
Deception Island
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Our first stop was on the opposite side of the basin where there was a hot water spring close to the shore. Those with a hardy nature went for a swim, it wasn’t the getting in that put us off but getting out and having a zodiac ride back to the ship!
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Swimming
Deception Island
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Ash covered snow
Deception Island
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We took a walk a little way up the hill to a former Chilean base that was destroyed in a volcanic eruption in 1967. There was no lava flow but plenty of ash. Up on the hillside was a deep bank of snow insulated with an ash cover. The area is now one of scientific interest as the emergence of new plants on the ash is observed.
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Destroyed Chilean Base
Deception Island
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Returned to the ship and for the rest of the morning moved to Whalers Bay, so named by the French Antarctic Expedition in 1908-8 because of its use at that time by whalers
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Whalers Bay is now an historic site. Until 1931 it was the home of a large whaling fleet and during WWII Britain set up a small naval presence, converting it to a research base at the end of the war. After the volcanic eruption it was deserted.
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Chinstrap Penguin
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First we took a walk up to Neptune’s Window a gap in the caldera wall looking out to sea and from where, in times past, observations of the weather and ice conditions in the approach to Neptunes Bellows could be observed. Afterwards we returned to the main area, taking photos of interesting objects as we went.
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Waterboat
Deception Island
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Lichen
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Fur Seal
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Coopers wreckage
Deception Island
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The buildings around Whalers Bay, although dilapidated, were mainly still standing; but with a policy of leaving them for nature to take its course will in time collapse.
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Whalers BayPort Foster,
Deception Island
Deception Island has a history of human occupation dating from 1911 when a whaling station was established in Whalers Bay by "Hvalfangerselskabet Hector A/S" of Norway. It closed in 1931 because of a slump in whale oil prices.
On 3rd February 1944, a British base (Base B) was established on Deception Island by the Royal Navy during "Operation Tabarin" using three of the abandoned whaling station buildings. In 1945, "Operation Tabarin" terminated and the base was handed over to the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS), the forerunner of the British Antarctic Survey, and became a scientific research station. In 1946 the main accommodation building used by FIDS burnt down.
The main activities carried out at Base B were meteorology and the operation of an air facility to support survey work and the other British bases in the Antarctic Peninsula region. An aircraft hangar was built in 1961 and a new accommodation and laboratory block in 1965.
The base was occupied continuously from 1944 to December 1967 when it was evacuated because of a volcanic eruption. It reopened in December 1968, but finally had to be closed on 23rd February 1969 following another eruption. This resulted in a mud-flow destroying most of the buildings. This mud-flow dramatically changed the topography and coastline of Whalers Bay, and also engulfed the whaler's graveyard, in which A.H. Farrant, who died on 17th November 1953 whilst serving with FIDS was buried.
Much of the abandoned British research base and the Norwegian whaling station remains today. The main group of buildings stretch over 350 m in the centre of Whalers Bay; the British hangar is sited a further 300 metres to the west. Around the east side of the bay are various relics of the whaling operations, including water boats, timber barrels and large quantities of whalebone.
During the 1990-91 and 1991-92 seasons clean-up operations were undertaken at Base B by the British Antarctic Survey. All remaining fuel, batteries, and hazardous wastes, as well as a large quantity of general debris were removed. Further clean-up of the area is planned.
It is not intended that the abandoned buildings at Deception Island will be removed. This is for two reasons. First, the mudflow is now regarded as being of international geological importance, and the remains of the buildings a demonstration of the power of volcanic eruptions. Second, in 1995 the whaling station was designated as Historic Site and Monument No. 71 under the Antarctic Treaty.
If you enter the base you do so at your risk and neither the British Antarctic Survey nor the UK authorities will be liable for any personal injury or damage to property that you may sustain.
The Director, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 OETUK
Telephone: +44 (1223) 251 400 Fax: +44 (1223) 362616 Telex: 817725 BASCAM G
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Continued by walking up a hill behind the buildings to get an overall view of the area and then down to the aircraft hanger which was still in a good state of repair. Apparently to fit a runway in it had to be ‘S’ shaped; very interesting!
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Lagoon and hanger
Deception Island
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Whalers Bay
Deception Island
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BAS Huts
Deception Island
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Oil processing plant
Deception Island
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Back on board again for our final destination in Antarctica.
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A couple of hours sailing took us to Hannah Point on Livingston Island, an appropriate place for our final visit as it gave an over-view of many of the species that we had already seen. Hannah Point was named after a sealer boat from Liverpool which was wrecked in the South Shetlands on Christmas Day 1820.
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Elephant Seals
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There were Chinstrap, Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins, Elephant and Fur Seals and even a Leopard and Weddell Seal were reported. In addition there were also fossils as well as potential future fossils in the form of bones and carcasses
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On the tide line it wasn’t flotsam and seaweed that was washed up, but small pieces of ice.
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Ice on tide line
Hannah Point
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Southern Giant Petrel
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Along the way we passed by a small colony of Southern Giant Petrels.
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Southern Giant Petrel chick
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Dianne with Gentoo Penguin
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Returned slowly to the landing point, stopping frequently to watch the penguins which were extremely friendly.
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Gentoo Penguins
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Chinstrap Penguin
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Chinstrap Penguin with chick
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Continued on passed the landing point for a short way to view Blue-Eyed Shags from a distance.
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Blue-eyed Shags
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Returned to the ship and handed back our life-jackets as we wouldn’t need them again.
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