Back in USA

We r waiting for customs.....in Miami

Arriving in Ushuia

Back in Argentina





Farewell from Expedition Leader and Captain





Two more days and we will be home!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Returning to S America

We crossed the Drake Passage quickly as the Captain wanted to beat a storm system from the west (Pacific O). Overnite we had quite a bit of "ocean motion" which is what the expedition leader calls rough seas. Didn't bother either of us but we did rock n roll through the night.
By 8am this morning we were just off Cape Horn in calm seas and a sum breaking through the clouds. Cape Horn is where the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern oceans all meet and a very dangerous spot for mariners.






Actually the southern most tip of SA is an archipelago "shared" by Argentina and Chile. Chile claims Cape Horn.
Two nights ago we picked up a National Geographics scientist who had been on Livingston Island studying leopard seals. His specialty is critter cams. These tiny cameras are carefully attached to animals all over the world to learn more about their habits. This morning he presented a most interesting talk about this work. We saw a video taken recently of a leopard seal taking a fur seal pup underwater.



The captain really enjoys finding wildlife. Yesterday crossing the Drake he would not stop. This morning we were ahead of schedule and so when he found some killer whales he slowed the ship. He switched controls to port so he could best follow them.


We spent over an hour watching them. The naturalist know this mother son pair well. Here are a few pics which were taken by IPhone... Not the best shots but you can see the whales.








Quiet day as we all most start packing our gear. We disembark in Ushuia tomorrow morning and fly back to Buenos Aires tomorrow afternoon.
What an amazing trip this has been.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 14---crossing the Drake Passage

We are heading back to Ushuaia and the ocean here can be quite rough. Put our patches on and the ship is a little rocky but not too bad. Tomorrow we expect to see Cape Horn. We have just gone through the Antarctic Convergence. This is where the cold Antarctic waters meet the warmer northern waters. We had 4 lectures (not much else to do!) pertaining to global warming, how it is measured and what to expect in the future. On board are several scientists who have researchers rushing to complete their work on the continent before winter comes. One is a PI on the NSF funded project to drill to an underground lake in search of life. This is the project reported in NYT just before we left which some read.
Just outside the dining room in the Bistro they put a line around shoulder height to hold on to on the way to the dining room.






Al's been doing lots of reading. Our cabin window is very large so we have a great view when there is something to see!
Wonderful trip..we have learned so much and seen so many extraordinary things.
One more day crossing and then we dock Monday morning.
Home Wed.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 13---last day in Antarctica

We first awoke around 4am to hear the engines at full speed. We sleep with the blinds up and have 20 hours if daylight. From bed we could see that we were slowly moving through heavy ice. We went back to sleep and later awoke to a clear sunny and very windy day. Captain said 35-40 K winds....much stronger than anticipated. Our destination was Linblad Cove. Too windy to be on deck so many of us crowded in the Bridge to view more spectacular glaciers.
I quickly took this shot but it in no way does justice to the beauty before us. Glaciers are every where on our trip...almost take them for granted.


Determined that the conditions were too poor to launch the Zodiacs we crossed the Bransfield Strait and head for the South Shetland Islands. Our new destination is Deception Island, a restless volcano. We enter through a narrow passage known as Neptune's Bellows.



The collapsed cone has become a very safe harbor. This was the site of a whaling station until 1930, when whaling no longer became profitable.
At the far end we anchor to let some passengers take The Polar Plunge. We watched from the deck.


Despite the warm cinder and some steam visible, those who partook said the water was VERY cold.
It was a gorgeous sunny afternoon and we took a self-portrait!



A little later we headed for the lounge and cocktail time. Each evening we have a recap of the day's activities including what the dive team found underwater that day...amazing.
Al is waiting for the recap while enjoying a cocktail!

Day 12...part 2

After we left Port Lockroy we travelled north and it began to snow heavily. This continued into the afternoon so we retreated to the top deck observation area...Al to read and Margie to knit.


Binoculars and cameras were ready and we were looking for killer whales in the de Gerliche Channel. Around 4:30 whales were sighted and the weather dramatically cleared. The whale team launched a Zodiac and attempted to put a satellite tag on a male whale using a bow and arrow. We watched from the bridge as they tried to identify and shoot the tag on just the right whale.



Here are a few shots of killer whales from above the bridge. (Al got great ones on his camera!)





This is the crowd following the whale research team on the bow. Each tag costs about 5k and they need to be within about 15-20 feet to shoot! It was fascinating to watch them manouvre.




By the end of the day the sky was clear and the surrounding mountains were glorious. Otis 10pm and still daylight. Another amazing day.






Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 11--The Antarctic Circle

Once again we awoke early to find that overnite we had crossed south below the Antarctic Circle. Very few expedition cruises are able to go this far south and so we were happy that we had this opportunity. It was a beautiful morning with very tall mountains peaking through the clouds.


There were many ice foes and we travelled slowly.


On one of the floes we spotted a juvenile elephant seal relaxing.



One of the naturalists told us about these mammals.


We continued south toward our destination, Detaille Island and encountered beautiful scenery before heavy fog set in.



Disembarking for Detaille...(see separate blog post)



Later in the afternoon we were treated to sausage and beer on the aft deck.





It was very fun day south of the Antarctic Circle and now it was time to head north again.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

We made it!

Here we are on Detaille Island south of the Antarctic Circle



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Detaille Island

South of the Anarctic Circle in the Crystal Sea is a small island. In the '50's the British Established a post there with the intention of mapping the area. After several challenging years it had to suddenly be evacuated. Recently the Antarctic Trust had sent a team to restore the post for it's historical value. (last year conditions were so poor that they could not even get in at all). Our ship brought the 3 person team supplies, did their laundry and invited them aboard for showers and lunch!
Here are some shots of the cabin.



Skis



-Working and living space.



Supplies



Guess what?



Leaving to return to our ship


Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 10 part 2

After dinner a spectacular iceberg appeared and so the captain drove right up to it! A castle, an arch an a tower were all part of it's "design!"


-Picture doesn't do it justice. In size it was both taller and longer than our ship.






Afterwards we sat and watched one after another huge iceberg float by. Only about 30% is above water and sometimes the lower part drags along the ocean floor.







Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 10

Up again early today. We are traveling south through the Lemaire Channel which is only 1600 M wide. Very beautiful!
Approaching the channel



After breakfast we gathered in the Mud Room for a morning Zodiac cruise among ginormous icebergs. Can you find Al?



Look how large the icebergs are compared to a very large Zodiac!






We also saw a leopard seal which can grow to 12 to 15'.



We returned to our ship and headed south to a destination unknown. In the afternoon we had lectures on the US Stations at Antarctica and later Penguins.



Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Day 9 Antarctica

What an amazing day! We awoke early to view the passage along the Erebus Channel which was spectacular. Little did we know that soon we would see even more spectacular sites.





We have passed ice bergs that are longer and taller than our ship! Most of the morning was fog and light rain. We donned our raingear saving our parkas for later when we went ashore.


In the morning we went ashore at Neko Harbor. The captain ran our ship right up to shallow water. This was our first steps on the continent of Antarctica. Ashore we saw many Gentoo penguins busy feeding chicks or sitting on their eggs. Also we took a little hike to a slightly higher elevation before we returned to the ship. The conditions were reminiscent of spring skiing. (My foot is rapidly improving but much of the walking ashore is on very uneven and today slippery ground which is a challenge!)
Late morning we went kayaking among the icebergs and smaller brash ice. Beforehand I watched as they lower the inflatables and kayaks. Wish I had a picture of us in the kayaks. Yet another view of Antarctica!


More icebergs after lunch.
After all the excitement of the morning we didn't think it could get any better. The captain found many humpback whales and we followed them for at least an hour. One drifted alongside the ship and from above we could see his entire body in the clear blue water.
Mid afternoon we anchored in Paradise Harbor and went on inflatable cruises among the ice floes and along the shore line.....more whales right besides our boat. Before heading back to the ship we were intercepted by another inflatable which served us cookies and piping hot Glogg(spiced wine). A wonderful day and they tell us more excitement to come!



Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone