Day 19 - Ushuaia to Tierra dell Fuego to Buenos Aires

Day 19 - Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego to Buenos Aires

Date - 4 December

Weather -  Sunny, very windy and cold in Ushuaia. 

We were woken at 5.45am to a rare sunny day in Ushuaia. 

As requested we put our bags outside our cabin at 6.00am and we did not see them again until we arrived at Buenos Aires at four-thirty. Quark Expeditions were very efficient in organising us into our various groups for departure. Ours was the largest group, the Humpbacks, and after making our way down the gangplank we were personally farewelled by the expedition staff. It was a lovely touch.  We boarded coaches at 9.00am and spent the morning touring the picturesque Tierra Del Fuego National Park before catching our private charter plane at 1.00pm to return to Buenos Aires. 

Our tour guide for the morning was excellent as she gave the history of Ushuaia and the heavily forested national park. From the park we could see Chile close by on the other side of the Beagle Channel. 

We were taken by surprise by the cold as it was such a sunny day. It was disturbing to see the damage to the national park by the beavers which were introduced to the area from Canada in the mid 1900's. As they have no predator the population has now exploded to an estimated 100,000 and they seem to be chewing their way through the thick forest. They are now allowed to be hunted. 

On arrival at the Buenos Aires airport I was able to order a taxi in Spanish and we arrived at the hotel at six o'clock. We had a quick turn-around and met the British people, Sonia, Sally and Roy in the hotel's lounge for drinks followed by dinner at one of Buenos Aires' leading meat restaurants, Don Julio in Palermo. When we arrived the restaurant was full and people were lined up on the footpath. Roy had booked a table so we were seated immediately. It was a great night and a fitting end to our Antarctic adventure.

There was a quote on our Daily Program in the morning which stated: 

"For those who have experienced it, no explanation is necessary. For those who haven't, none is possible." Unknown. 

Antarctica is beyond words and we have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit it. 

Day 18 - Beagle Channel to Ushuaia

Date - 3 December

Weather - Sunny, 13 degrees, 20 knot winds

Seas - Calm

Sunset - 4.44am

Sunrise - 21.48pm 

This was our last full day on the ship. Overnight we moved closer to the Beagle Channel towards Tierra Del Fuego, South America. We had survived a calm Drake Passage! Our expedition leader, Solan has renamed the Drake Passage as the Drake Lake! He asked those who wanted high seas and a sense of danger to book another trip as they certainly didn't get it on our expedition! The hotel manager told me that it has been the calmest and quickest trip of his ten trips across the passage.

Our first lecture was a marketing one from Quark and was about their range of trips to the Arctic. The trip to the North Pole on the ship called Icebreaker looked an amazing adventure but the ship had 11 decks under the waterline! Other trips include Svalbard, Norway, East Greenland, West Greenland and the Canadian Arctic. It was all are very tempting. 

Our eleven o'clock talk was "What Tomorrow Brings - Disembarkation" and we were given the process of how they were organising the 200 passengers to disembark in Ushuaia at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. 

We had a lovely long lunch overlooking the calm sea as we entered the Beagle Channel. It was warm outside and many of us took the opportunity to go out on deck and watch the passing channel scenery as well as watching the Argentinean pilot as he boarded our ship to take the it into Ushuaia. 

The ship was twelve hours ahead of schedule due to the excellent weather conditions across the Drake Passage. 

We received a certificate during the day which read, "Antarctic Expedition. This certifies that Dianne Taylor and Henk Vullers have completed an expedition to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, The South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula aboard the expedition vessel M/V Ocean Endeavour." It was signed by the Captain Nicolay Tililyuk and the Expedition Leader Solan Jensen.

The final lecture was a sobering one titled "Climate Reality and Our Future". Ninety-seven percent of top climate scientists agree that man-made pollution is warming our climate. 

Between the final lecture and the Captain's Farewell Cocktails we repacked our bags for our journey back to Buenos Aires from Ushuaia. The Farewell Cocktails was a great occasion where all the expedition staff were acknowledged as well as the Captain. The Captain had to scoot up to the bridge as the ship was coming into Ushuaia. Ironically, after smooth sailing across the Drake Passage we couldn't berth immediately at Ushuaia as a stiff breeze, choppy seas and light rain came up in the harbour. We had dinner whilst the ship sat in the harbour and waited for things to settle. A double rainbow settled over Ushuaia in the late afternoon sunlight and it was a beautiful sight from the dining room windows. After a couple of hours the ship was able to dock. 

The fantastic, final evening's after-dinner activities were a fitting end to a great expedition. The crew showed a video with the major highlights of the expedition. It was a great reminder of what we had seen and done over the last eighteen days. The finalists in the poetry competition also read their expedition poems. Apparently there were a lot of entries and it was good to see a number of Australians in the final six including Chris and Cathy. Chris also gave a wonderful tribute and toast to the crew on behalf of all of us. 

Our expedition has been an extraordinary operation on so many levels to keep it operating smoothly for all the passengers. This has included the coordination of the hotel staff, the restaurant and galley staff, the sailors and the expedition staff. Together they have given us an unforgettable experience. 

Day 17 - Crossing the Drake Passage

Date - 2 December

Weather - Sunny

Seas - Relatively Calm 

Sunrise - 3.12am

Sunset - 11.26pm

We woke up on the open seas of the Drake Passage and surprisingly, the sea was relatively calm. We were relieved and happy as we had psychologically built ourselves up for high thrashing waves!  Many of us have increased our intake of seasickness medication in preparation for rougher seas. As we weren't given the usual wake up call by the expedition leader it seemed that many of the passengers had taken the opportunity to sleep in. There were very few at breakfast at eight o'clock, however, the Aussie contingent of Cathy, Chris, Lorraine, John, Belinda and Graeme were there.

During the next two days as we make our way back to Ushuaia we will spend our time in lectures, other entertainment, and eating our way through more excellent meals. Jimmy, one of the marine biologists gave the first lecture of the day on "Orcas - Natural Born Killers". There were stunning photos which were taken yesterday from one of the zodiacs. The Orcas live in pods and live for a long time. One orca has been tracked for so long that she is now one hundred years old and was last sighted in October. Coincidently, the lecture was interrupted by a sighting of a pod of Finback Whales close to the starboard of the ship. We all ran to the starboard side to view them. 

"Wintering at the Last Place on Earth" was the lecture before lunchtime. Dick, the expedition's historian, gave a fascinating insight on living at the South Pole during the winter of 1975 as part of the American Base Station. He was the support leader and described the uniqueness of nine months of isolation, no direct sunlight, storms of eight to ten days, only seeing each other (18 men) and also being dependent on each other for survival. The dynamics between the individuals was interesting to learn about. The base station is at an astonishing height of 3500m in altitude with a humidity in single digits so the environment is extreme. Dick recommended a number of books written by some of the people who had lived in such harsh conditions. 

After lunch we had some downtime which was about the first time during the busy schedule of the expedition. During the afternoon we were encouraged to upload some of our photos onto the ship's journal. These photos as well as other information about the expedition will be available via a link about a month after the voyage ends. We will use the information to complete our photo book. A late afternoon talk was for all the budding photographers titled "Editing Antarctica and Sub-Antarctic Islands". It was a useful talk on enhancing photos through the use of a software program called Light Room. 

At 6.00pm we all gathered in the Nautilus Lounge to view a video showing the 48 (nearly 25%) of passengers who plunged into the freezing sea. It was very amusing. This was followed by a fund-raising auction of fourteen items ranging from our voyage flag which was weather beaten and tattered by the winds of the Southern Ocean to an Antarctic Tartan scarf designed by the Antarctic Heritage Trust to represent the colours of the Antarctic. The funds raised went to the South Georgia Heritage Trust, Penguin Lifelines and Underwater Bait Setter. The latter organisation has developed a hook which is only operational at a depth that prevents the mass killing of Albatros. The voyage flag went for US$2,500 and the voyage chart for US$3200. Approximately,  US$9,500 was raised. 

Tonight Henk and I along with Sydney couple Belinda and John enjoyed scallops and lobster for dinner. All the meals on the voyage have been excellent. After dinner the staff were thanked by the passengers in the restaurant. It was good to acknowledge the range of staff who have worked both in front and behind the scenes to bring about such an excellent expedition.

Overnight we will leave the Drake Passage and move into the Beagle Channel. We have been extremely lucky with the weather which has meant we have been able to land at all possible locations and see an abundance of wildlife. 

Day 16 - Half Moon Island and Yankee Harbour, Greenwich Island, South Shetland Islands

Date - 1 December, 2016

Weather - Sunny, 1 degree to a maximum of 11 degrees

Seas - Rough overnight, calm, sunny and warm 

Sunrise - 3.12am

Sunset - 11.26pm

We had a rough night crossing the Cranfield Strait as we made our way to the South Shetland Islands. The ship was rolling dramatically and we were rocked to and fro in our bunk. At one point in the night we were collecting things which had fallen to the floor and piling them in little bundles in the corner of our cabin. There was no wind but there was a huge swell coming off a major low in the Drake Passage. 

Our expedition leader, Solan, woke us at 6.45am to a beautiful, clear sunny day. The South Shetlands are known for being cold, dark and windy but we could not have had a better day. We had anchored in a calm bay with the nearby snow-covered Half Moon Island looking spectacular in the sun. Half Moon Island lies at the entrance of Moon Bay between Livingstone and Greenwich Islands. It is only two kilometres long and is crescent-shaped, hence it's name. We had a clear view of the Argentinean Camara  Station on the south west of the island. The red-brick coloured buildings looked stunning in the clear conditions. 

Our group firstly cruised around the bay before landing. It was a glorious, sunny day and it felt warm in the sun. We went out to the mouth of the bay and skirted around a number of small rugged islands which had a range of birds including penguins. On our way back we spotted a leopard seal near a large iceberg. It was very curious and we saw him swim elegantly around and under the zodiac as the water was crystal clear. We all madly took photos. 

As we approached our landing site we could, once again, smell the penguins before we saw them. When we landed on Half Moon Island we had our first close encounter with the smart-looking chinstrap penguins. The island is home to about 3,300 breeding pairs and we saw many sitting on their stony nests with their partners bringing more stones in their beaks. 

Their guana-pink stained penguin highways in the snow were all around us. We used their highways rather than walk in the soft snow but we had to follow the rule that if any penguin was using the same track at the same time then we had to stop and make way for them. We unexpectedly saw a rogue Emperor Penguin lying on the ice. We were so fortunate to have such a clear, sunny day for our last day on Antartic land.

Our last excursion for the entire expedition was at Yankee Harbour, Greenwich Island. We could not have had a more perfect afternoon. It was a sunny, warm afternoon and we spent about three hours off the ship. We firstly walked around Yankee Harbour on the stony ice-laden beach and then cruising in the zodiac. 

As it was our last land excursion Henk and I slowly walked between the stranded ice on the beach taking it all in and trying to appreciate as much as possible the serenity and beauty of the place before we left it for the last time. In the distance we could hear the thunder-like sound of the glaciers cracking. There were many Gentoo Penguins stone hopping and a number of seals soaking up the lovely sun. 

We spent the last hour in the zodiac close to the bottom of the glaciers which circle the harbour. They are about two hundred metres tall and are stunningly beautiful with their deep Aqua colours. We were hoping to see one calving but it didn't happen. On occasions we heard their loud cracking. The zodiac had to keep two hundred metres away from the base in case any calving did take place. 

On many occasions when we return to the ship they have either hot soup, hot towels, savouries or hot chocolate waiting for us. Today we had hot chocolate with Baileys which was very welcoming. 

Just before our daily recap and briefing in the Nautilus Lounge we were all called to the bow of the ship for a group photo. It was freezing. Two photos were quickly taken and we all couldn't get inside quick enough.

There is no wake up call tomorrow as we make our way into the open ocean into the Drake Passage which is one of the most challenging of seas. The forecast is looking "not horrible" as stated by our expedition leader, Solan. We have now left Antarctica and head back to South America. It will take about two and a half days to return to Ushuaia.  

Day 15 - Orne Harbour and Danco Island

Date - 30 November, 2016

Weather - Overcast then sunny, very cold, 0 degrees, snowing in the morning

Seas - Relatively calm, a lot of brash ice and sea ice

Sunrise - 3.00am

Sunset - 11.46 pm

We were woken by the expedition leader, Solen, on the broadcast system at 6.45am. The intention was to have a 7.00 am breakfast and our group was to be the first to board the zodiacs at 8.00am. However, there was so much sea ice and brash ice surrounding the ship it would have been impossible to use the zodiacs.

As we ate breakfast the ship manoeuvred into other positions and attempted to anchor a few times in the Errera Channel. It was snowing quite heavily and the deck was covered in ice. At eight thirty the captain made the decision to leave the channel and find a more suitable spot further north. We anchored at Orne Harbour with its sheltered coves at 9.00am. Orne Harbour is located on the Graham Land coast on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula. 

As we set out in the zodiacs the sun came out so we saw the area at its best. There was a gentle wide swell which made it perfect for sitting in the zodiac. One of the expedition team members sited a blow and we were fortunate to be in one of ten zodiacs which went outside Orne Harbour to a nearby glacier front and sighted humpback whales. There were about four large whales slowly coming to the surface, blowing and going under for about two minutes at a time. 

We observed them for about an hour and we would have been about 200 metres from them at some stages. Two of them flicked their tails and it was a great sight. It is times like this that I wish that I had a better camera. We were told at recap that it was the first sighting of humpbacks for the season. 

Near the end of our time on the water a small part of the nearby glacier calved and we heard the crash in the water. 

The surrounding high mountains with their dusting of overnight snow looked glorious  as we returned to the ship sitting inside the harbour. 

There was great excitement before lunch when about thirty hardy souls participated in the "Polar Plunge". This involved jumping off the ship's zodiac stairs into the frigid waters of the Antarctica. Anyone with a pre-existing medical condition was asked to see the ship's doctor before making a decision to plunge. The remainder of us were rugged up in our polar gear and overlooked the side of the boat to take photos. For safety each swimmer wore a waist belt which was tethered to one of the sailors. It was a lot of fun to watch and see how each coped with the freezing water. Some swam around for a tiny bit and some couldn't get out of the water quick enough! 

During lunch the ship made its way south to Danco Island which lies in the southern end of Errera Channel. There was a lot of brash ice and growler ice so the ship moved very slowly towards its destination. This was to be our furtherest southerly point on our voyage. A landing option was not available due to ice density and along with the moving current it made the ice unpredictable. 

We spent over two hours in the zodiacs slowly moving between the thick brash ice and icebergs and it was an unforgettable, beautiful afternoon. It would be the only place on earth where it is the closet to being silent. The weak afternoon sun became stronger through the afternoon and there was a long, slow swell. The amazing icebergs of every shape and size bobbed up and down. Words are inadequate to describe the beauty and the awe that we saw and felt. 

We took countless photos of the scenes as well as the nesting Gentoo Penguins, some Adelie Penguins, the cormorants, and a leopard seal. 

When we returned to the ship we quickly changed and returned on deck as there was blue sky, the sun was now high and the snowy landscape glistened. We didn't think our day could get any better when a pod of Orcas surfaced. Dinner was delayed whilst the Captain turned the ship around so we could all have a good view. When we went to dinner we could see the Orcas through the large dining room windows as they played on the surface. It was an unforgettable and magical day.

Day 14 - Mikkelsen and Cierva, Trinity Island, Palmer Archipelago

Date - 29 November, 2016

Weather - Overcast, 1 degree, very cold

Seas - Swells early morning, relatively calm

Sunrise - 2.55 am

Sunset - 11.14 pm

Everyone was tired this morning after yesterday's excursions and it was palpable at breakfast. We all seemed to have squinty eyes like the macaroni penguins. There's a few bugs going around including the flu, sore throat and diarrhoea and the doctor seems to be keeping busy. We suppose this is the down side of living in confined areas and going out into the freezing conditions. Overnight Henk started experiencing earache and a pain around the left cheekbone area. He visited the doctor and there is no evidence of a middle ear infection. He took the day off from going outside in the zodiacs with the very cold conditions. 

During the night we moved further down the Antarctic Sound and dropped anchor at Mikkelsen Harbour at about seven o'clock. The harbour is on the  southern coast of Trinity Island on the northern end of the Palmer Archipelago and was first discovered by Norwegian sailors on the Swedish Antarctic Expedition in 1901 - 1903. It was subsequently used by whalers for mooring their factory ships. Our ship had to moor about two kilometres from the landing area so it took longer to get all the zodiac groups off the ship as the first groups were ferried to the island. We firstly cruised around the harbour before making a landing. There were a number of glaciers coming down to the shoreline and they looked spectacular. We haven't seen any glaciers calving yet.

We landed on the very small D'Hainaut Island in the harbour. Today we had to walk on snow for most of the time. It was very thick and if we went off the track it went up to our knees as it was also very soft. The island is home to a disused whaling hut and a Gentoo Penguin colony with many penguins sitting on their stony nests around the hut. 

The nesting areas were the only places which didn't have snow and they weren't large areas for the penguins. The penguins had many hardened walking tracks which we had to avoid. These tracks make it easier for them to go to and fro from their colonies to the sea. 

We felt we had earned the selection from the hot buffet lunch after our morning excursion. The energy in the group had returned at lunchtime after the invigorating morning on the snow. 

We moved further south to Cierva and dropped anchor at two thirty. The water was very calm with many large icebergs and quite a large amount of floating brash ice and sea ice. We spent about an hour and a half cruising the shoreline in the zodiacs as we weren't able to land. The area is managed by an Argentinean research station named Primavera and they strictly control the area. The icebergs were large, all different and stunning. The aqua blue in the oxygen-deprived ice is spectacular. 

We went quite a distance from the boat and it was exhilarating to be in such an isolated part of the world. Our expedition leader turned off the zodiac's engine and it was very quiet. 

After we returned to the ship the other half of the passengers went exploring. We had a lecture from one of the expedition leaders, Dick, on four expeditions in the early 1900's which became frozen in the ice over the winter period and their subsequent stories of being rescued. He also touched on Mawson's expeditions. It was a fascinating lecture. 

Dinner was a bar-b-que on the back deck at seven o'clock. It was freezing and at times snowed. We donned our expedition gear and sat with Cathy and Chris eating our bar-b-que fare. It was very tasty but as soon as we finished the dessert we scooted inside to the lounge area where it was wonderfully warm.

Day 13 - Kinnes Cove and Brown Bluff, Antarctica

Date - 28 November, 2016

Weather - Overcast, freezing, 25 knot winds in the morning and calm in the afternoon

Seas - Relatively calm, good visibility 

We have walked on Antarctica! We woke surrounded by icebergs and brash ice as we made our way to anchoring at Kinnes Cove, Dundee Island which is near the channel into Antarctic Sound. Before breakfast we rugged up and we went outside to get a better view and the weather was freezing. The wind was so strong at the bow that I couldn't open my eyes and had to make a retreat behind a wall. During breakfast the ship stopped moving and there was an announcement that the ship was having mechanical problems so that caused a buzz. It seemed to be rectified in no time and we were on our way again.

We were the first zodiac group to leave the ship at ten thirty. There wasn't the swell like yesterday so it was easier getting in and out of the zodiacs. We all had multiple layers of clothing on to keep out the cold and we had barely an inch of skin showing.

We spent an hour cruising alongside the ice-covered and rocky coastline, skirting in and out of glaciers and driving through thick brash ice. 

We quickly had our first sighting of Adelie Penguins which are quite small and look like the typical penguins which are drawn in cartoons. There were hundreds of them close to the shoreline as well as high up on the snowy cliffs and many were also on the icebergs. We had good conditions to see not only the many Adelie Penguins but some Gentoo Penguins, and a Weddell Seal and a Leopard Seal swimming around our zodiac. A crabeater seal was sleeping close by on sea ice. The penguins were reluctant to go into the water with the Leopard Seal lurking nearby. 

We all took countless photos of the animals and the beautiful large and sculptured aqua blue icebergs. It was a good morning to be out in the zodiacs. 

When we were all back on board the ship quickly pulled anchor. Whilst we were having lunch we sailed south to Brown Bluff which is on the southwestern coast of Antarctic Sound. The ship dropped anchor at two thirty. 

It was our turn to be the last group to get into the zodiacs and we cruised first and then swapped and landed onto the Antarctic Continent. It was very cold and the icebergs were spectacular. In front of wind-sculptured rocks and on a stony beach we stepped ashore on Antartica. 

The crew had the ship's weather-beaten Antarctic flag and we all had a turn holding it up in the strong winds and having our photo taken. It added to the excitement of walking for the first time on another continent. There were hundreds of Gentoo and Adelie Penguins nesting on the ground and they had formed their nests with the surrounding stones as there is no other choice.  

We also climbed the side of the bluff to a small overhanging cave to see nesting Snow Petrels which are quite rare. 

We had an amazing three hours at Brown Bluff and returned to the ship at six thirty. Prior to dinner was a recap and briefing. Two people were formally awarded the Iceberg Spotting Competition prize and one was Henk. It apparently was a dead tie so both winners each won a bottle of red wine. 

It was a fantastic day. Tomorrow we continue south and deeper into Antarctica. 

Day 12 - Elephant Island

Date - 27 November

Weather -  Overcast, thick fog, snow

Sunrise - 3.45am

Sunset - 10.56pm

Seas - Relatively calm

Overnight we turned our watches back one hour as we continued south west from the South Orkney Islands to Elephant Island. The sea is now relatively calm as we have gone through the storm and the wind has settled overnight. We are now experiencing long days of daylight. 

At dinner time as we sailed out to the open ocean from the South Orkney's the sea became very rough. Fellow Aussie, Lorraine, and I quickly went down again with a bout of mild sea-sickness so we skipped dinner and went straight to bed with another sea-sickness pill. I woke this morning feeling fine due to the calmer seas and a good night's sleep. However, Henk seems to have caught the 24 hour bug that seems to be going around the ship and the doctor has confined him to the cabin for the day. I played 'nurse' and brought dry toast, soup and tea throughout the day and Henk mostly slept. He felt better this evening. He missed the zodiac expedition in the late afternoon. 

We spent the day at sea with lectures throughout the day. The first was titled "Antarctica - Continent of Extremes" and was a fascinating overview of the world's fifth largest, windiest, coldest and driest continent. Currently, of particular interest to scientists is the discovery below the mass of Antarctic ice of giant lakes and water courses. 

The pre-lunch lecture was titled "The True Seals of Antarctica - Part II" given by the ship's marine biologist. All the presentations have been very informative and accompanied by photos and videos. We should be seeing the Crabeater Seal once we get to Antarctica as it's the most common and abundant marine mammal on the planet.

The afternoon lecture "Antarctic Explorations - Historical and Cultural Background" outlined human knowledge of the great south land and concentrated on the many expeditions throughout the past two centuries. An interesting feature was looking at class and exploration and how the different classes became involved as society changed. 

There was a special treat for afternoon tea in the ship's library where pancakes, icecream with a variety of sauces and hot chocolate were being served. We all couldn't resist having some.

Our destination for the day was to Point Wild, Elephant Island. Port Wild has great historical significance as it is where Shackleton's crew beached after "Endurance" sank in the Weddell Sea. Port Wild is named after Frank Wild who led the party of 22 crew who remained at the site living under two lifeboats whilst Shackleton and five crew set out in a lifeboat to South Georgia. They were rescued four months later. 

We anchored at Point Wild at five fifteen and the snow caused a condition called "sugar ice" on the water which looks like floating icing sugar. Although the water was calm there was a large swell to contend with. We left the ship at six thirty and it was challenging to get on and off the ship's steps at the side of the ship and into the zodiac. The swell was high and unpredictable. 

From the zodiac and through the constant falling snow we saw our first sighting of chinstrap penguins which were dotted on the icy rocks. 

Our zodiac skimmed over a lot of "sugar ice" and crunched its way over the tough brash ice. 

We came within metres from where Shackleton's men stayed for four months before being rescued. It was a very tiny rocky area at the bottom of a steep cliff and it's unbelievable that they could have survived in such cramped, freezing conditions. In the midst of this extraordinary isolation were tiny chinstrap penguins and a small bronze bust of Captain Louis Pardo Villain. 

Villain was the captain of the "Yelcho" who along with Shackleton rescued the stranded crew. Nearby our zodiac came close to the large glacier, Furness Glacier, that came down to the sea. It was a beautiful sight. It snowed the entire time we were on the water and it was magical. Our zodiac was covered in snow. A large, curious leopard  seal also came close to the zodiac and chinstrap penguins swam nearby. I'm just sorry Henk couldn't join us but he is on the mend and should be fine for when we reach the Antarctic Peninsula tomorrow. 

Dinner was delayed to eight o'clock due to our late expedition to Point Wild. The recap of the day and the briefing for tomorrow wasn't held until after nine thirty. Excitement is growing as we get closer to the Antarctic Peninsula. 

Day 11 - South Orkney Islands

Date - 26 November, 2016

Weather - Overcast, max 2 degrees

Seas - Choppy with wind-whipped steady swells, strong winds

The large, choppy seas had us rolling around in our bunks last night. Thankfully, breakfast was at the later time of 8.00 o'clock as the seasickness tablets are making me and many fellow passengers feeling tired. Henk is feeling the same way as he has started taking the medication as well due to the increasing choppy seas. Fifteen minutes prior to breakfast the expedition's leader, Solan Jensen, broadcasts on the speaker system to make sure we are awake and gives us our position and forecast. This morning he reported that the winds were coming from the west at about a mighty 50 knots, the outside temperature was two degrees and visibility was relatively good.

At nine o'clock we started sailing close and down one side of the ice covered mountainous South Orkney Islands. It was a magnificent site with many large icebergs floating by as well.  Standing on deck to take photos now is freezing and we need our yellow coats to keep warm. During the morning we sailed down the side of Coronation Island. This is the largest of the South Orkney Islands at forty kilometres long with its highest peak at 1,256metres. 

We sailed around the top of the island and moored in a sheltered bay on the southern side called Shingle Bay. Only three of the crew have visited the island so there was much excitement seeing it with the potential of alanding. 

In the morning we were given a briefing on Antarctica and its political history. Tourism is highly regulated for the conservation of the Antarctic and once again we had to do a mandatory cleaning of our outer clothes with disinfectant and vacuuming our backpacks. This was followed by signing a declaration that we have undertaken the bio security measures.

After our mandatory briefing we had free time until lunch so I took the opportunity to just sit in the warm Nautilus Lounge in the aft looking at the passing scenery. One of the passengers played the grand piano so it was very pleasant. 

When we came into Shingle Bay in the early afternoon the wind was very strong and there was a lot of sea ice and icebergs, however, it was calm which was a welcome reprieve. It was also freezing and many of us who went out in all our gear didn't last long on the outer decks. The planned landings didn't take place due to the strong wind and swells as it was too risky. 

We anchored in the bay for a few hours to take in the views of the floating ice, the icebergs, glaciers and the snow capped mountains. The South Orkney Islands are stunning to look at but it is a most inhabitable place. 

At about five o'clock we left the relative calm of the bay and set out to the open ocean and headed westwards towards Elephant Island. It started to snow again and we started to see more and larger icebergs. They look spectacular. 

At our briefing prior to dinner we were told that we went through the Low about lunchtime and the seas should ease overnight. 

We gained an hour tonight as we turned back our watches. 

Day 10 - Scotia Sea

Date - 25 November, 2016

Weather - Cloudy, some rain and cold

Seas - Choppy seas with swells

We now will be at sea for the next two days heading south west until we reach land. Because we have moved into the open ocean the water is more choppy and it is sometimes difficult to walk in a straight line as the ship moves over the swelling waves. Breakfast was served at the later time of eight o'clock and Henk and I were the first through the restaurant doors when they opened. It seemed that many passengers had taken the opportunity to sleep in after some early starts and busy days at South Georgia.

We were kept occupied throughout the day with lectures from the specialists on board. The two lectures in the morning were a presentation on the Albatros and the second on the importance of krill for marine life. Both were excellent presentations. Krill is ice-dependent as it feeds off the algae which grows on the underside of ice. It's frightening to think that with global warming and the ice melting that the krill's food source will be depleting. Krill is vital for ocean life and a surprising number of marine animals depend upon krill as its food source. The Scotia-Weddell Seas which we are currently sailing through is the major nursery ground for the Antarctic krill. 

The afternoon's lecture was titled "Rock and Ice - The Crystal Desert". It was good to have a description of the Antarctic continent with its various regions prior to our visit to the Antarctic Peninsula. We learned of the different types of ice we will be encountering as we move further south including brash ice which breaks off from the glaciers, sea ice which is formed differently from brash ice, pancake ice which is plate sized and curls up at the edges, berry bits which are chunks of ice and growlers which are dense ice sitting low in the sea. 

Our recap and briefing came before dinner and we find this daily session very useful to remind us of what we have seen and what we are going to see. There are approximately 450,000 breeding pairs of King Penguin on South Georgia. St Andrew's Bay and Salisbury Plain has a combined total of 230,000 breeding pairs which would explain why we saw a lot of penguins! These numbers are increasing because of the rat eradication programs. We also had a session on the successful rat eradication program on Macquarie Island south of New Zealand. 

Also at recap we were told that we have left South Georgia one day earlier to beat two lows that are close by and the ship is now making its way to the South Orkney Islands to try and find some protective harbours. The ship usually doesn't call into the South Orkney Islands and we may have an opportunity to land there if a safe harbour can be found. After the South Orkney's we will be heading for Elephant Island where Shackleton's men remained whilst waiting to be rescued. 

Day 9 - St Andrews Bay and Gold Harbour, South Georgia

Date - 24 November, 2016

Weather - Clear and mild

Seas - Calm with a two metre swell

It was our turn to have a later start to go ashore. We woke to find we had anchored in St Andrew's Bay close to three glaciers coming down to near the shore line from the high snow-capped mountains. As the weather was mild we took the opportunity before breakfast to have a cup of tea on the top outer deck overlooking the view. We were joined by Lorraine, Cathy and Chris, our fellow Aussies and had a lovely time chatting away in glorious scenery. We could see the thousands of penguins dotting the shoreline.

St Andrews Bay is about 30kms south of Cumberland Bay on the north coast of South Georgia. It has the island's largest King Penguin colony with approximately 150,000 breeding pairs. 

We spent about two hours on the island and it was a spectacular and unbelievable sight with King Penguins and their brown, rotund, fluffy chicks everywhere. 

There were also many fur and elephant seals as it is also a breeding ground for them. We were very fortunate to have sunny weather so we saw it at its best. We took hundreds of photos as everywhere we turned there was a photo opportunity. 

We were also fortunate to be able to cross a glacier stream to get to the main breeding area. This is sometimes not possible. The expedition staff provided walking sticks so we could keep our balance as we crossed the stream.

Getting in and out of the zodiacs today was challenging with the two metre swell. Thankfully it was calm and we had two staff are on hand to get us on and off the zodiac. In the morning Henk got swamped getting into the zodiac as a rogue swell came along just as he was about to step in. 

We got back to the ship just in time for lunch and had an interesting discussion on the Trump election with two American women. Both were very upset at the result. At 1.00pm during lunch the anchor was pulled and we set sail in calm seas towards Gold Harbour which took about two hours. When we arrived inside the harbour there were stunning views from the boat of a glacier coming down to the shore line. It was our turn to cruise around the shoreline before going ashore. It is mating season for the elephant bulls and there was plenty of action happening! 

There were also Giant Petrels, Gentoo Penguins, King Penguins, fur seals and elephant seals. About four giant petrels were eating the carcass of a fur seal and were fighting furiously with each other. 

We didn't get back to the ship until 6.45pm but we didn't have to rush as dinner was at the later time of eight o'clock. We had a Thanksgiving Dinner and there are quite a number of Americans on board celebrating their special day. The dinner was a very tasty roast turkey with a range of vegetables and cranberry sauce. It was Lorraine's birthday so the waiters came in a procession to her table singing a happy rendition of Happy Birthday and gave her a cake which we all shared.

We have now left South Georgia after a wonderful visit. Sometimes it's impossible for passengers on other voyages to go ashore due to bad weather or rough seas but we were able to do all the Sth Georgia landings and see all the wonderful animals and stunning scenery. We are now making our way to south and south west. There is a large storm in the Drake Passage and the captain wants to cross the Scotia Sea before it affects us too greatly. Unfortunately, it looks like we are in for some rough weather in a day's time. A few hours after we left Gold Harbour we were back in open seas. 

Tomorrow there will be no early wake up call and breakfast will served from eight o'clock. We can have a little sleep-in and a relaxing two days at sea before seeing land again. 

Day 8 - Stromness and Grytviken, South Georgia Island

Date - 23 November, 2016

Weather - Overcast and snow

Seas - Very calm

We were woken at five o'clock at Stromness Bay to get ready for a six o'clock disembarkation. We had the express breakfast before setting off in a zodiac. The Universe gave Henk snow for his birthday. It was magical and it snowed up until lunch time. Our zodiac took us ashore to Stromness Whaling Station which is located in the central harbour on South Georgia's north coast. It was a whaling station from 1907 to 1932 and closed when the whale stocks collapsed due to over-harvesting. It was also the final destination for Shackleton's epic journey across South Georgia in search for help.

There were many fur seals lazing on the beach when we landed. We walked from the large dilapidated, rustic whaling station across the Stromness glacial plain to a waterfall at the base of the mountains where Shackleton had walked. It was a beautiful five kilometre return walk with the silent snow falling and the snow capped high mountains on three sides. 

When we reached the waterfall one of the guides read from Shackleton's diary of his elation on hearing the sound of the steam whistle coming from the whaling station and knowing that they were close to be rescued. It was a special moment. As we returned to the zodiacs over the stony ground and through small streams and the snow became heavier. It was surprisingly warmer than yesterday when the sun was out. 

We returned to the ship to a hearty breakfast and it was peaceful to see the snow flutter slowly down to the water as we ate. After breakfast we returned to the zodiacs for our turn to cruise around the bay and observe the wild life. The snow was quite heavy at this stage. 

When we first got on the zodiac it was also hailing but it was only the size of rice and didn't last long. We witnessed about a dozen petrels on a stony beach devouring a small dead whale seal. Their beaks were drenched red as they were putting their heads into the carcass. 

We had a briefing before lunch on Grytviken, an old Norwegian whaling station which was to be our destination after lunch. It was a short distance to travel from Stromness to Grytviken. Prior to leaving the ship a member of the South Georgia Heritage Trust at Grytviken came aboard and addressed the passengers on the successful rat eradication program.  It was interesting how the successful project used the island's glaciers as natural barriers for the rat baiting program. 

After lunch we returned to the cabin and the staff had put two balloons and a birthday card taped to the door. It was a nice surprise for Henk.

Our visit to Grytviken was brilliant. We spent about four hours visiting the site. Firstly, our zodiac took us to the cemetery on the southern side of the bay where Shackleton's graveside lies. The graveside of Frank Wild, Shackleton's "right hand man" sits to the right of Shackleton's graveside. We were given mugs with a splash of whisky or to toast Shackleton. It was very touching. It was from Grytviken that Shackleton organised a rescue mission to collect his men stranded on Elephant Island.  

We then had an hour's tour of the old whaling station and it really brought to life the whaling days of Grytviken. It was a tough life in tough conditions. Men worked twelve hour days seven days a week for several seasons to make enough money to buy a farm or house.  The old buildings, old boats and large rusting relics of the past are throughout the site. About eighteen people currently live at Grytviken and there is a museum, gallery, post office and gift shop. All funds raised go the the heritage trust to preserve the area. 

After visiting the museum housed in the former manager's house of the whaling station Henk and I walked out along the bay to Hope Point where Shackleton's memorial overlooks the sheltered bay. We passed many elephant seals and fur seals with the young ones playing in the water.

 One fur seal challenged Henk on tiny path to the Shackleton's Cross but Henk used the actions we were taught and was able to pass safely - take charge, look large and don't run!

When we returned to the boat at seven o'clock we had little time before it was the Bar-B-Que on the upper deck. The sky was clear, the temperature was very cold and we sat outside on specially set tables in our warm gear with delicious food and drinks. The mulled wine was very appropriate. We had a lovely evening with Lorraine, Chris and Graham and Cathy and Chris. All are Australians and we are enjoying each other's company. 

It was a busy and fantastic day for Henk's 56th birthday.