David and Julia's Living Book

Antarctic Mainland

Exploring

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Mainland glaciers.

Today was a very special day as we landed on the Antarctic continent for the first time. We landed at Neko Harbor, and what a magnificent place it is. At the base of the harbor are several gigantic glaciers. You can see how the snow mass from the Antarctic continent relieves the enormous pressures from the weight of ice and snow on it.

We caught sight of another cruise ship this morning just before we made our landing.

We did not see any icebergs break off the glaciers while we were there, but we heard huge thunderous cracking sounds coming from the ice. I could not imagine what would have happened to us if a berg had broken off in front of us.

It was reassuring to know we were not completely alone out here in the Antarctic wilderness.

Brown Station in Paradise Bay.

Our next stop was Brown Station in Paradise Bay, which is the Argentine Antarctic research station. No one was there when we landed, and the tour guide explained that the base is only manned from December. Lawrence and I both agreed that this station had not been used in a very long time.

Very, very cold pack ice.

Behind Brown Station was an 83-meter (166-foot) hill that we had to climb. Going uphill in knee-deep snow while wearing wellington boots is hard work, so when we came down, we decided to follow the penguins' lead and slide down on our backs; great fun! After touring Brown Station, we were loaded into the zodiacs and given a boat tour of the Paradise Bay glacier.

There was a lot of pack ice in the bay, along with several seals. So far on the trip, I have not really been cold; my gear seemed well up to the task. However, as we toured the glacier, the weather changed, and suddenly the wind came up, and it got very cold—really cold. I cannot remember the last time I was so cold.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

The very spooky Whalers Bay.

I woke up feeling rather seedy this morning, as last night I drank a bit too much. Drinking alcohol while taking motion sickness medication is not a wise thing to do, as I have found out.

They gave us our 6:30 a.m. wake-up call over the ship's intercom system and also announced we were about to enter the Neptune Bellows of Deception Island. Deception Island is, in effect, a partly submerged volcano. The island forms a large ring, so once you pass through the Neptune Bellows (the only way in), you find yourself in a highly protected bay. Volcanic processes at Whalers Bay in Deception Island heat up the water on some beaches, making it possible to swim there. We landed at Whalers Bay first and were stunned by its solitude. It is now a deserted whaling station, and it really gives you the feeling of a ghost town—except covered with snow.

Lawrence could not resist and had to go for a swim in the Antarctic waters. I think the expression on his face sums up the experience. Several others also took a dip, and each one had a similar experience. If you ask Lawrence, he has a new theory about why whale genitals are the way they are.

Next, we landed at Half Moon Island, where another Argentine station is located. The name is very appropriate, as it does have a perfect half-moon-shaped bay. I was able to hike a good two miles on this landing and was very happy to get the exercise before we start our two-day return crossing to Ushuaia via the dreaded Drake Passage. They are predicting less wind than when we first crossed, but the Southern Ocean always takes its payment when you sail it.

Now to get home safely.