Well we are back from our seventh continent … boy did it go quickly!! Four days on the Peninsula was nowhere near enough.
We had two fun filled days on the Drake Passage … a notorious spot for heavy seas … the onboard doctor drugged us up with heavily sedating pills which helped us to sleep through it! No really it was not that bad our second day a little rougher than the first.
After passing the Antarctic Convergence we arrived into the Shetland Islands in good time and with excellent weather before us our expedition leader got us out for a sunset landing after dinner on Barrientos Island (part of the Aitcho Island Group). It was just spectacular and very hard to describe! Over time this would reveal itself to be our best and most picturesque landing.
The clear skies continued for another day. We enjoyed both a zodiac cruise and a landing on our "first" day in the Peninsula. In the afternoon we sat foot on our seventh and final continent at a place called Cierva Cove close to the Argentine base of Primavera. We were lucky to encounter humpback whales about five meters from our zodiac as we cruised around the cove.
The wildlife in the peninsula is extensive. We saw many different types of seals, penguins, birds and even whales. The Orca continued to allude us for the entire trip which was a shame. We were however privileged to have two scientists join us for part of the trip who had been in Antarctica for a month researching them as part of a study for a new BBC production "The Frozen Planet" due to air late in 2011! We also got a talk from the cameraman Doug Allan on some of their land and underwater footage so far … it is just incredible!
We enjoyed a morning zodiac cruise around an 'iceberg graveyard' which was just spectacular with icebergs as high as 50m suspended over us with 60million year old glacial ice displayed with shades of green, turquoise and blue. After boarding the ship again we got as far south as Petermann Island at 65°10'S 64°10'W where along with another landing and more wildlife spotting we enjoyed an Antarctic BBQ (a great excuse for us Kiwis to celebrate Waitangi Day in style from the Antarctic!).
We were provided with lots of historical information about Antarctica during our voyage and at one particular site, Port Lockroy along with enjoying the company of some furry friends we were able to look around a British Base restored to provide an idea about how it was to spend winters and summers there during the early 1900s, the most driest, remote and unforgiving environment in the world.At a place called Deception Island (an active volcano) we were given the opportunity to partake in a "Polar Plunge". They told us that the first inch and a half of water was actually warm … but we don't believe them at all and we think the pictures prove our point. The series of photos in the external collection (particularly of Marcus) are a great summary of the registered temperature … at one degree Celsius it was quite an achievement to even make it in past the ankles!
On our particular trip we were also lucky to be part of a new find in Antarctica. A higher plant had been photographed two weeks before and had not been identified previously in Antarctica. Contacted by a British Research Group our on board botanist got very excited by this news and managed to track down the plant and identify it on Deception Island. Antarctica had only two higher plants before 8 Feb 09 and now they have three! The British are even working on a management plan for the plant right now.
We have a collage of photos for you to enjoy and think that it is better that you look at them rather than have us ramble on for some time.
Antarctica is a truly unique experience and one that is extremely hard to put into words. We had an absolutely fantastic time and enjoyed every minute of just being there.
Love to all
Victoria and Marcus
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