ANTARCTICA #4: Deception & the Drake Passage

This is the last article in my Antarctica series. Bill and Marjorie Handel loved this trip and Bill is considering doing another group in December 2010. It might be a good time to go-- before it melts away.Day nine. We were on deck early, as we passed through Neptune’s Bellows, the narrow, shallow channel concealing the entrance into Deception Island. Once a haven for whaling ships and international research stations, it is now a haven for tourists wanting to take a dip in the thermal waters.

Deception Island is actually the sunken caldera of a semi-active volcano. In the early 1920’s, the volcanic eruptions caused considerable damage to the whaling station when the water in the harbor boiled and stripped the paint off the ships’ hulls. Between 1967 and 1969, volcanic activity on the island completely wiped out both the Chilean and British research stations. The most recent eruption was in 1992. Today, there are no human inhabitants on the island, only large colonies of Chinstrap Penguins on the exterior coast.
We sailed past sheer cliffs streaked with varied hues of red, black and gold, into the harbor surrounded by snow-capped peaks. The morning was overcast and the temperature outside was a cool 42 degrees; the water temperature, a very cold 38 degrees.

The zodiacs were lowered into the water and the staff was literally giddy at the prospect of soaking in the thermal waters. Since we were the late group for this landing, I decided to wait and hear the tales from the returning passengers. Everyone returning raved, just like being at a first class spa. I was still skeptical, but several members of our group donned bathing suits and headed for Pendulum Cove. I donned my same Michelin Man look and my camera and headed off with them. According to the group, once you found the “right spot,” and mixed the incoming cold water with the hot thermal waters, it was truly wonderful. Even though I didn’t take the plunge, I did tiptoe in and was surprised how hot the sand felt between my toes.While the others were relaxing in the thermal waters, I walked up the hill to what remained of the Chilean research station. The twisted steel and the burnt out shell of a boat tells the story of a hurried evacuation. Along the shoreline you can still see numerous whalebones partially submerged in the volcanic cinder and the burnt frame of an old whaling station.

Back on the ship, toasty warm and thoroughly relaxed from soaking in the warm waters of Pendulum Cove, the group headed for the Veranda Lounge for a congratulatory drink, and to finish their scrabble game. We left Deception Island in the early afternoon and headed due north toward the Drake Passage. The waters were calm, and I was hoping they would stay that way.

Unfortunately, the waters did not stay calm very long. Once we neared the Antarctic Convergence (where the warm waters from the north meet the cold waters from the south) the water was choppy and the ship was rocking. I immediately headed for my cabin. First a new patch (medication), second I put on the wristbands, and third I gulped down a Dramamine, just to be sure. By early evening the sign on the purser’s desk read: Moderate and heavy swells. Please hold onto the banisters as you progress down the halls and stairs. I had to laugh; the British certainly have a way with words. Walking was difficult at best, almost impossible if you couldn’t hold onto the banisters or walls.

The seas remained rough and I was told we had 29-foot swells. I marveled at the waiters as they “walked” across the dining room carrying heavy trays. More than once through dinner a wine glass tipped or a plate slid half way across the table.

The rocking and rolling continued the following day as we crossed the “dreaded Drake.” I was beginning to understand how early Antarctic explorers felt as they sailed the Southern oceans in their quest to reach the South Pole. I still can’t believe Shackleton and four other men actually crossed from Elephant Island to South Georgia Island in a rowboat, in a storm, and lived to tell about it. And without a “ patch” or wristbands!

A feeling of melancholy settled over the group. No one wanted the trip to end. The scenery was spectacular, far beyond any of our expectations. And the penguins were absolutely delightful. Going to the Penguin Encounter at Sea World will never be the same. Even Elephant seals, with a face only a mother could love, have a special place in my heart.Day 10. We woke up to the announcement that land had been sighted; we were approaching the infamous Cape Horn. I was amazed how much calmer the water was. The lecturer the previous evening had talked about gale force winds and 65 foot waves that had “done in” many a ship that attempted to round the Cape going from the Atlantic waters to the Pacific waters. It was a beautiful morning: blue skies, calm waters, with only a slight breeze in the air. The guide on deck said that was the first clear sighting of Cape Horn that season; it’s usually surrounded by a fog layer and impossible to see. I had read and heard about all the devastation associated with ships sailing around the Cape, it was hard to believe we were talking about the same Cape Horn.

We arrived back in Ushuaia in the late afternoon and walked into town for some last minute shopping. Packing became a real challenge --- where to put the red parka in an already full suitcase! The group was heading to Buenos Aires and the temperature was in the mid-80s.

I accompanied my group to the airport and said a tearful goodbye. I was staying on in Ushuaia to meet my next group. As the new group came through customs, their first question was, how was the Drake Passage? I only smiled….

Contact me at Redlands Travel Service for information about Bill Handel's trip over the winter holidays in 2009/2010:

www.RedlandsTravelService.com.

ANTARCTICA #3: A Beautiful Day in Antarctica

This article is a continuation of my trip to Antarctica in 2004 with Bill and Marjorie Handel. Antarctica is incredibility beautiful and was one of my favorite travel destinations.

It was another beautiful day in Antarctica---blue skies, puffy cumulous clouds, and an outside temperature of 46 degrees…summer in Antarctica. We disembarked in Neko Harbor on the Antarctic Peninsula. Marjorie Handel and I marked the occasion with this photograph:

I must admit, I did feel a certain sense of elation. I still can’t believe my travels have taken me to all seven continents. When I look at a map, there are still so many places I want to go-- it’s a big world out there. We had our obligatory pictures taken with a sign welcoming us to the Antarctic continent and headed up the hill to the Adelie Penguin colony overlooking Paradise Bay.
The penguins were nesting and the baby chicks were still under the protective care of mom or dad--it’s hard to tell the difference. Prior to my trip to Antarctica, my knowledge of penguins came from visiting the Penguin Encounter at Sea World. I was fascinated to learn that penguins spend 80 percent of their life in the water, only coming ashore for courting, mating, nesting and the incubation period that consists of warming and hatching the eggs.To my surprise, most of the penguins had two chicks. Penguins live in a very democratic society. The mates share the duties of incubating the eggs and feeding their young. Baby chicks are so cute. They’re born with a thin layer of downy feathers and look absolutely nothing like their parents. The funniest behavior is when the parent comes ashore to feed their young. It calls its chicks and waits for an answering call from the offspring. Apparently, parents and chicks can recognize each other’s calls, enabling each parent to locate and feed the right chick. The chicks run after the parent until the parent finally stops and regurgitates the partially digested food into the chick’s mouth.Yum! It certainly doesn’t sound very appetizing, but it’s fascinating to watch. What’s even funnier is when chicks, not belonging to a particular penguin, join the chase. If chicks are hungry, and their parents have not returned with food, they look for any port in the storm, or any penguin that has food.

I never realized that penguins were so vocal or so loud. At one point, a Brown Skua (a large gull-like bird) flew over the colony, and all hell broke loose. Apparently, Skuas prey on penguin eggs and chicks, and the nesting penguins were not happy.

We spent the morning enjoying the penguins. Several members of the group hiked up to the top of the ridge that provided a panorama of Paradise Bay. I had to laugh. I was used to seeing little black dots of far-off penguin colonies and now I was seeing little red dots, as the hikers, in their red parkas, got closer to the top.
In the afternoon we were off again for a Zodiac cruise around Paradise Bay, a protected natural harbor surrounded by hanging ice cliffs and huge mountains of ice. We cruised around the harbor as the guides pointed out several ice caves in the glacier face. The shades of blue on the glacier ice are unbelievable, from a light turquoise to deep cobalt. As we sat for a few minutes to appreciate the shear beauty of our surroundings, we could hear the thunder and cracking of glacial calving. For a moment, I felt I was watching a National Geographic special and someone had turned up the soundtrack.We were on the lookout for wildlife, and weren’t disappointed. Our guides pointed out a colony of blue-eyed shags nesting on the cliff ledges. We saw several different types of seals including the Weddell seal, a Crabeater seal and a Leopard seal. Seals are solitary mammals and spend the majority of their life at sea. For most seals, their diets consist of krill and fish. The Leopard seal also eats penguins and other seals. According to our naturalist guide, the Leopard seal has gotten a bad rap. Even though they lay in wait for penguins as they swim to and from their colonies, only a small percentage makes this a habit. I’m sure the penguins appreciate that.

On my second trip to Paradise Bay, several days later, we encountered a pod of Minke whales that seemed to be playing a game of cat and mouse with the Zodiacs. Once the whales were sighted, several Zodiacs came into the area. The whales were delighted with the crowd and performed magnificently. Even the Zodiac drivers and guides were duly impressed.

Back on the ship, we changed from our “Michelin Man” look to less cumbersome outdoor attire. Karen Mahmoudi and I took advantage of the photo op:It was so beautiful outside, the dining room staff decided to have a barbecue dinner on the pool deck. As a native Californian, I don’t exactly consider 46 degrees Fahrenheit barbecue weather, but I thoroughly enjoyed the barbecued ribs, chicken and steaks, taking my plate inside to find a place to sit in the Veranda dining room.

We continued south and were up bright and early the following morning to enjoy the scenery as we sailed through the Neumayer Channel on our way to Port Lockroy (on Wienke Island), the home of the British Research station.
The British established Base A at Port Lockroy in 1944 to support geological and geographical fieldwork in the region. Abandoned for many years, the British returned in 1996, repaired the station, and established a museum to provide visitors an impression of life and conditions at an Antarctic station in the early 50’s and 60’s.
The station is staffed only during the summer months.

Port Lockroy was a favorite stop for the group. There is a large colony of Gentoo penguins that nest very close to the British station. The penguins are accustomed to the presence of humans and we were able to get right next to the penguins and their chicks.

Also, Port Lockroy has a post office; this is the place you mail postcards postmarked Antarctica. And, they sold souvenirs. It had been several days since the group got to shop and they were delighted. We all got into the swing of things and purchased pins, patches and maps of the area.Our excitement for the afternoon was watching the captain navigate through the narrow Lamaire Channel. On the previous cruise, there had been too much ice and their way was blocked by a huge tabular iceberg. The rock walls of the channel were steep, rising almost perpendicular to the narrow channel. Growlers and bergie bits (icebergs that have melted into smaller ice flows) were all over the place. Once through the channel, I felt I had entered a white fairyland. Icebergs of all sizes and shapes were everywhere. It looked surreal and reminded me of a Salvador Dali panting. It’s even more amazing in a Zodiac; you feel microscopic next to an iceberg the size of a football field or a three-story building, and that’s only what we see above the water line.

At our furthest southern point (our latitude was 65-07S) we were near Peterman Island at the southern end of the Lemaire Channel. For a point of reference ,the Antarctic Circle is at latitude 66-33S.

As we turned around and exited the channel, I felt a sense of sadness. The trip was already half over; we were now heading north toward Deception Island. Join me next week as we take a dip in the thermal waters of Pendulum Cove and continue our way north back through the Drake Passage.

Want to join Bill Handel on his trip to the Antarctic? We are currently taking reservations:

www.RedlandsTravelService.com.

ANTARCTICA #2: Heading South to the Shetlands

This article is a continuation of my trip to Antarctica in January 2004.

We were leaving the main lounge after listening to a lecture on Sir Ernest Shackleton and his fantastic voyage aboard The Endurance, when the captain announced the first iceberg had been sighted. We all grabbed our cameras, binoculars and parkas, and headed to the Promenade Deck.

It’s truly an amazing sight--off in the distance it looked small and insignificant. As we got closer, we realized it was a large iceberg--the size of a five-story building. The naturalist guide on deck called it a tabular berg, a flat, table-topped berg that had broken off from the ice shelf,
different from more irregular shaped icebergs that calve from glaciers. What’s even more amazing is that only one-fifth of an iceberg’s height and one-eighth of its volume floats on top of the water. This thing was gigantic.

Not long after we sighted the iceberg, we sighted land--we were approaching Elephant Island, the northernmost island in the South Shetland chain.Elephant Island became famous after the crew of The Endurance landed there in April. 1916, after their ship was crushed in the ice of the Weddell Sea. Shackleton left Frank Wild and 22 men on the island while he set out with five men for South Georgia Island. It took them sixteen days, in a small lifeboat, over treacherous seas, to reach the whaling stations at South Georgia, and another four months to finally rescue his men after several unsuccessful attempts. The story of Shackleton and his incredible journey of survival is well worth reading. It has a happy ending--all 27 men survived and several even volunteered to go with him on another expedition five years later.Early the next morning we arrived at King George Island. I couldn't wait to go ashore. We put on several layers of clothes, beginning with our thermals and ending with our red parkas, waterproof pants, rubber boots, a hat and gloves. We “waddled” down to the boarding deck and off we went on our first zodiac ride to shore.Our welcoming party was a group of Adelie Penguins--all dressed for the occasion. They are so much fun to watch--like miniature Charlie Chaplins on their way to the beach for a swim.

We were free to walk around, as long as we stayed away from the areas designated as a Sight of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI). The Polish Research Station, Arctowski, established in 1977, has been studying fragile plants and mosses as well as the behavior pattern and interaction of three different types, or species, of penguins --- the Adelie, the Gentoo and the Chinstrap Penguins.Let me backtrack for a moment. Geographically, Antarctica is the continental landmass surrounding the South Pole. Politically, Antarctica is considered a “no-mans land” and falls under the jurisdiction of the Antarctic Treaty. Basically, the Antarctic Treaty is an international agreement enacted in 1961, that provides a framework for “cooperation and management of Antarctic concerns.” The intent of the treaty was to provide freedom for scientific investigation and cooperation and very strict guidelines regarding wildlife conservation. It even covers tourism, the number of people on an island at any one time (100), not removing anything from the land, not polluting the waters, keeping a safe distance from the animals, etc. As the naturalist guides like to say, “take pictures and leave footprints.”

Throughout the islands off the Antarctic Peninsula, several countries have established research stations: Brazil, Korea, Great Britain, Argentina, the United States, China and Chile. Some of the stations are staffed year-round; others are staffed only in the summer months, between late November and March. We had the opportunity to visit several of the stations, check out their living conditions and hear about their scientific projects.Back on the beach, we found a “clump” of elephant seals. Describing them as a clump may not sound very articulate, but that’s exactly what they looked like. During the summer months, the elephant seal comes ashore to molt and is very lethargic. Males can weigh up to 11,000 pounds; females are smaller and average around 1,800 pounds. They look like giant slugs--not the most attractive of the Antarctic pinnipeds (fin-footed ones.)Hard as it was to leave our newfound friends, the penguins, the weather had turned windy and cold and it started to snow. We boarded the zodiac, took a short excursion around Admiralty Bay, and headed back to the ship.

As we headed south, the waters were calm, and the air temperature averaged a mild 40 degrees F. (I attribute the description of the weather to the naturalist guide from upstate New York, where the temperature was in the low teens during my first week in Antarctica.)

As we continued through the Bransfield Straits toward the Antarctic Peninsula, we continued to watch for whales and attempted to identify the birds following the ship.
I was happy the afternoon lecture was on Antarctic birds; it would certainly help me put names to the birds flying overhead. I was fascinated to learn that there are over 50 species of birds living in and around the Antarctic waters. Most Antarctic seabirds, such as Albatrosses, Petrels and Penguins, spend their lives on the open ocean, out of sight of land. They come to land only to breed and rear their young. These birds nest from late October to late February on land that is free of snow and ice (not always an easy task). Once the brief summer ends, they return to the sea, living around the pack ice or migrating north to more temperate environments.

We were up bright and early the next morning. The 168 passengers had been divided into two groups, for shore excursions and Zodiac outings, and we were the early group that day. Our destination was Neko Harbor on the Antarctic Continent. There was definitely a sense of excitement in the air. For many passengers on the ship, this would be their seventh continent, myself included.Join me next week as we visit the penguin colonies in and around Neko Harbor on the Antarctic Peninsula and venture into Paradise Bay, famous for its scenic beauty and abundant wildlife.

ANTARCTICA #1: A Look Back

With all the news broadcasts and magazine articles on global warming and its effects on wildlife around the world from the polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, to the elephant seals and penguins in Antarctica, the climate is warming and it is affecting the environment. Whether the changing temperatures are due to man or nature, I really don’t know, however, I do know that the ice shelf in Antarctica is shrinking at a dramatic rate and it is affecting the animal (and bird) populations. We (Bill Handel and family) will be doing another group to Antarctica in December, 2009. I will be anxious to see the differences from my last trip in January, 2004.

On our next trip we will also be going to South Georgia Island, where I’m told elephant seal pups are friendly and slide right up to you for a little TLC. It is also where Ernest Shackleton finally reached land again to save his men stuck on Elephant Island, much further south.

Following is an excerpt from Ilene's travelogue from our trip in 2004. Enjoy, and sign up to come with us next year! ~Bill Handel

Heading South to Antarctica

As we boarded the plane in Santiago, I could feel the sense of excitement among the group. Now the real adventure would begin---we were on our way to Antarctica. We arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, in the early afternoon and had a brief tour of the city before boarding our ship, the Explorer II.

I had selected the Explorer II because of its size. I had read about the infamous Drake Passage and I did not want to be on a small ship. The Explorer II, an exploration class ship with an ice-strengthened hull, has a passenger capacity of 398 guests. However, in the Antarctic, they limit the number of passengers to 198 to increase the number of Zodiac and shore excursions available to each passenger.

After settling into our cabins, we set out to explore the ship. The main dining room, the lounges, the theater and library, the “gym” (one treadmill, two bicycles and workout bench,) two small gift shops, a beauty salon and spa--this was definitely expedition cruising in style.As we headed out the Beagle Channel, we stood on the Promenade Deck, watching the sea birds as they flew overhead. The weather was balmy, in the mid-fifties with a slight breeze and blue skies. We were on our way to the Falkland Islands, the first leg on our Antarctic adventure.We arrived in Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands,two days later. Crossing the Scotia Seahad been relatively calm, 8 – 12 ft. waves, according to the captain’s log. Most of the group fared very well and commented how the movement of the ship helped put them to sleep. I, however, not having my sea legs yet, was thankful for the “patch” my doctor had prescribed and added my wristbands for extra measure. At that time, I had no idea what was to come.

Being the middle of summer, the weather in Stanley was quite mild, in the mid 50’s. The Falkland Islands, consisting of over 700 small islands, have a population of 2900 people, of which 1900 live in Stanley. As an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, the language is English and the currency is the Falkland Island Pound, equivalent to the British Pound. The town is really quite charming with its timber-framed buildings with corrugated iron roofs that are painted beautiful shades of yellow, blue, green and scarlet.The Falklands are really off the beaten path. If you look at a world map, you really are in the middle of nowhere. Most of us would probably have never heard of the Falkland Islands had it not been for the Falkland War in 1982, between Great Britain and Argentina. Argentina had claimed the islands, known as the Malvinas, since 1820.
However, Britain had occupied and administered the islands since 1833. In April of 1982, Argentina invaded the capital and took control of the islands. Apparently that did not sit well with Britain, and war was declared. Argentina finally surrendered on June 14, 1982. From start to finish,the war lasted 72 days.
However, remnants of the war still exist. We took a tour to Lagoon Bluff, about a 45-minute drive outside of Stanley, to see some of the countryside. Our guide briefly recounted the story of the war and pointed out several areas, marked with bright orange flags, of minefields left behind by the Argentines. Apparently the mines are not easily detectable due to plastic, not metal casing, and have not been removed.

We spent the afternoon in Stanley, shopping for souvenirs,enjoying a pint at the local pub and visiting some of the local landmarks. By 6:00 pm we were back on the ship, ready to head south toward the Antarctic Peninsula.When I awoke in the early morning hours, I knew immediately we had entered the Drake Passage. “Rock and roll” took on a whole new meaning. I managed to get dressed and made my way to the Purser’s desk. The sign on the counter made me laugh: Sea conditions---Rather Rough. As far as I was concerned, that was atypical British understatement---the seas were very rough with waves reaching between 25 and 30 ft. (On my second crossing, I would rethink the meaning of rough when waves reached 41 ft.) I was thankful that I remembered to change my patch the night before, adorned my wristbands, and took a Dramamine for added protection.

I had breakfast in the main dining room where all the chairs are chained to the floor. I watched the waiters with absolute amazement, and admiration. How they carried the heavy trays, one-handed, over their heads, Will never know. I couldn’t walk across the dining room without holding onto something for dear life.

After breakfast I went upstairs to visit my friend Carolyn Groves, whose cabin was on the top deck. I stayed for less than five minutes --- the difference in motion on the upper decks is astounding. Anything not chained down or put in drawers or closets, ends up on the floor. Luckily, Carolyn is not prone to seasickness. I was thrilled my cabin was on the lower deck.

By mid-afternoon, we passed the Antarctic Convergence, the dividing line between the cold southern waters that encircle Antarctica and the warmer northern waters; the temperature dropped to a cool 36 degrees. Most of us spent the day in the main lounge listening to the lectures. I particularly enjoyed the talk on early Antarctic exploration and was thankful I was on the Explorer II, not the Endurance.By the following day, the seas had calmed down (12-15 ft),and we were out on deck watching the Wandering Albatross and Giant Petrels that follow the ship, and keeping our eyes peeled for whales and icebergs. We were getting close to Elephant Island.Join me next week as we enter the South Shetland Islands,sight our first iceberg, and take our first shore excursion in the Antarctic waters.

If you'd like to join the Christmas 2009 tour with Bill Handel and family, get in touch with me at Redlands Travel Service. Click the link below or give us a call at 1-800-339-8417.

www.RedlandsTravelService.com.