Splash. The simple sound of it made my heart sink. While out on the side deck taking a few pictures of the passing icebergs and mountains, the unthinkable happened as a camera fell overboard, into the icy water below. High up on the deck of the ship, we knew there was absolutely no chance of recovering it, as a few of us stood there in disbelief, particularly Cecilia, the unfortunate Italian who had tried to tie her camera to her waistband to no avail. As terrible as it was, the two slightly redeeming factors were that she actually had a backup camera with her on the trip, and she only lost some pictures from Ushuaia and not some irreplaceable ones that would come later in the cruise.
Our second morning in Antarctica began with just as much excitement as the first. I woke up for a quick breakfast and couldn't stop staring outside, amazed to actually be within reach of this miraculous continent, with glaciers and mountains extending straight to the water's edge, occasionally broken by a few bits of rocky beach. Though clouds blocked the sun, the cloud cover was fairly high, so we had fairly clear views of the many islands and coastline around us. On any Antarctic tour, there is a basic itinerary, although it is almost certain to change, as everything depends on visibility, weather, and waves, dictating whether or not it's worth the effort or even safe enough to try to make a landing with the Zodiac or to even leave the ship. Knowing that we weren't guaranteed anything, we were happy to find a nice enough day weather-wise with calm seas, meaning that we'd be embarking after breakfast for a landing at Cuverville Island.
After suiting up in the jacket, pants, boots, lifejacket, etc, I was again in the front of the line, ready to be one of the first one the island. Just five minutes on the Zodiac and we were there, finding a coast strewn with large rocks and a big population of a couple hundred Gentoo penguins on a small bluff about 100 yards from us. This island was more of what I expected from Antarctica, a steep little mountain covered in snow and ice with penguins along the sides and a few scenic icebergs floating in the water. While waiting for the rest of the passengers, we mingled with the penguins, eventually heading right beside their rookery, finding them in different stages of development. Some were still molting, shedding off one set of feathers for another set for the cold winter spent in the water, and others were young ones, just a few months old, still a little small, plump and fluffy, preparing for their first taste of the bitter winter season that was on its way. I was worried I would be too late to see a lot of penguins, particularly young ones, so I was happy to see that the breeding season seems to be a bit spread out, so I didn't see any brand new hatchlings, but I definitely saw my share of fluffy juveniles.
Circling around front side of the island by foot, the view became even more spectacular, revealing a small circular pool full of small icebergs, floating along in the narrow stretch of water separating this island from the even more impressive snow-capped hills and glaciers of the mainland just across the dark blue water. We climbed a steep hill of snow/ice, eventually making it up to a rocky spot near the top from where we had incredible views of the penguin colony below and the awesome bay and adjacent mountains. This view was simply spectacular, a classic mix of dark rocks, white snow, and a scenic waterway dotted with icebergs in between. Straying off to the edge of the group, I found a nice seat on the rocks and marveled at the beauty for quite a while, feeling like I had truly arrived in Antarctica. Eventually, 30 minutes or so later, we had to leave, and the guides had a better idea to get us down.
With a steep, slippery slope and big rubber boats that aren't quite suited for climbing, it makes sense to slide down the hill, so that's exactly what we did. We were informed that the captain of the ship hates when people do that (for safety and liability reasons due to a few injuries), so we moved just around the side of the hill, out of sight of the ship and started down, one by one. Sitting down, you simply had to give yourself a small push to start off, then you could lay flat and pick up speed (or dig in your boots or hands to slow you down). Though it was only a few seconds and probably less than 100 yards down, it was a great way to finish this part of the island, and everyone in our group made it without any sort of injury (Rob, the Australian, did an impressive spin move, unintentionally, at the end of his slide, but that was all). After we slid down, we still had another 20-30 minutes on the island, so I circled a little further around the side, finding another perfect perch from which to watch the icebergs float by, a few penguins waddling or sliding near my feet and large mountains completing the perfect backdrop. Words couldn't describe the simple beauty of the scene, so I simply sat back and let it all set in before we finally had to head back to the boat for some lunch and to keep moving South down the Antarctic peninsula.
Leaving the island on the last Zodiac, we intended to do a tiny cruise around a few icebergs in the bay, but at the first iceberg, we encountered something more interesting. Actually, it encountered us. A large leopard seal was looming on the backside of the ice mass, and seeing us invade its territory didn't make it happy. As we slowed to a stop, the large seal dipped into the water and was soon upon us, circling around our small Zodiac. As I said before, these seals are known for being very aggressive and ferocious, towards penguins and humans alike, so we all wondered what would happen. Our guide repeatedly told us to keep our hands inside the boat, and as I was seated in the very back, I saw the spotted underside of the seal appear just a few feet underneath me at the water's surface, emerging in a sideways fashion and sinking its large teeth into the pontoon of the boat. With their huge mouths and strong jaws, I was a bit worried at first, but our guide remained calm, as this has obviously happened before. Fortunately, these Zodiacs are strong enough to ward off icebergs and seal bites, so there was no damage, but the seal continued for two or three minutes, swimming back and forth underneath the boat, as if stalking us, then appearing to take a bite out of one side or the other. My first experience seeing a leopard seal on land was interesting, but it was incredible to see one in the water, as feisty and dangerous-looking as they had been touted.
Later in the day, we cruised along in our ship, enjoying a nice lunch and getting ready for another ride out in the Zodiacs. This time, we were treated to a cruise of Andvord Bay. The weather was still a bit cloudy, but there were tiny hints of blue sky, so we hoped we may even get a bit of sun by the end of the ride. Piling into the rafts, we set out on the bay, a massive arc of water surrounded by large mountains of snow and a few glaciers reaching the water. Most of the water was also filled with mini chunks of ice, called pancake ice, as the surface of the water begins to freeze first, the initial stage of the incoming winter (this cruise would also not be possible early in the season, as it would still be frozen over). Crunching through little pieces of ice and dodging others, our guide, Rodrigo, explained a bit about the scenery and animals as he zipped around the water. The massive scale of everything around us was what impressed me the most. Knowing I'd see lots of snow and ice, I never expected it on such a grand scale. Each small cove or glacier face was amazing in its own right, and they continued, one after another. We found a few of the common crabeater seals lounging on some ice, and we also came upon two or three groups of penguins swimming by, jumping in and out of the water. At the end of the bay, we came to a massive glacier, the face of it with varying shades of beautiful blue and white (the color depends on how old the ice is and how much air is present in it - white=new, blue=old, clear=very old/no air), and we also found a large cave in the front of the glacier where the water was slowly melting away. A few small pieces calved off from the jagged masses of ice, creating a large cracking sound and a wave, though we were far enough away to not be affected by it. The magnificent front of the glacier looked solid from afar, but up close, it is completely the opposite of that, looking like a forest of vertical pillars and lightning rod shaped columns crunched together precariously, barely holding on.
Heading back from the glacier to finish off the two hour cruise, the sun even graced us with its presence, lighting up the back half of the beautiful bay, providing some reflections off the dark water and revealing beautiful blue sky above the mountain ridges. Thanks to the good weather, we even managed one more outing for the day, stopping off just before dusk at a Chilean military base/outpost. The Gonzalez Videla Base is on a tiny peninsula with three or four house sized buildings (one a museum/gift shop and the others houses or supply rooms) and a large colony of penguins living on the rocks that occupy the island. As Chile, Argentina, England and a few others all try to make claims for their piece of Antarctica, many found it a convenient way to stake their claim by building a base, allowing them to say that they have residents, services and even a post office on the continent, though we found that the post office there was actually no longer in service. Mingling with the penguins, these ones were even less wary of humans, as they live with the few residents of the base, so it was another great chance to amble along the rocks, walking just a few feet away from hundreds and hundreds of the black and white Gentoo penguins. Soon the sun began to set, and after taking a quick look in the museum, which was just a few pictures, and checking out the gift shop that was offering a few true end of season discounts, it was time to head back to the boat.
As usual, our evening was spent with a large dinner, great dessert bar and plenty of card games. Our group of most of the younger and/or single travellers usually hung out at night playing cards at our table while another group of friendly Spanish-speaking passengers often hung around, chatting and occasionally playing their own games. Fueled by a super-energetic, outgoing and hilarious waiter, Manuel, we decided to join up for a bilingual game of Uno ("One" for those non-Spanish speakers). Manuel kept the game going at high speed, and we had a great time mixing with the other group, a mixture of Argentines, Mexicans, Brazilians and a Spaniard known as Don Pepe, a short, balding/white haired man with a big belly and a deep voice, sort of a Godfather figure for the group. Don Pepe had trouble remembering a few names and some of the rules, and drew a few accusals of cheating (probably valid), but he was always quick with a few hilarious, borderline offensive, comments when he did decide to speak. In between games of cards, Manuel also taught a few dance lessons and flirted with a few of the women, all the while maintaining an energy level that would make any cocaine addict jealous.
The other significant aspect to our landing at Gonzalez Videla Base that afternoon is that this is not an island; it is part of the Antarctic continent. I'm not much for checking off travel lists, but this was a fairly big one, meaning that I had now set foot on each of the seven continents (actually all within the past 5 years since I quit my job in 2007), though there is still an infinite amount of beauty and culture out there that I know I'll never have the chance to explore in this vast world. Being on the Antarctic continent, though, it's obvious that there is so much more to this place than just completing a checklist, as I sat in awe that evening, amazed by what I had already seen. There's no doubt that it's an expensive destination, but even by the second day, with the combination of the views of the iceberg filled bay, sliding down the snowy mountain, the leopard seal attack, the Zodiac cruise through the ice, and the stop at the Chilean base, I honestly felt that if nothing else happened on the entire trip, it was already worth it. Luckily, I knew there would be much more to come, so I couldn't wait to see what our next days would bring.
(An early morning 'berg. Some of us called them 'bergs and penguins "guinos". I wasn't one of those people.)
(One of the hundreds of little, fluffy Gentoo penguins on Cuverville Island. I bet he'd make a nice, warm winter coat. And no, that's not cruel because I didn't say you'd have to kill him. You can just tape him to your back, along with a few of his friends.)
(Climbing up the steep snowy hill of Cuverville Island, we were treated to amazing views of the bay below and the mainland behind. I found a quiet spot to sit and admire this very view for quite a while.)
(Then after sitting for a while, I even found the energy to stand up for a picture. Amazing.)
(Coming down, we opted to slide on our butts down the icy hill, a much quicker and more fun alternative than walking in our awkward boots. Though we were never quite as awkward as the penguins waddling around.)
(Here at the edge of the island, we had another 20-30 minutes to mingle with the penguins. This island was the perfect mix of penguins, snow, icebergs and nearby mountains, and the views were great.)
(Another group of loud penguins that we'd have to pass on the way back to the ship, sitting in the background.)
(Apparently the longish tail of the Gentoo helps balance them when they walk, but they're so bad already, I'd hate to see them without it.)
(A feisty leopard seal attacking our Zodiac. After passing by an iceberg that the seal occupied, it came after us, trying for about 5 minutes to bite the sides of the boat while swimming back and forth underneath us. This picture was literally just a few feet below me, so I could have reached down and poked him/her in the belly, but I thought better of that.)
(Moving towards Andvord Bay, we entered an area of large icebergs. The weather was still dark and overcast, but the still water cast some nice reflections.)
(After lunch, we boarded the Zodiacs for a 2 hour cruise around the bay, first passing next to a few large icebergs before moving into the large bay and passing over the thin pancake ice beginning to reform for the winter.)
(As the day progressed, small bits of blue sky poked through, along with rays of sunlight, giving us even better views of the beautiful area.)
(Rodrigo was our tour leader/organizer for the entire trip, as well as our driver for this cruise. You can tell by his glacier-style glasses that he's a pro.)
(Edging near the face of a huge glacier, we were close enough to see the many jagged pieces crushed together to form it before falling off into the water below.)
(Much more friendly than the leopard seal that morning, this crabeater seal was just relaxing on the edge of a small iceberg as we passed by.)
(Me on our Zodiac. Most days weren't unbearably cold, so we were lucky that we didn't have the strong winds that can pop up at any time. The average during the day was probably around 40 F/4 C.)
(Crunching through the ice and already fighting off the leopard seal, our Zodiacs were fortunately pretty tough.)
(Another cruise ship heading North as we headed South. I believe this one had a few mechanical problems and was stuck in this bay for a little while, though nothing too serious. Time after time, I was quite glad I opted for the Antarctic Dream.)
(More winter majesty. Or fall majesty that looks like winter. It's confusing down here.)
(Our ship sitting amongst the ice, waiting for us. This ship was originally a research vessel and icebreaker, so it had no problem crushing its way through the puny ice remaining by late fall.)
(Just as we got back on the ship, there were some fabulous views from the top deck of the encircling bay and ice fields.)
(Slightly different, more than slightly amazing.)
(Almost nothing better than snowy mountains reflected off the water. And being in Antarctica. With great, prepaid meals. And a dessert bar. And good times.)
(Look closely to find a seal on the iceberg. His name is Charles.)
(On Gonzalez Videla Base, Gentoo penguins have taken over the small, rocky islet. The base was established by the Chileans to help support their claim to the land mass with a post office, military presence and inhabitants, though after the Antarctic Treaty signed by 12 major countries in the late 1950s and more later, the land is pretty much protected anyway.)
(It's hard not to think of R Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" when you see this picture. But then you start thinking about Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny and the movie, "Space Jam", and soon you're wondering why in the world you're thinking about planets when you stare at this picture. Crazy how the mind works.)
(That's one of the tiny little buildings on the Chilean base. We were disappointed to find the post office wasn't really functioning, but there was a true end of season sale at the gift shop, though their t-shirts weren't so good.)
(I think this was a lamb filet on top of some potato compote thing. Obviously, the high class dining was slightly over my head, but I still enjoyed it, and it's definitely a lot classier than my typical meal while on the road. Or at home.)
0 comments:
Post a Comment