Here's a nice picture to contemplate what's to come after I stop being sick... Calm seas!
Warning. Almost every photo in this entire post is absolute garbage.
We were at sea after South Georgia for two days. I think I mentioned in my last post that we were in a bit of a blue bubble. Jonathan mentioned that blue circle of good weather was literally the eye of the storm (aka hurricane). So, while other boats hightailed out of there and we enjoyed that beautiful day on the beach, we paid for it with some very rough seas. Our crossing to Falklands were described as a 2.5 out of 10 on the stormy sea scales. This crossing was up to a 7. I don't even want to think about what a 10 would be. Someone mentioned walking on walls as the ship rolled so, no.
I really don't remember much about those two days, I mostly stayed in my cabin and slept. I eventually got to the point where I could eat a small breakfast (one piece of toast, ginger tea) and keep it down but lunch and dinner were definitely not happening. Let me look at my pictures and see if I took any photos.
Oh, ya. Here is one of them closing the porthole window because the waves were going to be so high they might smash the glass. Ya, that.
We finally got to some ice on the seas, beyond just the random iceberg. It never got too cold though, despite how it looks.
Finally, the sun came out and we were heading into the South Shetland islands which include Elephant Island and Clarence Island at the northern start of the archipelago. As you all remember from my non-stop blathering about Shackleton, Elephant Island is where the majority of his crew had to overwinter while he and a few men took a tiny ship to seek rescue on South Georgia. After surviving those seas in a big, safe, warm ship myself, I cannot even begin to imagine their journey.
We sailed between Clarence Island and Elephant Island. We were super lucky with the weather again, sunshine lighting up both islands. But I could see that this would not be a place to spend a winter! With no shelter or food no less, let alone hope of rescue.
We passed Clarence Island first.
Then Elephant Island which is quite big, although the crew of the Endurance were isolated on one exposed beach due to the high mountains and glaciers and impassable seas.
 |
| We were joined by Cape Petrels |
Despite the sunshine, we still had high winds so were weren't able to land. The beach where Shackleton's men waited was a definite no but they had hoped to be able to land on the other side but it didn't work out. But we got some gorgeous views as we passed by.
And that was the end of that day. I think I started eating again somewhere around here.
The next day we woke in the Antarctic, south of the 60th parallel, but not near land yet. We also woke up to snow, a lot of snow.
Our first excursion of the day was just a zodiac expedition, through the icebergs. Dress warmly! This view of the zodiacs as there were being lowered into the sea was enough to convince me it was time to add that fourth layer of pants. Fortunately, we were in the second group to go out so the butts of the first group had gotten most of that snow off the sides where we sit.
No shocker, the icebergs were super cool! Sorry about the terrible spotty photos
Then we saw some penguins on an iceberg. You would have thought we saw a unicorn on a rainbow eating biscuits the way we all zoomed to that one iceberg! But it was exciting at the time. Actually, it is still pretty amazing. And it was our first sighting of an Adelie penguin. There were two of them with some Gentoos, of which we had only seen one previously. These are moving zodiac shots so again, terrible. And do you think those Adelies would turn around. Not a chance. Here are two Gentoos posing nicely and two Adelies refusing to cooperate.
Oh my god, my poor camera. Those spots!
Anyway, we also saw one (or two) Chinstrap penguin (once in the water and again/another on an iceberg), and then, just as we were supposed to head back, a leopard seal in the distance. Our driver is actually the camping guide (no camping on our trip) and ice rescue expert who recently climbed Mt. Everest. So, zodiac driving is not his main gig. He mostly just followed John, who has been doing this for thirty years. We got close enough to catch sight of the seal but as Jonathon was sternly telling the zodiacs to come back to the ship, we heard John reply, 'yup on our way back' as he sped it the other direction toward the seal. Poor Eric, our guy, apologized and said he had to listen to Jonathon. I got one very very bad photo, Amy's is a bit better.
You can totally tell this is a leopard seal, fight?
Anyway, I know it's time to stop when I have to take a barf break. You are probably wondering what I could possibly eaten that was pink when all I've eaten today was a piece of toast for breakfast, 13 hours ago. Well, ironically, it was some Pepto Bismol for nausea. I am their new ad campaign! "If it doesn't work, at least your vomit will be a cheery pink! Pepto Bismol!'
I'm going back to my bed. Tomorrow we are in the Drake Passage proper so that should be a day. Let's all cross our fingers that I can finish up with our last three landings in Antarctica!
No comments:
Post a Comment