Classic Antarctica On board USHUAIA Expedition Log February 2nd to February 11th, 2007 South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula MASTER of the VESSEL Bernardo Padilla ICE PILOT Sergio Osiroff EXPEDITION LEADER Sebastián Arrebola HOTEL MANAGER Ludwin Zavala CHEF Rubén Leguizamón LECTURERS/GUIDES Berenice Charpin Agustín Ullmann Shoshanah Jacobs Andrea Raya Rey Marcelo Zárate PHYSICIAN Dr. Konstantin Petrosyan 1 Our Itinerary February 2: Ushuaia, Argentina, Beagle Channel. February 3: Drake Passage. February 4: Drake Passage. Barrientos Island, Aitcho Islands. February 5: Hannah Point, Livingston Island. Whalers’ Bay, Deception Island. February 6: Neko Harbour. Paradise Bay. Lemaire Channel. Petermann Island. February 7: Port Lockroy, Goudier Island. Jougla Point, Weinke Island. Cuverville Island. February 8: Half Moon Island. Yankee Harbour, Greenwhich Island. February 9: Drake Passage. February 10: Drake Passage. Mouth of Beagle Channel. Ushuaia, Argentina. February 11: Ushuaia, Argentina. Daily Log of Our Voyage Friday, February 2nd Evening Temp.: 12º C Ushuaia, Argentina - Lat. 54º 48' S, Long. 68º 18' W Winds: 8 Knots NW Antarctic Facts Our voyage to the frozen land of the Antarctic started at 6.30pm from the Ushuaia pier as we left behind us unusually warm temperatures. Prior to our departure, most of us had spent some Antarctica is a continent time getting to know the quaint little town. capped by an inland ice sheet up to 4.8km thick, Once onboard, we settled into our cabins and right after setting sail, containing about 90% of we gathered in the pub for a Welcome Cocktail, with chances to meet the world's fresh water. our fellow passengers and the staff of the USHUAIA. The ice sheet is so During our first briefing, the expedition staff and officers were heavy that it has pushed introduced to us. The Expedition Leader of the USHUAIA, Sebastián the land below sea level Arrebola presented the staff who would accompany us during the in places. landings and help us to understand how sensitive the ecosystem in Antarctica is. Berenice Charpin, Andrea Raya Rey, Shoshanah Jacobs, Because of the thickness Agustín Ullmann, and Marcelo Zárate would teach us a lot of interesting details about the wildlife, history, geography, and of the ice sheet, conservation, and would guide us safely through the landscapes of Antarctica has the this wild part of the world. All of them have long been bitten by the highest average altitude polar bug and could not help but love the White Continent. We felt of all of the continents. that we were in good hands with this enthusiastic team. Our hotel manager, Ludwin Zavala, would take care of all our needs and Doctor Konstantin Petrosyan would care for our health as the case may be. Sebastian also introduced us to the Third Mate Guido Grandi. Our captain, Bernardo Padilla was on the bridge at that time, as the USHUAIA sailed through the Beagle Channel on our way to the Drake Passage. Later on we had our mandatory lifeboat drill. Donning our lifejackets, we made our way to the lifeboats on the outer deck and hoped that we would never all meet there again. 2 We ate dinner, our first meal onboard, as we left the Beagle Channel towards open water. It was a perfect way to start our adventure. Saturday, February 3rd Morning Temp: 10ºC Winds:8 Knots NW Evening Temp: 10ºC Drake Passage Winds: 24 Knots N Antarctic Facts During the night, we encountered calm seas and as we awoke, only gentle winds continued to blow. We enjoyed our first breakfast on board, after which we wandered around the inside The South Pole is 1235 km and outer decks to familiarise ourselves with the ship and our from the closest coastline, surroundings. With such calm conditions, we marvelled at the and is situated high on the wildlife that we were already seeing. Wandering Albatross, polar plateau (height 2800 Southern Royal Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, and Giant m). Petrels were some of the birds that we spotted following us to the White Continent. Here it may be as cold as - 75°C, but the world Before lunch, we attended a lecture by the ship’s seabird record lowest temperature specialist, Andrea and learned many useful things for the proper is from an even more identification of albatrosses and petrels, all of us aware that there remote Antarctic station, would later be a test during a birdwatching session, should the Vostok, which logged - conditions allow. 89°C. After a filling lunch, we attended a lecture by Marcelo, our on board geologist, who taught us about the geological history of Antarctica. It certainly is a busy place with many different formations and conditions that were became excited to see. After tea, we attended a lecture by Berenice, our naturalist, who gave us a comprehensive introduction to the wildlife of Antarctica and where they are placed within the complicated ecological web. This day’s educational program would be sure to prepare us for our adventure to come. Giant Petrels In the evening, we gathered in the conference room to watch the film Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure. Sunday, February 4th Morning Temp: 8ºC Winds: 24 Knots ENE Drake Passage Evening Temp: 6ºC Aitcho Islands, S. Shetlands – Lat 62°24’S, Long 59°47’W Winds: 13 Knots NE Antarctic Facts Very early in the morning, at 02.00, we crossed the Antarctic convergence where the sea temperature dropped from 7ºC to 2.2ºC. This is a very rich area, biologically, hosting many birds and whales. Antarctica is a cold In the morning, we attended a lecture by Agustin, on Antarctica, the desert, with snowfall land of records, and learned all the reasons for why Antarctica is equivalent to only 150 truly a unique place, and a lecture on the penguins of Antarctica by mm of water each year. Andrea. This snow builds up In the afternoon, we attended our IAATO briefing, learning about the sensitivity of the Antarctic ecosystem and how we are to conduct 3 gradually, and ice flows landings to ensure a minimum impact. We also reviewed the Zodiac towards the coast as operations; how to safely enter and leave our ´taxis of the huge glaciers. In many Antarctic´. places, these extend out over the sea as massive The seas were rather calm and many of us ventured out on the ice shelves. decks to watch birds and our approach to the frozen continent. We saw Giant Petrels, Cape Petrels, Wandering Albatross, Black-browed Albatross, Prions, and Wilson´s Storm Petrels. Since we had made excellent progress over unusually calm seas, it was possible to make our first landing at the Aitcho Islands after dinner. On Barrientos Island, we were greeted by a fur seal laying on the beach. We spent over an hour walking around the Gentoo Penguin and Chinstrap Penguin colonies, watching their funny behaviours as they stole pebbles for each other. Both species had very large chicks running all over the place and some of us were lucky enough to witness them being fed by their watchful parents. We returned back to the ship tired and ready for bed, anticipating tomorrow’s activities. Monday, February 5th Morning Temp: 5ºC Hannah Point, Livingston Island Winds: 8 Knots NW – Lat 62° 39’ S, Long 60° 37’ W Evening Temp: 6ºC Whalers Bay, Deception Island Winds: 13 Knots NNW – Lat 62° 59’ S, Long 60° 34’ W Antarctic Facts We landed at Hannah Point on Livingston Island; part of the South Shetland Archipelago, in In Whalers Bay lay the the early morning after an even remains of the Norwegian earlier breakfast. This point “Hektor” Whaling Station forms the eastern side of the (1911-1931). The remains of entrance to Walker Bay on the the abandoned Biscoe House South coast of Livingston Island. (Base “B” of the Operation It was named after the sealing Tabarin) and the BAS (British vessel Hannah of Liverpool, which wrecked here in 1820. Antarctic Survey) base can also be seen. This beach is a microcosm of Antarctic Peninsula fauna, with Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins, Kelp Gulls, Blue-eyed Shags, The old barrels, equipment, Southern Giant Petrels, Cape Petrels, and Snowy Sheathbills whalebones, and other debris nesting in close proximity. There were also many Southern Elephant Seals hauling out. Some of us also had the chance to are partially buried by black see a young male Fur Seals on the beach. In addition, we and reddish volcanic spotted three Macaroni Penguins among the Chinstraps. pyroclastic sediments of various sizes related to the As we walked along the path through the penguin rookeries, and eruption of 1969 which past the noisy and rather smelly elephant seals, we spotted forced the BAS to abandon patches of Antarctic Hairgrass and Antarctic Pearlwort, the only this scientific station. two species of flowering plants in all the White Continent! In 1995 the whaling station Our last stop on Walker Bay took us to a rock where anonymous was designated as Historic hands had placed a number of fossils from a nearby moraine, Site under the Antarctic mainly remains of ferns and Nothofagus trees, inhabitants of the Treaty. forest that once covered this part of the sub Antarctic Islands; 4 an indication of a previously warmer climate. We returned to the ship to rest and warm up but soon realised that this would not be our fate. Just as soon as we entered the warmth of our cabins, we were enticed out to the outer decks to watch several humpback whales swimming around the area. We stood with our cameras, binoculars, and video cameras, ready to capture the activity. There were even a few young whales spotted swimming next to their mothers, copying every movement that she was making.