Back at Puerto Williams

Wednesday was a long night after a long day. We pulled into Puerto Toro expecting to see some of the lights on at the pier but it was very, very dark so we anchored in the harbor and right behind us was a sailboat at anchor with no lights on, faintly looming in the dark. After they heard us anchor they turned their lights on, a little late.

Thursday morning we hoped to go all the way back to Puerto Williams but the 30 knots on the nose in the channel discouraged us so we anchored at Caleta Margarita, for a calm restful afternoon, reading and relaxing. A much better alternative to pounding at 3 knots.

This morning we had little wind and smooth water to Puerto Williams and we are tied up at the same place where we left on Monday morning.

I looked up traditions concerning rounding the Horn. One tradition is that a sailor who had rounded Cape Horn was entitled to wear a gold loop earring, in the left ear, the one which had faced the Horn in a typical eastbound passage - and to dine with one foot on the table. Sounds good to Rich and I. There is also something about tattoos but I am not going there.

Cheers

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Rounding the Horn

55 59.515 S, 067 15.424 W, Cabo de Hornas

Today was a special day, a day of bucket lists and t-shirts. At 11:24 am, we rounded Cabo de Hornas, The Horn! We even had dolphins cheering us on.

It is late now as we traveled all the way back to Puerto Toro and it is time to get something to eat and go to bed, but we just wanted to share our news.

Good night

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Caleta Martial Sur

S 55 49.509 S, 067 16.883 W, Caleta Martial Sur, Isla Herschel

The crab fishermen left very early this morning and we have the pier to ourselves and Carlos' dog, who gave us sad dog eye looks as we castoff.

For most of the day we had little or no wind with flat seas. We enjoyed the view, watching the cormorrants and penguins, bobbling along as we passed. It seemed idyllic until this afternoon when the winds picked up to 25 knots and the seas as well. Not quite on the nose but close. I had hoped that the winds would abate as we got closer to the islands ahead of us but no joy. In the distance we saw 3 sailboats who must have gone passed the Horn on their way to Antarctica.

Now we are anchored in Caleta Martial Sur, the winds howling through the rigging at 26 knots. A group of dolphins swam by to say hi and went on their way. Originally we planned to anchor in Caleta Martial Nord but there was a sailboat already there. No sense in crowding.

We will look at the gribs tonight and decide what the plan is for tomorrow.

Cheers

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Puerto Toro

55 04.915 S, 067 04.423 W, Puerto Toro, Isla Navarino, Chile

We are on the move again as we are on the downhill slide of our colds, with just the residual cough.

This morning at 10:10 am we let loose our dock lines as left the Micalvi at Puerto Williams. The winds were light and the sky had promises of sunshine. Surprisingly enough after over a month sitting the speed log started working right away. I guess not much grows in these cold waters. As we headed east in the Beagle Channel we saw Magellan penguins, the flying variety of steamer ducks, Wandering Albatross, giant petrels and dolphins. Besides the wildlife the channel was quiet.

This afternoon we tied up to the tall pier at Puerto Toro. If Ushuaia is the southernmost city and Puerto Williams is the southernmost town, then Puerto Toro is the southernmost village. We are sharing the pier with 3 fishing boats, loading up on crab pots as it is now the season for centolla, or king crab. Carlos, one of the fishermen, helped us tie up.

Can you guess where we are heading?

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Back on Windarra

Antarctica was spectacular and the photos don't do justice to it but we tried. We did not see a another cruise ship while we were at Antarctica just during our crossings of the Drake (1 on the way out, 2 on the way back). It seemed like we were the only people there. We saw the wildlife up close and personal, including curious penguins trying to bite my walking pole or my pants. The views of the mountains, glaciers and icebergs were stunning, especially the bergs that were definitely larger than the ship!

We had a great time. It was nice to take a break from Windarra even though we were still on the water. And we definitely have a healthy respect for the Drake Passage. We wish you could have been there with us.

Sunday we arrived in Ushuaia and disembarked just after breakfast. We took at taxi to our hostel, relaxed and checked the Internet. Rich got a cold the last part of the trip. That is what happens when you are in close confines with almost 200 people. Now I have it too :( In the evening we got together for drinks and dinner with some of the folks we met on the cruise. It is a nice mix of younger people and I guess they don't mind hanging out with us.

Yesterday we took the zodiac back to Isla Navarino and the van to Micalvi and Windarra. Apparently we missed a system that went through while we were gone that included 85 knot winds at Micalvi and the Chilean armada recorded 97 knot gusts. School was closed at Ushuaia as well. James, who looked after Windarra, says everything is a-ok. The lines to and from the boats are like a spider web.

It is good to be back on Windarra as we nurse our colds. Hopefully we will recover soon.

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Neko Harbor, Petermann Island and Crazy Hat Night on board

Penguins march down a well worn path at Neko Harbor. We saw the elusive Adelie's penguins on Petermann Island as well. One night on the ship we had a barbeque outside on the back deck. A crazy hat was required for admission. Modeling our hats is Rich, Elaine, Will, Skye, Rebecca and Donal. Will and Skye are from Australia. Rebecca and Donal are from Ireland.

Lemaire Channel, Pleneau Bay, Petermann Island

We had beautiful, sunny skies for our passage through Lemaire Channel. This photo does no do it justice. At Pleneau Bay we rode around looking at the icebergs. You can tell Rich is having a good time. There were more penguins at Petermann Island like this fellow resting on a rock.

Portal Point, Enterprise Island, Cuverville Island

We all wore our yellow jackets on shore and marched like penguins. We also had a group of 10 kayakers. You can see the Sea Spirit holding station during our shore excursion. At Enterprise Island there were humpback whales feeding in pairs, circling the krill for big mouthfuls. At Cuverville Island we saw Gentoos, up close and personal.

Half Moon island and Deception Island

On Half Moon Island has a breeding colony of Chinstrap penguins like this fellow below. At Whaler's bay on Deception Island are the remains of the whaling settlement. The current inhabitants are Antarctic fur seals and Gentoo penguins.

Antarctica Day 10, Across the Drake and into the Beagle

55°05.407'S, 066°34.573'W, Beagle Channel, 9:50pm

Today we completed our crossing of the Drake. Last night is was hard to sleep as you would roll from side to side or feel the ship plow into the waves and shudder. I took a shower this morning and had to keep one hand on the railing to keep from falling over. Attendance at breakfast and lunch was very light. At one point I went to the bridge and read 40 knots on the wind indicator. It was not until late this afternoon when we were in the lee of Cabo de Hornas did the ship's motion settle down.

One of the members of the expedition team, Sam, collected photos and videos from everyone on board and they will be posted on a site for us to get access to after the trip. She also put together a 13 minute slide show of highlights of the trip which we saw this evening. Pretty spectacular.

Tonight we had Chateaubriand for dinner. The wait staff brought a chocolate cake over and sang a Filipino version of Happy Birthday for me. I was terribly embarrassed. A side note, today is also Pi day, 3-14-15.

Late tonight or early tomorrow morning we will arrive in Ushuaia. In the morning we will be up early to pack, have breakfast and to disembark. It has been an amazing trip and I am so glad we were able to make it happen. Not only can I now say I have been to 5 of the 7 continents but also that we have been to Antarctica, a place like to other.

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Antarctica Day 9, Plowing across the Drake

Drake Passage

We are continuing across the Drake Passage on a course of roughly 350 degrees, north. The winds calmed down his morning to 10-16 knots and the seas are about 5-8 meters. Occasionally you feel the ship pound into the seas.

I went up to the bridge and talked a little with the navigation officer. She is from Slovenia and was nice enough to show me the paper chart they are using for Antarctica and the passage across the Drake. I showed her the app I am using on the iPad and some of our tracks recorded. On the ship's electronic chart display their numerous red tracks almost look like a solid band. She also casually mentioned that the winds are expected to pick up this evening.

The attendance at meals is less but there is a group in the bar where there are large windows to see the horizon, but not so much drinking. It is overcast and visibility is just a few miles, grey sky, dark grey water, not very exciting. The dining room has been making up plates of cheese, crackers and fruit for passengers to take back for themselves and/or their roommates who don't feel up to snuff. Hanging every few feet on the railings in the hallways and the stairways are seasick bags, just in case.

The expedition staff are making a DVD with photos and videos from the staff and passengers. I snuck in a few photos.

There is a DVD library on board so we have been watching some movies. Rich is horizontal on the couch in our room watching and napping.

So glad someone else is responsible and that we don't have to be on watch!

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Antarctica Day 8, Once more into the Drake

64°53.000'S, 062°52.000'W, Paradise Harbor

This morning everyone was supposed to be up early for a light breakfast before heading to the zodiacs and kayaks for a visit to Paradise Harbor. Paradise was a bit of a misnomer this morning so Rich and I decided to pass. It was raining hard and the winds were picking up. The ship had to move a few times to avoid the icebergs and ice drifting across the harbor by the wind. Some of the kayakers  had a hard time getting back and avoiding the ice. 

We found out from those folks who did go ashore that there were three sailboats anchored inside the small cove in the harbor. One of which was the infamous Berserk we had mentioned in an earlier blog. Obviously here without a permit or permission.

In the early afternoon we went to another place, Danco Island but the conditions were not improving. So they cancelled the shore excursions and decided to press on across the Drake. The crew prepared the ship for passage. Three different crew members came by to make sure the covers were closed on our port lights. We appreciate their diligence.

Dinner was sparsely attended and the ship is quiet. As of 8:20 pm, the seas are 6-8 meters, winds are 24-30 knots from the northeast so we are pounding into it a bit. The swells are supposed to increase in the night.

Hopefully all will be well and that we will be able to get some sleep. 

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Antarctica Day 7

64°59.409'S, 063°49.733'W, Lemaire Channel

65°06.000'S, 064°04.000'W, Pleneau Bay

65°10.000'S, 064°10.000'W, Petermann Island

This morning started early as we bundled up to go on deck while we sailed through Lemaire Channel. The channel is 11 km long and just 1600 meters wide. When you first enter it does not appear to go through all the way. It is a very photogenic place and is nicknamed 'Kodak Gap'. It was certainly worth many pictures as the sun was coming up and lighting the mountains and glaciers. The moon was still visible which added to the composition. Wildlife of leopard seal, crab eater seals, minke whales also joined the pictures. It will be hard to select the best pictures.

Our first stop of the day was Pleneau Bay at the south end of the Lemaire Channel. It is sometimes referred to as an iceberg graveyard. The area is shallow so icebergs that drift into the area go aground in the the shallows. The icebergs range in size from small cars to large homes and larger. We saw dense black ice as well as blue ice in the icebergs. Some were platforms for sleeping crab eater seals or penguins. We rode in zodiacs for almost two hours riding through these fantastic forms of ice. A highlight was when Shane, the expedition leader arrived in a zodiac and served us hot chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps. What a treat!

In the afternoon we went to Petermann Island to see Gentoo and Adelie's penguins. We watched juvenile penguins chasing their parents demanding to be fed. Adults will only feed their own offspring but sometimes the young will try to get food from any adult. We watched two juveniles chasing an adult down a snow covered hill and suddenly it was a ski run with the penguins skiing down on their bellies.

Early this evening there was the Polar Plunge. This is where any passenger had the opportunity to jump off a zodiac into the water, into 3 degree Celsius water, cold, cold water. 38 craze people did this. We chose not to participate in this activity as we valued our hearts and circulatory systems, but we did watch. I never saw so many people be able to climb out of the water so fast.

Brrrrrr

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Antarctica Day 6

64°41.000'S, 062°38.000'W, Cuverville Island

64°50.000'S, 062°33.000'W, Neko Harbor

Last night we could see snow blowing in the flood lights pointing towards the water off the ship's bow. We would hear the thump, thump of ice against the hull. 

This morning after breakfast we bundled up for the ride to Cuverville Island, around small icebergs and onto a rocky shore. The Gentoo penguins were plentiful and inquisitive. We are supposed to stay about 15 feet away from any wild life as we are walking around. If we stand still or sit down then the penguins will come up to us. I sat down on my knees and two penguins came up and tapped on my jacket and on my sleeve. The young penguins are molting and sported funny combinations of adult plumage and downy feathers. A few were having very bad hair days. There were whales bones on the beach which provided scant cover as the winds picked up. Some penguins would turn their backs to the wind or lie on their bellies to keep warm.

In the afternoon we went to Neko Harbor, an area full of icebergs, large and small as well as calving glaciers. Rich stayed on board and took pictures while I went on shore. There were hundreds of Gentoo penguins. It was impossible to be 15 feet away from any of them. On the beach area, it is covered with guano with quite a stench. We had to stay on the upper beach because the glacier nearby was calving and sometimes cause waves to cover the lower shoreline. I used a walking stick to help prevent slipping. I certainly did not want to fall in this area (eeyuu). A few of the penguins would come up and try to bite the backer at the end of my stick. Farther up the hill I found a clean patch of snow to sit on and to watch the glacier. You could hear a sharp sound of a crack, like a rifle shot and then see part of the glacier fall and the water ripple away. Afterwards I rode the zodiac for a tour of the harbor but very little wildlife to be seen except for some swimming penguins who would leap from the water like dolphins. More and more icebergs were filling the area. 

This evening there was a barbeque on the aft deck of the ship, complete with hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, corn on the cob and berry cobbler. The catch was you had to make a hat to wear. Rich bought a small stuffed penguin and poked it through the top of one of his hats. I made an iHat, with an Apple symbol on the front, a wifi symbol on one side and the word iHat on the other. Some folks were very creative, others, not so much, but it was all fun. We watched as the ship passed icebergs larger than our ship. One was castle like. We are definitely not in Kansas, Toto.

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Antarctica, Day 5

64°32.296'S, 061°40.535'W, Portal Point, Charlotte Bay, Antarctic Peninsula

 Tbd S, Tbd W, Enterprise Island

Today we had two excursions. The first was to Portal Point on Charlotte Bay. This was our first opportunity to actually step on Antarctica, the seventh continent. The zodiac ride from the ship to the landing spot wound around several icebergs. We had our choice of an easier hike in the snow, passed some seals up onto a small peninsula overlooking the bay and our ship. The other option was to go up on to a glacier much higher for a 360 degree view. We opted for the easier route. Along the way you had to pass some fur seals. One seal would charge a person walking by. If they clapped their hands he would stop and back away. If you did not clap, he would continue charging. It is amazing how fast he taught people to clap. A small chinstrap penguin was at the landing site and hung around for quite a while, nonplussed at us and the zodiacs.

There was an incident on the other hike. One fellow did not stay on the path, cut across an area to catch up with the group and fell into a crevasse. Less than an hour later they were able to pull him out, with minor cuts and bruises and a very wounded ego. We are glad it was not serious and are reminded that this is a beautiful place with hidden dangers we need to be mindful of.

Our second excursion was at Enterprise Island. We piled 11 people plus the drivers into the zodiacs and went in search of whales and we found them! For an hour we stayed with 2 humpback whales as they fed on the surface. They had an interesting technique as they surrounded the krill and scooped them into their mouths and their throats expanded to take in large quantities. Hopefully some of my pictures will turn out. Besides whale watching we saw the wreck of a whaling factory ship that caught fire and deliberately ran aground to save the whale oil and the crew. We saw the remains of barrels used for whale oil and water boats used to collect and transport fresh water for the boilers on the factory ships.

It was a very exciting day. 

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Antarctica Day 4

62°36.000'S, 059°55.000'W, Half Moon Island

62°58.940'S, 060°33.621'W, Whaler's Bay, Deception Island

Today we were up early to see land, the South Shetland Islands and our first two shore stops. 

The first stop was at Half Moon Island. With 10 persons per zodiac, we load on, wearing our bright yellow jackets, waterproof pants, muck boots, hats, gloves and PFDs to be shuttled to the island.

Here we walked and hiked around the island. There are colonies of Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins as well as sea birds, plus lots of fur seals who are either too juvenile or just not successful in mating this season. The penguins are molting so for some their feathers look fuzzy and in need of a good brushing. Most of the chicks are grown. We watched them shuffling down to the water then swimming and jumping out of the water similar to dolphins. Then they would shuffle back up to their spots on the rocks. It was snowing so sometimes they would slip and fall on their faces, get up, shake and start again. As we walked across the island to look at some whale bones, some of the seals would start to chase us and we would clap our hands or raise our arms in the air to make ourselves look big and they would stop. The penguins are black and white, the snow is white, the rocks are black so many of my pictures are not very colorful.

Back to the boat for lunch and our next stop, Whaler's Bay on Deception Island. The island was formed by a volcano and the bay is in the caldera. The last eruption was in 1969. The water along the shore is actually warmer in some places so the volcano is not completely dormant. The entrance to the bay, called Neptune's Bellows, is through a break in the caldera, through a narrow passage along a rock cliff. Inside we saw a charter sailboat at anchor that we had seen in Puerto Williams. The bay was a site for whaling factories to process the carcasses. Some of the building still remain as well as an airplane hanger and a cemetary. We walked around the site and then a smaller break in the caldera known as Neptune's Window, for a view outside the bay plus a high point overlooking where the Sea Spirit was anchored.

Now we are heading to the Antarctic peninsula and tomorrow we will step on the seventh continent.

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Antarctica Day 3

60°28.207'S, 061°33.219'W

The ship stayed within the Beagle Channel until 8:00 am yesterday morning. The Russian ship left earlier but facing 55-60 knots winds and 10-12 meter seas, it returned to the shelter of the channel before heading across. As the day continued the seas dropped to 8-10 meters. The seas noticeably changed when we were south of Cape Horn. Now on March 7, the seas are around 3 meters, no whitecaps and 'relatively' smooth. We have crossed the Antarctic convergence zone and the sea temperature has dropped to 3 degrees C, similar to what we saw at Seno Iceberg but now the whole ocean is that temperature. 

Yesterday there were lectures on sea birds, sea mammals, photography and geology. This morning was a lecture on penguins. The original name, penguin, is from 'pen gwyn' which is welsh for white head. The name penguin is like the word taxi, it is the same in most languages. It may be spelled with some variation but phonetically is it the same.

Rich was feeling a little bit seasick yesterday but seems fine today. Many others were absent from meals. The waiter at dinner last night was nice enough to fix a cheese, crackers and fruit plate for me to take back to the room for Rich. 

Today we also had a lecture on the Belgian Antarctic expedition led by Adrian de Gerioche, in the late 1800's. This was the first expedition to actually stay over the winter in Antarctica.

This afternoon was the mandatory Zodiac briefing and IAATO and Bio-Security Procedures, ie the do's and don't when in Antarctica. Afterwards we had to take all of our outer gear that was not new, including our foul weather bibs, gloves, hats and backpacks to be inspected and vacuumed to remove any biomaterial such a weeds, seeds, grasses, etc.

Later today is the recap and briefing - what happened today, what is the plan for tomorrow, as well as the Captain's Welcome Cocktails with Captain Oleg (he's Ukrainian). Tomorrow we hope to be at Half Moon Island with some time in the zodiacs and on shore.

Almost there...
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Antarctica cruise day 2

Yesterday, day 1, was boarding, orientation, and an emergency lifeboat drill. We were shuttled to the ship on buses at 4pm. There was a Russian ship boarding as well carrying a group who plans to run a marathon at Antarctica. Our cabin is very spacious with a king size bed, a couch, TV with DVD player, large closet and a bathroom with a shower. Our windows are large round port lights. By 6pm we were on our way. At dinner we sat with Donald and Rebecca from Ireland. Donald is a navigator on an oil tanker and Rebecca has a PHD in Organic Chemistry. We had met them at the pizza party the night before. I took a few pictures of Puerto Williams as we passed by during dinner. After dinner we got our bright yellow expedition coats and boots. The coats will be ours to keep.

Shortly after we went to bed there was a knock on the door. The steward wanted to close the hatches over the port lights by order of the captain due to the sea conditions. Our gribs of Wednesday were predicting 50 knots from the west. We are very glad the captain decided to stay within the Beagle Channel last night. As I write this (10:40 am, 3/6) we are passing Isla Nueva. The seas are confused, 3 meter swells, 6 foot wind waves. The motion of the ship is different from Windarra and it take some getting used to.

This morning we listened to a talk on sea mammals - whales, sea lions and seals, sit down and learn stuff.

It is nice to leave the driving to someone else.

More later....

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Sea Spirit

Our ship is in!

Fin del Mundo

Ushuaia claims to be the 'Fin del Mundo', end of the world. A few folks in Puerto Williams, Chile would depute that I am afraid. Regardless, on Tuesday, we took at ride on 'El Tren del Fin del Mundo', the train of the end of the world.

We were supposed to be picked up at 8:45 am for a 9:30 am train departure but there was a little miscommunication. Instead we were picked up late and had a 'hold on tight' ride on a dirt road, arriving with the train all ready and waiting for us, the last passengers to board. Whew!

To help accelerate the settlement of Tierra del Fuego in the early 1900's, it was decided to build a prison in Ushuaia. Prisoners were then used as laborers to built the prison as well as buildings and homes in Ushuaia. The narrow gauge train carried the prisoners and guards to an area which is now part of the Tierra del Fuego National Park, to cut down trees for building and firewood for heating and electricity for the town. Few prisoners escaped. One individual tried and was found frozen to death a few days later. They named the river that runs through the area, Rio Pipo, after him as a reminder to other prisoners who might be considering escaping as well. The train cars have seats facing fore and aft, wide enough for two persons, with doors on each side of the row. A waterfall on the route provided water for the steam locomotives. Unfortunately the national park is in a sad state as non native animals such as rabbits and beavers were introduced to the area and have decimated some of the natural flora but we enjoyed the ride and a chance to see some other scenery.

The currency of Argentina is the peso but due to the difficulties of the Argentine economy, American dollars are welcome. When we were on Buenos Aires, people yelling 'Cambio' or change in English, lined the streets in the shopping areas offering to exchange dollars for Argentinian pesos. Here in Ushuaia, many of us gringos, go to the toy store around the corner from the casino. In the window, above a plethora of stuffed animals, is a small sign indicating the current 'blue market' exchange rate. At an ATM, you can get pesos at an exchange rate of 8%. At the toy store today, they offered 12%. As items are expensive here, it pays to take advantage.

Our friends, Dorothy and Tom, of SV Joyant arrived on Monday and last night we went out to dinner together. They went to Antarctica a few years ago and shared some of their experiences and advise. Rich and I are even more excited about going.

Tonight we will join other last minute passengers for pizza at an Irish pub for a meet and greet. Thursday afternoon we will board the Sea Spirit. Yippee!


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