::Title: Antartica / Argentina / Uruguay Trip 1998
::Author: Steve Engelhardt, steven_t_engelhardt
Antartica/Argentina/Uruguay Part 2
Feb 25: Wendsday: Vernadsky Base - Petermann Island
Peterman Island - Click for larger
We are anchor off Ukraine Base Vernadsky formally British base Faraday.
We split into two groups because of the number of people and the small size of
the base. I am in the second group and I leave at 10:30. They give us a tour of the station
everything is still in english including the pinnups on the wall. The Ukranians agreed
to continue the experiments the British started as a condition to take over the base.
This is one of the bases involved with discovering the Ozone hole, they indicate they
do not go outside any more than nessisary in the summer time. They are also seeing a
slight increase in temperature over the years. After our tour we went up to the Bar and
gift shop, I mailed a couple of post cards. After leaving the base we have to cruise around
a large iceberg to get back to the ship. After lunch we are preparing to make a landing
on Petermann Island. On shore we find Gentoo and Adelie penguins, in addition there is a
cross commemorating 3 British men who died here. There is also an Argentinian refuge here
as well and some of us take a look through the door, pretty bleak - I would not want to be
stranded here. I go looking for Blue Eyed Shags who inhabit some of the higher ground.
I find several of them, there are also many Skuas here as well. After returning to the ship
we start heading south toward the Antartic Circle through the Grandidier Channel. We pass many
large Icebergs some several miles long and maybe 20 stories high. As it gets dark we again dodge
icebergs as we proceed through the Harrison Passage and the Mudge Passage before entering Crystal Sound
and some uncharted waters. Through all of this the Ships officers were using the search lights, the
charts and the Radar to navigate. The radar screen was lit up like a christmas tree, the captain
keep a constant watch there.
Feb 26: Thursday: South of Antartic Circle - Detaille Island 66 52' South
Crystal Sound South of Antartic Circle
At 2:40 AM we finally have passed the Antartic Circle 66d 33.7' We then continue south and
anchor off Detaille island at 66d 52' It is cold and windy as we prepare to load the zodiacs
This is about as bad as it can be and still launch. As I get on the sea is surging and the
zodiacs rise and fall about 3 feet as we try and get on. One lady tried twice and scurried back
up the gang plank, it is very difficult. Finally most of us made it and we are on our way to shore.
We all get very wet as water comes over bow, you do not want to sit up front on this trip.
We have a ways to go because it is shallow here. It is cold and we find the island covered with
snow and Adelie Penguins, also Fur Seals and one Wendel Seal on shore. There is an British Base
abandoned in 1957, there are still 1950 magazines on the table. Allen my roomate while on shore
is here on a bicycle. Let me explain, about 4 years ago he quit his job and sold his house to bicycle
around the world. He has bicycled on all continents except Africa and Antartica. Well he found a russian
bicycle in the bow of the ship and asked to use it, the russian crew member sayed I think you
crazy but go ahead. So they brought the bicycle on shore so he could ride it. Latter in the trip
he put on a slide show of his adventure, He did not have to explain to us why - we understand he his living
his dream. We are all living our dreams, we are all explorers here, as one of our lectures said
being an explorer is a mind set. Later on our way back north we celibrate during dinner our successful landing
south of the Antartic Circle. We are all glad our expedition leader Brad Rhes who has been on 60 Expeditions
over 12-15 years has finally gotten to land south of the Antartic Circle, and we have all been blessed to share
this acomplishment with him.
Feb 27: Friday: Port Lockroy - Paridise Bay
Goudier Island (Port Lockroy)
Radio room in Restored Port Lockroy - Click
Zodiac Tow, Paradice Bay - Click
Crabeater Seal, Paradice Bay
Today we are to land at Port Lockroy in the morning however the
winds are at 30knots and we cannot land so we wait 30 min and it has cleared up a bit
and we have no trouble getting on shore. Port Lockroy is a British Antartic Heritage Site
and there are 2 men here who are working here to restore it. They also run a small
gift shop to our delight. It is very crowded and I am glad I was one of the first on shore
(they rotate the groups as to who goes first). There are also are friends the penguins here
as it starts to snow, they love it. After we all return to the ship we have lunch as we head
for Paridise bay. Here we split in 2 groups again as one group stops at Almirante Brown an
Argentinian Base and the rest go on a Zodiac cruise around Paradise Bay. I go first to
Almirante Brown base and the gift shop there, the prices are a bit high here. This base
built in 1951 was set on fire in 1984 when a doctor refused to spend another winter there.
They are in the process of rebuilding it. The big attraction here is to climb the Glacier
behind the station and slide down it. After our time at the base which is on the Anartic Continent
we take a cruise of Paradise bay. The scenery is spectacular and we make our way through the bay.
We work our way though a mess of ice to visit a Crabeater Seal who was not interested in us
and just rolled over. Later while drifting close to a glacier we decided to leave until the
rope came out of the motor. We had to radio for a tow back to the ship. This evening we watch
the ship cruise north through the Gerlache Straight passing many small icebergs with Seals and
Penguins on board, we also continue to see Humpback Whales.
Feb 28: Saturday: Deception Island - Aitcho Island
Whalers Bay Deception Island
Aitcho Island
Our first stop today is Whalers Bay, Deception Island. After making our way through Neptunes
Bellows into the caldera we anchor off Whalers Bay. This is an historical site which included
a Norwegian Whaling station, a British Antartica Survey base complete with airplane hanger
and shell of an airplane. There is also an old Chilian base here also. As hike along the beach
we encounter many fur seals some of them are very territorial, there is a large amount of
wreckage here as well from the whaling station that was here. I hike up to Neptunes window
for a view out of the caldara. There are hot springs along the shore and 4 people decide
to take a dip, the problem is the sand is HOT and the water is COLD. The weather was very nice
when we first got here but now it is snowing. The weather can change so fast here. We proceed
furher north and after lunch we land at Aitcho Islands. Here we find Gentoo and Chinstrap Penguins
many of them are just as curious about us. If you lie still they will come and peck at you.
We also found a Fur Seal cub on shore and possible his mother trying to back to him. We are in
the way and I am sure after we left everyhing would return to normal. We returned to the ship.
This was our last landing and we are now headed north into the Drake passage on our way home.
At 6PM we pass the last bit of land and our last Iceberg.
March 1: Sunday: Drake Passage
Engine Room Ioffe
This morning we get up to a very peacefull Drake Passage, about as calm as it gets
because of this at 9:30AM we are already half way across and at this pace we would
be across by midnight. However we slow down a lot after crossing the Antartic Covergence
, we are only running on one engine and making about 5-6 knots. The day is spent with
several lectures on on the Antartic Treaty and one on Penguins. Also we got a tour of the ship
including the Engine room which was very clean, especially for Russian standards. We have 2 3600HP
Diesel engines that run at a constant 558 RPM reduced to 170 RPM shaft. They use variable pitch
propellers to control the speed. Usually they run on one engine which would give about 11 Knots
and 2 engines would give about 15 - 16 Knots. One unique feature is this ship has sails, they are fiberglass
ones that are folded up on the aft deck, they were used during there underwater acoustic research
when they had the engines shut off. We got to see the control room and the aft thrusters also.
March 2: Monday: Drake Passage - Cape Horn
Cape Horn
We are scheduled to reach Cape Horn about 4PM but we sight it about 11AM about 12 miles away, we take our time
and pass close by at 3PM. Norman, Simon, Allen all decide to take a Sauna and a Ice water bath in the pool.
It is quite the site. Later we do our evaluation sheets which is pretty easy for this trip.
And several people visit the sauna and ice pool again. The rest of us pack.
March 3: Tuesday: Beagle Channel - Ushuaia - Buenos Aires
Early in the morning we pick up an Argentinian Pilot who guides us into port. We arrive early outside
the port at sunrise and at 7 AM we dock. As we got off the ship a Rainbow arcs across Ushuaia.
We get about 1.5 hours to shop in downtown and I mail some postcards. At 11AM we board our plane for
Buenos Aires. We get back to our Hotel Presidente about 5 PM and several of us about 25 get ferry tickets
for Colonia Uruguay the next day.
March 4: Wendsday: Buenos Aires - Colonia Uraguay - Buenos Aires
Colonia Uruguay
After a great breakfast buffet we group up and catch taxis to the ferry terminal. After getting our bording
passes and immigration we speed across the River Del Plate for Uruguay. Colonia is a very pleasant town
of about 20,000. We visit the old town with its tree shaded avenues. We did some shopping and had a
fine lunch at a local restaurant. This was a nice way to top off our adventure. We return to Argentina
and our hotel. We meet several people from a previous trip at the hotel and were satisfied as much as
we were. During the evening we start parting company as the folks to New York left first. At 8PM it was
the time for us going to Miami to leave. We end up sitting around the airport for an extra hour because
they changed the schedule.
March 5: Thursday: Buenos Aires - Miami - Minneapolis
The flight was do to arrive at 5:30AM and my connecting flight was at 8:15 well now it is 6:30 still
no problem, well there was a thunderstorm just as we were about to leave so we were delayed about another
1.5 hours so I did miss my connecting flight and got routed through Dallas instead. Well I did finally
make it home and get ready for work tommorrow.
steven_t_engelhardt
Peterman Island - Click for larger
Goudier Island (Port Lockroy)
Radio room in Restored Port Lockroy - Click
Zodiac Tow, Paradice Bay - Click