Antarctic Diary
February 3, 2014
Stopover in Paris and then 13 hours sleepless torture till we reached Buenos Aires.
February 4, 2014
Three jumbo jets were landing at about the same time so there were 2 hrs waiting in a queue for iris scanning, fingerprints and scanning of our luggage before we were allowed into the country. I have not tested this since Miami.
Here is more than 30 degrees centigrade.
The city tour started on Plaza de 25 Mayo where the government house is sited. Here the mothers of disappeared sons demonstrated during the military dictatorship. They were carrying white scarfs.
Afterwards we broke to the La Boca quarters passing the Maradona, La Boca juniors football stadium.
Lastly we visited the Recoletta Cementary in the northerly section of the metropolis. I overlook the cemetery where Eva Peron is buried. Her first name was Duarte, and she rests in the Duarte family mausoleum.
February 5, 2014
Early rise at 5:00 and drive to the airport. We had around three hour flight to Usuaia. We landed in +3 degrees and snow sleet. Later it became sunshine and 10 degrees. The city very beautifully located along the Beagle Canal and surrounded by mountains with snow along the summit. I received the remainder of the day to get a feel of the town.
February 6, 2014
Meeting time 15:30 in a restaurant about the seaport. After this we were ridden downward to our ship and we marked off into our cabins.
February 7, 2014
We are navigating towards the Falklands. I have seen Albatrosses and Petrels of different kinds. The sea was calm at the starting time, only afterward the ship started rolling and there were foam on top of the undulations.
February 8, 2014
Setting down on West Point Island in the dawning. It is a low island in the West Falklands. We were walking from the landing point to the other side of the island where there is a mixed settlement of Rock hopper penguins and blackbrowed albatrosses. They live together relatively peacefully. After this we called the only settler on the island. His wife put up a nice cup of tea with scones.
In the afternoon we should have landed on Carcass island. It was first held over and later canceled due to high winds and waves.
February 9, 2014
Setting down at Port Stanley which is the capital of the islands. The government of South Georgia is also seated here. I did sign up for the excursion to Gypsy Cove. Here we could see Penguins and cormorants and other birdies. Unfortunately the access to the beach was prohibited because of mine fields from the Falklands war.
It was Sunday, but many of the stores were open anyway. I managed to buy some gifts, and I held a pint of bitter in the local public house.
February 10, 2014
Sailing towards South Georgia. I saw the wandering Albatross. It is the biggest with a wing span of 3,5 m.
February 11, 2014
We sail all day and most of the night.
February 12, 2014
Setting down on Salisbury Plains, one of the largest colonies of King Penguins. There were also many Fur Seals, and I took a full impression of a great male.
In the afternoon we landed on Prion island. Here is a large colony of Gentoo Penguins. In that location were also nesting Wandering Albatross. Steps were built upwards to the nesting colony.
February 13, 2014
Set out on the Shackleton walk from Fortuna Bay to Stromness. It was a 6 km walk reaching 300 m above sea level. The trip was voluntary, but I took part.
The next landing was Jason Harbour. It was snowing when we got there. We went up to a small lake where we could see a group of petrels fighting over something maybe the carcass of a seal.
The last landing of the day was at Grytviken, where we visited the Shackleton grave. We had a toast to him and poured the rest of his grave.
There was a possibility to go on a birdwatching trip, but I preferred to go down and visit the museum. When we sailed into Grytviken we saw the first ice, but it was only small floes.
February 14. 2014
It had snowed during the night and there were new snow on top of the mountains. The first landing was in Gold Harbour. I took pictures of fighting Elephant seals in snowy weather.
We should have been landing in Cooper Bay but the winds and the waves were too high.
Late in the day we had a cruise on the Drygalski fiord. At the inlet of this fiord we saw the first real iceberg. We went into the bottom of a side fiord called Larsen Harbour.
February 15, 2014
Sailing all day while leaving South Georgia.
From the bridge we can see whale blows near the skyline. It is impossible to see the whale and to take pictures at this distance.
February 16, 2014
Setting down along the island of Laurie, where there is an Argentine weather station. We were invited to see their museum and their canteen.
February 17, 2014
The daze and the sunshine shifted during the daytime. Unluckily it was misty when we arrived at Elephant island. We should have landed at Point Wild on the island, but it was canceled due to high waves.
February 18, 2014
We should have landed along the Browns Bluff on the crest of the Antarctic Peninsula. The Captain had seen that the drift ice was coming and decided to move away. Instead we landed on Madder Cliffs on Joinville Island. Here is a colony of Adelie and Gentoo penguins. Before and after the landing, we were cruising along the coast. After the landing, we experienced a dramatic. A leopard seal did catch a penguin, and it was tossing about with it for half an hour. I did take some good pictures though.
February 19, 2014
Setting down on Hannah Point, Livingston island in the dawning.
Landing on Whalers Bay, Deception island in the afternoon. Here we saw an abandoned whale factory. The same position has been a British base during the second world war.
February 20, 2014
We had a cruise on Wilhelmina Bay, where we saw many Humpback Whales. I got a pile of pictures even in snowy conditions.
Landing on Cuverville Island in the afternoon.
February 21, 2014
Finally, we landed on the Antarctic continent at the Argentinian station named Almirante Brown.
It was possible to mount up to a lookout point, but I stayed down. After the visit we had a cruise on Paradise Bay, where we saw crab-eaters but no whales.
In the afternoon we had a cruise on Fournier bay. We saw Minke Whales and different seals. Al the day it was bright sun and no twists. This was our last trip in the boats. In the eve we had cocktails followed by the Captains Dinner.
February 22, 2014
Sailing all day across the Drake passage and passing Cape Horn.
February 23, 2014
Payed my debt and received my passport back.
February 24, 2014
Arrival at Ushuaia. Farewell to the good ship Vavilov and to most of the fellow passengers. We were four individuals who had bookings for the same plane in the eve. We resolved to call the National Park just outside the urban center. We took a taxi to the train which makes a round trip in the park.
Later on the slip we had luncheon in a restaurant and then we break up. I called the museum inside the old prison. The others had travelled to the museum at the beginning of this trip.
In he evening I flew to Buenos Aires and went over into the same hotel.
February 25+26, 2012
I had 5 hours waiting in Paris, and I was home at eight o'clock in the evening.