Antarctica

07.02.09 Having spent the night in dock in Ushuaia, we disembarked at 07:30 to return to our nice Hosteleria in Ushuaia and internet connection once again.
06.02.09 The highlight of the day was our team (4 Brits/2 Latvians/1 American)coming second in the ship quiz about Antarctic wildlife. We only missed out on the champagne by half a point! Back in Ushuaia before nightfall so we spent a night in the harbour.The Latvians and the crew took advantage of the local nightlife.
05.02.09 The long sail home - fortunately the winds have abated.
04.02.09 Entered Deception Island via Neptune's bellows - poor visibility. Walked up to the caldera from Telephone Bay. Complete white-out at the top. Horizontal snow and high winds caused us to get back to the ship quickly as it needed to get out of Deception Bay. Winds at 9 (out of 12) on the Beaufort scale
03.02.09 Visit to Port Lochroy, former whaling anchorage. An exciting afternoon of humpback whale watching from the ship.
02.02.09 Through the Lemaire Channel over breakfast then a landing on Petermann Island in the brilliant sun. Adelie and Gentoo penguins ashore and humpback whales on the journey back to the boat.
Iceberg Alley in the Zodiacs in the afternoon - lots of Leopard Seals. Spectacular weather.
01.02.09 Whales in the sun over breakfast but now it's snowing! Landed on Cuverville island in the morning and the Chilean station in Paradise Bay in the afternoon (postcards purchased and sent). Picture of brown skewer jumping onto young male elephant seal.
31.01.09 Zodiac boats took us to Aitcho Island. First experience of "eau-de-penguin": Gentoo and Chinstraps. Afternoon excursion to Yankee harbour Gentoo and Seals.
30.01.09 The sea-sickness tablets cause drowsiness - elected not to resist this. More lectures but sleeping through them.
29.01.09 Coping OK with the calm seas. 3 x 1 hour lectures today!
28.01.09 Boarded the Antarctic Dream - dwarfed by the medium sized cruise ship next to us in dock.

  • Antarctica
    Drake's Passage
  • Antarctica
    South Shetland
  • Antarctica
    Mainland
  • Antarctica
    Icebergs
  • Antarctica
    Whale Spotting
  • Antarctica
    White Out
  • Ushuaia
    Return

MV Antarctic Dream

This is a 1958 Dutch built, ice-reinforced vessel. Completely refurbished in 2004. 42 outside double cabins with private bathrooms. 2 passenger observation decks, lecture and presentation room, open bridge, spa, sauna, massage, gym, library and panoramic dining room.

Zodiac boats will allow us to go ashore to see wildlife (looks a bit chilly).


 

At least we've got a helicopter padIan before setting sail in UshuaiaIan looking confident before setting sail - we do appear to have a helicopter pad.

 

Taking the air Sea legs to find and lectures to attend.

Albatross to spot.


 

Drake's PassageDrake's Passage apparently as calm as it gets.

Our view for 2 days.

Land Ahoy!We awake to see land - South Shetland.

Lots of skewers and albatross to admire over breakfast.


 

Aitcho Island

Death of a penguinWe arrive ashore to find that skewers have just killed a baby penguin. An albatross arrives to take its share.

The Gentoo penguins just get on with life.

Gentoo parent and offspring


 

Feeding timeChinstrap penguinsFeeding time for a young Gentoo.

Some Chinstraps can also be seen.

For the seals, it's molting time.

Moulting seals

 

Yankee Harbour

Elephant sealElephant seal off for a swimLess smelly than Aitcho as it is mainly comprised of pebbles. Lots of seals.

Penguins returning from a swim

 

Cuverville Island

GentoosMother and babyGentoos



 

Ship from Cuverville IsSheath BillA visit in the snow. It's penguins, penguins, penguins.
The Sheath Bill has a sheath over the upper part of its beak and its feed are not webbed.


 

Chilean Station

A Skewer eyes up a Weddel sealA shocked sealA Brown Skewer eyes up a sleeping Weddel seal.

The seal is unceremoniously roused from his sleep!

The Chilean station seems to be mainly a post box - delivery likely in months!


 

Petermann Island

Adele penguinsGentoosShagsAdele penguins


At last -Adele penguins. They have a complete black head and a bright white eye.
The weather is absolutely superb without a cloud in the sky. Whales in the sea around us as we return to the boat. Caught on video.

Iceberg Alley

IcebergLeopard seal with Weddel sealFur seal


This was a magical trip in a Zodiac through so many icebergs.
The Leopard seal (right) must have fed, as it would kill and eat the Weddel seal next to it. Fur seals often have Orca teeth marks on their flanks.

IcebergIcebergIceberg


 

Port Lochray

Mother and babyBaby asleepGet off my boots!


Penguins very curious - I felt my boots being pecked! Like all young animals, sleep just happens anytime, anywhere.
Port Lochray is a British historical base provides another opportunity to send postcards - via The Faulklands. Too little wind for the Union Jack to fly.

Port Lochray support basePort Lochray control Old sledge


 

Whale Watching

Whale blowWhale blowBlow holeThere were 6 or 7 whales around the ship for an hour or more. It was wonderful to look down on the whale and see its blow hole open.

The whale blows just before diving.
Sometimes they just sink, but when the whale curves its whole body, it's going to be a deep dive.


 

blowingHumpback about to diveWhite tailYellow tail


 

Deception Bay via Neptune's Bellows

Neptune's Bellowsthe bellowsThis was meant to be a spectacular entrance!

As you can see below, it was not too bad when we started the walk! We got to the picturesque caldera (pictures a white out).


 

Telephone Bay

BarbaraIanroute march to the top


 

at the topthe way backThe wind suddenly rose to a Force 9 gale and the captain wanted to get the ship back out through the Bellows.
We were not averse to this! Enough of all this empathy with Scott, Shackleton etc.

Seas were very rough for a few hours but amazingly once we reached Drake's Passage they calmed - much to our relief.

 

UshuaiaUshuaia harbourUshuaia


 

Ian Barbara Roger LesleyLayandes07:30 and we're ready to disembark. Goodbye to our travelling companions, in particular Roger and Lesley from Leicester.

The Blackberry came alive again on our trip back through the Beagle Channel, Chile south, Argentina north.

Back to our lovely Hosteleria in Ushuaia to catch up with things.