Antarctic 2020 Voyage 11 Log
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23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong> Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong><br />
Albatross<br />
Magazine<br />
A Visual Journey<br />
South Shetlands &<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong> Peninsula: The<br />
Journey of a Lifetime<br />
THE OFFICIAL VOYAGE LOG OF
Albatros Magazine: A Visual Journey<br />
Editor-in-Chief:<br />
Layout & Design:<br />
Jon Marin<br />
Gaby Pilson & Jon Marin<br />
Front Cover Image:<br />
Back Cover Image:<br />
Photography Contributors:<br />
Sandra Petrowiz<br />
Sandra Petrowiz<br />
Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Yuri Choufour<br />
Werner Kruse<br />
Renato Granieri<br />
Gaby Pilson<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong> Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
The <strong>Voyage</strong><br />
Meet the Team<br />
Day 1: Southward Bound<br />
The Seven Sisters of Szczecin<br />
An Unlikely <strong>Antarctic</strong> Explorer<br />
Day 2: Rolling Our Way South<br />
Penguins! Fun Facts for the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Adventurer<br />
Day 3: At Sea in the Southern Ocean<br />
Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts<br />
Whales: Friendly Giants of the Sea<br />
Day 4: The South Shetlands<br />
The Geological Structure of the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Peninsula<br />
Day 5: The White Continent<br />
When and How the Earth Got Cold<br />
Day 6: Wildlife of the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Day 7: The Last Day<br />
A Brief History of the Zodiac<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a: A Continent for Science<br />
Day 8: Northward Bound<br />
Fire in the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Day 9: The Beagle Channel<br />
King of the Southern Winds<br />
Day 10: Home Again<br />
By the Numbers<br />
A Final Note<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
9<br />
10<br />
<strong>11</strong><br />
13<br />
14<br />
15<br />
16<br />
17<br />
19<br />
20<br />
21<br />
23<br />
24<br />
25<br />
26<br />
27<br />
29<br />
30<br />
31
The <strong>Voyage</strong><br />
3<br />
The following map traces the approximate route that the M/V Ocean Atlantic took during our<br />
voyage to <strong>Antarctic</strong>a. You can find more information about our day to day activities, landings, and<br />
excursions on the following pages. We hope that this magazine serves as a reminder of all of the<br />
wonderful memories you made while experiencing the <strong>Antarctic</strong> with us at Albatros Expeditions.<br />
© Renato Granieri<br />
© Yuri Choufour<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Meet the Team<br />
4<br />
Ted Creek<br />
Assistant Expedition<br />
Leader<br />
Samuel<br />
Expedition Leader<br />
Wan Meng Chieh<br />
Assistant Expedition<br />
Leader<br />
Kevin Burke<br />
Zodiac Master<br />
Slava Nikitin<br />
Kayak Master<br />
Thomas Bruun<br />
Kayak Guide<br />
Kim Schuster<br />
Equipment Master<br />
Nadine Smith<br />
Shop Manager<br />
Rose Li<br />
Translator & Guide<br />
Guillaume de Remacle<br />
Lecturer & Guide<br />
Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Photographer<br />
Shannon Jensen<br />
First Aid Responder<br />
Mark Hebert<br />
Lecture & Guide<br />
Jes “Yeti” Gravgaard<br />
Lecturer & Guide<br />
Jon Marin<br />
Lecturer & Guide<br />
Nick Gan<br />
Translator & Guide<br />
Alejandro Ursino<br />
Lecturer & Guide<br />
Pai Liu<br />
Translator & Guide<br />
Chloe Shang<br />
Shop Assistent<br />
Steve Egan<br />
Lecturer & Guide<br />
Rashida Lim<br />
Translator & Guide<br />
Zoy Li Jianqun<br />
Lecturer & Guide<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
5<br />
Day 1 - Southward Bound<br />
23 January <strong>2020</strong> - Embarkation Day<br />
As our flights touched down on the runway in<br />
Ushuaia, we were treated to delightful views of<br />
Tierra del Fuego and the city that marks the start of<br />
our <strong>Antarctic</strong> adventure. Weary from our recent<br />
flights, yet excited for the adventure to come, we<br />
made our way to the port of Ushuaia.<br />
Our adventure to <strong>Antarctic</strong>a started in the<br />
afternoon as the first busses drove along the pier in<br />
beautiful weather and stopped all the way at the<br />
end of it, where Ocean Atlantic was anchored.<br />
Members of the Expedition Team welcomed us as<br />
we boarded the experienced <strong>Antarctic</strong>a ship and<br />
most of us couldn’t hide our excitement.<br />
Everybody checked in, settled in their rooms and<br />
started to explore the massive ship, which was to<br />
be our home for the next many days. After a while,<br />
it was time for the mandatory safety briefing<br />
followed by an important safety drill. The<br />
recognizable alarm went off throughout the ship<br />
and people gathered at their muster stations and<br />
later at the emergency boats.<br />
Shortly after, the Ocean Atlantic slowly started to<br />
move away from the pier and began its journey<br />
through the Beagle channel, before heading<br />
straight South towards the incredible <strong>Antarctic</strong>a.<br />
Meanwhile, Expedition Leader Sam hosted the<br />
welcome briefing in the Viking Lounge and Hotel<br />
Manager Oliver introduced the ship and the many<br />
people working on it to provide an excellent<br />
experience, including the food and beverage manager,<br />
the head of housekeeping and the purser. Sam then<br />
introduced the different members of the expedition<br />
team and talked about the plans and details for the<br />
voyage, including a very pleasant weather forecast for<br />
the infamous Drake Passage.<br />
The evening ended with a big welcome dinner, where<br />
people got to know their new travel companions. Many<br />
went to bed early after several days of travel. However,<br />
a few went outside on the decks, where a they spotted<br />
a couple of whales swimming past the ship in the<br />
distance, marking the start of a great wildlife journey in<br />
the southern hemisphere.<br />
But, as explorers know all too well, we can only ever<br />
experience true beauty in nature when we are brave<br />
enough to seek it out amongst the mountains and the<br />
seas in the world’s most remote places. It is with that<br />
sentiment in mind that we venture away from Ushuaia<br />
and south, to the future and all the wonders it holds.<br />
“<br />
We can only ever experience true<br />
beauty in nature when we are<br />
brave enough to seek it out…<br />
”<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong> Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
The Seven Sisters of Szczecin<br />
David MacDonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide<br />
M/V Ocean Atlantic was launched in 1986 as the last-built of the ‘Shoshtakovich’ class of ice-strengthened<br />
passenger vessels, alongside six sister ships, together known as the “Seven Sisters of Szczecin.<br />
6<br />
Her original name was Konstantin Chernenko<br />
(Константин Черненко), after the President of the<br />
USSR (1984-1985). She was renamed Russ (Русс) in<br />
1989, and spent much of her life working in the Russian<br />
Far East.<br />
She was purchased by Albatros Expeditions and<br />
completely refitted in 2017. She is now a 200-<br />
passenger expedition vessel and is one of the strongest<br />
polar cruise ships afloat. Here are some fun facts about<br />
the “Seven Sisters”:<br />
• All seven ships were built by Stocnia Szczecinska<br />
shipyard in Szczecin, Poland between 1979-1986<br />
• Main engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6LZ40 total power<br />
12800 kW, giving a maximum speed of 18 knots<br />
• Most of the class have one bow thruster (736 kW)<br />
and one stern thruster (426 kW); however, two<br />
ships, including ours, built in 1986, have two stern<br />
thrusters, each of 426 kW<br />
• Feature Siemens stabilisers for seaworthiness<br />
• Although built as ferries, they have a strengthened<br />
car deck for transport of tanks<br />
• Two of them had diving chambers<br />
• MV Mikhail Sholokov had hull demagnetising<br />
equipment so it could operate in minefields<br />
• All of these ships have been scrapped except ours<br />
and Konstantin Simonov – now Ocean Endeavour<br />
Our ship has had a complex history:<br />
1986-1987 In Baltic traffic, then Vladivostok to<br />
Japan & S Korea<br />
1989 renamed to Russ<br />
1997-1999 In traffic Stockholm-Riga; 2000<br />
Odessa-Haifa; 2002 back to<br />
Vladivostok transporting cars from<br />
Japan<br />
2007 Sold to Sea Ferry Shipping in Majuro<br />
and renamed 2010 to Atlantic;<br />
renovations in Italy and in traffic<br />
Stockholm-Helsinki-St. Petersburg<br />
during summer and laid up (October<br />
2010) in St Petersburg<br />
2012 Sold to ISP in Miami and renamed to<br />
Ocean Atlantic under Marshall<br />
Islands flag<br />
2013 Used as a hotel ship in the German<br />
bight wind farm project<br />
2015-2017 Laid up in Helsingborg and taken to<br />
Gdansk in Poland, where totally<br />
refitted<br />
2017 Chartered to Quark Expeditions<br />
2017-present Chartered to Albatros Expeditions.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
An Unlikely <strong>Antarctic</strong> Explorer<br />
Gregers Gjersøe – Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide<br />
In a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand, the local<br />
cemetery is home to a rather unassuming grave.<br />
The final resting place of Henry “Chippy” McNish,<br />
one of the survivors of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s<br />
1914 Endurance Expedition, the grave is also a<br />
memorial to one of the most improbable of<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong> explorers.<br />
In January of 1915, the Endurance got trapped in<br />
the <strong>Antarctic</strong> pack ice. McNish's work prevented<br />
the ship from flooding, but he couldn’t do<br />
anything to stop it from being crushed. The ship<br />
was abandoned and, much to McNish’s despair,<br />
Shackleton ordered Mrs. Chippy to be shot, as<br />
they couldn’t take her on their survival journey.<br />
7<br />
McNish himself was a carpenter onboard the<br />
Endurance, though he didn’t travel alone. During<br />
the expedition, McNish brought along a cat that<br />
followed him around like an overpossessive<br />
wife. Soon enough, the<br />
crew named the cat Mrs. Chippy,<br />
although the expedition quickly<br />
realised that Mrs. Chippy was a<br />
gentleman, not a lady.<br />
Mrs. Chippy was an unusual cat,<br />
though an avid adventurer,<br />
having climbed the Endurance’s<br />
rigging lines on several<br />
occasions. Mrs. Chippy also did<br />
some very provocative strolls<br />
across the roofs of the dogs’ kennels<br />
and even once fell into the frigid water<br />
below. Thankfully, the crew heard her cries and<br />
quickly turned the ship around so they could<br />
pluck her up from the icy cold waters and get her<br />
to safety.<br />
Also onboard the Endurance was a young man -<br />
Perce Blackborow. Perce had travelled to Buenos<br />
Aires looking for new employment, but wasn’t<br />
hired; at 18, his youth and inexperience counted<br />
against him. Somehow, he managed to sneak<br />
aboard the ship, and he hid in a clothing locker<br />
for three days. Eventually, he was discovered,<br />
and Shackleton was furious with him, but was<br />
sent to work in the galley where he became great<br />
friends with Mrs. Chippy.<br />
Now, the group had to make it back to safety. For<br />
months, the expedition drifted through icy<br />
waters until they made it to Elephant Island.<br />
Once at Elephant Island, Shackleton set out<br />
in a 22-foot-long open boat and made<br />
an 800-mile crossing through the<br />
rough waters of the South Atlantic<br />
to South Georgia. McNish was<br />
one of the five men who<br />
accompanied Shackleton,<br />
making improvements to the<br />
boat to make the voyage<br />
possible.<br />
For the next fifteen years, McNish<br />
lived a difficult life in Wellington<br />
before passing away in 1930. He never<br />
forgave Shackleton for shooting Mrs.<br />
Chippy.<br />
Nearly 30 years later, in 1959, the New Zealand<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong> Society realised that McNish had been<br />
given a very poor burial in an unmarked grave.<br />
The Society raised funds for a headstone and<br />
even reunited McNish and Mrs. Chippy by adding<br />
a life-sized bronze statue of Mrs. Chippy to the<br />
grave.<br />
Now Karori Cemetery near Wellington is a<br />
pilgrimage site for <strong>Antarctic</strong> history buffs, who<br />
visit McNish’s grave and see Mrs. Chippy<br />
watching over him once again.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Day 2 - Rolling Our Way South<br />
24 January <strong>2020</strong> – Drake Passage<br />
8<br />
After dropping off the pilot last night, we left the<br />
Beagle Channel and headed south into a very calm<br />
Drake Passage. The slight winds were appreciated by<br />
everyone but it meant that our keen bird watchers<br />
were not able to observe many flying seabirds including<br />
the wandering albatross. These birds need strong winds<br />
to soar and with luck we will be able to see them on the<br />
way back from <strong>Antarctic</strong>a when we cross the Drake<br />
Passage again.<br />
A calm sea greeted us for our first full day together on<br />
Ocean Atlantic as she sailed surely southwards toward<br />
the promise of a snowy white continent, lost at the<br />
edge of the known world. A lovely breakfast as the<br />
skies brightened to sunny, gave us a nutritious<br />
beginning to the events of the day. It was a relaxed<br />
start as many of us were still finding our sea legs even<br />
as we rolled very gently across the Drake Passage.<br />
Our ornithologist Yeti rolled out an entertaining<br />
introduction to the Seabirds of the Southern Ocean,<br />
giving us a great taste of the encounters we could look<br />
forward to with these feathered friends who<br />
accompany us on our passage to <strong>Antarctic</strong>a. Time out<br />
on deck with Birdmen Yeti & Gui was full of curious<br />
questions about winged companions & time ‘flew’,<br />
before we knew it, it was time for a great lunch put on<br />
by our consistently creative galley team, fuelling us for<br />
an afternoon of further activities.<br />
After lunch, in the mudroom, we distributed our<br />
waterproof boots, complimentary for use for the<br />
journey ahead & generally had a fun social time in<br />
doing so. After an invitation to inspect the Ocean<br />
Atlantic bridge & a fleeting sighting of Pilot Whales, we<br />
gathered in the Bistro for some more fun with<br />
dumpling making enjoyed by all who joined us.<br />
A day of social moments, equipment sorting &<br />
education brought us to our evening briefing & recap,<br />
where Expedition leader Sam gave us a preview of<br />
tomorrow’s weather & the Team peppered our minds<br />
with some introductory thoughts & perspectives about<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a, leading us into a delightful evening meal as<br />
Ocean Atlantic steamed on south towards the horizon.<br />
The Chinese New Year was upon us already & a buzz<br />
evident throughout our group brought us together to<br />
celebrate this wonderful occassion. We had crossed<br />
the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Convergence into this biological zone<br />
unique on Earth & considered ourselves already in<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a. A throughly enjoyable night of socialising<br />
led us deep into the evening.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Penguins! Fun Facts for the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Adventurer<br />
Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide<br />
9<br />
For many of us, the chance to see penguins waddling around in the snowy vastness of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a is the reason<br />
that we came to the White Continent. These charismatic sea birds are a fan-favourite for visitors to <strong>Antarctic</strong>a,<br />
but even cuddly-looking penguins are incredibly well adapted to one of the harshest environments on Earth.<br />
1<br />
Depending on what book you read, there are 19<br />
species of penguins. If you count all of the<br />
subspecies, there are 25 total varieties of<br />
penguins in the world, however, there are only<br />
four truly <strong>Antarctic</strong> species of penguins: the<br />
Adélie, Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Emperor. All of<br />
the other penguins in the world live south of the<br />
equator yet north of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a, with the<br />
exception of one species in the Galapagos whose<br />
range barely crosses into the northern<br />
hemisphere.<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
The largest penguin to have ever lived was the<br />
now-extinct mega penguin, which weighed some<br />
<strong>11</strong>5 kg. These days, the largest penguin is the<br />
Emperor Penguin, which tips the scales at 23 kg.<br />
Alternatively, the smaller gentoo penguin weighs<br />
just 15 kg.<br />
Although they nest, breed, and socialize on land,<br />
penguins rely on the sea for survival. As<br />
swimming and diving birds, penguins are adept<br />
at fishing and must head to the ocean for their<br />
sustenance. Indeed, the deepest diving bird in<br />
the world is the Emperor Penguin, with a<br />
record-breaking dive of 535 meters!<br />
Penguins are amazing swimmers. They spend<br />
much of their day searching for food in the<br />
ocean, particularly for their favourite meal of<br />
krill, squid, and small fish. The fastest swimming<br />
penguin is the Gentoo, which is known to reach<br />
speeds of upwards of 50 kilometres an hour<br />
while zooming through the water.<br />
Penguins are highly social birds, choosing to<br />
nest in large colonies, where they will also raise<br />
their young. Many penguin chicks, after<br />
hatching stay with their parents for a few weeks<br />
to a few months before forming large “crechés,”<br />
many hundreds of individual teenage penguins<br />
in size.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Day 3 - At Sea in the Southern<br />
Ocean<br />
25 January <strong>2020</strong> – Drake Passage and our first<br />
landing<br />
10<br />
Our second day crossing the Drake, what a<br />
blessing; nothing but smooth sailing. Lots of birds<br />
were in sight, large groups of Cape Petrels as well<br />
as Wandering and Black browed albatross. A<br />
couple of Humpback whales were spotted but did<br />
chose to be more on the timid side. It is early in<br />
the expedition and we remain confident that we<br />
will find more cetaceans in the days to come.<br />
We kept busy with our bio security check in order<br />
to be in accordance with our IATTO regulations.<br />
Zodiac and kayak briefing were also mandatory to<br />
prepare us all for the operations. Sandra was very<br />
kind by taking some time to share some of her<br />
wonderful photography knowledge in order to<br />
make us benefit from our photo opportunities.<br />
A closure was brought to the iceberg contest with<br />
the first iceberg larger than the Ocean Atlantic<br />
vessel spotted at 13:38.<br />
Many of us were kept happy with the pizza<br />
making session, while many more took great<br />
pleasure in eating those tasty pizzas at teatime.<br />
We had an early diner in order to kick off our first<br />
landings of the trip at both Barrientos and Cecilia<br />
islands. It was a treat for us all to visit with<br />
Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins, Weddel and<br />
Elephant seals, were all part of the welcoming<br />
comity and some giant petrels to top it off!<br />
The zodiac tour from ship to land was exciting<br />
with small swells and choppy water but we all<br />
enjoyed this adventurous evening!<br />
What a day all together, we just can’t wait to see<br />
what tomorrow will bring!<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts<br />
Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide<br />
Glaciers have, quite literally, shaped our world. Without glaciers, the rolling hills and wide valleys we know<br />
today would look very different, but it turns out that these icy giants have a much longer and more storied<br />
history than many of us would initially suspect. Here are some of the best fun facts about glaciers:<br />
<strong>11</strong><br />
1<br />
Not just anything can be a glacier. In fact, there’s<br />
a size requirement that a piece of ice has to<br />
meet to become a glacier. Anything considered a<br />
glacier must be at least 0.1 km 2 (nearly 25 acres)<br />
in area to be worthy of the name. Although<br />
there’s a minimum size requirement to be<br />
considered a glacier, there’s no upper limit to<br />
glacierhood. The longest glacier on earth is the<br />
Lambert Glacier of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a, which measures<br />
out to some 434 km (270 mi) long. The world’s<br />
largest non-polar glacier is the Fedchenko<br />
Glacier of Tajikistan, which measures a<br />
respectable 77km (48mi) long.<br />
© Renato Granieri<br />
© Renato Granieri<br />
2<br />
Glaciers are formed by snowflakes. Although it’s<br />
crazy to think that a tiny snowflake can create<br />
something as large as a glacier, without snow,<br />
glaciers would never exist in the first place. To<br />
form a glacier, massive amounts of snow must<br />
accumulate and persist in a single location all<br />
year long for hundreds, if not thousands of<br />
years. During this time, the individual snowflakes<br />
found in the snowpack change in a process<br />
known as snowflake metamorphosis, where<br />
individual ice grains fuse together and get bigger<br />
and air bubbles get smaller. Once the icepack<br />
builds up enough mass to start flowing downhill,<br />
then, voila! We have a glacier.<br />
3<br />
Glaciers are found all over the world, not just in<br />
the polar regions. While the majority of glaciers<br />
and glacial ice is concentrated in high northern<br />
and southern latitudes, glaciers are found even<br />
near the equator, such as on Mount Kilimanjaro<br />
in Tanzania and in the mountains of Ecuador.<br />
That being said, about half of the world’s<br />
200,000 glaciers are found in one place: Alaska.<br />
There, glaciers cover a whopping 72,500 km 2<br />
(28,000 mi 2 ) of the US state’s total area. That’s a<br />
lot of ice.<br />
© Werner Kruse<br />
4<br />
Glaciers are basically really, really, really slow-moving rivers. To be considered a glacier, a large mass of ice<br />
must be physically moving downhill. This movement downhill is driven by gravity and is the main reason<br />
why glaciers also act as major agents of erosion. Since glaciers move downhill, they often remove and<br />
transport large boulders and chunks of rock, depositing them much further downhill then where they<br />
started.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Drake Passage<br />
Welcome!<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
We’re ready!<br />
Boot Party<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Beagle<br />
Channel<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Whales: Friendly Giants of the Sea<br />
Amanda Dalsgaard – Lecturer (Marine Biology) and Expedition Guide<br />
13<br />
When one talks about whales, we must acknowledge<br />
the vast diversity of whales on earth and the<br />
uniqueness of each species. All whales fall into an<br />
order of marine mammals known as Cetaceans. The<br />
scientists who first discovered and named this order of<br />
marine mammals, used the word cetacean or<br />
‘ceatacea’ from the Greek ‘ketos,’ meaning monster.<br />
Long ago, when whales were first scientifically<br />
observed and recorded, people believed they were<br />
monsters, due to their size. Today, we know much<br />
more about the gentle giants that roam our planet’s<br />
seas, thanks to a number scientific and technological<br />
advances, our knowledge of these creatures will only<br />
continue to grow.<br />
The order Cetacea is divided into two sub-orders,<br />
Odontocete and Mysticeti. Odontocete, meaning<br />
‘toothed-whale’, includes all of the whales and<br />
dolphins with teeth. Mysticeti comes from the Latin<br />
root meaning “mustache”, and includes all of the<br />
whales that have baleen plates instead of teeth. It’s<br />
important to keep these differences in mind when<br />
trying to observe whales from a ship as this<br />
information can help identify cetaceans from far away.<br />
Since whales are marine mammals, they must breath<br />
air to survive. They do so by breathing at the water’s<br />
surface through their blow holes.<br />
Interestingly enough, however, toothed whales have<br />
only one blow hole or spout, while baleen whales have<br />
two. Plus, many whales can be identified from afar<br />
using the size and shape of their spout blow as well.<br />
For example, grey whales tend to have spouts shaped<br />
like hearts, while orcas have low bushy spouts.<br />
Another distinguishing characteristic that sets these<br />
two sub-orders apart is the way that they<br />
communicate. Odontocetes use a method of<br />
communication called echolocation. This is best<br />
described as a series or clicks and precise sounds that<br />
are then reflected back to the animal and allows the<br />
whale to ‘see’ their environment through noise. It is<br />
the same communication style used by bats in<br />
terrestrial ecosystems. Mysticetes on the other hand,<br />
communicate through a variety of low-frequency<br />
songs. These songs have been described by scientists<br />
as being beautiful, mysterious and sometimes gloomy,<br />
with the males being the most active singers of the<br />
Mysticeti clan.<br />
Regardless of the kind of whale you see however, any<br />
encounter with one of these graceful marine giants,<br />
however brief, is sure to be a memorable experience<br />
for years to come.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Day 4 - The South Shetlands<br />
26 January <strong>2020</strong> – Deception Island<br />
14<br />
On the second day in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a people where very<br />
excited, not only because we had our first landing<br />
the day before but also because of the fog<br />
surrounding us creating a very mysterious<br />
scenario.<br />
The expectation that morning was to visit the<br />
Chilean Base Arturo Prat. We were very<br />
enthusiastic, none of us had visited the station<br />
before. But the weather kept getting worse, so bad<br />
that our second destination, Half Moon, could not<br />
be done either.<br />
After a long conversation with the station leader at<br />
Arturo Prat we made the decision to continue<br />
traveling through the Bransfield Strait towards<br />
Deception Island, the only volcano in the world<br />
where we can navigate with a cruise.<br />
Deception Island is an island in the South Shetland<br />
Islands archipelago, with one of the safest<br />
harbours in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a. This island is the caldera of<br />
an active volcano, which seriously damaged local<br />
scientific stations in 1967 and 1969. The island<br />
previously held a whaling station; it is now a tourist<br />
destination and scientific outpost, with<br />
Argentinean and Spanish research bases. While<br />
various countries have asserted sovereignty, it is<br />
still administered under the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Treaty<br />
System.<br />
Located within the Bransfield Strait, the island is<br />
roughly circular and horseshoe-shaped, with a<br />
maximum diameter around 15 km (9.3 mi). The<br />
highest peak, Mont Pond on the east side of the<br />
island, has an elevation of 539 m (1,768 ft), while<br />
Mount Kirkwood on the west has an elevation of<br />
452 m. Over half (57%) of the island is covered by<br />
glaciers up to 100 m thick, ice-cored moraines, or<br />
ice covered pyro clasts. The centre of the island<br />
has been flooded by the sea to form a large bay,<br />
now called Port Foster, about 10 km long and 7 km<br />
wide. The bay has a narrow entrance, just 500 m<br />
wide, called Neptune's Bellows. The port is a basin<br />
with a flat floor up to 170 m deep with several<br />
small submarine cones and domes. The port is<br />
rimmed by a shall coastal shelf with sandy-gravelly<br />
beaches. The outer coast of the island is<br />
characterized by 30–70 m high cliffs of rock or ice.<br />
This mysterious and mystical place welcomed us<br />
with a very dense fog, low clouds and 120kms<br />
winds.<br />
After Deception our journey continued, navigating<br />
all night in order to reach the next destination,<br />
Cuverville.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
The Geological Structure of the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Peninsula<br />
David Macdonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide<br />
This cartoon shows what the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Peninsula looked like 100 million years ago (mya). The main points to<br />
note are:<br />
• The peninsula was a continuation of the Andes. They were connected until 35 mya<br />
• The peninsula was a volcanic arc from about 200 mya3 until about 25 mya<br />
• Volcanism ended 50 mya in the south and 20 mya off Brabant Island<br />
• Only the South Shetlands Islands have any volcanic activity now<br />
15<br />
There are three main geological domains, each formed of multiple rock units:<br />
1. The basement domain (grey and brown colours) contains sediments scraped off the ocean floor which were<br />
changed by heat and pressure (metamorphosed) in the subduction zone and during folding and<br />
deformation. These metamorphic rocks span a wide range of ages from 299-65 mya. They tend to be older<br />
on the east coast of the peninsula. These rocks are best seen in Paradise Harbour, at the shag colony near<br />
Brown Station.<br />
2. The igneous domain contains rocks crystallised from magma. This includes both plutonic rocks (where the<br />
magma crystallised slowly within the earth’s crust) and volcanic rocks (where the magma was erupted as<br />
lava and ash). Again, the rocks span a wide range of ages from about 210-25 mya, and the younger rocks<br />
tend to be in the west. These are the commonest rocks seen in the Peninsula and are well displayed in the<br />
South Shetland Islands (e.g. Half Moon Island, or Yankee Harbour) or on the peninsula (e.g. Cuverville<br />
Island). Plutonic rocks form Goudier Island at Port Lockroy.<br />
3. The sedimentary domain contains rocks eroded from the volcanic arc and deposited in sedimentary basins,<br />
either on the eastern, Weddell Sea side (in a very large structure called the Larsen Basin), or in smaller<br />
basins to the west (the largest of which is the Fossil Bluff Basin on Alexander Island). Sedimentary rocks are<br />
not seen on most peninsula cruises (unless they visit the area of James Ross Island), although there are<br />
sedimentary rocks with abundant fossils interbedded with volcanic rocks west of Hannah Point, in Walker<br />
Bay.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Day 5 - The White Continent<br />
27 January <strong>2020</strong> – Couverville Island and Neko Harbour<br />
16<br />
The day started fairly windy again, however as we<br />
got to closer to the Island of Cuverville, it settled<br />
down enough for the Zodiacs to enter the water,<br />
and we were finally back outside in the incredible<br />
nature of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a.<br />
The water splashed up around us as we drove<br />
through waives and passed blue icebergs, glaciers<br />
and penguin colonies on our way to Cuverville.<br />
The island was packed with adorable Gentoo<br />
chicks and a great group of <strong>Antarctic</strong> Terns circled<br />
the area.<br />
After the adventures morning, we had lunch in the<br />
restaurant. During the lunch, two humpback<br />
whales suddenly showed up next to the ship. They<br />
put on a spectacular show, as they jumped out of<br />
the water again and again.<br />
A couple of hours later, we reached Neko Island.<br />
The beautifully located island was full of nesting<br />
Gentoo’s and offered great views of the of the<br />
massive glaciers surrounding it. The trip started<br />
out with calm weather, but after a while, the wind<br />
picked up and started the bring in a lot of ice.<br />
Almost all of the water around the island was<br />
filled, as last zodiac took off.<br />
Right after Neko Island, it was time for the famous<br />
polar plunge. A whole bunch of brave souls took<br />
on the challenge and jumped into the ice cold<br />
water, as floating icebergs passed by. 32 people<br />
ended up jumping into the freezing water before<br />
they received a round of applause from the deck,<br />
a shot of vodka and a lot of glory.<br />
The day ended with a great show of karaoke, as<br />
the sun sat behind the snow-covered mountains<br />
and the Ocean Atlantic continued its journey<br />
further south into the peninsula.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
When and How the Earth Got Cold<br />
David Macdonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide<br />
The Earth’s climate has two end-member states:<br />
greenhouse and icehouse. In a greenhouse climate,<br />
there are no polar icecaps (although there may be<br />
valley glaciers in high mountain areas) – the climate of<br />
the Cretaceous Period (144-65 million years ago) is a<br />
typical greenhouse. We are currently in an icehouse<br />
climate, since there are icecaps at or near both poles.<br />
Although life on Earth goes back 3.5 billion years, the<br />
main expansion in numbers of species and hence of<br />
easily found fossils occurred 540 million years ago.<br />
During the time from then until now, greenhouse<br />
climates have dominated, with three periods of<br />
icehouse climate, lasting a total of about 100 million<br />
years. Our current icehouse period began abruptly 35<br />
million years ago, with formation of an icecap in<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a. Why did it happen then, and why did it have<br />
such an abrupt beginning?<br />
Water temperature (°C)<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong> convergence<br />
October 2019<br />
8<br />
6<br />
4<br />
2<br />
0<br />
54 56 58 60 62 64<br />
Latitude (°S)<br />
17<br />
Figure 2: Temperatures in the Drake Passage from Friday 25<br />
October to Sunday 27 October 2019 as Ocean Atlantic sailed south<br />
across the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Convergence, where the sea temperature falls<br />
below 4°C.<br />
It was the severing of the link between the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego that allowed deep cold<br />
water to circulate around the planet at 50-60°S and<br />
thermally isolate <strong>Antarctic</strong>a from the rest of the world.<br />
This situation continues today (Figure 1)<br />
The key area for this was the Drake Passage, which is<br />
the western end of the Scotia Sea (Figure 3). Geological<br />
and geophysical studies of the sea floor show that the<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a-South America link was severed by the<br />
growth of ocean crust, beginning 35 million years ago.<br />
Opening of this deep-water gateway cooled the planet<br />
and turned <strong>Antarctic</strong>a into the white continent.<br />
Figure 1: Thermal structure of the Southern Ocean showing the<br />
position of the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Convergence (Polar Front) at the junction<br />
of the dark blue and mid blue shading. This is the line of the 4°C<br />
isotherm, where <strong>Antarctic</strong> surface water plunges below cold<br />
temperate water.<br />
The first, and most important factor was that we had a<br />
polar continent. <strong>Antarctic</strong>a was in roughly its present<br />
position over the South Pole, so would have had<br />
strongly differentiated winters and summers. However,<br />
although the former supercontinent of Gondwana had<br />
largely broken up by then, there was still a land bridge<br />
to South America and <strong>Antarctic</strong>a was still forested,<br />
probably with a migratory fauna. Warm currents bathed<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a’s shores and, 35 million years ago, the<br />
temperature of the Southern Ocean was a relatively<br />
mild 6°C.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Figure 3: The Drake Passage and the Scotia Sea formed from 50<br />
million years ago, when there was slow extension between South<br />
America and the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Peninsula which stretched the crust and<br />
allowed surface waters to circulate through this former land<br />
bridge. The temperature of the southern Ocean fell from 12°C to<br />
6°C between 50-35 million years ago, then abruptly fell to 0°C<br />
when the deep water gateway of the scotia Sea opened, sundering<br />
the link between <strong>Antarctic</strong>a and South America and allowing<br />
continuous circulation of deep water, thermally isolating<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a.<br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Ice window<br />
Chinstrap<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz © Sandra Petrowizi<br />
Home, sweet<br />
home<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Neko Harbour<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Wildlife of the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
28 January <strong>2020</strong> – Brown Station/Paradise Harbour and Port<br />
Lockroy<br />
19<br />
We woke surrounded in the dramatic landscapes<br />
of glaciers, craggy mountains and icebergs as Sam<br />
announced that the winds had finally died down<br />
to light and we would be soon beginning our day<br />
at Paradise Bay.<br />
Operations began shortly after breakfast with<br />
half of the guests heading to make a second<br />
continental landing, this time with the<br />
opportunity for snow sliding. While guests<br />
gushed over the penguin chicks at the rookery,<br />
others took selfies overlooking the bay and the<br />
adventurous souls took turns sliding down the<br />
hill- after all, sliding in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a isn’t something<br />
everyone can say they have done!<br />
The guests who were not on shore spent a<br />
beautiful morning cruising around by the glorious<br />
glaciers that surround the bay, sneaking in<br />
between cathedral icebergs scattered around,<br />
watching porposing penguins. blue eyed shags on<br />
the cliff side and spending time in silence<br />
listening to the ice crackle. Here we spotted<br />
lichen growing on the rocks and even traces of<br />
copper in the cliff side.<br />
BBQ lunch was hosted on the back deck as we<br />
made our way towards our afternoon landing at<br />
Port Lockroy. The weather turned to drizzle and<br />
the wind picked up as we made our approach.<br />
Here guests were able to shop until they<br />
dropped, explore the museum to see what life is<br />
like living on the continent and to have a close<br />
encounter with penguins. The Gentoo penguin<br />
chicks are noticeably larger than the others we<br />
have seen, giving us a great perspective of their<br />
growth and development.<br />
Kim shared a lecture on whales for the guests on<br />
board as they waited their turn to go to shore.<br />
Zodiac cruising took place in the bay as guests<br />
made their way to shore, exploring the glaciers of<br />
the area and even spotting an Adelie Penguin,<br />
taking our penguin species tally up to three.<br />
It was a wet afternoon, which allowed us to see<br />
how harsh the weather can be in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a and<br />
how hard it must be to raise young chicks in<br />
conditions such as these. We made our way back<br />
to the ship, grateful for the warmth and a hot cup<br />
of tea.<br />
After operations wrapped up Sam briefed us<br />
about the day ahead. We had a very interesting<br />
evening of recaps learning about salp from Ted,<br />
lichens from Kim, the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Treaty with<br />
Thomas and Human Behaviours with Alejandro.<br />
Guillaume introduced us to Hookpod, the first of<br />
three charities in which Albatros supports, and<br />
which we can support at the auction on our last<br />
day at sea.<br />
Dinner was served in the dining room and the<br />
evening came to a close with a dance party<br />
hosted by Rose.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Fun Fact:<br />
There are over 20000 species of lichen. Lichen is<br />
actually a combination of a fungus and a<br />
cyanobacteria! #thatsneat<br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
The Final Day<br />
29 January <strong>2020</strong> – Cierva Cove and Portal Point<br />
The day started out pretty nice with calm waters, and<br />
it was great as the past few days we did not have such<br />
smooth rides. The guests had not yet experienced<br />
much sunshine this trip, and as the sun started to peek<br />
out of the clouds this morning, smiles started to<br />
appear on the faces of the guests. We started out the<br />
morning with a beautiful zodiac cruise at Cierva Cove.<br />
There were many different sightings, some saw<br />
crabeater and weddell seals, while others saw orcas<br />
and humpback whales.<br />
We came back to the ship for a sumptuous lunch<br />
onboard. Some had some rest time while others had<br />
time to go through the many pictures that were taken<br />
in the morning.<br />
In the afternoon, we arrived at Portal Point where we<br />
planned to do a landing and a zodiac cruise. We were<br />
initially worried that the weather was not going to be<br />
ideal for any activity. However, as we got nearer to<br />
our destination, the wind and waves were kind to us.<br />
On top of that, just before we got off the ship, we<br />
started to see many humpback whales in different<br />
groups all around the ship.<br />
20<br />
As we shuttled the first half of the guests to shore,<br />
there was a group of whales that were showing their<br />
flukes off. The zodiac cruises that afternoon were<br />
whaley amazing. Every single person got to see at least<br />
a whale, some were performing with their flukes,<br />
while others were having a splashy great time feeding.<br />
Everyone got back to the ship feeling amazed and that<br />
the last excursion of the trip could not have been<br />
better.<br />
Back at the ship, the spirits were up during the recap<br />
and briefing for the day before heading for a delicious<br />
hot buffet dinner. The day ended nicely with Kevin<br />
sharing his personal stories about living in the Canada,<br />
where he has an abundance of experience in the Arctic<br />
and polar bears.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
A Brief History of the Zodiac<br />
Steve Traynor, Zodiac Master<br />
In expedition cruising, the most important tool we use is the Zodiac inflatable boat. These manoeuvrable,<br />
reliable, robust vessels are the workhorse of the expedition cruise industry, from the north of Svalbard to<br />
the southern end of the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Peninsula. They have a long history – as you can see from the stages<br />
below, many different inventions needed to come together to create the craft we use today.<br />
1838 Charles Goodyear (USA) discovered the process for vulcanising rubber (a US patent was granted<br />
in 1844) – this process is used for hardening and strengthening rubber.<br />
1843 Goodyear’s process was stolen by Thomas Hancock (UK) using the process of reverse<br />
engineering; less controversially, Hancock invented the “masticator” – a machine for re-using<br />
rubber scraps – this made the rubber industry much more efficient.<br />
1845 The first successful inflatable boat (Halkett boat) was designed by Lieutenant Peter Halkett<br />
(UK), specifically for Arctic operations. Halkett Boats were used by the Orcadian explorer, John<br />
Rae, in his successful expedition to discover the fate of the Franklin Expedition.<br />
1866 Four men made the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Britain on a threetube<br />
inflatable raft.<br />
1896 The original Zodiac company was founded by Maurice Mallet (France) to produce airships.<br />
1909 The first outboard motor was invented by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.<br />
1912 The loss of the Titanic and subsequent shipping losses during World War 1 proved the need for<br />
inflatable rafts for use as supplementary lifeboats.<br />
1919 RFD firm (UK) and the Zodiac company (France) started building inflatable boats.<br />
1934 The airship company, Zodiac, invented the inflatable kayak and catamaran<br />
1942 The Marine Raiders – an elite unit of the US Marine Corps – used inflatable boats to carry out<br />
raids and landings in the Pacific theatre.<br />
1950 Alain Bombard first combined the outboard engine, a rigid floor and an inflatable boat (built by<br />
the Zodiac company).<br />
1952 Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic Ocean with his inflatable; after this, his good friend, the<br />
famous diver Jacques-Yves Cousteau, started using them.<br />
1960 Zodiac licensed production to a dozen companies in other countries because of their lack of<br />
manufacturing capacity in France.<br />
21<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Lemaire Brown Station Channel<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Danco Island<br />
Brown Station<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Ciera Cove<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a: A Continent for Science<br />
David Macdonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide<br />
Until the advent of mass tourism, <strong>Antarctic</strong>a’s tagline was: “A continent for science”.<br />
23<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a affects the rest of the world in a variety of<br />
ways, so “<strong>Antarctic</strong> Science” should really be “Global<br />
science that happens in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a”. Although many<br />
early expeditions were purely geographical in scope,<br />
there were some important scientific expeditions in the<br />
late 19 th to early 20 th centuries. In this “Golden Age” of<br />
exploration, there were many scientific contributions<br />
from <strong>Antarctic</strong>a which changed our view of the earth’s<br />
evolution and environment.<br />
Indeed, three expeditions brought back proof that<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a once had a warm climate. Scott’s first<br />
expedition (1901-1904) found coal from 250 million<br />
years ago in the Transantarctic Mountains;<br />
Nordenskjӧld’s Swedish <strong>Antarctic</strong> Expedition found<br />
warm-water fossils on James Ross Island; and the Scotia<br />
Expedition under Bruce (1902-1904) dredged<br />
fossiliferous 500 million-year-old limestone from the<br />
Weddell Sea. Scott’s second expedition (1910-1913)<br />
found fossil leaves(Glossopteris) in the Transantarctic<br />
Mountains. These fossils belong to an extinct order of<br />
seed ferns from 299-252 million years ago, only found<br />
in the southern hemisphere continents and India. They<br />
were used by Wegener in 1924 in his work on<br />
continental drift to reconstruct the former<br />
supercontinent of Gondwana.<br />
In the years after the First World War, the focus<br />
changed from individual expeditions to national<br />
pursuits, such as the British Discovery Investigations –<br />
the first permanent oceanographic body in the world.<br />
During 33 years (1918–51) of pioneering work, the<br />
research ships collected an enormous amount of<br />
oceanographic, biological, and geographical data.<br />
Among the results of the investigations was the<br />
discovery of both the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong> Convergence - the natural boundary of<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a.<br />
By the end of the Second World War, the move to<br />
create national organisations was complete, with the<br />
formation of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey<br />
(now British <strong>Antarctic</strong> Survey), the Australian National<br />
Research Expeditions) and other civilian operations<br />
(France, New Zealand, South Africa, etc).<br />
As a result of these organisations and better logistics,<br />
the rate of scientific discovery soared, and new polarspecific<br />
studies proliferated. Some highlights include:<br />
• 1957-58: The International Geophysical Year (IGY)<br />
was an 18-month collaboration between 67<br />
countries. <strong>Antarctic</strong>a was the focus, with 12 nations<br />
participating. Many new scientific stations were<br />
created and the IGY was a resounding success as it<br />
led directly to the <strong>Antarctic</strong> Treaty<br />
• 1959-1996: The discovery and delineation of<br />
subglacial Lake Vostok is a great example of scientific<br />
cooperation. Lab studies showed that ice under very<br />
high pressure reverts to water and in 1964, seismic<br />
soundings from Vostok Station were used to<br />
measure the thickness of the ice sheet. This<br />
suggested the existence of a subglacial lake. British<br />
airborne ice-penetrating radar in the 1970s detected<br />
unusual radar readings, suggesting a freshwater lake<br />
below the ice. In 1991, a radar satellite revealed<br />
that this subglacial water body is one of the world’s<br />
largest lakes. We now know that there are at least<br />
140 subglacial lakes in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a.<br />
• 1980-present: The US-funded collection and curation<br />
of <strong>Antarctic</strong> meteorites has recovered about 22,000<br />
meteorites from <strong>Antarctic</strong>a (about 75% of all known<br />
meteorites worldwide). There are samples from the<br />
Moon, Mars, and asteroids.<br />
• 1985: In hole in the ozone layer over <strong>Antarctic</strong>a was<br />
discovered from ground-based instruments at Halley<br />
Bay and Faraday (British <strong>Antarctic</strong> Survey).<br />
• 1986: Research at McMurdo Station, the main U.S.<br />
scientific station in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a, established that<br />
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the probable cause of<br />
the <strong>Antarctic</strong> ozone hole (US NSF). These two bits of<br />
work lead to signing of the Madrid Protocol on 1987,<br />
banning CFCs.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Northward Bound<br />
30 January <strong>2020</strong> – Drake Passage<br />
As we began our journey through the Drake Passage<br />
back to Ushuaia and civilization, we were all pleased to<br />
be greeted with sunny skies and playful seals putting on<br />
a show for those lucky enough to be watching. Although<br />
the seas had rocked the Ocean Atlantic through the<br />
night, the swell wasn’t too harsh and we had a relatively<br />
pleasant morning on the Southern Ocean.<br />
After a delicious breakfast in the Vinland Restaurant,<br />
guests were able to listen to a lecture in the Viking<br />
Theatre by Kim about cold water diving in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a.<br />
She spoke about life under the <strong>Antarctic</strong> sea ice and<br />
how the visibility in <strong>Antarctic</strong> waters can reach upwards<br />
of 300 meters. We then were lucky enough to see some<br />
fin whales, and guests happily snapped a few photos<br />
before the whales continued on their way. We gathered<br />
again for lunch and then continued on back to the<br />
theatre to watch a movie about the beautiful frozen<br />
continent we just left behind.<br />
24<br />
In the evening we met once again the Viking Lounge for<br />
the day’s recap and briefing. Our expedition leader,<br />
Sam, told us about what we should expect of the Drake<br />
Passage for our final voyage day. Our photographer,<br />
Sandra, then showed a slideshow of the photo contest<br />
winners and handed out well deserved prizes. After<br />
handing out polar plunge certificates to the few who<br />
decided to brave the cold <strong>Antarctic</strong> waters, Sandra put<br />
on a slideshow showcasing the best polar plunge<br />
images.<br />
Following a delicious dinner in the Vinland Restaurant,<br />
we joined Rose for the evening’s entertainment. A<br />
cocktail demonstration was put on in the Viking Lounge<br />
showing guests how to make a margarita. Those who<br />
could most closely recreate this drink, won a drink. The<br />
evening ended with a “name that song” competition,<br />
and guests went to bed looking forward to their final<br />
Drake Passage day.<br />
In the afternoon guests were treated to an ice cream<br />
social and tea time with traditional Nordic treats.<br />
Directly following, we all gathered in the Viking Theatre<br />
to listen to expedition staff experts explain the<br />
interconnectivity of the <strong>Antarctic</strong> ecosystem. Afterward,<br />
guests were able to stay for a question and answer<br />
session. We learned about how the ice and snow on top<br />
of the <strong>Antarctic</strong> continent makes it the continent with<br />
the highest elevation, how a lot of marine organisms<br />
here exhibit cold water gigantism, how krill is the most<br />
important organism in the <strong>Antarctic</strong> ecosystem and how<br />
it supports this very diverse community, and how<br />
snowy sheathbills eat penguin poop. Subsequently,<br />
stretching was offered by Rashidah in the Bistro.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
© Renato Granieri Photography<br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Fire in the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Gregers Gjersøe, Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide<br />
Fire is one of the greatest threats in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a thanks<br />
to the region’s very dry climate, frequent strong winds,<br />
and nearly complete lack of liquid freshwater. Due to<br />
the continent’s isolation with and little possibility of<br />
rescue for weeks or months, a fire in the <strong>Antarctic</strong> is a<br />
potentially very disastrous event.<br />
Although it is covered in snow and ice, the cold<br />
temperatures of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a make the White Continent<br />
very dry. As it is one of the windiest places on Earth,<br />
there is almost always a strong wind blowing much of<br />
the time, more than strong enough to fan any flames.<br />
As the temperatures across the whole continent of<br />
<strong>Antarctic</strong>a is averaging below freezing, there is unlikely<br />
to be very much liquid water to fight fires. So, the<br />
response to fire is usually to make sure everyone is out<br />
of danger and safe and then stand back and watch it<br />
burn itself out.<br />
Bases in <strong>Antarctic</strong>a are often designed to survive fires<br />
because they are made up of a number of separate<br />
buildings, each with a significant distance between<br />
them. Many bases have emergency supplies stored in a<br />
hut near the base but well away. In these huts, there<br />
are often enough supplies and ample shelter for the<br />
base’s crew to be able to survive a fire or emergency<br />
until help can arrive.<br />
The Argentine <strong>Antarctic</strong> base and scientific research<br />
station, “Brown Station,” is named after Admiral<br />
William Brown, the father of the Argentine Navy.<br />
25<br />
Located on the Sanaviron Peninsula along Paradise<br />
Harbour’s Danco Coast, from 1951 to 1984 it served as<br />
a permanent research base, though, since then, it is<br />
open only during the summer season.<br />
During its heyday, the station was home to one of the<br />
most complete biology laboratories on the <strong>Antarctic</strong><br />
Peninsula, featuring a main house, as well as an<br />
additional building exclusively for scientific research.<br />
This building was equipped with three labs, a<br />
photography workshop, an emergency radio station, an<br />
office and a library.<br />
Unfortunately, Brown Station’s original facilities were<br />
burned down by the station’s doctor on 12 April 1984<br />
after he was ordered to stay on for yet another winter,<br />
despite the original terms of his contract and his desire<br />
to see his fiancé once again. As you can imagine, the<br />
stress of <strong>Antarctic</strong>a’s harsh winter conditions can take<br />
its toll on residents and explorers of the region, driving<br />
them to take extreme measures to get back home.<br />
The doctor simply couldn’t bear to stay on for another<br />
winter and he couldn’t stand the isolation as the days<br />
drew darker. His solution? To force an evacuation of<br />
himself and his colleagues in the only way plausible<br />
manner: by burning the station down.<br />
After the fire, the station’s personnel were rescued by<br />
the USS Hero and taken to United States’ Palmer<br />
Station. Argentina later rebuilt the base, but it is now<br />
only occupied during the summer months. The station’s<br />
doctor was sent to prison for arson and his fiancé<br />
decided to call off the engagement.<br />
© Werner Kruse<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
The Beagle Channel<br />
31 January <strong>2020</strong> – Drake Passage<br />
On the the final morning our Drake Passage crossing,<br />
we awoke to blue skies and an abundance of seabirds.<br />
Although the seas had rocked the Ocean Atlantic<br />
through the night, the swell wasn’t too harsh and we<br />
had a relatively pleasant morning on the Southern<br />
Ocean.<br />
Thankfully, we had a later start for the day so we had a<br />
bit of a lie in before a delicious breakfast in the Vinland<br />
Restaurant as well as a disembarkation briefing in the<br />
Viking Theatre.<br />
After the briefing, we were all invited to tour the bridge<br />
first hand and see the Ocean Atlantic’s officers hard at<br />
work.<br />
In the afternoon, the kayakers among us gathered up<br />
for a quick debriefing meeting and then a short lecture<br />
on the history of kayaking from our kayak guide, Slava.<br />
We also had a recap with Questions and Answers where<br />
the questions we had entered got answered.<br />
26<br />
By early evening, it was time to gather in the Viking<br />
Lounge one last time for the end of voyage slideshow<br />
and charity auction, as well as the Captain´s celebratory<br />
cocktail hour. We waved a hearty goodbye to the<br />
journey of a lifetime, taking a moment to reflect on our<br />
voyage, thanks to Sandra´s immaculately composed<br />
slideshow of our trip to the White Continent.<br />
We also had a chance to thank and appreciate the many<br />
people who made this journey possible, from the<br />
officers and crew to the Expedition Staff. Finally, it was<br />
time to head to the Vinland Restaurant for our last<br />
dinner aboard the Ocean Atlantic, topped off with Chef<br />
Indra’s spectacular “Death by Chocolate” dessert buffet.<br />
As we pulled into the comfort of the Beagle Channel,<br />
our journey drew closer towards its close. However, as<br />
we packed our bags and prepared to disembark the<br />
Ocean Atlantic, amid the festivities of the evening, we<br />
had the chance to appreciate the beauty of the journey<br />
of a lifetime and all the memories we’ll take with us as<br />
we make our way home.<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
© Renato Granieri Photography<br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
King of the Southern Winds<br />
Sandra Ophorst, Lecturer & Expedition Guide<br />
The wandering albatross is an impressive bird with the<br />
world’s largest wingspan of up to 3.5 meters in length<br />
and a weight of up to <strong>11</strong> kilograms. Unfortunately, the<br />
number of wandering albatrosses is rapidly declining<br />
with only 20,100 individuals left as of October 2019<br />
(Red List, World Conservation Union)<br />
The wandering albatross is rarely seen on land and<br />
gathers only to breed, at which time it forms large<br />
colonies on remote islands, such as South Georgia. The<br />
female lays a single white egg and both sexes share<br />
incubation, which lasts about 60 to 80 days. Both sexes<br />
feed the youngster by regurgitating food, a process<br />
that can continue for up to nine months.<br />
The nesting cycle of wandering albatrosses is so long,<br />
they can’t complete it in one year. So, they nest every<br />
other year. When young albatrosses become<br />
independent and leave their nest site, they begin a<br />
multi-year foray on the open ocean and will not return<br />
to land until they are old enough to breed. This can<br />
take up to 10 years of their 50 year average lifespan.<br />
27<br />
The wandering albatross is famous for its dynamic<br />
flight. They turn into the wind to gain height, then glide<br />
back down to the sea to gain speed. Sometimes they<br />
glide for hours without rest or even a single flap of<br />
their wings. Indeed, this principle was used to design<br />
airplanes, especially gliders that have albatross-like<br />
wings.<br />
As a result of these wings, however, an albatross’<br />
landing process often looks a bit comical as their<br />
narrow wings do not allow for a slow approach. So,<br />
they often land on their feet and then tumble forward<br />
and slide on their bellies. The biggest threats to the<br />
wandering albatross are pollution and large-scale<br />
commercial tuna fisheries. These tuna fishing boats are<br />
equipped with up to 20,000 fish baited hooks and<br />
these lines can be up to 100km long.<br />
Unfortunately, these fishing lines often attract<br />
albatrosses get caught up on the hooks and drown as<br />
they are cast out at sea. Organisations such as Hookpod<br />
are trying to save the albatrosses from the dangers of<br />
long line fishing vessels by providing fishing boats with<br />
“hookpods” that cover the barb and point of the hook<br />
during setting, reducing the likelihood of an albatross<br />
by-catch.<br />
© Gaby Pilson<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Cierva Cove<br />
Paradise Bay<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Cierva Cove<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
© Sandra Petrowitz<br />
Gerlache Strait<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong> Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
Home Again<br />
1 February <strong>2020</strong> - Ushuaia<br />
After last night’s end-of-voyage festivities, we awoke<br />
much too early for our final morning on the Ocean<br />
Atlantic. Although we wish we could stay, we started<br />
the process of leaving behind the ship and the people<br />
we’ve come to know so well over the past week.<br />
Our bags were packed and stowed in the corridors,<br />
ready for our early-morning busses and flights back<br />
home. After nine whole days immersed in the<br />
landscapes and amongst the wildlife of the <strong>Antarctic</strong>,<br />
it was time to return home or to wherever our life’s<br />
journeys bring us.<br />
And so – farewell, adieu, and goodbye. Together we<br />
have visited and incredible and vast wilderness. We<br />
have experienced magnificent mountain vistas, seen<br />
icebergs roll and crack, felt the power of the elements<br />
and seen how quickly they can change. We enjoyed<br />
wonderful food and comfortable surroundings aboard<br />
the Ocean Atlantic.<br />
29<br />
We boarded zodiacs and cruised through icy bays at<br />
the end of the Earth. We shared unique moments,<br />
held engaging conversations, and laughed together<br />
over beers and coffees. We’ve made new friends and<br />
experienced the power of expeditionary travel.<br />
We hope the expedition team has helped make this<br />
the trip of a lifetime - one that will persist in your<br />
memories for weeks, months, and years, to come.<br />
Although we must say good-bye to these places we<br />
have come to know and love, it is a fond farewell as<br />
we are all true ambassadors for the <strong>Antarctic</strong> and all<br />
the beauty it holds.<br />
On behalf of Albatros Expeditions, our captain and<br />
crew, the expedition team, and everyone else who<br />
helped make this journey a resounding success, it has<br />
been a pleasure travelling with you. We hope that you<br />
will come back and experience these wonderful places<br />
with us once again!<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
By the Numbers…<br />
30<br />
<strong>Voyage</strong> Statistics:<br />
Southernmost Point:<br />
Total Distance Travelled:<br />
65 o 02.333’ S, 62 o 51.559’W<br />
1575 nautical miles<br />
Excursion Locations:<br />
Aitcho Barrientos: 62 o 24’ S 59 o 47’ W<br />
Deception Island: 62 o 55’ S 60 o 37’ W<br />
Cuverville Island: 64 o 41’ S 62 o 38’ W<br />
Neko Harbour: 64 o 50’ S 62 o 33’ W<br />
Brown Station:<br />
Port Lockroy<br />
Portal Point<br />
Cierva Cove<br />
Ushuaia:<br />
64 o 53’ S 62 o 52’ W<br />
64 o 50’ S 63 o 30’ W<br />
64 o 30’ S 61 o 46’ W<br />
64 o 90’ S 60 o 53’ W<br />
54 o 45’ S 68 o 23’ W<br />
During our time on the M/V Ocean Atlantic, we consumed:<br />
Beef<br />
Lamb<br />
Pork<br />
Poultry<br />
Cold Cuts<br />
Fish & Seafood<br />
Eggs<br />
Milk<br />
Cheese<br />
Ice Cream<br />
Vegetables<br />
Fruit<br />
Wine<br />
Beer<br />
Toilet Paper<br />
495 kg<br />
125 kg<br />
600 kg<br />
720 kg<br />
180 kg<br />
395 kg<br />
7200 kg<br />
620 ltr<br />
80 kg<br />
160 ltr<br />
2900 kg<br />
3000 kg<br />
127 btls<br />
432 cans<br />
893 rolls<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>
A Final Note…<br />
31<br />
As any good expedition comes to a close, many of us experience the<br />
effervescent excitement that comes when we immerse ourselves<br />
completely in an adventure. Although we all came into this voyage with<br />
our own expectations and personal motivations, on the ship, we quickly<br />
learned that the best plan is the one that we end up doing.<br />
While weather and the landscape<br />
can conspire against us in the<br />
southern latitudes, the right mindset<br />
can make all of the difference.<br />
Wind, rain, sleet, and snow make no<br />
difference when we come prepared<br />
for an adventure and all the<br />
excitement it holds. Whether you<br />
saw what you came for or you<br />
experienced something else<br />
entirely, when you set out on an<br />
expedition, you come for the<br />
mountains and the wildlife, but stay<br />
for people and places you meet<br />
along the way.<br />
Although we all eventually have to<br />
leave behind our beloved Ocean<br />
Atlantic, there are always a few<br />
things we can take home from an<br />
expedition:<br />
• An acceptance and embracement<br />
of adversity and uncertainty<br />
when the natural world alters<br />
our plans.<br />
• A fondness for the wild and a<br />
strong desire to keep remote<br />
natural locations as beautiful and<br />
free as they can be.<br />
• An insatiable interest in learning<br />
more about the people, places,<br />
and cultures in some of the most<br />
remote parts of the world.<br />
As you unpack you bags, you may<br />
find souvenirs and keepsakes from<br />
your journey. Your camera may be<br />
filled with countless photos,<br />
however blurry, of the many<br />
animals and mountains that have<br />
crossed our paths. At the end of the<br />
day, however, what matters most is<br />
the experience of, the journey to,<br />
and the memories of these wild and<br />
wonderful places.<br />
Best wishes from all of us on the<br />
expedition team as you continue on<br />
with your adventures!<br />
Sam Gagnon<br />
Expedition Leader<br />
Ted Creek<br />
Assistant Expedition Leader<br />
Thank you for experiencing the <strong>Antarctic</strong> with us at Albatros<br />
Expeditions. We hope to see you aboard the Ocean Atlantic<br />
again in the future!<br />
Wan Meng Cheih<br />
Assistant Expedition Leader<br />
23 JAN – 1 FEB <strong>2020</strong><br />
Volume 2, Issue <strong>11</strong>