Antarctic 2020 Voyage 11 Log

23 JAN – 1 FEB 2020 Volume 2, Issue 11 

Albatross 

Magazine 

A Visual Journey 

South Shetlands & 

Antarctic Peninsula: The 

Journey of a Lifetime 

THE OFFICIAL VOYAGE LOG OF

Albatros Magazine: A Visual Journey 

Editor-in-Chief: 

Layout & Design: 

Jon Marin 

Gaby Pilson & Jon Marin 

Front Cover Image: 

Back Cover Image: 

Photography Contributors: 

Sandra Petrowiz 

Sandra Petrowiz 

Sandra Petrowitz 

Yuri Choufour 

Werner Kruse 

Renato Granieri 

Gaby Pilson 

23 JAN – 1 FEB 2020 Volume 2, Issue 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

The Voyage 

Meet the Team 

Day 1: Southward Bound 

The Seven Sisters of Szczecin 

An Unlikely Antarctic Explorer 

Day 2: Rolling Our Way South 

Penguins! Fun Facts for the Antarctic 

Adventurer 

Day 3: At Sea in the Southern Ocean 

Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts 

Whales: Friendly Giants of the Sea 

Day 4: The South Shetlands 

The Geological Structure of the Antarctic 

Peninsula 

Day 5: The White Continent 

When and How the Earth Got Cold 

Day 6: Wildlife of the Antarctic 

Day 7: The Last Day 

A Brief History of the Zodiac 

Antarctica: A Continent for Science 

Day 8: Northward Bound 

Fire in the Antarctic 

Day 9: The Beagle Channel 

King of the Southern Winds 

Day 10: Home Again 

By the Numbers 

A Final Note 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

19 

20 

21 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

29 

30 

31

The Voyage 

3 

The following map traces the approximate route that the M/V Ocean Atlantic took during our 

voyage to Antarctica. You can find more information about our day to day activities, landings, and 

excursions on the following pages. We hope that this magazine serves as a reminder of all of the 

wonderful memories you made while experiencing the Antarctic with us at Albatros Expeditions. 

© Renato Granieri 

© Yuri Choufour 

23 JAN – 1 FEB 2020 

Volume 2, Issue 11

Meet the Team 

4 

Ted Creek 

Assistant Expedition 

Leader 

Samuel 

Expedition Leader 

Wan Meng Chieh 

Assistant Expedition 

Leader 

Kevin Burke 

Zodiac Master 

Slava Nikitin 

Kayak Master 

Thomas Bruun 

Kayak Guide 

Kim Schuster 

Equipment Master 

Nadine Smith 

Shop Manager 

Rose Li 

Translator & Guide 

Guillaume de Remacle 

Lecturer & Guide 

Sandra Petrowitz 

Photographer 

Shannon Jensen 

First Aid Responder 

Mark Hebert 

Lecture & Guide 

Jes “Yeti” Gravgaard 


Jon Marin 


Nick Gan 


Alejandro Ursino 


Pai Liu 


Chloe Shang 

Shop Assistent 

Steve Egan 


Rashida Lim 


Zoy Li Jianqun 




5 

Day 1 - Southward Bound 

23 January 2020 - Embarkation Day 

As our flights touched down on the runway in 

Ushuaia, we were treated to delightful views of 

Tierra del Fuego and the city that marks the start of 

our Antarctic adventure. Weary from our recent 

flights, yet excited for the adventure to come, we 

made our way to the port of Ushuaia. 

Our adventure to Antarctica started in the 

afternoon as the first busses drove along the pier in 

beautiful weather and stopped all the way at the 

end of it, where Ocean Atlantic was anchored. 

Members of the Expedition Team welcomed us as 

we boarded the experienced Antarctica ship and 

most of us couldn’t hide our excitement. 

Everybody checked in, settled in their rooms and 

started to explore the massive ship, which was to 

be our home for the next many days. After a while, 

it was time for the mandatory safety briefing 

followed by an important safety drill. The 

recognizable alarm went off throughout the ship 

and people gathered at their muster stations and 

later at the emergency boats. 

Shortly after, the Ocean Atlantic slowly started to 

move away from the pier and began its journey 

through the Beagle channel, before heading 

straight South towards the incredible Antarctica. 

Meanwhile, Expedition Leader Sam hosted the 

welcome briefing in the Viking Lounge and Hotel 

Manager Oliver introduced the ship and the many 

people working on it to provide an excellent 

experience, including the food and beverage manager, 

the head of housekeeping and the purser. Sam then 

introduced the different members of the expedition 

team and talked about the plans and details for the 

voyage, including a very pleasant weather forecast for 

the infamous Drake Passage. 

The evening ended with a big welcome dinner, where 

people got to know their new travel companions. Many 

went to bed early after several days of travel. However, 

a few went outside on the decks, where a they spotted 

a couple of whales swimming past the ship in the 

distance, marking the start of a great wildlife journey in 

the southern hemisphere. 

But, as explorers know all too well, we can only ever 

experience true beauty in nature when we are brave 

enough to seek it out amongst the mountains and the 

seas in the world’s most remote places. It is with that 

sentiment in mind that we venture away from Ushuaia 

and south, to the future and all the wonders it holds. 

“ 

We can only ever experience true 

beauty in nature when we are 

brave enough to seek it out… 

” 


The Seven Sisters of Szczecin 

David MacDonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide 

M/V Ocean Atlantic was launched in 1986 as the last-built of the ‘Shoshtakovich’ class of ice-strengthened 

passenger vessels, alongside six sister ships, together known as the “Seven Sisters of Szczecin. 

6 

Her original name was Konstantin Chernenko 

(Константин Черненко), after the President of the 

USSR (1984-1985). She was renamed Russ (Русс) in 

1989, and spent much of her life working in the Russian 

Far East. 

She was purchased by Albatros Expeditions and 

completely refitted in 2017. She is now a 200- 

passenger expedition vessel and is one of the strongest 

polar cruise ships afloat. Here are some fun facts about 

the “Seven Sisters”: 

• All seven ships were built by Stocnia Szczecinska 

shipyard in Szczecin, Poland between 1979-1986 

• Main engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6LZ40 total power 

12800 kW, giving a maximum speed of 18 knots 

• Most of the class have one bow thruster (736 kW) 

and one stern thruster (426 kW); however, two 

ships, including ours, built in 1986, have two stern 

thrusters, each of 426 kW 

• Feature Siemens stabilisers for seaworthiness 

• Although built as ferries, they have a strengthened 

car deck for transport of tanks 

• Two of them had diving chambers 

• MV Mikhail Sholokov had hull demagnetising 

equipment so it could operate in minefields 

• All of these ships have been scrapped except ours 

and Konstantin Simonov – now Ocean Endeavour 

Our ship has had a complex history: 

1986-1987 In Baltic traffic, then Vladivostok to 

Japan & S Korea 

1989 renamed to Russ 

1997-1999 In traffic Stockholm-Riga; 2000 

Odessa-Haifa; 2002 back to 

Vladivostok transporting cars from 

Japan 

2007 Sold to Sea Ferry Shipping in Majuro 

and renamed 2010 to Atlantic; 

renovations in Italy and in traffic 

Stockholm-Helsinki-St. Petersburg 

during summer and laid up (October 

2010) in St Petersburg 

2012 Sold to ISP in Miami and renamed to 

Ocean Atlantic under Marshall 

Islands flag 

2013 Used as a hotel ship in the German 

bight wind farm project 

2015-2017 Laid up in Helsingborg and taken to 

Gdansk in Poland, where totally 

refitted 

2017 Chartered to Quark Expeditions 

2017-present Chartered to Albatros Expeditions. 



An Unlikely Antarctic Explorer 

Gregers Gjersøe – Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide 

In a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand, the local 

cemetery is home to a rather unassuming grave. 

The final resting place of Henry “Chippy” McNish, 

one of the survivors of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 

1914 Endurance Expedition, the grave is also a 

memorial to one of the most improbable of 

Antarctic explorers. 

In January of 1915, the Endurance got trapped in 

the Antarctic pack ice. McNish's work prevented 

the ship from flooding, but he couldn’t do 

anything to stop it from being crushed. The ship 

was abandoned and, much to McNish’s despair, 

Shackleton ordered Mrs. Chippy to be shot, as 

they couldn’t take her on their survival journey. 

7 

McNish himself was a carpenter onboard the 

Endurance, though he didn’t travel alone. During 

the expedition, McNish brought along a cat that 

followed him around like an overpossessive 

wife. Soon enough, the 

crew named the cat Mrs. Chippy, 

although the expedition quickly 

realised that Mrs. Chippy was a 

gentleman, not a lady. 

Mrs. Chippy was an unusual cat, 

though an avid adventurer, 

having climbed the Endurance’s 

rigging lines on several 

occasions. Mrs. Chippy also did 

some very provocative strolls 

across the roofs of the dogs’ kennels 

and even once fell into the frigid water 

below. Thankfully, the crew heard her cries and 

quickly turned the ship around so they could 

pluck her up from the icy cold waters and get her 

to safety. 

Also onboard the Endurance was a young man - 

Perce Blackborow. Perce had travelled to Buenos 

Aires looking for new employment, but wasn’t 

hired; at 18, his youth and inexperience counted 

against him. Somehow, he managed to sneak 

aboard the ship, and he hid in a clothing locker 

for three days. Eventually, he was discovered, 

and Shackleton was furious with him, but was 

sent to work in the galley where he became great 

friends with Mrs. Chippy. 

Now, the group had to make it back to safety. For 

months, the expedition drifted through icy 

waters until they made it to Elephant Island. 

Once at Elephant Island, Shackleton set out 

in a 22-foot-long open boat and made 

an 800-mile crossing through the 

rough waters of the South Atlantic 

to South Georgia. McNish was 

one of the five men who 

accompanied Shackleton, 

making improvements to the 

boat to make the voyage 

possible. 

For the next fifteen years, McNish 

lived a difficult life in Wellington 

before passing away in 1930. He never 

forgave Shackleton for shooting Mrs. 

Chippy. 

Nearly 30 years later, in 1959, the New Zealand 

Antarctic Society realised that McNish had been 

given a very poor burial in an unmarked grave. 

The Society raised funds for a headstone and 

even reunited McNish and Mrs. Chippy by adding 

a life-sized bronze statue of Mrs. Chippy to the 

grave. 

Now Karori Cemetery near Wellington is a 

pilgrimage site for Antarctic history buffs, who 

visit McNish’s grave and see Mrs. Chippy 

watching over him once again. 



Day 2 - Rolling Our Way South 

24 January 2020 – Drake Passage 

8 

After dropping off the pilot last night, we left the 

Beagle Channel and headed south into a very calm 

Drake Passage. The slight winds were appreciated by 

everyone but it meant that our keen bird watchers 

were not able to observe many flying seabirds including 

the wandering albatross. These birds need strong winds 

to soar and with luck we will be able to see them on the 

way back from Antarctica when we cross the Drake 

Passage again. 

A calm sea greeted us for our first full day together on 

Ocean Atlantic as she sailed surely southwards toward 

the promise of a snowy white continent, lost at the 

edge of the known world. A lovely breakfast as the 

skies brightened to sunny, gave us a nutritious 

beginning to the events of the day. It was a relaxed 

start as many of us were still finding our sea legs even 

as we rolled very gently across the Drake Passage. 

Our ornithologist Yeti rolled out an entertaining 

introduction to the Seabirds of the Southern Ocean, 

giving us a great taste of the encounters we could look 

forward to with these feathered friends who 

accompany us on our passage to Antarctica. Time out 

on deck with Birdmen Yeti & Gui was full of curious 

questions about winged companions & time ‘flew’, 

before we knew it, it was time for a great lunch put on 

by our consistently creative galley team, fuelling us for 

an afternoon of further activities. 

After lunch, in the mudroom, we distributed our 

waterproof boots, complimentary for use for the 

journey ahead & generally had a fun social time in 

doing so. After an invitation to inspect the Ocean 

Atlantic bridge & a fleeting sighting of Pilot Whales, we 

gathered in the Bistro for some more fun with 

dumpling making enjoyed by all who joined us. 

A day of social moments, equipment sorting & 

education brought us to our evening briefing & recap, 

where Expedition leader Sam gave us a preview of 

tomorrow’s weather & the Team peppered our minds 

with some introductory thoughts & perspectives about 

Antarctica, leading us into a delightful evening meal as 

Ocean Atlantic steamed on south towards the horizon. 

The Chinese New Year was upon us already & a buzz 

evident throughout our group brought us together to 

celebrate this wonderful occassion. We had crossed 

the Antarctic Convergence into this biological zone 

unique on Earth & considered ourselves already in 

Antarctica. A throughly enjoyable night of socialising 

led us deep into the evening. 



Penguins! Fun Facts for the Antarctic Adventurer 

Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide 

9 

For many of us, the chance to see penguins waddling around in the snowy vastness of Antarctica is the reason 

that we came to the White Continent. These charismatic sea birds are a fan-favourite for visitors to Antarctica, 

but even cuddly-looking penguins are incredibly well adapted to one of the harshest environments on Earth. 

1 

Depending on what book you read, there are 19 

species of penguins. If you count all of the 

subspecies, there are 25 total varieties of 

penguins in the world, however, there are only 

four truly Antarctic species of penguins: the 

Adélie, Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Emperor. All of 

the other penguins in the world live south of the 

equator yet north of Antarctica, with the 

exception of one species in the Galapagos whose 

range barely crosses into the northern 

hemisphere. 

2 

3 

4 

5 

The largest penguin to have ever lived was the 

now-extinct mega penguin, which weighed some 

115 kg. These days, the largest penguin is the 

Emperor Penguin, which tips the scales at 23 kg. 

Alternatively, the smaller gentoo penguin weighs 

just 15 kg. 

Although they nest, breed, and socialize on land, 

penguins rely on the sea for survival. As 

swimming and diving birds, penguins are adept 

at fishing and must head to the ocean for their 

sustenance. Indeed, the deepest diving bird in 

the world is the Emperor Penguin, with a 

record-breaking dive of 535 meters! 

Penguins are amazing swimmers. They spend 

much of their day searching for food in the 

ocean, particularly for their favourite meal of 

krill, squid, and small fish. The fastest swimming 

penguin is the Gentoo, which is known to reach 

speeds of upwards of 50 kilometres an hour 

while zooming through the water. 

Penguins are highly social birds, choosing to 

nest in large colonies, where they will also raise 

their young. Many penguin chicks, after 

hatching stay with their parents for a few weeks 

to a few months before forming large “crechés,” 

many hundreds of individual teenage penguins 

in size. 



Day 3 - At Sea in the Southern 

Ocean 

25 January 2020 – Drake Passage and our first 

landing 

10 

Our second day crossing the Drake, what a 

blessing; nothing but smooth sailing. Lots of birds 

were in sight, large groups of Cape Petrels as well 

as Wandering and Black browed albatross. A 

couple of Humpback whales were spotted but did 

chose to be more on the timid side. It is early in 

the expedition and we remain confident that we 

will find more cetaceans in the days to come. 

We kept busy with our bio security check in order 

to be in accordance with our IATTO regulations. 

Zodiac and kayak briefing were also mandatory to 

prepare us all for the operations. Sandra was very 

kind by taking some time to share some of her 

wonderful photography knowledge in order to 

make us benefit from our photo opportunities. 

A closure was brought to the iceberg contest with 

the first iceberg larger than the Ocean Atlantic 

vessel spotted at 13:38. 

Many of us were kept happy with the pizza 

making session, while many more took great 

pleasure in eating those tasty pizzas at teatime. 

We had an early diner in order to kick off our first 

landings of the trip at both Barrientos and Cecilia 

islands. It was a treat for us all to visit with 

Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins, Weddel and 

Elephant seals, were all part of the welcoming 

comity and some giant petrels to top it off! 

The zodiac tour from ship to land was exciting 

with small swells and choppy water but we all 

enjoyed this adventurous evening! 

What a day all together, we just can’t wait to see 

what tomorrow will bring! 



Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts 

Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide 

Glaciers have, quite literally, shaped our world. Without glaciers, the rolling hills and wide valleys we know 

today would look very different, but it turns out that these icy giants have a much longer and more storied 

history than many of us would initially suspect. Here are some of the best fun facts about glaciers: 

11 

1 

Not just anything can be a glacier. In fact, there’s 

a size requirement that a piece of ice has to 

meet to become a glacier. Anything considered a 

glacier must be at least 0.1 km 2 (nearly 25 acres) 

in area to be worthy of the name. Although 

there’s a minimum size requirement to be 

considered a glacier, there’s no upper limit to 

glacierhood. The longest glacier on earth is the 

Lambert Glacier of Antarctica, which measures 

out to some 434 km (270 mi) long. The world’s 

largest non-polar glacier is the Fedchenko 

Glacier of Tajikistan, which measures a 

respectable 77km (48mi) long. 



2 

Glaciers are formed by snowflakes. Although it’s 

crazy to think that a tiny snowflake can create 

something as large as a glacier, without snow, 

glaciers would never exist in the first place. To 

form a glacier, massive amounts of snow must 

accumulate and persist in a single location all 

year long for hundreds, if not thousands of 

years. During this time, the individual snowflakes 

found in the snowpack change in a process 

known as snowflake metamorphosis, where 

individual ice grains fuse together and get bigger 

and air bubbles get smaller. Once the icepack 

builds up enough mass to start flowing downhill, 

then, voila! We have a glacier. 

3 

Glaciers are found all over the world, not just in 

the polar regions. While the majority of glaciers 

and glacial ice is concentrated in high northern 

and southern latitudes, glaciers are found even 

near the equator, such as on Mount Kilimanjaro 

in Tanzania and in the mountains of Ecuador. 

That being said, about half of the world’s 

200,000 glaciers are found in one place: Alaska. 

There, glaciers cover a whopping 72,500 km 2 

(28,000 mi 2 ) of the US state’s total area. That’s a 

lot of ice. 

© Werner Kruse 

4 

Glaciers are basically really, really, really slow-moving rivers. To be considered a glacier, a large mass of ice 

must be physically moving downhill. This movement downhill is driven by gravity and is the main reason 

why glaciers also act as major agents of erosion. Since glaciers move downhill, they often remove and 

transport large boulders and chunks of rock, depositing them much further downhill then where they 

started. 



Drake Passage 

Welcome! 

© Sandra Petrowitz 

We’re ready! 

Boot Party 


Beagle 

Channel 




Whales: Friendly Giants of the Sea 

Amanda Dalsgaard – Lecturer (Marine Biology) and Expedition Guide 

13 

When one talks about whales, we must acknowledge 

the vast diversity of whales on earth and the 

uniqueness of each species. All whales fall into an 

order of marine mammals known as Cetaceans. The 

scientists who first discovered and named this order of 

marine mammals, used the word cetacean or 

‘ceatacea’ from the Greek ‘ketos,’ meaning monster. 

Long ago, when whales were first scientifically 

observed and recorded, people believed they were 

monsters, due to their size. Today, we know much 

more about the gentle giants that roam our planet’s 

seas, thanks to a number scientific and technological 

advances, our knowledge of these creatures will only 

continue to grow. 

The order Cetacea is divided into two sub-orders, 

Odontocete and Mysticeti. Odontocete, meaning 

‘toothed-whale’, includes all of the whales and 

dolphins with teeth. Mysticeti comes from the Latin 

root meaning “mustache”, and includes all of the 

whales that have baleen plates instead of teeth. It’s 

important to keep these differences in mind when 

trying to observe whales from a ship as this 

information can help identify cetaceans from far away. 

Since whales are marine mammals, they must breath 

air to survive. They do so by breathing at the water’s 

surface through their blow holes. 

Interestingly enough, however, toothed whales have 

only one blow hole or spout, while baleen whales have 

two. Plus, many whales can be identified from afar 

using the size and shape of their spout blow as well. 

For example, grey whales tend to have spouts shaped 

like hearts, while orcas have low bushy spouts. 

Another distinguishing characteristic that sets these 

two sub-orders apart is the way that they 

communicate. Odontocetes use a method of 

communication called echolocation. This is best 

described as a series or clicks and precise sounds that 

are then reflected back to the animal and allows the 

whale to ‘see’ their environment through noise. It is 

the same communication style used by bats in 

terrestrial ecosystems. Mysticetes on the other hand, 

communicate through a variety of low-frequency 

songs. These songs have been described by scientists 

as being beautiful, mysterious and sometimes gloomy, 

with the males being the most active singers of the 

Mysticeti clan. 

Regardless of the kind of whale you see however, any 

encounter with one of these graceful marine giants, 

however brief, is sure to be a memorable experience 

for years to come. 



Day 4 - The South Shetlands 

26 January 2020 – Deception Island 

14 

On the second day in Antarctica people where very 

excited, not only because we had our first landing 

the day before but also because of the fog 

surrounding us creating a very mysterious 

scenario. 

The expectation that morning was to visit the 

Chilean Base Arturo Prat. We were very 

enthusiastic, none of us had visited the station 

before. But the weather kept getting worse, so bad 

that our second destination, Half Moon, could not 

be done either. 

After a long conversation with the station leader at 

Arturo Prat we made the decision to continue 

traveling through the Bransfield Strait towards 

Deception Island, the only volcano in the world 

where we can navigate with a cruise. 

Deception Island is an island in the South Shetland 

Islands archipelago, with one of the safest 

harbours in Antarctica. This island is the caldera of 

an active volcano, which seriously damaged local 

scientific stations in 1967 and 1969. The island 

previously held a whaling station; it is now a tourist 

destination and scientific outpost, with 

Argentinean and Spanish research bases. While 

various countries have asserted sovereignty, it is 

still administered under the Antarctic Treaty 

System. 

Located within the Bransfield Strait, the island is 

roughly circular and horseshoe-shaped, with a 

maximum diameter around 15 km (9.3 mi). The 

highest peak, Mont Pond on the east side of the 

island, has an elevation of 539 m (1,768 ft), while 

Mount Kirkwood on the west has an elevation of 

452 m. Over half (57%) of the island is covered by 

glaciers up to 100 m thick, ice-cored moraines, or 

ice covered pyro clasts. The centre of the island 

has been flooded by the sea to form a large bay, 

now called Port Foster, about 10 km long and 7 km 

wide. The bay has a narrow entrance, just 500 m 

wide, called Neptune's Bellows. The port is a basin 

with a flat floor up to 170 m deep with several 

small submarine cones and domes. The port is 

rimmed by a shall coastal shelf with sandy-gravelly 

beaches. The outer coast of the island is 

characterized by 30–70 m high cliffs of rock or ice. 

This mysterious and mystical place welcomed us 

with a very dense fog, low clouds and 120kms 

winds. 

After Deception our journey continued, navigating 

all night in order to reach the next destination, 

Cuverville. 



The Geological Structure of the Antarctic Peninsula 

David Macdonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide 

This cartoon shows what the Antarctic Peninsula looked like 100 million years ago (mya). The main points to 

note are: 

• The peninsula was a continuation of the Andes. They were connected until 35 mya 

• The peninsula was a volcanic arc from about 200 mya3 until about 25 mya 

• Volcanism ended 50 mya in the south and 20 mya off Brabant Island 

• Only the South Shetlands Islands have any volcanic activity now 

15 

There are three main geological domains, each formed of multiple rock units: 

1. The basement domain (grey and brown colours) contains sediments scraped off the ocean floor which were 

changed by heat and pressure (metamorphosed) in the subduction zone and during folding and 

deformation. These metamorphic rocks span a wide range of ages from 299-65 mya. They tend to be older 

on the east coast of the peninsula. These rocks are best seen in Paradise Harbour, at the shag colony near 

Brown Station. 

2. The igneous domain contains rocks crystallised from magma. This includes both plutonic rocks (where the 

magma crystallised slowly within the earth’s crust) and volcanic rocks (where the magma was erupted as 

lava and ash). Again, the rocks span a wide range of ages from about 210-25 mya, and the younger rocks 

tend to be in the west. These are the commonest rocks seen in the Peninsula and are well displayed in the 

South Shetland Islands (e.g. Half Moon Island, or Yankee Harbour) or on the peninsula (e.g. Cuverville 

Island). Plutonic rocks form Goudier Island at Port Lockroy. 

3. The sedimentary domain contains rocks eroded from the volcanic arc and deposited in sedimentary basins, 

either on the eastern, Weddell Sea side (in a very large structure called the Larsen Basin), or in smaller 

basins to the west (the largest of which is the Fossil Bluff Basin on Alexander Island). Sedimentary rocks are 

not seen on most peninsula cruises (unless they visit the area of James Ross Island), although there are 

sedimentary rocks with abundant fossils interbedded with volcanic rocks west of Hannah Point, in Walker 

Bay. 



Day 5 - The White Continent 

27 January 2020 – Couverville Island and Neko Harbour 

16 

The day started fairly windy again, however as we 

got to closer to the Island of Cuverville, it settled 

down enough for the Zodiacs to enter the water, 

and we were finally back outside in the incredible 

nature of Antarctica. 

The water splashed up around us as we drove 

through waives and passed blue icebergs, glaciers 

and penguin colonies on our way to Cuverville. 

The island was packed with adorable Gentoo 

chicks and a great group of Antarctic Terns circled 

the area. 

After the adventures morning, we had lunch in the 

restaurant. During the lunch, two humpback 

whales suddenly showed up next to the ship. They 

put on a spectacular show, as they jumped out of 

the water again and again. 

A couple of hours later, we reached Neko Island. 

The beautifully located island was full of nesting 

Gentoo’s and offered great views of the of the 

massive glaciers surrounding it. The trip started 

out with calm weather, but after a while, the wind 

picked up and started the bring in a lot of ice. 

Almost all of the water around the island was 

filled, as last zodiac took off. 

Right after Neko Island, it was time for the famous 

polar plunge. A whole bunch of brave souls took 

on the challenge and jumped into the ice cold 

water, as floating icebergs passed by. 32 people 

ended up jumping into the freezing water before 

they received a round of applause from the deck, 

a shot of vodka and a lot of glory. 

The day ended with a great show of karaoke, as 

the sun sat behind the snow-covered mountains 

and the Ocean Atlantic continued its journey 

further south into the peninsula. 



When and How the Earth Got Cold 


The Earth’s climate has two end-member states: 

greenhouse and icehouse. In a greenhouse climate, 

there are no polar icecaps (although there may be 

valley glaciers in high mountain areas) – the climate of 

the Cretaceous Period (144-65 million years ago) is a 

typical greenhouse. We are currently in an icehouse 

climate, since there are icecaps at or near both poles. 

Although life on Earth goes back 3.5 billion years, the 

main expansion in numbers of species and hence of 

easily found fossils occurred 540 million years ago. 

During the time from then until now, greenhouse 

climates have dominated, with three periods of 

icehouse climate, lasting a total of about 100 million 

years. Our current icehouse period began abruptly 35 

million years ago, with formation of an icecap in 

Antarctica. Why did it happen then, and why did it have 

such an abrupt beginning? 

Water temperature (°C) 

Antarctic convergence 

October 2019 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

54 56 58 60 62 64 

Latitude (°S) 

17 

Figure 2: Temperatures in the Drake Passage from Friday 25 

October to Sunday 27 October 2019 as Ocean Atlantic sailed south 

across the Antarctic Convergence, where the sea temperature falls 

below 4°C. 

It was the severing of the link between the Antarctic 

Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego that allowed deep cold 

water to circulate around the planet at 50-60°S and 

thermally isolate Antarctica from the rest of the world. 

This situation continues today (Figure 1) 

The key area for this was the Drake Passage, which is 

the western end of the Scotia Sea (Figure 3). Geological 

and geophysical studies of the sea floor show that the 

Antarctica-South America link was severed by the 

growth of ocean crust, beginning 35 million years ago. 

Opening of this deep-water gateway cooled the planet 

and turned Antarctica into the white continent. 

Figure 1: Thermal structure of the Southern Ocean showing the 

position of the Antarctic Convergence (Polar Front) at the junction 

of the dark blue and mid blue shading. This is the line of the 4°C 

isotherm, where Antarctic surface water plunges below cold 

temperate water. 

The first, and most important factor was that we had a 

polar continent. Antarctica was in roughly its present 

position over the South Pole, so would have had 

strongly differentiated winters and summers. However, 

although the former supercontinent of Gondwana had 

largely broken up by then, there was still a land bridge 

to South America and Antarctica was still forested, 

probably with a migratory fauna. Warm currents bathed 

Antarctica’s shores and, 35 million years ago, the 

temperature of the Southern Ocean was a relatively 

mild 6°C. 


Figure 3: The Drake Passage and the Scotia Sea formed from 50 

million years ago, when there was slow extension between South 

America and the Antarctic Peninsula which stretched the crust and 

allowed surface waters to circulate through this former land 

bridge. The temperature of the southern Ocean fell from 12°C to 

6°C between 50-35 million years ago, then abruptly fell to 0°C 

when the deep water gateway of the scotia Sea opened, sundering 

the link between Antarctica and South America and allowing 

continuous circulation of deep water, thermally isolating 

Antarctica. 


Ice window 

Chinstrap 

© Sandra Petrowitz © Sandra Petrowizi 

Home, sweet 

home 


Neko Harbour 




Wildlife of the Antarctic 

28 January 2020 – Brown Station/Paradise Harbour and Port 

Lockroy 

19 

We woke surrounded in the dramatic landscapes 

of glaciers, craggy mountains and icebergs as Sam 

announced that the winds had finally died down 

to light and we would be soon beginning our day 

at Paradise Bay. 

Operations began shortly after breakfast with 

half of the guests heading to make a second 

continental landing, this time with the 

opportunity for snow sliding. While guests 

gushed over the penguin chicks at the rookery, 

others took selfies overlooking the bay and the 

adventurous souls took turns sliding down the 

hill- after all, sliding in Antarctica isn’t something 

everyone can say they have done! 

The guests who were not on shore spent a 

beautiful morning cruising around by the glorious 

glaciers that surround the bay, sneaking in 

between cathedral icebergs scattered around, 

watching porposing penguins. blue eyed shags on 

the cliff side and spending time in silence 

listening to the ice crackle. Here we spotted 

lichen growing on the rocks and even traces of 

copper in the cliff side. 

BBQ lunch was hosted on the back deck as we 

made our way towards our afternoon landing at 

Port Lockroy. The weather turned to drizzle and 

the wind picked up as we made our approach. 

Here guests were able to shop until they 

dropped, explore the museum to see what life is 

like living on the continent and to have a close 

encounter with penguins. The Gentoo penguin 

chicks are noticeably larger than the others we 

have seen, giving us a great perspective of their 

growth and development. 

Kim shared a lecture on whales for the guests on 

board as they waited their turn to go to shore. 

Zodiac cruising took place in the bay as guests 

made their way to shore, exploring the glaciers of 

the area and even spotting an Adelie Penguin, 

taking our penguin species tally up to three. 

It was a wet afternoon, which allowed us to see 

how harsh the weather can be in Antarctica and 

how hard it must be to raise young chicks in 

conditions such as these. We made our way back 

to the ship, grateful for the warmth and a hot cup 

of tea. 

After operations wrapped up Sam briefed us 

about the day ahead. We had a very interesting 

evening of recaps learning about salp from Ted, 

lichens from Kim, the Antarctic Treaty with 

Thomas and Human Behaviours with Alejandro. 

Guillaume introduced us to Hookpod, the first of 

three charities in which Albatros supports, and 

which we can support at the auction on our last 

day at sea. 

Dinner was served in the dining room and the 

evening came to a close with a dance party 

hosted by Rose. 


Fun Fact: 

There are over 20000 species of lichen. Lichen is 

actually a combination of a fungus and a 

cyanobacteria! #thatsneat 


The Final Day 

29 January 2020 – Cierva Cove and Portal Point 

The day started out pretty nice with calm waters, and 

it was great as the past few days we did not have such 

smooth rides. The guests had not yet experienced 

much sunshine this trip, and as the sun started to peek 

out of the clouds this morning, smiles started to 

appear on the faces of the guests. We started out the 

morning with a beautiful zodiac cruise at Cierva Cove. 

There were many different sightings, some saw 

crabeater and weddell seals, while others saw orcas 

and humpback whales. 

We came back to the ship for a sumptuous lunch 

onboard. Some had some rest time while others had 

time to go through the many pictures that were taken 

in the morning. 

In the afternoon, we arrived at Portal Point where we 

planned to do a landing and a zodiac cruise. We were 

initially worried that the weather was not going to be 

ideal for any activity. However, as we got nearer to 

our destination, the wind and waves were kind to us. 

On top of that, just before we got off the ship, we 

started to see many humpback whales in different 

groups all around the ship. 

20 

As we shuttled the first half of the guests to shore, 

there was a group of whales that were showing their 

flukes off. The zodiac cruises that afternoon were 

whaley amazing. Every single person got to see at least 

a whale, some were performing with their flukes, 

while others were having a splashy great time feeding. 

Everyone got back to the ship feeling amazed and that 

the last excursion of the trip could not have been 

better. 

Back at the ship, the spirits were up during the recap 

and briefing for the day before heading for a delicious 

hot buffet dinner. The day ended nicely with Kevin 

sharing his personal stories about living in the Canada, 

where he has an abundance of experience in the Arctic 

and polar bears. 



A Brief History of the Zodiac 

Steve Traynor, Zodiac Master 

In expedition cruising, the most important tool we use is the Zodiac inflatable boat. These manoeuvrable, 

reliable, robust vessels are the workhorse of the expedition cruise industry, from the north of Svalbard to 

the southern end of the Antarctic Peninsula. They have a long history – as you can see from the stages 

below, many different inventions needed to come together to create the craft we use today. 

1838 Charles Goodyear (USA) discovered the process for vulcanising rubber (a US patent was granted 

in 1844) – this process is used for hardening and strengthening rubber. 

1843 Goodyear’s process was stolen by Thomas Hancock (UK) using the process of reverse 

engineering; less controversially, Hancock invented the “masticator” – a machine for re-using 

rubber scraps – this made the rubber industry much more efficient. 

1845 The first successful inflatable boat (Halkett boat) was designed by Lieutenant Peter Halkett 

(UK), specifically for Arctic operations. Halkett Boats were used by the Orcadian explorer, John 

Rae, in his successful expedition to discover the fate of the Franklin Expedition. 

1866 Four men made the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Britain on a threetube 

inflatable raft. 

1896 The original Zodiac company was founded by Maurice Mallet (France) to produce airships. 

1909 The first outboard motor was invented by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

1912 The loss of the Titanic and subsequent shipping losses during World War 1 proved the need for 

inflatable rafts for use as supplementary lifeboats. 

1919 RFD firm (UK) and the Zodiac company (France) started building inflatable boats. 

1934 The airship company, Zodiac, invented the inflatable kayak and catamaran 

1942 The Marine Raiders – an elite unit of the US Marine Corps – used inflatable boats to carry out 

raids and landings in the Pacific theatre. 

1950 Alain Bombard first combined the outboard engine, a rigid floor and an inflatable boat (built by 

the Zodiac company). 

1952 Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic Ocean with his inflatable; after this, his good friend, the 

famous diver Jacques-Yves Cousteau, started using them. 

1960 Zodiac licensed production to a dozen companies in other countries because of their lack of 

manufacturing capacity in France. 

21 



Lemaire Brown Station Channel 


Danco Island 

Brown Station 




Ciera Cove 




Antarctica: A Continent for Science 


Until the advent of mass tourism, Antarctica’s tagline was: “A continent for science”. 

23 

Antarctica affects the rest of the world in a variety of 

ways, so “Antarctic Science” should really be “Global 

science that happens in Antarctica”. Although many 

early expeditions were purely geographical in scope, 

there were some important scientific expeditions in the 

late 19 th to early 20 th centuries. In this “Golden Age” of 

exploration, there were many scientific contributions 

from Antarctica which changed our view of the earth’s 

evolution and environment. 

Indeed, three expeditions brought back proof that 

Antarctica once had a warm climate. Scott’s first 

expedition (1901-1904) found coal from 250 million 

years ago in the Transantarctic Mountains; 

Nordenskjӧld’s Swedish Antarctic Expedition found 

warm-water fossils on James Ross Island; and the Scotia 

Expedition under Bruce (1902-1904) dredged 

fossiliferous 500 million-year-old limestone from the 

Weddell Sea. Scott’s second expedition (1910-1913) 

found fossil leaves(Glossopteris) in the Transantarctic 

Mountains. These fossils belong to an extinct order of 

seed ferns from 299-252 million years ago, only found 

in the southern hemisphere continents and India. They 

were used by Wegener in 1924 in his work on 

continental drift to reconstruct the former 

supercontinent of Gondwana. 

In the years after the First World War, the focus 

changed from individual expeditions to national 

pursuits, such as the British Discovery Investigations – 

the first permanent oceanographic body in the world. 

During 33 years (1918–51) of pioneering work, the 

research ships collected an enormous amount of 

oceanographic, biological, and geographical data. 

Among the results of the investigations was the 

discovery of both the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the 

Antarctic Convergence - the natural boundary of 

Antarctica. 

By the end of the Second World War, the move to 

create national organisations was complete, with the 

formation of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey 

(now British Antarctic Survey), the Australian National 

Research Expeditions) and other civilian operations 

(France, New Zealand, South Africa, etc). 

As a result of these organisations and better logistics, 

the rate of scientific discovery soared, and new polarspecific 

studies proliferated. Some highlights include: 

• 1957-58: The International Geophysical Year (IGY) 

was an 18-month collaboration between 67 

countries. Antarctica was the focus, with 12 nations 

participating. Many new scientific stations were 

created and the IGY was a resounding success as it 

led directly to the Antarctic Treaty 

• 1959-1996: The discovery and delineation of 

subglacial Lake Vostok is a great example of scientific 

cooperation. Lab studies showed that ice under very 

high pressure reverts to water and in 1964, seismic 

soundings from Vostok Station were used to 

measure the thickness of the ice sheet. This 

suggested the existence of a subglacial lake. British 

airborne ice-penetrating radar in the 1970s detected 

unusual radar readings, suggesting a freshwater lake 

below the ice. In 1991, a radar satellite revealed 

that this subglacial water body is one of the world’s 

largest lakes. We now know that there are at least 

140 subglacial lakes in Antarctica. 

• 1980-present: The US-funded collection and curation 

of Antarctic meteorites has recovered about 22,000 

meteorites from Antarctica (about 75% of all known 

meteorites worldwide). There are samples from the 

Moon, Mars, and asteroids. 

• 1985: In hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica was 

discovered from ground-based instruments at Halley 

Bay and Faraday (British Antarctic Survey). 

• 1986: Research at McMurdo Station, the main U.S. 

scientific station in Antarctica, established that 

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the probable cause of 

the Antarctic ozone hole (US NSF). These two bits of 

work lead to signing of the Madrid Protocol on 1987, 

banning CFCs. 



Northward Bound 


As we began our journey through the Drake Passage 

back to Ushuaia and civilization, we were all pleased to 

be greeted with sunny skies and playful seals putting on 

a show for those lucky enough to be watching. Although 

the seas had rocked the Ocean Atlantic through the 

night, the swell wasn’t too harsh and we had a relatively 

pleasant morning on the Southern Ocean. 

After a delicious breakfast in the Vinland Restaurant, 

guests were able to listen to a lecture in the Viking 

Theatre by Kim about cold water diving in Antarctica. 

She spoke about life under the Antarctic sea ice and 

how the visibility in Antarctic waters can reach upwards 

of 300 meters. We then were lucky enough to see some 

fin whales, and guests happily snapped a few photos 

before the whales continued on their way. We gathered 

again for lunch and then continued on back to the 

theatre to watch a movie about the beautiful frozen 

continent we just left behind. 

24 

In the evening we met once again the Viking Lounge for 

the day’s recap and briefing. Our expedition leader, 

Sam, told us about what we should expect of the Drake 

Passage for our final voyage day. Our photographer, 

Sandra, then showed a slideshow of the photo contest 

winners and handed out well deserved prizes. After 

handing out polar plunge certificates to the few who 

decided to brave the cold Antarctic waters, Sandra put 

on a slideshow showcasing the best polar plunge 

images. 

Following a delicious dinner in the Vinland Restaurant, 

we joined Rose for the evening’s entertainment. A 

cocktail demonstration was put on in the Viking Lounge 

showing guests how to make a margarita. Those who 

could most closely recreate this drink, won a drink. The 

evening ended with a “name that song” competition, 

and guests went to bed looking forward to their final 

Drake Passage day. 

In the afternoon guests were treated to an ice cream 

social and tea time with traditional Nordic treats. 

Directly following, we all gathered in the Viking Theatre 

to listen to expedition staff experts explain the 

interconnectivity of the Antarctic ecosystem. Afterward, 

guests were able to stay for a question and answer 

session. We learned about how the ice and snow on top 

of the Antarctic continent makes it the continent with 

the highest elevation, how a lot of marine organisms 

here exhibit cold water gigantism, how krill is the most 

important organism in the Antarctic ecosystem and how 

it supports this very diverse community, and how 

snowy sheathbills eat penguin poop. Subsequently, 

stretching was offered by Rashidah in the Bistro. 


© Renato Granieri Photography 


Fire in the Antarctic 

Gregers Gjersøe, Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide 

Fire is one of the greatest threats in Antarctica thanks 

to the region’s very dry climate, frequent strong winds, 

and nearly complete lack of liquid freshwater. Due to 

the continent’s isolation with and little possibility of 

rescue for weeks or months, a fire in the Antarctic is a 

potentially very disastrous event. 

Although it is covered in snow and ice, the cold 

temperatures of Antarctica make the White Continent 

very dry. As it is one of the windiest places on Earth, 

there is almost always a strong wind blowing much of 

the time, more than strong enough to fan any flames. 

As the temperatures across the whole continent of 

Antarctica is averaging below freezing, there is unlikely 

to be very much liquid water to fight fires. So, the 

response to fire is usually to make sure everyone is out 

of danger and safe and then stand back and watch it 

burn itself out. 

Bases in Antarctica are often designed to survive fires 

because they are made up of a number of separate 

buildings, each with a significant distance between 

them. Many bases have emergency supplies stored in a 

hut near the base but well away. In these huts, there 

are often enough supplies and ample shelter for the 

base’s crew to be able to survive a fire or emergency 

until help can arrive. 

The Argentine Antarctic base and scientific research 

station, “Brown Station,” is named after Admiral 

William Brown, the father of the Argentine Navy. 

25 

Located on the Sanaviron Peninsula along Paradise 

Harbour’s Danco Coast, from 1951 to 1984 it served as 

a permanent research base, though, since then, it is 

open only during the summer season. 

During its heyday, the station was home to one of the 

most complete biology laboratories on the Antarctic 

Peninsula, featuring a main house, as well as an 

additional building exclusively for scientific research. 

This building was equipped with three labs, a 

photography workshop, an emergency radio station, an 

office and a library. 

Unfortunately, Brown Station’s original facilities were 

burned down by the station’s doctor on 12 April 1984 

after he was ordered to stay on for yet another winter, 

despite the original terms of his contract and his desire 

to see his fiancé once again. As you can imagine, the 

stress of Antarctica’s harsh winter conditions can take 

its toll on residents and explorers of the region, driving 

them to take extreme measures to get back home. 

The doctor simply couldn’t bear to stay on for another 

winter and he couldn’t stand the isolation as the days 

drew darker. His solution? To force an evacuation of 

himself and his colleagues in the only way plausible 

manner: by burning the station down. 

After the fire, the station’s personnel were rescued by 

the USS Hero and taken to United States’ Palmer 

Station. Argentina later rebuilt the base, but it is now 

only occupied during the summer months. The station’s 

doctor was sent to prison for arson and his fiancé 

decided to call off the engagement. 

© Werner Kruse 



The Beagle Channel 


On the the final morning our Drake Passage crossing, 

we awoke to blue skies and an abundance of seabirds. 

Although the seas had rocked the Ocean Atlantic 

through the night, the swell wasn’t too harsh and we 

had a relatively pleasant morning on the Southern 

Ocean. 

Thankfully, we had a later start for the day so we had a 

bit of a lie in before a delicious breakfast in the Vinland 

Restaurant as well as a disembarkation briefing in the 

Viking Theatre. 

After the briefing, we were all invited to tour the bridge 

first hand and see the Ocean Atlantic’s officers hard at 

work. 

In the afternoon, the kayakers among us gathered up 

for a quick debriefing meeting and then a short lecture 

on the history of kayaking from our kayak guide, Slava. 

We also had a recap with Questions and Answers where 

the questions we had entered got answered. 

26 

By early evening, it was time to gather in the Viking 

Lounge one last time for the end of voyage slideshow 

and charity auction, as well as the Captain´s celebratory 

cocktail hour. We waved a hearty goodbye to the 

journey of a lifetime, taking a moment to reflect on our 

voyage, thanks to Sandra´s immaculately composed 

slideshow of our trip to the White Continent. 

We also had a chance to thank and appreciate the many 

people who made this journey possible, from the 

officers and crew to the Expedition Staff. Finally, it was 

time to head to the Vinland Restaurant for our last 

dinner aboard the Ocean Atlantic, topped off with Chef 

Indra’s spectacular “Death by Chocolate” dessert buffet. 

As we pulled into the comfort of the Beagle Channel, 

our journey drew closer towards its close. However, as 

we packed our bags and prepared to disembark the 

Ocean Atlantic, amid the festivities of the evening, we 

had the chance to appreciate the beauty of the journey 

of a lifetime and all the memories we’ll take with us as 

we make our way home. 


© Renato Granieri Photography 


King of the Southern Winds 

Sandra Ophorst, Lecturer & Expedition Guide 

The wandering albatross is an impressive bird with the 

world’s largest wingspan of up to 3.5 meters in length 

and a weight of up to 11 kilograms. Unfortunately, the 

number of wandering albatrosses is rapidly declining 

with only 20,100 individuals left as of October 2019 

(Red List, World Conservation Union) 

The wandering albatross is rarely seen on land and 

gathers only to breed, at which time it forms large 

colonies on remote islands, such as South Georgia. The 

female lays a single white egg and both sexes share 

incubation, which lasts about 60 to 80 days. Both sexes 

feed the youngster by regurgitating food, a process 

that can continue for up to nine months. 

The nesting cycle of wandering albatrosses is so long, 

they can’t complete it in one year. So, they nest every 

other year. When young albatrosses become 

independent and leave their nest site, they begin a 

multi-year foray on the open ocean and will not return 

to land until they are old enough to breed. This can 

take up to 10 years of their 50 year average lifespan. 

27 

The wandering albatross is famous for its dynamic 

flight. They turn into the wind to gain height, then glide 

back down to the sea to gain speed. Sometimes they 

glide for hours without rest or even a single flap of 

their wings. Indeed, this principle was used to design 

airplanes, especially gliders that have albatross-like 

wings. 

As a result of these wings, however, an albatross’ 

landing process often looks a bit comical as their 

narrow wings do not allow for a slow approach. So, 

they often land on their feet and then tumble forward 

and slide on their bellies. The biggest threats to the 

wandering albatross are pollution and large-scale 

commercial tuna fisheries. These tuna fishing boats are 

equipped with up to 20,000 fish baited hooks and 

these lines can be up to 100km long. 

Unfortunately, these fishing lines often attract 

albatrosses get caught up on the hooks and drown as 

they are cast out at sea. Organisations such as Hookpod 

are trying to save the albatrosses from the dangers of 

long line fishing vessels by providing fishing boats with 

“hookpods” that cover the barb and point of the hook 

during setting, reducing the likelihood of an albatross 

by-catch. 

© Gaby Pilson 



Cierva Cove 

Paradise Bay 


Cierva Cove 




Gerlache Strait 


Home Again 

1 February 2020 - Ushuaia 

After last night’s end-of-voyage festivities, we awoke 

much too early for our final morning on the Ocean 

Atlantic. Although we wish we could stay, we started 

the process of leaving behind the ship and the people 

we’ve come to know so well over the past week. 

Our bags were packed and stowed in the corridors, 

ready for our early-morning busses and flights back 

home. After nine whole days immersed in the 

landscapes and amongst the wildlife of the Antarctic, 

it was time to return home or to wherever our life’s 

journeys bring us. 

And so – farewell, adieu, and goodbye. Together we 

have visited and incredible and vast wilderness. We 

have experienced magnificent mountain vistas, seen 

icebergs roll and crack, felt the power of the elements 

and seen how quickly they can change. We enjoyed 

wonderful food and comfortable surroundings aboard 

the Ocean Atlantic. 

29 

We boarded zodiacs and cruised through icy bays at 

the end of the Earth. We shared unique moments, 

held engaging conversations, and laughed together 

over beers and coffees. We’ve made new friends and 

experienced the power of expeditionary travel. 

We hope the expedition team has helped make this 

the trip of a lifetime - one that will persist in your 

memories for weeks, months, and years, to come. 

Although we must say good-bye to these places we 

have come to know and love, it is a fond farewell as 

we are all true ambassadors for the Antarctic and all 

the beauty it holds. 

On behalf of Albatros Expeditions, our captain and 

crew, the expedition team, and everyone else who 

helped make this journey a resounding success, it has 

been a pleasure travelling with you. We hope that you 

will come back and experience these wonderful places 

with us once again! 



By the Numbers… 

30 

Voyage Statistics: 

Southernmost Point: 

Total Distance Travelled: 

65 o 02.333’ S, 62 o 51.559’W 

1575 nautical miles 

Excursion Locations: 

Aitcho Barrientos: 62 o 24’ S 59 o 47’ W 

Deception Island: 62 o 55’ S 60 o 37’ W 

Cuverville Island: 64 o 41’ S 62 o 38’ W 

Neko Harbour: 64 o 50’ S 62 o 33’ W 

Brown Station: 

Port Lockroy 

Portal Point 

Cierva Cove 

Ushuaia: 

64 o 53’ S 62 o 52’ W 

64 o 50’ S 63 o 30’ W 

64 o 30’ S 61 o 46’ W 

64 o 90’ S 60 o 53’ W 

54 o 45’ S 68 o 23’ W 

During our time on the M/V Ocean Atlantic, we consumed: 

Beef 

Lamb 

Pork 

Poultry 

Cold Cuts 

Fish & Seafood 

Eggs 

Milk 

Cheese 

Ice Cream 

Vegetables 

Fruit 

Wine 

Beer 

Toilet Paper 

495 kg 

125 kg 

600 kg 

720 kg 

180 kg 

395 kg 

7200 kg 

620 ltr 

80 kg 

160 ltr 

2900 kg 

3000 kg 

127 btls 

432 cans 

893 rolls 



A Final Note… 

31 

As any good expedition comes to a close, many of us experience the 

effervescent excitement that comes when we immerse ourselves 

completely in an adventure. Although we all came into this voyage with 

our own expectations and personal motivations, on the ship, we quickly 

learned that the best plan is the one that we end up doing. 

While weather and the landscape 

can conspire against us in the 

southern latitudes, the right mindset 

can make all of the difference. 

Wind, rain, sleet, and snow make no 

difference when we come prepared 

for an adventure and all the 

excitement it holds. Whether you 

saw what you came for or you 

experienced something else 

entirely, when you set out on an 

expedition, you come for the 

mountains and the wildlife, but stay 

for people and places you meet 

along the way. 

Although we all eventually have to 

leave behind our beloved Ocean 

Atlantic, there are always a few 

things we can take home from an 

expedition: 

• An acceptance and embracement 

of adversity and uncertainty 

when the natural world alters 

our plans. 

• A fondness for the wild and a 

strong desire to keep remote 

natural locations as beautiful and 

free as they can be. 

• An insatiable interest in learning 

more about the people, places, 

and cultures in some of the most 

remote parts of the world. 

As you unpack you bags, you may 

find souvenirs and keepsakes from 

your journey. Your camera may be 

filled with countless photos, 

however blurry, of the many 

animals and mountains that have 

crossed our paths. At the end of the 

day, however, what matters most is 

the experience of, the journey to, 

and the memories of these wild and 

wonderful places. 

Best wishes from all of us on the 

expedition team as you continue on 

with your adventures! 

Sam Gagnon 

Expedition Leader 

Ted Creek 

Assistant Expedition Leader 

Thank you for experiencing the Antarctic with us at Albatros 

Expeditions. We hope to see you aboard the Ocean Atlantic 

again in the future! 

Wan Meng Cheih 

Assistant Expedition Leader

Antarctic 2020 Voyage 11 Log

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