Tag Archives: #expedition cruise

Bluff Cove Lagoon

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The muted wintry landscape sped by, shaded a weird blue hue by the vans tinted windows carrying us across the island to Bluff Cove. The browns of the tall withered grasses and deep greens of the heather lying close to the ground were broken up by weird rivers of broken rocks. This “stone run” landscape is unique to the Falkland Islands, caused by the erosion, thawing and freezing of the last ice age.

the landscape was so blue looking through the windows
this is more like it really looked

Bluff Cove Lagoon lies on the opposite side of the island from Stanley, about a half hour drive. Final approach to the farm passes over low rolling hills on a rutted dirt track to a wide spot where we traded in our vans for a fleet of 4 x 4’s (jeeps).

Speeding along in our jeeps, bouncing across sheep-shorn green grass and grinding through deep muddy ruts, we’re dropped off with a short speech at the rookeries near the beach. A flock of about 1000 gentoo penguins along with another 20 pairs of the kings we’d come to see were nesting there. Squeaking and preening, poaching rocks and tending eggs, they paid us no mind as we stood at the marked boundary and hustled for photos.

Along the edge of the lagoon, another 10-15 kings and their chicks- looking like fluffy brown puff balls- huddled in the steady cold wind. They paid no attention to us, but threatened the occasional goose that wandered to close to their chicks with their long sharp beaks.

It was wonderful to get so close to these wild birds. We were told not to approach closer than 5 m, but the birds apparently never got the memo. 🙂

It was a beautiful sunny day, but the wind was strong and it got so it was hard to hold my camera steady. With hundreds of penguin photos, I was ready for a hot drink. Picking my way through the fields littered with pellets of goose poop, I stopped at the top of the rise to take in the gorgeous seascape before me.

impossible to avoid the poop

The ocean was a dark teal color, with breakers shining electric blue as they rolled onto the blindingly white beach, the wind blowing streamers of spray and sand upon the few brave birds searching for food along the shore.

The Sea Cabbage Cafe beckoned with the smell of hot chocolate and baked goodies in the air. The small kitchen bustled with friendly chefs, all ready to suggest their favorites among the many options to choose from: lemon drizzle cake, Hattie’s famous carrot cake, scones with local Diddle Dee jam and farm fresh cream, chocolate chip, peanut butter and coconut lace cookies, chocolate cake and even gluten free varieties. Yum!

Maybe I should’ve spent less time with my cameras and more with the cookies? I didn’t even have a chance to check out the gift shop before it was time to head back to the vans. Next time, for sure. 🙂

Stanley

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The capital of the Falkland Islands, Stanley is a small town of only about 2500 pop (2016 census). I wondered how isolated and deprived the local people might feel, or if they missed much the ‘advantages’ of the big cities of the rest of the world. I wonder if they get sick of all the tourists tromping through their town when the cruise ships come in?

I think I wouldn’t mind living somewhere like Stanley. It has all I need- boats to work with, friendly people to talk to, museum, shops, restaurants, hospital, pubs, and beautiful scenery to walk around in.

they even have a distillery...
and a brewery

Sadly, I didn’t get much of a chance to hang out and BS with the locals or sample the local delicacies. We were only there for the day and there was so much I wanted to do.

After stopping in to check out the local Seaman’s Center, I followed the paved footpath along the harbor front from the ship into town. There were informational signs along the way to describe the sights and the different birds to see along the way.

I detoured across the road to take a look at the cemetery. A large monument- the Cross of Sacrifice- tops the central stairway flanked with poppy- painted stones in remembrance of those killed in war.

The gates were closed, so I just peeked over the fence and continued walking along the harbor front, appreciating the history lessons I was getting from the signs along the way.

I noticed a couple of sailboats at the boat yard as I approached downtown. I was expecting more traffic, this being pretty much the only port for thousands of miles. But I guess maybe that’s why there wasn’t more?

There used to be a lot more. I really wanted to see the old sailing ships. Stanley Harbor is littered with the wrecks of about 20 ships- 100 more scattered around the Falklands. I had already passed by the wreck of the Afterglow- a 1920’s patrol boat- next to an old chimney used to burn the bones in ‘Hutchies’ slaughterhouse. All that’s left of the Afterglow is the boiler.

wreck of the Afterglow
remains of Hutchies slaughterhouse

Downtown Stanley looked like a what I imagine a small British town from the 1950’s would look like. A two-lane main street with shops, cafes, and government offices clustered in the center. The famous whalebone arch and cathedral are right across the street from the Post Office with the red phone booths outside. The streets are lined with neat little houses and well tended gardens. A couple blocks from the Post Office brings you to the Falkland Islands Museum.

looking past the whalebone arch to the names of ships that have protected the islands
interior of the ‘Southernmost church in the world’

Continue past the museum to find ‘Victory Green’ with a few old cannons and the mizzen mast of the SS Great Britain. The famous six master of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. She was launched in Bristol (UK) in 1843. She was the longest (322′) and most advanced passenger ship in the world from 1845-1854. She was the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic in 1845 (in 14 days). She had a troubled lifetime, including being sold for salvage once and being sunk for 33 years in Stanley. Eventually, she was raised, restored and is now a museum ship back in Bristol.

For such a small and out of the way town, they do have a lot of war memorials, and they’re all well tended to. The 1982 Liberation Memorial is just past the museum, and after another couple of war memorials (Royal Marines, Battle of the Falklands, and 1914 Sea Battle of the Falklands), you’ll finally find the wreck of the Jhelum.

1982 Liberation Memorial

She was an East Indiaman, built in 1849 in Liverpool. Abandoned in 1870 after suffering much damage in a storm and just barely able to limp into Stanley. I was a little disappointed. There really wasn’t much left of the Jhelum. The weather had turned nasty again, with high winds and cold, so I decided to head back to explore the museum.

wreck of the Jhelum

It was full of all sorts of interesting items explaining Stanley and the Falkland Islands. History, battles, biology, botany, Antarctica, and stories of day to day living were on display. I was especially fascinated by the artifacts of nautical history upstairs (of course). They had photos, paintings and pieces of the ships that called on their port during the heyday of the great sailing ships.

They had ships wheels, and ships bells, figureheads and furniture, chart tables, samples of salvaged cargos (ink), silverware, and so many more interesting items.

ink bottles salvaged from the John R Kelly

I would’ve loved to stay longer, but signed up for the tour over to see the king penguins on the other side of the island, so had to get going. Maybe one day I can return to spend more time.

Drake Shake?

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Nope. Drake Lake again. We had beautiful sunny skies and calm seas all the way from Elephant Island to the Falkland Islands. A journey of almost 1,100 miles. I love spending time at sea!

We spent the day relaxing onboard, we had our choice of lectures, science lab, knot tying class, puzzles in the lounge, sauna, pool or hot tub on the back deck.

I went to the class on knot tying. I was surprised how many people were interested. There was quite a crowd. It was pretty basic (for me). We practiced tying square knots, granny knots, clove hitches, half hitches, running hitches, bowlines, and figure 8 knots. I wound up helping the 2 instructors. 🙂

We had an interesting lecture on the geology of the Falkland Islands, to prepare us for arrival. It was pretty interesting and people had lots of questions.

Of course, there’s always good food to look forward to. I had the veggie option for dinner, since I really didn’t like the other r2 choices (we could pick red deer loin, sea bass or veggie patties).

Japanese beef tataki with spinach, sesame seeds and secret sauce
Grilled veggie patties, sweet potato fries, spring onion and tzatziki

After dinner, I met up with friends in the lounge to continue working on the ships jigsaw puzzles. Lots of people were hanging out, reading, relaxing over drinks, watching the ocean pass by.

As the sun set, we all headed out to get some photos. This was really the first time for a nice sunset. Til tonight, it was either overcast or too late at night. I miss seeing the sky clear and bright to see the starts at night. I really miss that about sailing.

Point Wild

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This morning we arrived at Elephant Island and Point Wild.

This is where Ernest Shackleton left for his amazing 800 mile journey across the furious fifties in a small boat to reach South Georgia Island seeking help to rescue his crew. What a desolate place. Can you imagine being trapped here for months? Just you and your crew, nothing to eat but penguins and seals (if you could catch them).

approaching Port Wild, Elephant Island

We’d been learning more about Antarctica every day of the cruise so far. The ship was equipped with a science lab with microscopes where we could examine plants, minerals, plankton, etc. Our expedition team fed our interest in Shackleton and the other explorers (Roald Amundsen, Fritjof Nansen, Scott, etc) with films and lectures. There were plenty of books in the library as well.

We nosed our way into the small bay, up against the Endurance Glacier, with ice all around us. This was our last stop in Antarctica (technically only Orne Harbor was really part of the continent). We didn’t attempt to land.

Endurance Glacier

We could see a colony of chinstrap penguins and a monument to Piloto Pardo, the Chilean Navy Captain who managed to rescue the 22 men Shackleton had to leave behind there. His story and his tug Yelcho should be better known.

Chinstrap penguins

I find all that history fascinating and admire the abilities of those guys back in the days of exploration. The determination, stamina, courage, skills to do the things they did. Not just Shackleton, not just the Arctic or Antarctic explorers, but all of them: Columbus, Magellan, Cook, etc.

I think there’s something in human nature that needs that kind of wilderness- that frontier- that kind of challenge to look forward to. We need that kind of ‘escape valve’. It seems we’ve rid that from the world. I feel it myself. A loss of possibility. All we have left is space. I think it’ll be even more of a challenge, but will we find the capability to explore it like we did the earth?

First Time Ever

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When I woke up, the sun was shining. Everything looked fresh and new, the stark contrast of white against blue was strikingly beautiful. The world was a blank slate, empty of all but water, ice and snow.

The weather had changed completely from yesterday. We had passed through Lemaire Channel and found ourselves surrounded by the ice. Our captain decided to drive the ship up into the ice to give us a truly unique experience.

We crowded the decks to watch as the ship slowly ground its way through the flat sheets of ice. When we slowed to a stop, we waited anxiously to see if our expedition crew would find the ice thick enough for it to be safe for us to hop off and explore.

they look so tiny!
expedition crew testing the thickness of the ice

Yes! It was. We watched each group head down the gangway to stumble around on the fresh packed snow, staying within the area marked off with the usual orange cones. My group- the Giant Petrels- was not one of the first. The snow was already pretty torn up by the time I was able to exit the ship.

It was so empty, so quiet. Nothing to see, for miles around, but us and the ice and snow- with far off mountains hemming us in. I did see the tracks of a couple of penguins, but there were only 2. I kept wondering where was all the wildlife I’ve been expecting to see. So far, I’ve only seen a couple of seals (far away), and some gentoo penguins.

It was hard to walk around, with the snow melting into slush and so the ‘ground’ was very uneven. Everyone was wandering around, taking selfies in the snow with the Roald Amundsen in the background.

Today we made history! This was the first time in the history of Hurtigruten that a ship drove into the ice and we got to take a walk on the sea ice! So exciting. 🙂

Weather Changes Our Plans

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After a beautiful day at Orne Harbor, we woke up to a more ‘typical’ day for Antarctica. So far, we’d been lucky finding nice weather most of the time. It changed quickly tho. We picked up our hearty campers, then headed on to our next planned stop at Neko Harbor (Andvord Bay).

Campers got to spend the night at Orne Harbor
we can just barely see the campers from the ship (far right in the photo)
The end of the red line is Orne Harbor. Around the corner to the South is Neko Harbor at the bottom of Andvord Bay. At the bottom left corner is Port Lockroy.

On arrival, we were met with high winds, rough seas, snow and very cold. There was a lot of ice in the water and it kept moving around. The zodiacs would have a hard time shuttling us back and forth to shore. After checking it out, the captain decided that the weather was not going to allow us to go ashore as planned.

too much ice for the zodiacs!

Expedition cruising, even more than normal cruising, is dependent on weather and other local conditions. You need to be flexible. It’s best to have the attitude of looking forward to whatever the day may bring and forget about being upset about what you might’ve missed.

We sailed on towards Damoy Point and Port Lockroy where we were scheduled to go ashore to the historic site run by the British. It has a museum and the only post office on the continent of Antarctica.

you can just barely see Port Lockroy middle left of the photo, we could just barely see their people waving with the binoculars
seals on the ice, taken from my cabin- I’m not sure if they’re weddel or crabeater seals

Sadly, the weather was still too bad for us to go ashore. I would’ve liked to send some postcards home with an Antarctica stamp. We did drive by and we all waved at each other. Brave people, to stand around outside in that kind of weather to wave at our ship.

On we went, to cruise through the Lemaire Channel. The weather was still pretty nasty for a little while. Howling winds, snow and cold! It felt like about 20 below, but I don’t think it was actually below 0 F. It was the wind that really made it feel cold.

The scenery was spectacular. We made our way through the channel filled with pancake ice, the sharp tips of the mountains peaking out of their coats of snow, glaciers calving off large chunks of ice into the passage alongside our ship.

The passage narrowed as the day went on. The wind died down, the snow stopped and the sun came out. I sat in the lounge with it’s wrap around floor to ceiling windows and just watched the world go by. Towards sunset (around 9 pm- it didn’t get dark until about 11), we passed through the narrows- only 1600 meters wide. The sound of the ice scraping along the hull of the ship was loud enough to be heard everywhere onboard.

In my room, I fell asleep to the low pitched background sound of the sea slushing along the side of the ship and occasional bang of a berg as we came out the South end of the Lemaire Channel to find our next adventure in the morning.

Orne Harbor

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From Half Moon Island, we sailed on to Orne Harbor for promised spectacular views from atop the ridge.

The expedition crew set out on arrival and surveyed a safe pathway that zig-zagged its way up the steep slope for us to follow. The kayaks were brought out for those who had opted for that activity.

The weather was very changeable. In the morning, it was overcast and gloomy, with a thick layer of fog. By the time my group- the giant petrels- got to go ashore the sun was shining and the winds were calm.

I made it only to the first stage. Sadly, I did not get all the way up to the top of the mountain. I was really struggling, slipping and sliding around in the snow. Due to my ongoing work situation (not having any), I have to be super-careful not to do anything where I might hurt myself. I could just see myself tumbling down the mountain, rolling like a tumbleweed all the way down to the sea and then having a heart attack in the freezing cold water. 🙁

After making that decision, I made my way back to the landing site and watched the zodiacs come and go. The scenery was so beautiful. I didn’t need to go anywhere else to see even more of it.

I sat in the snow and watched the penguins and the people come and go. Absorbing the sunlight and the immensity of the atmosphere, I was so grateful of the fact that I was able to sit there- in Antarctica!

penguins
more penguins

I even managed to get a decent shot of a couple of penguins in the water. They’re so fast when they’re swimming!

Gentoo penguins in the water

I’m glad I made it as far as I did. Turns out, this would be our only landing on Antarctica. All the rest of our stops were on nearby islands. I was a little disappointed to learn that, but I have to admit the places we did go were pretty much just as wonderful. What difference does a name make? I’m not sure, but I am still glad I get to say I got to go to Antarctica and not just close to it.

Half Moon Island

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Our first landing in Antarctica! We’re all so excited. We pulled into the bay early this morning at Half Moon Island. Technically, we’re not landing in Antarctica- we’re still only in the South Shetland Islands.

Close enough for government work.

We’ve already collected our Hurtigruten jackets, group patches (petrels, seals, penguins & albatrosses) and muck boots. As groups were announced on the PA, we assembled in the “black box” (tender pit) to be shuttled ashore in the RIBs.

Our key cards securely inserted into our jacket arm pouches, we’re all scanned as we leave the ship. We’re helped into the tenders and slide along the sides to fill the boat. Then we’re off, the cold wind biting at any inch of skin left uncovered.

We had a couple of hours to wander around. The expedition crew had arrived first and marked off a trail for us with cones and flags. We were not allowed to approach the rookeries, or wander too far afield. Not that it would be easy to loose us with those red jackets against the white snow, ‘but just to be safe’.

our first close up penguins!
Chinstrap penguins

Returning to the ship, boots washed (for bio-security) and scanned back in, it was time for a nice buffett lunch and relaxing in the Explorer lounge with a cup of hot tea before trying my hand at a watercoloring workshop.

As the afternoon passed on, the Roald Amundsen sailed on to our next stop and I enjoyed watching the scenery from the Explorer lounge while working on a jigsaw puzzle with some new friends. The sun came out as I was leaving Half Moon Island and it turned into a beautiful afternoon.

We passed more icebergs, and islands with glaciers. The scenery was captivating, but soon to get even better.

PS- all that red goop in the photos is penguin poop- just in case you’re curious 😉

Cape Horn

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After cruising the Beagle Channel, our ship the MS Roald Amundsen arrived at Cape Horn the morning of November 14. We were all excited to experience our first ride to shore in the ships RIBS (rigid inflatable boats).

The morning was cool and windy, overcast with a light rain. I had on long underwear under my jeans and the windbreaker jacket the ship supplied. I wore my old Helly Hanson overalls I kept from when I used to work in Alaska. They went on over the muck boots the ship supplied. I kept my good camera in my waterproof backpack and my lifejacket on for the ride ashore.

It took longer to dress than it did to zip over to the beach. The expedition team had gone over first to check it out and make the landing easier for us on the rocky shoreline. They set out some rubber mats and pallets for us to walk on. Then we had to climb up a tall stairway to the top of the hill- about 200 ft straight up. There was a track for a rail car to go up, only used for supplies (too bad). It was a long climb up those stairs and even tho I took my time on the way up, I was sweating by the time I reached the top.

The landscape was totally different at the top of the stairs. Rolling hills covered with long grass, small bushes and lichen covered rocks. There were wooden walkways from the funicular landing to the lighthouse and over to the albatross monument.

With the wet weather, the boards were slick and I wasn’t comfortable in the boots yet, so I took my time to walk to the lighthouse and the rustic little chapel next to it.

The keeper, Chilean Navy officer A. Otaiza, invited us in to meet his wife and daughter. They lived there all alone for a couple of years. Their only contact was with their supply ships (due every 2 months) and the few cruise ships that stopped by.

We could buy post cards and stamps to send home (which I did). They also had a few other souvenirs like t-shirts and small penguin statuettes. The view from the light house was spectacular. You could see about 360 degrees.

The climb down the stair was so much easier! It was still slippery and it was best to pass at a landing, but it went much faster going down.

While we were up top, another ship joined us in the bay. It was not a DP vessel like ours (I heard it drop it’s anchor). I would think DP would be a big advantage for traveling in this part of the world. For one thing, it doesn’t tear up the bottom of the ocean like anchoring does.

As the afternoon wore on, the sun came out. It turned into a gorgeous day. We got underway late in the afternoon and watched Cape Horn fade behind us as we looked forward to experiencing the Drake Passage and Antarctica.

Punta Arenas

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My tour to Antarctica with Hurtigruten started early Monday morning, with a quick breakfast at 0500. We loaded up the buses for the short trip to the airport by 0630. Keeping our shades drawn so as not to incite any protesters we might encounter, we arrived in plenty of time for our 0900 flight to Punta Arenas.

Upon arrival we were loaded into buses again. We were taken on a tour of the highlights of Punta Arenas before joining our ship.

Since Punta Arenas was also having some problems with protestors, our guide tried to route us around to places they were not expected to be.

First we stopped at a viewpoint high on a hill. We could see our ship from there. It looked tiny.

There were some locals selling trinkets and beautiful soft woven and knitted items. Hats, scarves, sweaters came in all colors and sizes. They did alright with our group.

Next stop was the municipal cemetery- or Sara Braun cemetery. Our guide told us it is famous for the beautiful columns of trees that line the avenues of family monuments. I liked seeing all the colorful flowers blooming on the family plots and the details of the decorations on the monuments. I was thinking about how different our graveyards look in the US. Ours are not usually nearly as interesting.

Next we were treated to the museum. For a fairly small place, it had a lot of interesting exhibits. Everything from the local flora and fauna to the history of the native peoples up to and after the arrival of the Europeans.

There was quite a bit of information on Antarctica and the explorers who spent time there and in Chile. Darwin, Scott, Amundsen, Magellan, and others. I would’ve liked to have spent more time there, but we still had to get through the port security to join our ship.

The ‘Roald Admunsen’ (named for the Norwegian explorer) looked bright and shiny. She should, since she’s almost brand new, this is only her second cruise. She was only just christened last week (Nov 7), the first ship to be named in Antarctica.

After a little confusion getting checked in onboard, I found my cabin and settled in. This is my first real cruise- tho maybe not- they refer to this as an ‘expedition’ not a cruise. My cabin is very spacious and comfortable.

There’s plenty of space, I even have a separate sitting area with a full size couch and a coffee table in front of a large flat screen TV (where I can see the daily schedule and watch the lectures in comfort). The bed is very comfortable, with thick padding on the mattress and fluffy comforters and wool blankets on top if you want to use them. The temperature is adjustable and you can even control the heated floor in the bathroom. There’s a small fridge and I can make hot tea in the mornings before breakfast.

my cabin has a large window where I can watch the scenery outside

We had a buffet dinner soon after our mandatory safety briefing. This was my first time I’ve seen it done like this- on a movie screen with a crew member demonstrating. Usually we all have to put on the lifejackets and gumby suits (the suits here are much lighter than the ones I’m used to). I guess this is more practical for a cruise ship with so many people. I did appreciate the way it was done here.

I was very impressed with the food and the service at dinner. There was soup and a selection of breads, a salad bar, a seafood section, a variety of meats and cheeses, 3-4 choices of entrees (plus a vegetarian), pasta to order and roast beef carved by the chef. He likes to wander around and see how we’re enjoying his food. The wait staff (mostly Filipino) was very friendly and helpful, they’re really on the ball.

Then, dessert of course. Three to choose from there too: vanilla creme brûlée, chocolate brownies and mixed berry compote. I sampled all three. 🙂

After a last look at Punta Arenas, I headed to bed. Sorry to see the flames scattered around the city, the protesters were still at it. At least we were able to get our bunkers loaded finally when the port workers finished their protest for the day.