Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 8: Snow & Whales
18 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
“Mystery creates wonder, and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand …” ~~ Neil Armstrong ~~ (from the Daily Program)

We are continuing south through the Scotia Sea.

We’ve been rockin’ and rollin’ since leaving Gold Harbour yesterday for open waters. I expect these conditions will continue pretty much until we reach the continent and get into the ice.

The sky was bright when we woke up; the sun was out. There was just enough snow to frost the decks. The blue sky gave us hope for the day ahead. No such luck. By the time we were finished with breakfast, the sky was downright dull.

Big icebergs are on the horizon. There will be more … and they will be much closer. So I am keeping a promise I made to myself … I am limiting my iceberg photos on this trip until then. Same with whales. I captured the blows of a couple of fin whales in the distance this morning, and the dorsal fin of one of them. But only because I was already out on deck taking memory-shots of the snow with my iPhone. We’ve had so many wonderful, close-up experiences with these giants of the oceans … I am not going to add a whole bunch of blows to that inventory. Better to just watch them and enjoy the fact that the whales seem to be everywhere around us.

Time to head up to the lounge for a special presentation about the South Sandwich Islands.Leia mais
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ViajanteThere are times when I remind myself just to enjoy the moment and not to always worry about taking photographs.
21/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelIt’s the smart thing to do … especially if you’ve been to a place multiple times.
21/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 7: Wrapping Up
17 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 36 °F
As Ortelius left SGI behind, EL Sara came on the P/A with a warning. The sea state in the Scotia Sea was expected to be in the 9 to 13 feet range (3-4m). One hand to the ship was the order of the day.

After lunch, Tennessee had a follow-on practice session in the bridge for those who had attended his sextant & navigation workshop. That meant free time for Mui and me. A lazy afternoon was just what the doctor ordered after our consecutive landings over the past three days.

At 6:15p, we joined the rest of the passengers and the expedition team for the daily recap.

EL Sara jump started things by announcing hoped-for-plans for our next destination — the South Sandwich Islands. She expects that we will reach Zavodovski Island, the northernmost landmass in the chain of islands, sometime tomorrow afternoon. She tempered our excitement by reminding us that Mother Nature will make the final decision on what off-ship activities we can or can’t do … hence the ‘hoped-for’ plans that are always part and parcel of an expedition. Nothing to do but 🤞🏻.

Recap continued with briefing snippets by the expedition team.

Gary elaborated on a few things we’ve seen over the past few days — (1) suckling fur seal pup … Antarctic fur seal mums in South Georgia suckle their pups for 1-2 days before they head to sea to feed themselves for 3-5 days … they then return to nurse the pup … this continues for about 4 months and then the pup is on its own!; (2) a gentoo with brownish feathers on the beach at Gold Harbor … caused by a genetic mutation that affects the production of melanin pigments.

Chloé enlightened us about the lantern fish, the preferred food of the king penguins … there are about 245 species of this fish!

Tennessee wrapped up by talking a bit about what we consider ‘the world’s worst job’ these days … sealing and whaling … and how these animals were hunted for their blubber and skin … especially fur seals.

Off to have dinner now … I’m hungry since I skipped lunch!Leia mais
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 7: Bidding SGI Farewell
17 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ ❄️ 37 °F
Even as we returned from our landing at Gold Harbour to Ortelius, I spotted icebergs on the horizon. My shutter finger started itching. We had just enough time, however, to change out of our landing gear before lunch was announced. But the icebergs made the decision for me. Food could wait. An ‘icebergy farewell’ to South Georgia Island — which treated us kindly — could not.

Yeah, yeah … it’s that ‘ice virus’ thing once again.

I donned my parka, and went out on deck with my camera!Leia mais
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RWSE Day 7: Gold Harbour Landing
17 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 37 °F
SGI’s Gold Harbour was known by several names, but the one that stuck — and the one by which we know it today — was the one used by whalers and sealers. Why did they so name this small bay? Not because gold was mined here. Rather because the rising sun bathes Bertrab Glacier in a golden hue. We’ve not had the privilege of seeing that happen, but I like the history behind the name.

Our days on an expedition generally start early. Today started even earlier … by 8:00a, we were already ashore, receiving our briefing for the landing.

Remember how I wrote in the previous footprint that we landed here in 2007, too? Well, true enough. Except that this time we landed on the far side of the beach … further from the glacier streaming down the mountainside … but closer to the king penguin breeding colony that is said to be 50,000 strong. The first time around, we visited the penguins around a lake. This time, we actually got to visit the colony.

This penguin colony ranges from the tussock grass at the foothills of the mountains all the way to the edge of the beach. We had to cross the beach and follow the path laid out amongst the tussac grass to a slightly elevated area overlooking the colony. Sounds easy, right? Except that the grass at times was over five-feet tall … which means that in many places I could barely see over the clumps. And underfoot it was muddy and slippery.

But that was the easy part as it turns out! On the beach, we had to dodge curious penguins that seemed bound and determined to check us out … often making it difficult to maintain the 5m requirement set by IAATO. Then there were the fur seals wanting to challenge us; elephant seals that were sleeping in a pile … some of the young males play-fighting to sharpen their skills so they can one day become beach masters. And let’s not forget the king penguins at the edge of the colony, screeching and pecking at skuas that were getting too close to their eggs and young chicks. All very distracting … all providing wonderful photo ops.

Our landing was fantastic. All the more so because we were lucky to be able to land here at all. EL Sara later told us that Gold Harbour was so badly hit by avian flu that it was a mass-casualty site … to the extent that last year they weren’t even allowed to zodiac-cruise along the beachfront if the wind was blowing from the land toward the sea! So glad that avian flu no longer has such a terrible hold on this amazing site … though the epidemic is far from over.Leia mais
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Sonia GelmanOMG. That is amazing!
17/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Viajante ❤️beautiful.
17/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Viajante Spectacular.
17/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 7: Ahoy … Gold Harbour
17 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ❄️ 36 °F
“Visually and emotionally, the island of South Georgia overwhelms. At first glance, it resembles the far south Atlantic branch of Dr. Doolittle’s fantastic zoo: a profusion of captivating animals that quickly transforms even the most discriminating observer into a raving anthropomorphic.” ~~ Ron Naveen ~~ (from the Daily Program)

In 2007, we did a number of landings and zodiac cruises in South Georgia … 11, to be exact … over a period of four days.

They were all wonderful, but some of them were especially memorable — King Haakon Bay … where Shackleton and five of his men landed after the grueling trip from Elephant Island; Cape Rosa & Cave Cove … where three of Shackleton’s men sought shelter while he and two others crossed the mountains to seek help at the Stromness Whaling Station; Prion Island … where we trekked up muddy paths through tussock grass to sit with breeding wandering albatrosses; Salisbury Plain … one of the three largest king penguin colonies at the time, with its population nearly doubled by the presence of all the chicks in their fluffy brown baby coats.

Then there was our landing at Gold Harbour! In the aftermath of our trip, when asked about our favorite landing, Gold Harbour was always the first one that came to mind. Why? Was it all the critters amongst which we walked. Was it the spectacular scenery … Bertrab Glacier flowing down the mountain? Was it the weather … with temps high enough for us to wander sans parkas? Was it simply the fact that it was the last time we set foot on SGI? All of the above I would say.

Our landing today — again our last one in SGI — did not disappoint … even if Bertrab Glacier has receded noticeably in the intervening years since we were here last.Leia mais
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RWSE Day 6: St Andrews Bay Landing
16 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F
St Andrews Bay is more of a bight than a bay. Though it was named in the early 20th century, it is believed that Captain James Cook’s 1775 expedition was the first to sight this scenic bay … rimmed with mountains and glaciers.

The bay is wide … and open to the elements. So much so that landings here are very much at the mercy of Mother Nature … as we found out in 2007 … when a strong katabatic wind came out of nowhere and we found ourselves “all layered up with nowhere to go.”

Today, Mother Nature gave us permission to land at the world’s largest king penguin colony … at present 150,000 breeding pairs + chicks + solos. In addition, there are fur and elephant seals, giant petrels, skuas, and a number of other birds here.

Since the beach that fronts the colony has been taken over by the penguins, we landed at a smaller beach where the surf was more conducive to a wet landing. Then, following the red poles along the inland side of the beach, we began our hike to a ridge that overlooks the main king penguin colony. Of course, there were stops along the way to take photos and shoo away fur seals that wanted to show off.

Then came a fast-flowing meltwater creek. The water wasn’t particularly deep, but the current was very strong. The two lead dive guides helped us negotiate the creek, and soon, we were hiking up tussac-covered hills … not the easiest feat with the bulky muck boots on our feet. But the sight of over 300,000 penguins all gathered in one place was most definitely worth the effort. What a spectacular place!

The last zodiac back to the ship was at 7:30p … giving us three hours to explore the site. We were told, however, that anyone who returned to the landing beach before 7:00p would be able to go on a zodiac cruise along the front edge of the colony. So, we timed our return accordingly. A different perspective of the world’s biggest king penguin colony and a fantastic wrap up to our day!Leia mais
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ViajanteWhat an amazing day and experience you had!
14/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelTruly wonderful. South Georgia Island is very special.
14/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Your photos and text reminded me that I found that same creek a challenge to cross in 2017. I'm enjoying your photos - they help me recall past travel to this area.. [Bob]
14/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelGlad to help you reminisce ... we were only allowed to cross that creek if we accepted the help of the expedition guides ... which we were happy to do.
15/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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RWSE Day 6: Ahoy … St Andrews Bay
16 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 39 °F
Ortelius made good time while we were at the daily recap, and arrived at its anchorage in St Andrews Bay around 3:00p.

The expedition team went into action immediately, setting off in the zodiacs to do their usual recon of the landing site … ensuring the landing beach was not crowded with wildlife; setting up a path for us to follow to the main colony; checking for evidence of avian flu.

While they were doing their thing, we got into our ‘landing layers’ … including our muck boots, parkas, and zodiac life vests. Then, we went on deck … not only so we didn’t overheat while we waited for the zodiac ops to begin, but also to see what we could see of the world’s largest king penguin colony.Leia mais
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Viajante W O W !!!
14/03/2025Responder
Viajante What a colony!!
15/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelA quite indescribable experience.
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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RWSE Day 6: Mid-Day Recap
16 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌧 39 °F
Since we have a second landing today — scheduled for this afternoon — EL Sara moved the daily recap up … to immediately after lunch.

Looks like there is a weather system moving in over SGI. That’s the bad news. But there is good news … the area where we will be operating tomorrow will still be in the clear 🤞🏻.

An early recap meant that we also got advance notice of tomorrow’s landing site — Gold Harbour. Mui and I did a landing there in 2007 and it was one of our favorites. We are looking forward to re-visiting the penguins and other critters at Gold Harbour … and are interested to see how the glaciers and colonies compare to what we saw 18 years ago.

Expedition team members followed up with their tidbits.

Jens told us the story of the Santa Fe, an Argentinian submarine that was used during the Falklands War … how the captain, Felix Artuso, was killed by the Brits who thought he was scuttling the boat, when he was in fact trying to save it … how Artuso was buried at the Grytviken cemetery with full military honors.

Clara then gave a brief presentation about the algae forests that can grow up to 18” per day and reach heights of 150 feet.

Oh, by the way, there is an Oceanwide Expeditions tradition when a vessel receives a 100% rating for biosecurity measures in SGI. Can you say happy hour and free drinks? The celebration is being postponed until tomorrow, however, since we will be ashore, communing with penguins today.

Time to go put our layers on and prepare for another landing.Leia mais
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ViajanteHave you seen any other species of penguins, or just the King penguins? How about a Macaroni penguin?
11/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelNot this time … many of the colony sites are closed due to avian flu.
11/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelLots of emperors and Adelie’s on the sea ice once we got south … chinstraps in the Sandwich Islands … gentoos here and there.
11/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 6: Grytviken … the Critters
16 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌧 39 °F
Yes, the last footprint had us leaving Grytviken on a zodiac. But how can I not post some photos of the wildlife 😊 So, here goes.

Compared to when we visited Grytviken in 2007, today there was a lot fewer wildlife to distract us from exploring the whaling station and the South Georgia Museum.

The wildlife here — not just the penguins and other birds, but the seals as well — have been heavily impacted by the avian flu. In fact, when we came ashore, the expedition guide who gave us our briefing, pointed out areas to stay clear of because there were animals that were showing symptoms of avian flu. The path to the cemetery, which was closed at the height of the epidemic due to large numbers of dead seals, was open today … an indication perhaps that the worst is now in the past.

Nonetheless, as we meandered around the station, we did find healthy critters that were happy to pose for us … intentionally or not.

(Word to the Wise: There is a video and a couple of photos of giant petrels feeding that might not be for the squeamish.)Leia mais
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ViajanteIt would not have occurred to me that avian flu would be an issue in such a remote place. But I suppose that birds being long-range travelers means disease being carried for long distances.
13/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelExactly and due to the proximity in which all of the wildlife congregate, it can spread like wildfire.
13/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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RWSE Day 6: Grytviken … Whaling Station
16 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌧 39 °F
As I previously mentioned, South Georgia Island was a hub of the whaling industry. During that time, 175,000+ whales were hunted and processed at several whaling stations along the coastline.

Established in 1904 by Carl Anton Larsen, Grytviken was the site of the first permanent whaling station on SGI. The whalers weren’t the first to work out of here, however. During the 19th century, sealers operated from Grytviken … which, in Swedish, means Pot Bay … a reference to the old try-pots found here that were used to render oil from blubber.

Historic records indicate that during the course of the 60 years that the Grytviken station operated, over 54,000 whales were processed here … one of them a nearly 112-foot long blue whale that was caught in 1912 … the largest on record.

The station ruins at Grytviken were cleaned up between 2005-2007. Once the hazardous materials were removed, visitors were welcomed. That timing makes us one of the first to visit the station when we made a landing here in January 2007.

Today, we came ashore on a beach near the rusty hulls of the Dias and Albatros … both having served here first as whalers and later as sealers. As we wandered around the ruins of the station, making our way to the cemetery, we recognized several station artifacts from our previous visit. Others were new-to-us … perhaps because our attention in 2007 had been captured by the critters. The rusted out condition of the artifacts, however, signaled that they had been here for quite some time and borne the brunt of the storms that batter SGI on a regular basis.

The cemetery is one of the must-visit sites in Grytviken. On the outskirts of the former station, it is here that Shackleton was interred after his death in 1922 … on his last Antarctic quest … he did not make it beyond SGI that time. He was buried here at the request of his wife.

In 2007, we toasted the ‘Boss’ with vodka … we were on a Russian ship after all. This time the toast was made with whiskey, and Tennessee, our expedition historian and a Shackleton buff, read a passage honoring the life of the explorer.

Another must-visit site is the church, which is located behind the whaling station … near the foothills of the jagged mountains. Constructed by the Norwegians in 1913, it was pre-fabricated in Norway and erected by the whalers here in Grytviken. Our timing was perfect as we got to hear Carolyn, a fellow-passenger, singing in the church. In addition to being a place of worship, the church was at times used as a library, a movie theater, and a store.

By the time we walked out of the church, it was time to make our way to the landing beach … the last zodiac back to the ship was about to leave.Leia mais
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Viajante Quite a collection of books!
10/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteIt really looks like a beautiful place. The church was really nice inside. And the singing was a treat.
11/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelWhen you return for another trip, you need to include South Georgia … it is quite magical.
11/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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RWSE Day 6: Grytviken … SG Museum
16 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌧 37 °F
We received a 100% rating!

The effort put in by the passengers, the expedition team, and the ships’ crew and staff to comply with SGI’s biosecurity measures paid off. With zero infractions, we received the stamp of approval and a letter authorizing us to go ashore not just at Grytviken, but at other SGI landing sites as well. Two thumbs up!

Ferried ashore by zodiacs, we had a number of things that we could do in Grytviken. When we visited in 2007, we were so enamored of the wildlife that we did not have time to pay much attention to either the museum or the station itself. Our goal this time was to reverse what we did last time and head to the museum first.

The South Georgia Museum, housed in what was once the villa of the manager of the Grytviken whaling station, opened in 1992. There is also a post office, but we had no need to go there, so we skipped it.

At the museum, we wandered around the exhibits about the history of the island — before, during, and after the whaling period; checked out some of the taxidermied species … of which the albatross that died from natural causes on Bird Island is probably the most popular; read about life here when it was a hamlet; and refreshed our memory with respect to Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s connection to the island … not the least of which is the fact that he is buried here in Grytviken.

Entirely new to us this time was an adjunct building in which we found a replica of the James Caird, the small boat that was taken off Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, before it was crushed in the ice. The boat played an important role in the Endurance saga … carrying Shackleton and five other men some 800 miles across the Southern Ocean to then mount the rescue of the men left on Elephant Island.

(If you are not familiar with all this about Shackleton and Endurance … I have a slide show of sorts from our 2007 visit at this link … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/Falklands…).

A quick wander amongst the whaling artifacts on the lawn was next … from try-pots used to render oil from blubber obtained from seals to a steam-driven bone saw … amongst which fur seals played. Then we headed off to explore the ruins of the old whaling station. More on that in the next footprint.Leia mais
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I have read lots of books about Shackleton and found them to be fascinating! Really enjoyed your post on this!! [Deidre Blank]
06/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelHe pretty much failed at everything he tried, but his people and leadership skills were really good…they use the Endurance expedition as a case study at Harvard Business School.
06/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteThanks for the link to the slideshow about Shackleton. The Royal Collection in London had an exhibit (called The Heart of the Great Alone) featuring photographs of Shackleton's expedition. The grit of those explorers is quite incredible.
07/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelAnd the photographs of Frank Hurley on the Endurance expedition are so amazing … more so considering the times. It’s a shame that he could only save so many and he had to break the glass plates of the others that he left behind. To think that they could have possibly been restored now that the Endurance has been found in the Weddell Sea. If interested in the finding of the ship, check the Endurance22 website.
08/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteThat is very sad that he chose to break the glass plates. Thanks for the link to the Endurance22 expedition. It is wonderful that they found the ship.
08/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelShackleton ordered him to do so to remove the temptation of going back to get more glass plates because they were limited with how much they could man haul once the ship was crushed.
08/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 6: Grytviken … Heritage Trust
16 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌧 37 °F
“Human effort is not futile, but man fights against the giant force of nature in a spirit of humility.” ~~ Sir Ernest Shackleton ~~ (from the Daily Program)

We arrived at our anchorage in Cumberland Bay during breakfast. Grytviken — once a whaling station and now the government seat, if you will, for the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands — was off in the distance. The morning was misty. Snow was spitting. Those conditions, however, would be changing soon enough.

While the Captain and our Expedition Leader [EL] Sara dealt with the formalities that would allow us to go ashore, we gathered in the bar for a presentation by a member of the South Georgia Heritage Trust.

The mission of the Trust is twofold … as described on its website …

“ To help efforts to conserve and protect those species of indigenous fauna and flora that breed and grow on South Georgia or in the surrounding seas and to raise awareness of South Georgia’s threatened species;

* To assist efforts to preserve the historical heritage of South Georgia, including selected historical sites of importance, and increase international awareness of the human history of the island through the South Georgia Museum.”

An interesting glimpse into projects — past, present, and future — in which the Trust is involved.Leia mais
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ViajanteWonderful that such preservation and restoration work is being done.
07/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelAbsolutely. We had an auction on the ship to donate to the cause.
08/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
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RWSE Day 5: Wrapping Up
15 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌧 36 °F
What a day this turned out to be! From our scenic arrival cruise along the northwest coast of SGI to our landing at amazing Right Whale Bay … it was truly a spectacular bay.

But it wasn’t just this that made for a memorable day. En route, we had a number of whale sightings … mostly blows and dorsal fins at a distance. But then … we were graced by the presence of the world’s largest mammal (ever) … the southern blue whale! My camera has a long lens, but isn’t necessarily a speedy one. However, some generous soul shared a photo at recap.

Speaking of the recap, today it was a short one following our return from our four-hour landing at Right Whale Bay. Sara explained the plan for tomorrow … two landings anticipated; one in Grytviken and another at St Andrews Bay. The latter is especially weather-dependent … as we know from our visit in 2007 when a sudden katabatic wind called a halt to the zodiac operations that would have taken us there.

An early dinner and then a repeat of the biosecurity checks in preparation for the official inspection tomorrow! We are aiming for 100% compliance 🤞🏻Leia mais
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RWSE Day 5: Right Whale Bay Landing
15 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F
South Georgia Island has a long — but thankfully no longer active — whaling history. In fact, the bay where we made our landing today is named after the Southern Right Whale. Right, not for the direction (as in left or right). Rather, right in the sense of being the best type of whale to go after as this species swims slowly, and when killed, floats on the water … thus making them easy to hunt and process.

But our wet landing at a black sand and pebble beach today had nothing to do with that sad chapter in SGIs history … and everything to do with a king penguin colony that is estimated as having 25,000 breeding pairs … as well as fur seals, elephant seals, skuas, giant petrels, and even some gentoo penguins.

The Right Whale Bay of today is a picturesque and ecologically significant site. We managed not to get too distracted by the penguins and seals on the beach and hiked up a tussac-covered hill to a ridge that gave us an expansive view of the main colony before going down for a closer look … always cognizant of keeping the 5m distance from wildlife that is mandated by IAATO. Not so easy to do, I might add, when you have naturally curious penguins wanting to get a closer look at us and playful fur seals wanting to practice their attack skills by charging us.Leia mais
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ViajanteLooks like an incredible place.
02/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelSGI is amazing. Anyone who does an expedition to Antarctica should make sure the itinerary includes stops here.
03/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteI’m so enjoying all the photos and videos of this incredible trip!
02/03/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelHappy to hear you are enjoying the trip.
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 5: Welcome to SGI
15 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F
“Sailors, with their built-in sense of order, service, and discipline, should really be running the world.” ~~ Nicholas Monsarrat (from the Daily Program)

When we visited South Georgia Island in 2007, we started off near the top of the southwest coast, making our first landing at King Haakon Bay, before doing a zodiac cruise at Cape Rosa. Then, heading west, we rounded Bird Island to continue our exploration along the northern coast.

Today, we headed straight for the northern shore of SGI. Icebergs and jagged peaks frosted with snow greeted us … at first a bit overcast and misty … but soon the light was brighter, the sun was peeking out, patches of blue were appearing in the sky, the colors were becoming deeper and more brilliant.

What a welcome to SGI … as we made our way to today’s landing site.Leia mais
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RWSE Day 4: Shag Rocks
14 de fevereiro de 2025, Ilhas Geórgia do Sul e Sandwich do Sul ⋅ 🌬 37 °F
Shag Rocks are exactly what the name says they are … rocks that some might call islets. Part of the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, they are 150 miles west of SGI. Rising from a depth of nearly 1,050 feet, the tallest of the six rocks reaches 246 ft above sea level.

Covered by the guano of seabirds, the rocks are primarily home to the South Georgia shags, though it is also possible to see prions and wandering albatrosses here. The birds rest and breed on the steep peaks. We saw plenty of them as we passed by the rocks. Seals and whales inhabit these waters, but none of them put in an appearance tonight.Leia mais
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RWSE Day 4: @ Sea to SGI
14 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 36 °F
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~~ St Augustine ~~ (from the Daily Program)

Sighted our first icebergs of the voyage today! Many, many more to come.

The Scotia Sea, on this third day of our crossing from the tip of South America to South Georgia Island, was calmer. Those conditions prevailed throughout the day.

Presentations and lectures continued — “An Introduction to Penguins” … “History of Whaling in the Southern Ocean” … “Pray for Shackleton.” In the latter lecture, Tennessee jumped ahead to the ImperialTrans-Antarctic Expedition (aka the Endurance Expedition) since our itinerary will essentially be following a similar route through the Weddell Sea … without getting beset in the ice 🤞🏻

Much of our afternoon was taken up with the mandatory biosecurity inspection required by South Georgia. We cleaned all of our outer gear — including vacuuming pockets, hoods, zippers, and velcro closures — and the expedition team inspected our work … just as the SGI authorities will be inspecting their work on arrival in Grytviken. We will get another chance to practice tomorrow since we will be landing on SGI before the official inspection.

Daily recap and dinner were moved up in anticipation of our first land sighting since departing Ushuaia on 11 February.

EL Sara briefed us on tomorrow’s landing location and weather/sea conditions … both look great.

Expedition members then gave us their recap snippets — Gary talked about the ‘divorce rate’ amongst penguins … shattering the myth that they are primarily monogamous; in honor of Valentine’s Day, Tennessee talked about an explorer named D’Urville claiming land in Antarctica for King and Country … and naming it, as well as a penguin species, after his wife, Adélie; Claudio shared with us a screenshot from the Vessel Finder app that showed fishing vessels (transponders off = likely illegal fishing) around sub-Antarctic Islands and a fish processing vessel identified as a cargo vessel.

And then … land ahoy!Leia mais
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 3: @ Sea to SGI
13 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 37 °F
“A journey is like a person, no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policies, and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip, a trip takes us.” ~~ John Steinbeck ~~ (from the Daily Program)

Overnight we left the infamous Drake Passage — which treated us if not to a ‘lake’ then at least not to a really bad ‘shake’. We are now in the Scotia Sea.

Our second morning at sea toward SGI (South Georgia Island) started off with a mandatory briefing … or rather, a visitor guide video. Of primary concern here is the fragile ecosystem into which we do not want to introduce any alien species … organic matter in particular, such as seeds, soil particles, etc. To that end, there are very strict biosecurity rules. We will be inspected by government authorities when we arrive at SGI … and must get a minimum 85% compliance in order to be allowed ashore.

This sea day otherwise followed the established routine of presentations — “Introduction to South Georgia” … “Whales and Dolphins of the Southern Ocean” … “How to Take Photos You Are Happy With.”

At the daily recap, EL Sara announced that we should be arriving at Shag Rocks for our ‘cruise-by sightseeing’ around 7:15p tomorrow … assuming we can maintain our current speed. Members of the expedition team then shared snippets of information on topics ranging from how the sea birds use the winds to stay aloft; to the superstitions of mariners; to a summary of a study with regards to the Antarctic ecosystem.

By the way, we lost an hour today … the change was made at noon so that we don’t lose an hour of sleep!Leia mais
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ViajanteI love the idea of changing the clocks at noon! As we progress eastward on our around-the-world journey we are regularly losing hours, always in the evening. Doing it mid-day would be great.
27/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelI know some cruise lines do this on TransAtlantics … but I don’t think I’ve ever encountered it on Oceania.
27/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteLove th photography instructions
28/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
RWSE Day 2: @ Sea to SGI
12 de fevereiro de 2025, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 39 °F
“One must never be in haste to end a day; there are too few of them in a lifetime.” ~~ Sir Francis Drake ~~ (from the Daily Program)

It was a rollin’ kind of night as we left the Beagle Channel for the Scotia Sea for the crossing to SGI (South Georgia Island). Not that the sea state was all that bad, but the waves were hitting us broadside. And they continued to do so throughout the day. One hand to the ship was the rule to keep ourselves safe.

Oh my! What big feet we have!!!

After breakfast, we were called down to collect our muck boots. I tend to get cold feet, so I wear a wool liner sock over which I put on really thick socks. Add the shearling sole inserts we brought with us, and that means I had to go up three sizes over my normal shoe size! Similarly, Mui went up three sizes.

On an expedition of this nature, a day at sea is filled with lectures and presentations — “Sea Birds of the Southern Ocean” … “Search for Terra Incognito: Magellan to Cook” … to name a few from today.

Another feature of these voyages is a daily recap during which the expedition leader — Sara Jenner, on this voyage — reviews the daily happenings and briefs passengers on the 'planned' activities for the next day. Other members of the expedition team will usually present snippets of interesting information … the colossal squid; and measuring latitudes and longitudes were amongst today’s topics.

Overall, a quiet day at sea as Ortelius continues to maintain a steady speed of 11-12 knots.Leia mais
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ViajanteSo much to learn!
28/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelIt’s interesting to hear what we heard about on previous trips from a different perspective.
28/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
10 curtidas
Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
6
And We Are Off!
11 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
Embarked Ortelius … ✅

Settled into our cabin … ✅

Got reacquainted with the ship … ✅

Completed the mandatory safety briefing and muster drill … ✅

Enjoyed the sailaway from the open decks … ✅

Stopped off in the Beagle Channel to pick up the helicopters and Chilean pilots that will be accompanying us on this journey … ✅

Attended the daily briefing; met the expedition team; and learned that we should have a fairly smooth first day crossing to South Georgia Island tomorrow … with waves in the 2.5-3 m (8-10 ft range) … ✅

Enjoyed our first meal aboard Ortelius … ✅

Attended the mandatory IAATO and zodiac operations briefings … ✅

Ready to be rocked to sleep … ✅

Our adventure has begun!Leia mais
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ViajanteWishing you smooth seas…
24/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to Travel🙏🏻
25/02/2025Responder
Viajante You booked this with Oceanwide? Have you received good service from them?
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelYes, direct with Oceanwide … but thru their US office in Houston. Excellent service … this is our second unique itinerary with them. They are a strictly expedition focused company. No luxuries … just comfortable.
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteThanks.... Good to have another option to look at. We are currently very keen on NatGeo/Lindblad, but are open to other ideas.
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelIf you have never been to the Antarctic, I don’t know that I would recommend this itinerary or the Ross Sea one. They have a lot of days at sea because of the distances to be covered and they are risky, remote itineraries. The best itinerary for first time IMHO is one that takes in the Peninsula and South Georgia, and then branch out from there if you want to return for more. That itinerary is the standard tour. You also need to weigh your wants and needs with what the operator offers. If you want a straightforward no frills itinerary, Oceanwide, for example, is good. If you want a bit of luxury (drinks included with meals, heated floors in the bathroom, etc) then Quark is good. More luxury … well, then you get into the Silversea category. I’m not sure where NatGeo/Lindblad fall these days, but you can use what you know about them for comparison. You also want to keep your ship as small as possible … 100 or less is ideal. Happy planning!
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteThanks, I particularly want to see the Falklands and South Georgia, so the "standard" three week itinerary seems like the best one for our first time to Antarctica.
26/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to Travel👍🏻
26/02/2025Responder
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
Remote Weddell Sea
11 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 41 °F
If the ice conditions allow it once we cross the Antarctic Circle, this is where we will be going!

Red is not a good color for us!
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ViajanteOh no! Fingers crossed!
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelI’ll give you a hint … we’ve gotten further south in the Weddell Sea than any other pax ship has before. The ice is at least being good in that respect.
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
11 curtidas
Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
Ushuaia: One Last Wander
11 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 39 °F
Rat-a-tat-tat! Throughout the night heavy rain pounded the picture window.

What we didn’t know until we pulled open the drapes when we woke up was if that rain had changed to snow at some point. It had not. The ‘major snow event’ forecasted to bring 3” of the white stuff to Ushuaia had remained in the mountains.

Checking out of the apartment at 10:00a, we Ubered to Club 1210 on Avenida Maipú … the designated luggage drop off. Embarkation of Ortelius was slated for 2:00p. We had planned for this … we would go for one last wander around the city and have empanadas for lunch.

Coffee break at Tante Sara to get out of the soggy weather. Lunch … a tradition no more as El Turco, our favorite empanada place, now requires that you order a main course as well as empanadas … boo, hiss! To make up for that disappointment, a delicious sweet treat at Almendra … which very much lived up to its slogan … “the name of good ice cream.”

And finally … time to embark Ortelius.Leia mais
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
Ortelius in Ushuaia
10 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌧 37 °F
Ortelius — the Oceanwide Expeditions vessel that will be taking us on our polar adventure — is snug in its berth at the pier in Ushuaia.

Embarkation day is nearly upon us. One more sleep on land tonight and we will likely be rocked to sleep at sea tomorrow night.Leia mais
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
2
Ushuaia: Our Kaupé Tradition
10 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌧 43 °F
Kaupé = We are home … in the local indigenous language.

Having dinner at this family-owned and operated restaurant is one of our pre-Antarctica expedition traditions. The ambiance is warm. The food is delicious. And we are always treated like we are one of the family. Indeed, it feels like we are home.

—————————————————

For those interested …

Appetizers: Mussels; Caprese Salad
Main Courses: Grilled Octopus; Chilean Sea Bass
Dessert: Wedges of chocolate mouse on a bed of dulce de lecheLeia mais
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Sonia Gelman Delicious!
22/02/2025Responder
Two to TravelIt definitely was.
22/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
ViajanteYum!
24/02/2025Responder
10 curtidas
Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
Ushuaia: Empanadas & Murals
10 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
To get out of the chill and wind that developed suddenly, we headed up to Doña Lupita, an empanada place that came highly recommended. We were not steered wrong.

After a casual, but tasty lunch, we wandered some of the side streets to check out the murals we had glimpsed on our way to the restaurant. The bonus? The sun came out briefly and helped to warm us up.Leia mais
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Had empanadas there in 2022! [Bob]
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelWe have had just empanadas here in 2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, and 2023. You can still have empanadas as long as you order a main course as well.
25/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
11 curtidas
Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
Ushuaia: Birds @ Bahia Encerrada
10 de fevereiro de 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 46 °F
The plan for today was to go back to Bahia Encerrada, the nature reserve in the city … to visit with the birds and take photos, but also to circumnavigate it for exercise and sightseeing.

But Ushuaia’s notoriously unpredictable weather put paid to those plans.

I was happily taking videos of the South American terns that were fishing at an outflow channel when suddenly the temperature dropped at least 10 degrees and an icy-cold wind started blowing seconds later. Mother Nature started spitting sleet … and then rain … and then snow … and then rinse and repeat.

Time to find some shelter.Leia mais
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ViajanteEnjoy Ushuaia-one if my favorite places! Your bird photos are amazing! Wish we were there!!!
22/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
Two to TravelWould have been fun to do this trip together.
22/02/2025ResponderTraduzir
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