Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

74 ülke gezdi Okumaya devam et

Takip Et Mesaj İstatistik

Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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Gün 22
23 Şubat 2025 Pazar 23:28 UTC
⛅ 27 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Weddell Sea -71.3088, -12.86919671°18’32” S 12°52’9” W
RWSE Day 13: Colorful Wrap Up
23 Şubat, Weddell Sea ⋅ ⛅ 27 °F
We returned from our zodiac cruise back to Ortelius around 6:00p … the sun bathing the sea a glorious orange-yellow.

Removing our gear, we headed up to the lounge for the recap, which was delayed until 6:45p to give everyone a chance to return to the ship. Hot cocoa in hand, we tried to warm ourselves … a slight shiver running under our skin as our core body temp had dropped quite a bit while we were out. Nonetheless, when the setting sun turned the sky red and added a mauve tint to the scenery — the ripples on the otherwise calm sea and the cloud deck above reflecting the colors — I could not resist the temptation to go our for a few quick shots.

The plan for tomorrow is very loose. Ortelius will be repositioning further south. The intent is to see if we can get into Vahsel Bay. There is snow in the forecast, and conditions may force us to plan B, or C, or D. Of course, there is quite a bit of ice along the coastline ahead of us … that will impact our plans as well.

In the meantime, we are grateful for the amazing day we had today … and the colorful, serene conclusion … a most definite bonus.Okumaya devam et
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Gorgeous sunset photos! [Deidre]
23.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelThe bonus of a later-in-the-season expedition to Antarctica.
23.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginBeautiful colours!
23.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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Gün 22
23 Şubat 2025 Pazar 17:44 UTC
☀️ 23 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Weddell Sea -71.4369, -12.373171°26’13” S 12°22’23” W
RWSE Day 13: Magical Cruise & Penguin
23 Şubat, Weddell Sea ⋅ ☀️ 23 °F
Mui and I were taking our time getting ready for the zodiac cruise … waiting for the invite to go down to the embarkation deck. When the PA crackled to life, it was EL Sara announcing the last zodiac! Whaaat! We must have missed the earlier announcement while we were making our way to the cabin.

The good news is that we made it to the last zodiac. The better news is that the only other people on the zodiac with us were members of the expedition team — Tennessee driving; Phil and Matilda hitching a ride.

Nothing quite like a private zodiac cruise … unintentional though it was — ice floes and icebergs bobbing as they followed the swells and the current; the blue berg with the window providing an excellent photo op for us. To top it off, we found penguins — both emperors and Adelies — rafting by on ice floes. They were quite amenable to our presence and patiently posed for us.

The highlight was six emperors that went about their business as though we weren’t nosed up to their ice conveyance. What made this encounter even better was the changing light conditions … warming up the landscape and the penguins as the sun moved lower on the horizon. We stayed out as long as we could with these emperors. Eventually, though, our nearly-frozen fingers — gloves removed to operate cameras — broke through the ‘haze of emperor penguin delight’ … time to head back to Ortelius. By this time, the light had faded to almost nothing and the penguins had laid down on the ice to sleep.

Mother Nature sure gifted us a memorable day! My photos don’t do justice to what we experienced, but I will share a few of them regardless.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanThese pictures are….WOW!!!!
24.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelIt was a WOW 🤩 ki d of day.
24.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginAbsolutely amazing photos!!!!
15.05.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelIt was an amazing day!
15.05.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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Gün 22
23 Şubat 2025 Pazar 15:09 UTC
☀️ 25 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Weddell Sea -71.428227, -12.45711471°25’42” S 12°27’26” W
2 2
RWSE Day 13: Ice and Penguins
23 Şubat, Weddell Sea ⋅ ☀️ 25 °F
Back from our helicopter flight and iceberg landing, we grabbed a cup of hot chocolate and a biscuit, and headed out on deck to “have our snack with a view.”

While the rest of the groups took their turns flying, we enjoyed the icescape … wandering from deck to deck … from side to side. When we weren’t focused on the ice, we were scoping out the wildlife. Crabeater seals were numerous … asleep on ice floes passing by the ship … waking up to check out the ‘big blue thing’ that is Ortelius. An eroded iceberg, seesawing on swells that went unnoticed on the ship, revealed a surprise … a couple of Adelie penguins going through their annual catastrophic molt.

We took a break for lunch … a quiet one since some of the passengers were still flying. And then back outside for more ice and wildlife. By 2:15p, heli ops completed, Ortelius was on the move. Plowing through the pack ice, we got into a channel of open water between the pack ice and the Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf.

EL Sara’s announcement that there was a group of emperor penguins on the ice brought out on deck a rush of people. It wasn’t just one group … there were three of them … emperors mingling with Adelies … preening this way and that … some tobogganing as though they were trying to keep pace with the ship. The water was dead calm, making it easy to see the emperors swimming serenely in the icy sea … diving briefly only to pop up and continue swimming. The late afternoon sun was filtered; rays slipping through the clouds to spotlight distant bergs … some of them with the deepest of blue inner cores.

And then we came to the ice shelf. Ortelius could go no further. Just as we thought, “well, that’s it,” EL Sara’s voice came over the PA. Zodiacs were being put in the water!Okumaya devam et
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Gezgin Thanks for the hint - especially helpful on a phone. It’s looks like a needle in a haystack.
20.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelSure gives perspective of the size of that berg.
20.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin A unique shot!
20.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelYeah … and I didn’t have to pay them to line up 😊
20.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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Gün 22
23 Şubat 2025 Pazar 12:11 UTC
⛅ 25 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Weddell Sea -71.471398, -12.93371°28’17” S 12°55’59” W
2
RWSE Day 13: Heli Flight to Tabular Berg
23 Şubat, Weddell Sea ⋅ ⛅ 25 °F
The scout helicopters lifted off from the Ortelius helipad around 7:00a. Their mission was to find us a landing site … somewhere near the ice shelf.

Turns out that even though the weather was perfect for helicopter operations, there just wasn’t enough contrast … essential in order for the pilots to be able to identify surface details and ensure safe landings.

Fear not. They found an alternative to the ice shelf … a tabular iceberg nearby.

Once the expedition team reconnoitered the ice … and the mountain guides on the team confirmed the flat top was stable and safe, the order was given to commence heli ops.

First up … transferring equipment to the landing zone to set up a base camp. Then it was time for the passengers to fly. Mui and I were in group two, so we didn’t have to wait long for our turn. Some of the ship’s crew and staff had a chance to join us on the iceberg as well.

The flights were more than a simple transfer from the ship to the landing zone. The pilots took us sightseeing — or rather, ‘ice-seeing’ — as well. We flew high above the pack ice; we skimmed low over it for a closer look at the icebergs gripped by the pack. We flew fast … we flew slow. We flew straight … banked left … banked right … and we gave up on trying to keep the horizon level as we tried to capture the amazing vastness of the icescape with our still and video cameras.

After we landed on the iceberg, we had about 30 minutes to wander freely … within the established perimeter, of course. It was simply amazing. All the more so because we were flying in groups of eight, thus there wasn’t a crowd. The experience was very peaceful .

We have walked upon glaciers on past expeditions, but walking atop an iceberg was unique … the landscape white all the way to the horizon, except for the blue of the sky and the tint of color in the icebergs.

We didn’t want to leave when the helicopter returned to take us back to Ortelius. But we did. The day was young, after all, and EL Sara was bound to have more outings in the works for us to make the most of our ‘good-weather-luck’. What they were … well, we’d have to wait to find out.Okumaya devam et
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GezginThe great adventurers 😜
18.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginWhat an amazing experience!
18.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelAnd such a beautiful day for it, too.
18.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 22
23 Şubat 2025 Pazar 06:42 UTC
⛅ 21 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Weddell Sea -71.442497, -12.69509971°26’33” S 12°41’42” W
RWSE Day 13: Plowing thru Pack Ice
23 Şubat, Weddell Sea ⋅ ⛅ 21 °F
“The continent has become a symbol of our time. The test of man’s willingness to pull back from the destruction of the Antarctic wilderness is a test also of his willingness to avert destruction globally. If he cannot succeed in Antarctica, he has little chance of success elsewhere.”
~ ~ Edwin Mickleburgh ~ ~ (from the Daily Program)

Oh what a beautiful day we had in Queen Maud Land! Antarctica treated us well on our first full day along the continent. I have 954 photos/videos to prove it … and that doesn’t count the ones I have already deleted.

Though sunrise is really early hereabouts — like 3:00a early — we leave the blackout shades cracked open. That means that we wake up a couple of times through the wee hours, check the time, peek out the window to see what there’s to see, and then continue to slumber until sometime around 5:00a or so … later if it is a day at sea.

We didn’t need bright sunshine to wake us up this morning … though there was plenty of that, too. Rather, it was the sound of Ortelius plowing its way through ice. Bang … clang … whoosh … silence … bang bang … whoosh … clang … silence. And so it went. We were in thick pack ice, with just enough leads … allowing our vessel to push the ice floes out of its way. We would later find out that we were in the vicinity of Norselbukta … a small iceport in the front of the Quar Ice Shelf.

(For the curious … an iceport is a “more-or-less permanent indentation in the front of an ice shelf, that can serve as a natural ice harbour” … though the possibility of calvings make them less-than-reliable.)

If the ‘we are in the ice’ noise hadn’t already propelled us out of bed and into our cold weather gear, glimpsing through the window a beautiful blue-green iceberg locked in the pack ice would have done the trick. We needed no further encouragement. By 6:00a, we were out on deck, happily clicking shutters as we wandered from one side of the ship to the other.

It’s not like this was our first time being on a ship in the midst of so much ice. But we have yet to tire of it! And if the sun is shining … and the wind state is calm … well there is no end to our pleasure then. Not even the cold temp — which was several degrees below freezing no matter whether you think in Fahrenheit or Celsius — put a damper on our glee.

So much more excitement to come …Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanAmazing!!!
16.04.2025Yanıtla
GezginIncredible! Daunting to try and select from so many photos on this trip. If this day was 954, how many was this trip?
16.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelAbout 10,000 … but lots of for-info-only photos for memory-jogging as I expand my private journal and many duplicates since I only delete the obviously bad photos and wait to do my clean up when I have access to a big screen. 🫢😄
16.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 21
22 Şubat 2025 Cumartesi 19:24 UTC
☀️ 12 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Southern Ocean -70.8651, -9.92099870°51’54” S 9°55’16” W
RWSE Day 12: Wrapping Up … and a BBQ
22 Şubat, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 12 °F
As we slowly cruised along the Ekström Ice Shelf, EL Sara called for a group photo on the bow deck.

Most of us were already on the bow … those who weren’t joined us after bundling up against the ‘balmy-for-Antarctica’ temperature … 17F (-8C) at the time. Captain Remmert obliged by giving the order to close in on the ice shelf … remaining a safe distance from the terminus in case of an unexpected calving. What a great background for the photo op!

The Daily Recap was next. Steaming hot beverages in hand, we sat down to hear what EL Sara might have in store for us now that we had arrived at the continent.

She started out by sharing the navigation chart showing where we were. Then, on a satellite image from the Polar View app, she showed how we cruised around iceberg D32 to get between it and the Ekström Ice Shelf. The idea is to follow a band of ice-free water and see where it takes us. The wind and sea states both look like they will cooperate … the ice seemingly as well. While we all want to get into the ice, and know that we will eventually reach fast ice, we’d rather it be later rather than sooner … so that we can get as deep into the Weddell Sea as possible. We are, after all the Remote Weddell Sea Expedition … we need to live up to that name.

There were no briefings tonight. No time for them as we would be partaking in an Antarctic tradition … a barbecue dinner on deck!!!

On our previous expeditions, this tradition was upheld during the day. This one would be under the stars … with the temperature much colder. I mean, think about it … we had an ice shelf to our starboard and a number of icebergs around us … not to mention D32 not too far away. We needed to add several more layers under our parkas to stay warm.

The staff had already set up tables and benches on deck; drinks were lined up like good little soldiers … mulled wine was ready in an insulated thermos dispenser; the grill was smoking with a variety of meats; corn on the cob was boiling in a pot; a variety of greens and salads were in tubs on the buffet; and of course, there was dessert, too!

Huddling close together with fellow-passengers, we ate our dinner — perhaps scarfed it down is a better description. The sooner the ‘dancing under the stars’ portion of the evening began, the warmer we would be. It was a fun evening and a great way to celebrate our arrival in Antarctica … with snow flurries falling. That said, a hot shower was probably not far from anyone’s mind!

By the way, this afternoon we went through one last round of mandatory biosecurity inspections … to ensure that we don’t introduce anything from the sub-Antarctic islands we’ve visited into the pristine Antarctic ecosystem. Every piece of clothing and anything else we intend to take ashore was inspected again. Vacuum cleaners were pressed into service to remove any organic matter that might be hiding in nooks and crannies of pockets or caught on Velcro closures. Since we will remain in the Antarctic until we head back across the Drake at the tail end of our expedition we won’t have to do this inspection again.Okumaya devam et
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13 beğeni
Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
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Gün 21
22 Şubat 2025 Cumartesi 18:58 UTC
☀️ 12 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Southern Ocean -70.852303, -9.79290170°51’8” S 9°47’34” W
4
RWSE Day 12: Yes … We’re @ the Continent
22 Şubat, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 12 °F
When Tennessee’s voice came over the P/A to announce “Land Ahoy,” perhaps he should have said “Ice Ahoy!”

Not that he was wrong, mind you. There was land ahead. It was just behind one of the many ice shelves that rim Antarctica … impenetrable walls of ice … floating extensions of land ice (glaciers and ice sheets) that remain attached to the continent even as they float out over the ocean. If I recall correctly, we’d have to travel 45 NM through the ice shelf ahead of us to actually stand on land ice.

And that’s the answer to the cliffhanger!

What we spied on the horizon was the Antarctic Continent’s Neuschwabenland. More accurately, given the above explanation, the Ekström Ice Shelf of Neuschwabenland.

First mapped by the Norwegian-British-Swedish Expedition of 1949-1952, the Ekström Ice Shelf covers an area about 3,400 square miles (8,700 square kilometers) … with a thickness of 520 feet (160m) at the edge … and only 50 feet (15m) of it visible above the ocean’s surface. Sounds huge doesn’t it? Well, let me disabuse you of that thought. Compared to some of the other Antarctic ice shelves, this one’s a baby! A ginormous baby to be sure!

For the curious, the biggest ice shelf on the continent is the one we visited on an expedition in 2015 … the Ross Ice Shelf at 182,610 square miles [472,960 square kilometers]. If all goes well, and Mother Nature permits it, we hope to get to the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf later in this expedition. That one is just a little smaller than the Ross Ice Shelf.Okumaya devam et
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GezginYou must be thinking about a warm beach by now 😀
11.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelNot really … have never been a beach gal 😊.
11.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin That is the way to celebrate.... and I love the jackets they provide you with!
11.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelOceanwide does not provide parkas … they are pretty much a no frills operator in that way. But they do lend you the boots onboard. Their clientele tend to be people who have done many expeditions to the polar regions anyway, and with few exceptions, all have the appropriate gear. Our parkas are from our last Quark expedition…at one point, we had three of these jackets; down to one now … plus the Silversea Expedition parkas (which we keep in the trunk of our car … in case of a winter emergency on the road).
11.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginGood to know. Makes sense if many passengers already have the gear.
11.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelPlus … any “inclusions” like parkas fall into the “nothing is free” category in my book. You are paying for it in the fare or buying it in the store 😉
11.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 21
22 Şubat 2025 Cumartesi 17:59 UTC
☀️ 14 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Southern Ocean -70.769897, -9.80029870°46’12” S 9°48’1” W
1
RWSE Day 12: D32
22 Şubat, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 14 °F
I ended the last footprint with a photo of us and a bit of a cliffhanger.

I know that you are waiting for the answer. But that’s going to have to wait a bit more. Why? Because I want to tell you about what we had to go around to get to what was on the horizon.

Ahead of Ortelius was a massive iceberg. No, not the one that has been in the news. That’s A23a and it is nowhere near where we are.

This tabular iceberg was D32.

Despite the snow at times obscuring our view, it was amazing … a wall of blueish-white ice that seemed to stretch forever. If you watch the video panning D32, you will see what I mean by that. It very much reminded me of an ice shelf. Well, no surprise … it was born from one.

D32 calved off the Amery Ice Shelf in the eastern Weddell Sea in October 2022 … from the quadrant designated as D in the iceberg naming convention. It had already drifted some 14 NM (16 miles/26 km) from its place of birth before its presence was first reported. At the time, it was at Latitude 68° 25’ S / Longitude 70° 35' W … it measured 90 nautical miles square (119 miles square miles / 309 kilometers square) … give or take a bit of rounding.

I know, I know … a lot of numbers. You see, I was curious to compare its size at birth to what we were told is its size today … 35.25 nautical miles square (47 miles square / 121 kilometers square). That’s quite a bit of melting since D32 began its journey. I guess you could say that unlike a human baby, which continues to grow after birth, an ice shelf baby gets progressively smaller.

We were, of course, nowhere near the Amery Ice Shelf. So how was it that we were seeing D32 today near our location at 70° 48’ S / 9° 45' W? Well, it has to do with the currents around Antarctica. Instead of trying to describe it in words, I’m going to let a few slides from recent lectures and briefings answer the question. (Our approximate position when we sighted D32 is marked with a star on both slides; an arrow points to D32’s birthplace.)  
P.S. You all know that I am uploading these footprints after returning home, so I did an AI search on the current status of D32. It remains in the general vicinity of where we saw it … has drifted maybe a mile or two. But what I found of particular interest was that the AI response included our observation of this berg on the Remote Weddell Sea Explorer expedition. Our five seconds of fame!Okumaya devam et
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GezginVery on the nose for AI to spit your own words back at you 🤣. That's classic!
8.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelNot quite my own words since I had not posted about D32 yet, but probably picked up the FB and Instagram postings so many on the ship made at the time 😄
8.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Sonia GelmanWhat an adventure!
8.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 21
22 Şubat 2025 Cumartesi 14:27 UTC
⛅ 18 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Southern Ocean -70.726379, -9.98526370°43’35” S 9°59’7” W
RWSE Day 12: Closing in on the Continent
22 Şubat, Southern Ocean ⋅ ⛅ 18 °F
“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” ~~ Samuel Johnson ~~ (from the Daily Program)

Excited by yesterday’s announcement that we’d be reaching the Great White Continent this afternoon, we were up early! It was, of course, way too early to see anything outside. So, we breakfasted and then focused on the lectures on the Daily Program for this morning.

First up was Gary, who spoke about his experience overwintering at Australia’s Mawson Station in West Antarctica. He talked about the isolation that winter brings with it and the importance of camaraderie during the months of total darkness. You know, at one time — in my youth — I wanted to work in Antarctica and experience it for an entire year. Now … well, no thank you would be my response. I’ll stick to summertime visits!

Tennessee’s lecture was next … and the topic was especially interesting because it was directly connected to where we were going — Neuschwabenland … named by the German Antarctic Expedition of 1938-1939. This wasn’t the first German expedition to come down to the continent. There were two others that preceded it. This one, however, was associated with Nazi Germany.

The purpose of the expedition was mixed. There were scientists who wanted to explore and understand the continent. The Nazis had a different goal … they wanted to set up a whaling station of their own to reduce — if not eliminate — Germany’s dependence on Norway for whale oil. And acquire fishing grounds as well.

So, the Third Reich chartered a vessel from Lufthansa — Schwabenland — and set off for Antarctica. You can read details of the expedition on the web if interested in more information. Suffice to say that they arrived off what is Queen Maud Land — a territory claimed by Norway just a few days before the expedition’s arrival — and established a sector as New Swabia … aka Neuschwabenland. They never filed an official claim, however, and by 1945, the sector was abandoned.

The Nazis never built a whaling station on Neuschwabenland. Nor any other structures. That did not stop conspiracy theorists, however, from promoting the belief that a large-scale military base was constructed there for the high-ranking Nazis to flee to after they lost WWII … heated by hot springs under the ice, no less. They also furthered the claim that the UK and US tried to clear the land with nuclear weapons. Even more bizarre are the claims that — cue “Darth Vader’s Theme” from Star Wars … or any sci-fi movie theme of your choice — the Nazis developed UFOs at their underground bases here.

All that aside, the German scientists did accomplish a number of studies, not the least of which was the production of topographical maps of the area using aerial photographs … taken from the two Dornier aircraft the expedition brought to Antarctica … launched via a steam catapult from aboard the ship.

When we set out to visit this part of Antarctica, we had little knowledge of Neuschwabenland … or this third German Antarctic expedition. Tennessee provided a fascinating glimpse that we will expand on when we get home and have better access to internet resources.

Lunch time was next … and then we bundled up and went on deck to watch the snow falling gently from the sky. But wait … what’s that on the horizon? Can you guess from the photo of us in this footprint? …Okumaya devam et
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GezginA23a?
6.04.2025Yanıtla
GezginA23a was never near us. Never saw it. So the right answer, I guess you have to wait😄
6.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to Travel😄
6.04.2025Yanıtla
Sonia GelmanInteresting.
6.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 20
21 Şubat 2025 Cuma UTC
🌬 28 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Southern Ocean -67.669411, -15.67027667°40’10” S 15°40’13” W
RWSE Day 11: South of THE CIRCLE!
21 Şubat, Southern Ocean ⋅ 🌬 28 °F
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” ~~ Sir Edmund Hillary ~~ (from the Daily Program)

We woke up to Plan A. But soon we were following Plan B. It wouldn’t be an expedition if we didn’t have such changes!

Usually, it’s Mother Nature that forces plans to change. This time it was the time … specifically, the timing of noon.

Remember how we are staying on ship’s time — which is the same as Argentina — in this remote region? Well, that’s all fine and dandy. Unless you want to get a meridian reading with a sextant at noon … and noon on the ship is not really noon but 2:00p. And 10:00a on the ship is really noon! Thus, some of the planned activities had to be shifted around … no biggie.

Why was this sextant reading so important? Because we were counting down to latitude 66º 33’ 49.4” South … the Antarctic Circle. In fact, the crossing of that imaginary line was announced with a toot of the ship’s horn precisely at 12:13p … which, of course, was really 2:13p off the ship. (Have I confused you enough yet?)

The highly-anticipated heli-ops dry run was a full-dress rehearsal.

Meaning that we had to wear all mandatory gear and carry whatever we plan to take with us when we actually take to the air … and practice all of the pre- and post-flight steps — go to the ‘gate’ when called; check-in for the flight; have the auto-inflation devices in the life vest deactivated; get ID number checked off on the tracking board; receive ear defenders; follow the escort out to the helipad … pretending to soak boots in the disinfectant wash along the way; follow the hand signals of the heli ops team to approach, get on, and get off the helicopter … twice because we have two different types of choppers on board; follow the escort back to the check-in area … pretending again to soak boots in the disinfectant wash; return ear defenders; get ID number checked off the tracking board; have the automatic inflation devices in the life vest reactivated.

Yes … lots of steps to go through … but safety first. I am happy to say that everything went off without a hitch … probably because so many of us have flown off Ortelius on previous expeditions.

Of course there were workshops and presentations throughout the day to also keep us entertained — Phil delivered a presentation on his ‘safe return doubtful’ kind of snowmobile journey on the Peninsula when he was working for the British Antarctic Survey … the isolation depicted by his amazing photos was quite something else; EL Sara talked about the “Pinnipeds of the Southern Ocean” … in which she went through the different species that call this part of the world home … and the adaptations that allow them to live in the harsh climate often associated with these southern latitudes.

The Daily Recap brought the good news that we are continuing to make good time toward Neuschwabenland … and Mother Nature will be cooperating for at least another day. EL Sara’s announcement that she expects that we’ll be in sight of the continent tomorrow afternoon was greeted by cheers and a ripple of excitement.

Sara also answered the question of Antarctic visitor trends. Suffice to say that the numbers have grown in leaps and bounds, with a new category added to the already tracked cruise-only and landed visits … deep field visits, such as those arriving by plane to the South Pole. The stats for the current 2024-2025 season are not out yet, but it is estimated to be in the 150K range. (Curious about the trends, I had checked out the stats myself before we left home, so I am sharing my own photo in this footprint.)

Tonight’s wrap up was an auction to benefit the South Georgia Heritage Trust. A good chunk of money was raised, and several passengers walked away with some very nice things, including the navigation chart of our voyage, which will be given to her once our expedition is concluded.

Oh, and there is going to be a treasure hunt starting tomorrow … Luce, one of the dive guides, announced it at recap. The hunt will test our knowledge of Shackleton’s TransAntarctic expedition. A fun and educational activity with puzzles and riddles to solve using clues we have to solve by interviewing staff and crew.Okumaya devam et
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GezginThis is such an interesting voyage! Thanks again for sharing it.
5.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 19
20 Şubat 2025 Perşembe UTC
☁️ 30 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Southern Ocean -63.079166, -22.517563°4’45” S 22°31’3” W
2
RWSE Day 10: At Sea … Below 60° S
20 Şubat, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F
“The first great thing is to find yourself and for that you need solitude and contemplation — at least sometimes. I can tell you deliverance will not come from the rushing noisy centres of civilization. It will come from lonely places.” ~~ Fridtjof Nansen ~~ (from the Daily Program)

We are now below 60° S — officially in Antarctic waters … below the northern limit of the Southern Ocean … and in the Antarctic Treaty Area, which is a region where no territorial claims or military activities are permitted.

It was a busy day at sea with lectures and briefings … and plankton and navigation workshops. While it was cold on the outside decks, the sea state was calm enough for us to enjoy some fresh air. There were a number of whales … some fairly close, but still not close enough for decent photos. Mostly blows and some dorsal fins. EL Sara reported during recap that the bridge recorded 65 whales today. Otherwise … water, water everywhere.

Now that we are headed to the Antarctic Continent, it was time for a mandatory briefing on helicopter operations. First a safety video prepared by DAP Helicopters … then a review of how operations will work on Ortelius … key safety points reiterated by the “Air Boss.” Tomorrow we will do a dry run on the helipad and put into practice what we learned today.

Educational lectures followed — Matilda gave us an “Introduction to Ice” … 99% of Antarctica is covered by ice = 90% of the world’s freshwater ice … ice and snow that covers the water surface reflects back 90% of the sun’s heat … that number drops to 6% in open waters; Tennessee delivered part two of his “Pray for Shackleton” series … focusing on the explorer’s early years and his role in Scott’s Discovery Expedition, which reached 82 ° S as its southernmost point.

The Daily Recap was quick — Ortelius is moving along at a steady speed of 12 knots at the moment; it looks like the sea and wind states are going to cooperate for another day. That out of the way, EL Sara used a rope to help us visualize the sizes of the whales we are seeing; Matilda showed us how to read the ice charts and illustrated the ice coverage with sample photos; Tennessee answered a question about who was the first to see Antarctica … Bransfield and Bellingshausen are two of the explorers whose names come up in that regard, but he figures some unknown sealer was more than likely the first to do so.

After dinner, we wrapped up this sea day with a screening of “Lake of Fire” … a documentary about a group of scientists who came out to SSI’s Saunders Island to prove that Mount Michael, the highest point on the island, indeed has a lava lake in its crater … only the eighth one in the world. By the way, yes … there was popcorn!

Too bad Mount Michael didn’t show itself to us when we cruised by Saunders yesterday … but we did see the plume of steam coming out of the crater.Okumaya devam et
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Gezgin We used to have helicopters come in for rescues when I worked as a ranger. Real respect for the pilots who could put them down in amazingly small places.
5.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelAgreed … our three Chilean pilots, and their engineers, were top notch professionals. Without them, we wouldn’t have some of the special memories with which we returned from our expedition.
5.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 18
19 Şubat 2025 Çarşamba 20:08 UTC
☁️ 32 °F
Yükseklik: 26 ft
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları South Sandwich Islands -59.4818, -27.27029859°28’54” S 27°16’13” W
2
RWSE Day 9: Wrapping Up
19 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ ☁️ 32 °F
By 5:00p we were back on Ortelius.

Having cruised in icy-cold waters for 2.5 hours, our first priority was a hot shower. But an ‘iceberg gift’ from Mother Nature put that thought on hold for a bit. It was worth it! A brilliant white berg with wavy stripes of aqua, turquoise, and teal running through it … formed more than likely by ancient, compressed ice and meltwater re-freezing. There was a bonus to going out on deck to see the striped berg … a tabular iceberg beautifully showcased by the brightening skies.

Once Ortelius passed the icebergs, we had just enough time to take our hot showers and head up to the lounge for the daily recap … a cup of hot chocolate in hand for good measure.

We now have 810 NM (932 miles/1,500 km) to go to reach Neuschwabenland on the Antarctic continent. EL Sara explained that we need a minimum of 3 days to cover that distance … assuming we can maintain a steady speed of 11 knots. The good news is that there seems to be a channel of good weather — both wind and sea — that just might allow us to do so.

Earlier in the expedition, a ‘question box’ was placed in the lounge. The idea is for us to put any questions we might have about the expedition or the ship in the box. Expedition team members then answer those questions during the recap … the briefing tidbits, if you will. Today’s question was about icebergs — which ones are tracked by the US National Ice Center and how are the tracked bergs named. Matilda, our Earth Science lecturer, had the answer.

In order to qualify for tracking, an iceberg must be at least 1900m (~ 1.2 miles) long on one side. She explained that these giant bergs are named according to the quadrant in which they are born … A, B, C, and D … bergs that calve off an ice shelf in that quadrant get the alpha designation accordingly … the number that follows is just sequential … and if that berg breaks up and the pieces are large enough to be tracked, the largest gets a lower case a … the smaller gets a lower case b, etc.

Clara wrapped up the recap by announcing the plankton workshops that she and Chloé will be conducting with water samples collected on this expedition. The 10 slots for tomorrow’s workshop are already filled. Tennessee will continue his sextant and navigation workshops as well.

Between the lectures and the workshops, and spending time on deck, the sea days ahead will pass in the blink of an eye.

Time Change #2: Tonight we regain the hour we lost before arriving in South Georgia. To give us extra sleeping time, this gain will happen at midnight. Technically, there should have been other time changes, but being in such a remote location, the only time we need to follow is the one on the ship. So, we will be staying on Argentine time for the remainder of the voyage.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia Gelman Oh WOW. That some incredible color.
31.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelNever saw anything like it before.
31.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
GezginBeautiful... and the enrichment lectures sound really interesting. I would love to learn more about navigation using a sextant.
2.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelLectures and workshops are an important part of expeditions … we always learn something new.
2.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 18
19 Şubat 2025 Çarşamba 18:53 UTC
⛅ 32 °F
Yükseklik: 13 ft
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları South Sandwich Islands -59.455098, -27.30790359°27’18” S 27°18’28” W
RWSE Day 9: Zodiac Cruise @ Thule Island
19 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ ⛅ 32 °F
Having done a recon cruise along the coast of Thule Island, EL Sara gave the OK to put all of the zodiacs in the water.

We would not be able to go ashore … the swells crashing on the beaches were too frequent and too big; the rocky beach was crowded with wildlife. But we could cruise along the shoreline. Yes, inside the Douglas Strait we had relative protection from the elements. But that did not mean that the sea state was smooth. In fact, it was quite choppy … and it was very cold. EL Sara suggested that everyone consider their own physical abilities before deciding to participate as this cruise was going to be challenging.

Bundling up, off we went on a bouncy ride. The closer we got to shore, the more wildlife we saw. What looked like little black dots revealed themselves to be chinstrap penguins … from the shoreline all the way up to the ridge line … many of them standing still, going through their annual molt. Their boisterous calls filled the air. A few gentoos stood out amongst the chinnies. What looked like great big boulders revealed themselves to be seals … mostly Antarctic fur seals … a few Southern elephant seals … a lone Weddell seal that didn’t even deign to turn around and look up.

As we cruised along, we got a closer look at the glaciers and ice cliffs … parts showing their inner-blue; others stained green by algae. Icicles hung from the edge … deadly as spears, but we were out of their range. The snow covering the ice and the ground was pristine in some places; stained by excrement in others. Zodiacs cruising nearby, dwarfed by the ice, provided perspective for the size of the rivers of ice.

Photography was challenging. The light was dull. The contrast between the white of the sky/snow/glaciers and the dark volcanic ground didn’t make things easier. And then there was the choppy seas and the strong current to consider. After a while, I put the camera away and just enjoyed the ride.

This cruise wasn’t just about wildlife and scenery. When we reached Hewison Point, we got a clear view of the ruins of an old Argentinian station … established illegally and in breach of international law in 1977 … on territory claimed by Britain. After the 1982 Falklands War, British Forces destroyed the station. Unfortunately, in the process, they killed thousands of penguins. Today, the penguins have taken over the ruins, which was nice to see.

While we were cruising, Ortelius had repositioned closer to Hewison Point to pick us up. Despite the layers of clothing we’d bundled ourselves into, the damp chill was starting to seep through. Time to return to the ship … our reluctance to do so eased by the promise of a hot shower … a hot drink … and the knowledge that our next stop would be the Great White Continent!Okumaya devam et
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Gün 18
19 Şubat 2025 Çarşamba 16:18 UTC
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları South Sandwich Islands -59.411499, -27.24870159°24’41” S 27°14’55” W
1
RWSE Day 9: Welcome to the S Thule Group
19 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
We arrived at the southernmost of the South Sandwich Islands midafternoon — the Southern Thule Group … which consists of the Bellingshausen, Cook, and Thule Islands.

These islands were discovered by Captain Cook in 1775. He named the group Thule as they were the southernmost landmasses known at the time. They are essentially the peaks of a submerged volcano that are visible above the surface of the sea … Cook is inactive; the other two have active craters.

When we arrived, the sea was choppy; the sky blue and the light bright. While the sea state remained constant, it didn’t take long for the clouds to move in and dull the light.

As the ship maneuvered into the Douglas Strait, the sunken caldera between Cook and Thule Islands, we enjoyed the scenery. The question on everyone’s mind was the same? Would we be getting off the ship for a zodiac cruise or not?

To answer that question, the expedition team set off in a zodiac to check things out.Okumaya devam et
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Gezgin What a beautiful color!
30.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 18
19 Şubat 2025 Çarşamba 11:05
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -59.060109, -26.8334259°3’36” S 26°50’0” W
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RWSE Day 9: My Favorite To-Date?
19 Şubat, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
After our first expedition to Antarctica, we saw several photos of amazing icebergs … blue, blue-green, aqua, green. Many of them clear or translucent. The captions showed the location in each instance as the South Sandwich Islands. It was those images that put these remote islands on our must-travel-to list.

Since arriving in the Scotia Sea around the South Sandwich Islands, we’ve seen several of the colorful bergs. But this one — which we sailed by today somewhere in the vicinity of Bristol Island — is most definitely my favorite to-date. Mui agrees with me.

We still have a ways to go before this expedition is all said and done, and we’ll be seeing many, many more of Mother Nature’s ice sculptures. All will be beautiful, but the bar has now been raised. Will any of them be able to replace this one as my favorite? We’ll have to wait to find out.

(I didn’t play with the color of the berg, except to add a bit of overall brightness to the photos. Nonetheless, you’ll note a difference in color when you play the video … different cameras; different zoom settings.)Okumaya devam et
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GezginWhat great and unique shades that you just don’t normally see….much less in icebergs.
27.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelIt was very special … and having the sun shining made it all the more so.
27.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Great photos! [Deidre]
27.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 18
19 Şubat 2025 Çarşamba 10:00
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -58.951403, -26.7799958°57’5” S 26°46’48” W
RWSE Day 9: Bristol Island
19 Şubat, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
By late morning, we were on approach to Bristol Island … the second largest of the South Sandwich Islands … and one of three in the Central Islands Group.

Although the skies had cleared up nicely, and the sun was out, Bristol Island was enveloped by low-lying clouds. Though a bit misty, we could see the ice cliffs along the shoreline. Bristol Island has three volcanoes … all of which were lost in the clouds. Mt Sourabaya is probably the most well-known as it erupted continuously for several weeks starting in April 2016. I found it interesting that this mountain is named for a whaling factory ship that witnessed an eruption of the mountain in 1935.

There were plenty of icebergs to keep us entertained as we cruised slowly by the island … and a few small landmasses that were formed by coastal erosion offered better views of themselves than Bristol Island.

The three named islets are Grindle Rock, Wilson Rock, and Freezland Rock. Of these, Freezland is of particular importance as it was the first landmass in the SSI to be seen by a human. It is, in fact, named for the man who first sighted it on Captain Cook’s 1775 expedition … a Dutch Able Seaman aboard HMS Resolution. Freezland is also the tallest at ~980 feet above sea level. Grindle and Wilson have only been charted more recently … in 1930 … and are named for the Permanent Undersecretary of State for the Colonies at that time and his deputy. That all three rocks were almost entirely snow/ice free made for a stark contrast against the island and the icebergs grounded in their vicinity.

As lunch time approached, Ortelius speeded up again, heading for the final group of the SSI Islands … where we were still hoping for an off-ship activity.Okumaya devam et
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Gün 18
19 Şubat 2025 Çarşamba 03:00 UTC
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları Nattriss Point -57.792801, -26.38019957°47’34” S 26°22’49” W
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RWSE Day 9: No Sunrise @ Saunders … But
19 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
“Traveling — it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” ~~ Ian Battuta ~~ (from the Daily Program)

The alarm went off at 4:00a! Ugh.

I rose up on my knees in bed and looked out the window. It was immediately obvious that there would be no colorful sunrise … no chance of seeing the glow of Mt Michael’s lava lake.

I was tempted to go back to sleep. But I was awake anyway. And there was convenient open deck space aft of our cabin. So, I threw the parka over my pj’s, slipped on closed-toed clogs, and went out to take a peek at the third largest island in the South Sandwich Islands … and one of eight discovered by Captain Cook during his 1775 expedition.

Even as I was opening the watertight door on the starboard side, Sara announced that there was a blue iceberg on the port side. I hurried over there instead. What a beautiful sight … even in the dull light.

A few clicks of the shutter and I crossed back over to the starboard side to see what I could of Saunders Island … which wasn’t much. The clouds were low and thick. There was no sign of the huge plume of steam that someone managed to photograph at 3:50a! It must have blended right into the cloud deck.

At least there was a bit of color on the port side. So, after a few shutter clicks of the island, I went back over to check out the blue berg. Sculpted by battering seas and howling winds, the iceberg was now close enough to see the translucence of the blue-green ice.

On that note, I went back to bed until Sara came on the P/A @ 7:45a with the daily wake up call!Okumaya devam et
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Gezgin Nasıl oluyor? Üstü kış, altı yaz! 😂
24.03.2025Yanıtla
Two to TravelBenim bildiğim o ‘üstü kaval altı şişhane’ oluyor 😄 … sabahın köründe kalkınca öyle oldu!
24.03.2025Yanıtla
Gezgin😂😂😂👍👍 ama yine de çok yakışmış...👏👏👏
25.03.2025Yanıtla
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Gün 17
18 Şubat 2025 Salı 20:39 UTC
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -57.322517, -26.80258857°19’21” S 26°48’9” W
RWSE Day 8: Wrapping Up
18 Şubat, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
EL Sara started the daily recap with an aerial image of Saunders Island and enjoined us to get up around 4:00a tomorrow to see the island at sunrise … which will be around 4:30a. Why make the effort? Because it would be worth the loss of sleep to see the red glow in the sky from the lava lake within Mt Michael.

So, what else will we be doing tomorrow? Well, we’ll be heading to the southernmost islands of this archipelago. EL Sara is hoping to put zodiacs in the water there. If the weather charts she showed us are to be believed, conditions won’t necessarily be calm. However, by anchoring in the Douglas Strait between the two islands, there just might be enough protection from the elements. Fingers crossed.

Matilda then talked briefly about the “Journey of Icebergs.”

There have been a lot of questions about a gigantic iceberg named A23a, which has been in the news a lot recently. In fact, some of the expeditions in the Falklands-South Georgia-Peninsula area, have sighted this berg, which is 40 NM long x 32 NM wide (46x37 miles). We’re nowhere near the berg, so we won’t be seeing it. (Worry not … we will see plenty of other bergs … of all sizes.)

NASA’s Earth Observatory website describes the movement of icebergs … “When icebergs break from an ice shelf or large glacier front, they ride the ocean’s currents, spin in its eddies, shift with the tides, and are blown by the wind. Occasionally the icy drifters become stuck, grounded on a shallow part of the seafloor or trapped in a rotating mass of ocean water.” What bergs do is also impacted by what part of the continent they calve off.

Matilda used iceberg A68a as an example in her briefing because, like A23a, it was believed to be destined to crash into South Georgia Island. Luckily, A68a disintegrated before that could happen. There is no indication that A23a will be falling apart any time soon, however, and it is still on a collision course with SGI.

And then it was time for dinner.

By the way, one might think that we are disappointed with our South Sandwich Island experience thus far. We aren’t. Sure, it would have been nice to see the islands against a backdrop of sunny blue skies. Sure, it would have been nice to do some kind of an off-ship operation. But flexibility in the face of adversity is something one must take to heart on an expedition of this nature. We saw more of South Sandwich today than we ever expected to see.

We’ll see what our second day in the South Sandwich Islands brings!Okumaya devam et
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Gün 17
18 Şubat 2025 Salı 15:06
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -56.723674, -27.33738756°43’25” S 27°20’15” W
RWSE Day 8: Visokoi Island
18 Şubat, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
The next island in the South Sandwich Islands — Visokoi — is in the Traversay Group … same as Zavadovski. It is another mass of land that was discovered by the 1819 Bellingshausen expedition.

Visokoi, when we reached it about an hour after leaving Zavadovski, didn’t afford a much better view of itself than did its group-mate. Though its name is a Russian word that means high, I couldn’t swear to that … the top of Mt Hodson, which dominates the island, was enveloped by a cloud that was parked over it. Once again, we had to be satisfied with seeing the flanks … down which rivers of ice were streaming … some of them terminating where the Scotia Sea meets the coastline.

There was no question that conditions were unsuitable for off-ship activities. The decision to keep going was made quickly, Ortelius barely slowing down.

Hoping that the southernmost islands of the chain, which we’ll be reaching tomorrow afternoon, will be more hospitable, we headed up to the lounge for the daily recap.Okumaya devam et
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Gün 17
18 Şubat 2025 Salı 15:38 UTC
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları Reek Point -56.279495, -27.52740556°16’46” S 27°31’39” W
RWSE Day 8: Zavadovski Island & Icebergs
18 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
Forget seeing Zavadovski Island under blue skies as it was pictured in the presentation … it was overcast and misty when we arrived at this northernmost of the South Sandwich Islands.

Forget doing any off-ship activities … conditions were simply too rough to put zodiacs in the water, or helicopters in the air.

When we first sighted the island on the horizon, it did seem like Zavadovski — named after the Russian naval officer who was the first to sight it on the Bellingshausen expedition in 1819 — might welcome us with slightly ‘open arms’ … at least the sky seemed to be brightening. The peak of Mt Curry — aka Mt Asphyxia — wasn’t visible, but a big plume of steam was melding with the clouds.

Then, it started snowing. Big, fat flakes blown about helter-skelter by the stiff wind. A mist enveloped the island and the icebergs nearby. Visibility became nil at times. But we persevered. We stayed on deck, praying for improvement. It wasn’t to be.

Hoping to find shelter, Captain Remmert took the ship around the top of the island, and around to the east side. No luck. The island was still mostly hidden … though the strong wind occasionally pulled the veil aside to give us a glimpse of what lay beyond. At one point, we caught a barely-there glimpse of the peak. We also managed distant looks at the penguin colony on the island. (You might recall that I mentioned in the previous footprint that the world’s biggest penguin colony is on this island … home to some 2+ million chinstraps.)

Long lenses and binoculars were essential if one was going to see anything. A serious amount of post processing saved many of the photos I took so we have some images with which to jog our memory of Zavadovski Island when we think of today in the years to come.

There was one aspect of our experience not captured in my images. The smell … occasional whiffs of sulphur from the volcano … followed by the stench of ammonia as we got closer to the penguin colony, especially as we passed the accurately named Reek Point. No wonder Zavadovski has many landmarks that bring to mind less-than-pleasant smells … Pungent Point, Stench Point, and Noxious Bluff, just to name a few.

Rather than waste time here hoping for improved conditions, EL Sara announced that we would continue on our way. We remained on deck, enjoying the icebergs that studded the seascape. I did say that there would be more icebergs … and closer to Ortelius, too!Okumaya devam et
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Gün 17
18 Şubat 2025 Salı 09:06
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -55.401649, -31.45306655°24’6” S 31°27’11” W
RWSE Day 8: Allan Introduces Us to SSI
18 Şubat, South Atlantic Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F
“Mystery creates wonder, and wonder is the basis of a man’s desire to understand …” ~~ Neil Armstrong ~~ (from the Daily Program)

As Ortelius continued south, we continued to add to our knowledge base with Allan’s presentation … “Introduction to South Sandwich Islands.” His slides included some amazing aerial photographs, which were provided to him by the BFSAI [British Forces South Atlantic Islands, formerly known as British Forces Falkland Islands (BFFI)].

Part of the British Overseas Territory, this archipelago consists of 11 islands — in 4 groupings — laid out in a roughly reverse-crescent shape. Anyone interested in the list of islands can look them up. I’ll just say that the southernmost 8 islands were discovered by Captain James Cook during his 1775 expedition. But no one believed Cook until his findings were corroborated by Bellinghausen when he discovered the remaining three islands in the north in 1819.

Considered to be one of the most remote and inhospitable regions of the world, the SSI are difficult to visit and rarely does an expedition vessel attempt to do so.

In addition to the storms that often batter the SSI, snow and ice permanently cover 85% of the combined landmass. And then there are the violent earthquakes — usually 7+ on the Richter scale — and the active volcanos that spew suffocating gases. One such volcano — Mt Curry (on Zavadovski Island) — is more often referred to as Mt Asphyxia for this reason. Of course, let’s not forget the stench from the guano at the world’s biggest penguin colony that is bound to make landings unpleasant.

All that said, the slim chance that we might be able to visit these islands — even if it was just with a cruise-by — was one of the primary reasons we, in fact, booked this expedition.

The BFSAI photos all showed the islands in beautiful weather. We have been assured that kind of weather is most definitely a rarity. I expect we will not be seeing them under such conditions. We’ll find out one way or the other when we get to the northernmost island in the chain later this afternoon.Okumaya devam et
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GezginI love the Chinstraps!! Oh I love all the 🐧!
9.04.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 17
18 Şubat 2025 Salı 06:18
🌬 32 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -55.8312, -29.661855°49’52” S 29°39’42” W
RWSE Day 8: Snow & Whales
18 Şubat, 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.Okumaya devam et
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GezginThere are times when I remind myself just to enjoy the moment and not to always worry about taking photographs.
21.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Two to TravelIt’s the smart thing to do … especially if you’ve been to a place multiple times.
21.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 16
17 Şubat 2025 Pazartesi 15:43 UTC
🌬 36 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -54.918633, -33.3158354°55’7” S 33°18’57” W
RWSE Day 7: Wrapping Up
17 Şubat, 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 Zavadovski 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!Okumaya devam et
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Gün 16
17 Şubat 2025 Pazartesi 11:49
❄️ 37 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
South Atlantic Ocean -54.637199, -35.89870154°38’14” S 35°53’55” W
RWSE Day 7: Bidding SGI Farewell
17 Şubat, 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!Okumaya devam et
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Gün 16
17 Şubat 2025 Pazartesi 09:40
☁️ 37 °F
Yükseklik: 10 ft
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları Gold Harbour -54.618305, -35.94421854°37’6” S 35°56’39” W
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RWSE Day 7: Gold Harbour Landing
17 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ ☁️ 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.Okumaya devam et
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Sonia GelmanOMG. That is amazing!
17.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin ❤️beautiful.
17.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
Gezgin Spectacular.
17.03.2025YanıtlaÇevirmek
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Gün 16
17 Şubat 2025 Pazartesi 05:49
❄️ 36 °F
Yükseklik: Deniz seviyesi
Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları Gold Harbour -54.623699, -35.93820254°37’25” S 35°56’18” W
RWSE Day 7: Ahoy … Gold Harbour
17 Şubat, Güney Georgia ve Güney Sandwich Adaları ⋅ ❄️ 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.Okumaya devam et
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