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Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun
  • Two to Travel
  • Ahmet Erkun

Remote Weddell Sea Explorer

For our fourth, and what we believe will be our last trip to the white continent, we opted for a unique and challenging itinerary. Læs mere
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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Imperial TransAntarctic Expedition parties: Endurance in the Weddell Sea; SY Aurora in the Ross Sea.
    The possible routes for which the Ross Sea party laid supply depots.Aurora being visited by emperor penguins in the Ross Sea.The anchor that broke when the Aurora drifted off in the pack ice (below: my photo from 2015 trip).After the Aurora drifted off (below photos from our 2015 visit to the Cape Evans Hut).The inscription on the memorial cross was written on paper and left behind by the surviving men.Title slide from Chris's presentation.The Scott Base.The US McMurdo Station ... which shares logistical support with the Kiwi's Scott Base.Title slide for Claudio's presentation ... looking at climate change scientifically.Defining climate change vs weather.Greenhouse gases trap more heat in the atmosphere.One of several studies aimed at researching climate change.The collated data from research studying climate ... from 800,000 years ago to today.Our choices in the face of climate change. The answer to this question is still TBD.Title slide for today's recap.We are currently far off-shore from the Brunt Ice Shelf.Weather where we were and where we are.If not for all this fast ice, we would have continued west along the peninsula.

    RWSE Day 18: North Through the Weddell

    28. februar 2025, Weddell Sea ⋅ ☁️ 28 °F

    “Difficulties are just things to overcome after all.” ~~ Sir Ernest Shackleton … from the heart of Antarctica ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    It got dark tonight! That’s an indication of how far north we have traveled from the southern latitudes where we were just yesterday.

    We had a quiet day at sea as we re-trace our route back out of the Weddell Sea. Overcast was like a pall over us … a sign of how we all felt about leaving the Great White Continent behind … at least the remote bits of it. No wildlife spotted by anyone other than a few really dedicated bird-watchers … someone said they saw seven birds in all.

    It was a day of lectures and indoor activities.

    First up was Tennessee … with part IV of his “Pray for Shackleton” series. The focus was on the Ross Sea Party (aboard the ship SY Aurora) … if not forgotten entirely, at least a seldom mentioned part of Shackleton’s Imperial TransAntarctic Expedition. This party was to be responsible for laying supply depots from the Ross Sea, on the opposite side of the continent from where Shackleton hoped to begin his TransAntarctic Expedition via the Weddell Sea. The depots were intended to sustain Shackleton, and the men accompanying him, on the second half of the march across the continent to the Ross Sea.

    The Ross Sea Party faced many challenges, including the ship breaking away from its anchor to drift offshore with the pack ice for nine months … leaving the 10-man shore party stranded on the continent. Despite the challenges, they did their job … one such depot-laying trip taking 198 days … the longest sledding journey at that time. Unfortunately, three of the men in the shore party died while they were stranded.

    The truly tragic part of the story of the Ross Sea Party is that they had no idea that while they were laying the depots, Shackleton’s dream — and the Endurance — had been crushed by the ice. There would be no Imperial TransAntarctic Expedition to take advantage of the life-saving supplies the party had struggled to lay. (More info here https://www.historyhit.com/tragic-story-ross-se… … or you can read a longer version in Wikipedia.)

    After a short break, Chris took the microphone for the second presentation of the morning. He told us about “Living at Scott Base” … not to be confused with the Amundsen-Scott Base at the South Pole. This one is located in sight of Scott’s Terra Nova hut in the Ross Sea … not far from the US McMurdo Station, with which the Kiwis share logistical support. Chris painted a realistic picture of life on base, disabusing us all of the notion that it is all fun and games … and close encounters with penguins and seals. I remember thinking — many many years ago — that I would like to work at a station in Antarctica. Now, in hindsight, nope … I don’t think so!

    Much of the early afternoon was taken up by workshops — crevasse rescue; navigation (which had to be canceled because there was no sun to take sightings). These workshops have become quite popular with the passengers, but there are others like us who use this time for R&R instead. The exciting and busy schedule of our days exploring the Weddell Sea have taken their toll … and with the adrenaline slowly dissipating, our bodies and minds are appreciating the down time.

    Around 4:00p, we headed up to the lounge for Claudio’s lecture … “Climate Change: Looking into the Problem Through Science.” And indeed that is what he did. No opinions. No trying to convert non-believers into believers. He simply shared information about scientific experiments and research — much of it being conducted in Antarctica — that all point to climate change being real … and clearly associated with human existence and activities. But humans have been around for ages. Why is their presence such a factor in climate change now? Two words … the Industrial Revolution … which, from the 1800s forward, has created conditions resulting in climate change leapfrogging like it never has before.

    Recap followed as usual an hour after the last lecture of the day. The map EL Sara shared shows that we are back along the Brunt Ice Shelf … but so far off the coast that we can’t see it. We are essentially following a route as clear of ice as possible so that we can make way quickly in order to have time to play once we get out of the Weddell Sea. The Windy chart she shared with us was an eye opener. There is a major storm system moving into the southernmost latitudes we were in and the ice is freezing up. We had a hint of that yesterday as we were leaving Berkner Island and saw the open water become grease and pancake ice as we made our way through it.

    Our timing could not have been better!    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    1Another amazing iceberg as we continue north through the Weddell Sea.
    A snippet from Caroline's wake up announcement.Screenshot from Clara's presentation about working at an Argentinian station.Heading into ice again as we head north through the Weddell Sea.We saw just some of the oldest bits of the winter ice that defies the summer months.Different types of ice.An interesting factoid — and amazing photo — from Gary's presentation.Recap title slide ... light-mantled sooty albatross ... which made a brief appearance today.Navigation chart showing our position north of the Antarctic Circle.Solo now in the Weddell Sea ... that will change in the peninsula region.St David ... the patron saint of the Welsh.Memorial to Scott and his men in Cardiff, Wales, UK.Screenshot of an informative slide from Faith's presentation.Screenshot of an informative slide from Faith's presentation.The fish in Antarctic waters are more tolerant of cold than other fish fauna.A form of antifreeze helps keep Antarctic fish species alive.Mui helping himself to some cheese instead of a sweet dessert.

    RWSE Day 19: Continuing North

    1. marts 2025, Weddell Sea ⋅ 🌬 27 °F

    “But who wants to be foretold the weather? It is bad enough when it comes, without our having the misery of knowing about it beforehand.” ~~ Jerome K. Jerome ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    I took a sick day today!

    Or perhaps a better description might be a mental-health day! Going to bed with a sore throat last night, I was feeling just a bit off this morning. The cold symptoms that I was expecting never eventuated, but I was dragging. So, I gave myself the day off. At least until this afternoon. It was an unpleasant day anyway … 27F (-3C) … with the wind blowing at 50 knots for a feels-like temp of 6F (-14C) … and some snow.

    It was neither EL Sara nor Tennessee who came on the P/A with the daily wake up announcement today. Rather, we were ‘sung awake’ by Caroline, one of the passengers, who adapted the tune of “Good Morning” to fit our situation.

    We were at 73.2° S this morning, continuing north towards the Antarctic Circle, but we are still several days away from that milestone. Ortelius pretty much ‘danced’ its way to our current position. There was some rotten ice at times; some bergs, but mostly open water. That changed around 11:00a. We found ourselves amidst heavier ice cover. By noon our speed was reduced to 3.2 knots … the bridge team carefully navigating us through the ice belt that is starting to close up access into the Weddell Sea. Once we got out of the ice around 1:00p, we sped up again, and for a while the sun broke through the overcast, but that didn’t last long. Fog set in soon enough and was intermittent much of the day.

    While I was resting, life aboard the ship followed the planned schedule. There were morning lectures — “Working at an Argentinian Antarctic Station” by Clara; “Marine Threats” by EL Sara. Workshops filled up much of the early afternoon — video editing by Claudio; crevasse rescue by Phil and Clara; a helicopter demo by Chief Engineer Mario in the hangar.

    I emerged from my ‘cave’ just before 4:00p for Gary’s afternoon lecture on “Sea Ice: Formation and Navigation.” As he said, while a straight line is usually the fastest way to navigate, that doesn’t apply in icy waters. The fastest way through the ice is around it … which is what we are doing. As though timed for the ending of an ice-related lecture, we had just finished clapping our appreciation for Gary when we spotted an amazing iceberg … parts of it clear and so deeply compressed that the blue looked more green than anything else. Mui managed to get a decent photo of it … too bad the light was so blah!

    Recap followed the berg sighting. In addition to sharing with us the navigation chart showing our location above the Antarctic Circle, EL Sara also shared Ortelius’s Weddell Sea track as recorded by the Vessel Finder app. It was particularly interesting to note that while we are all by ourselves in the Weddell Sea, that will change as we near the Antarctic Peninsula. The Windy chart still shows a big storm between us and the peninsula. Conditions look decent for our route tomorrow, but all bets are off after that.

    Our educational activities wrapped up with a few short recap briefings. 1 March being St David’s Day, Tennessee talked a bit about the patron saint of the Welsh and the Welsh connection to Antarctica. Who knew that the word penguin is a composite of the Welsh words “pen” and “gwyn” … which mean “white head” … in reference to the now-extinct Great Auk, which was considered the penguin of the north.

    Faith, who is the coordinator for the dive group was next. She talked about the “Sea Star Wasting Syndrome” which is causing die-offs of sea stars … particularly sunflower stars. She advised that if the divers have an opportunity to get in the water in the peninsula region, they will be looking to further document this syndrome.

    Chloe wrapped up with a presentation entitled “Cool Fish of Antarctica.” It was interesting to hear that while Antarctic waters make up 10% of the world’s oceans, only 1% of the fish fauna is found here, including the ice fish. The species in these waters have a freezing point of 27F (-2.7C) … vs other fish species which have a freezing point of 34F (-0.9C).

    We shared a table for dinner with our Dutch friends and afterwards skipped karaoke night in the lounge in lieu of an early night.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Volcanoes are not often associated with Antarctica.
    Antarctica map showing an overview of the areas with identified volcanoes.Antarctica's Mount Erebus — in the Ross Sea region — is the world's southernmost active volcano.Located in the South Shetlands, this active volcano is usually safe to visit.This is a basalt tuya ... a flat-topped volcano formed when lava erupted through the ice sheet.We did some laundry during our downtime this afternoon.A fascinating voyage aboard Kapitan Khlebnikov, a Russian ice breaker.The route Kapitan Khlebnikov followed.Kapitan Khlebnikov in the ice.Surprisingly, we got further south in Ortelius in 2025.In sight of the Brunt Ice Shelf ... which we cruised along on Ortelius.Now that's cold!Title slide from today's daily recap.Our route as we continue north through the Weddell Sea.Poster for the Metallica Concert.Early breakup of the sea ice devastated four emperor penguin colonies in the circled area.Chart showing the decline of the sea ice extent.Drushnaya I — a Russian research station — floated off when A23 broke off from the ice shelf.Cruising into the Antarctic darkness.

    RWSE Day 20: Continuing North

    2. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ 🌬 14 °F

    “Half the fascination an Antarctic expedition possesses is to be found in the sharpness of the contrasts experienced during its course, for it appears to be true that a hell one day is liable to make a heaven the next.” ~~ Raymond Priestley ~~ (from the Daily Guide)

    Another weather-wise dull, cold day as we make our way north towards the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The daily program says that we are following the ice edge, but we are so far from it that there is nothing but open water around us. Every once in a while we come across some rotten ice bands … or some bergs on the horizon. But they are few and far between, and don’t slow us down much.

    The temperature when Mui went up to the bridge around 6:30a was 11F (-11.9C) … without the windchill. I’m not sure how much it warmed up through the day, Regardless, without the sun to mitigate the chill and the dullness of the skies, I did not venture out.

    After breakfast, Mui and I attended Matilda’s “Volcanoes in Antarctica” lecture. She started out by saying that volcanoes are not something we think about in connection with the Great White Continent. She is right. Sure, there is Mount Erebus and Deception Island — both of which are still active — and Brown Bluff. But they are not the landmarks that first come to mind with regards to the continent. A recent study in the western half of Antarctica found 138 volcanoes … 91 of which were not previously known. Hidden beneath ice that can be miles thick, volcanoes here are not easy to spot. Who knows how many more there are that, like Brown Bluff, aren’t in the conical shape that typically identifies a volcano … and how many more are in the areas not covered by the study.

    The usual workshops followed the lecture … and a new one on first aid led by Dr Amar. Chloé presented a lecture entitled “Drifting Life (Part II) … The Life and Legacy of Krill: Guardians of Antarctic Biodiversity.” Interesting, I am sure, but not my cup of tea.

    We did go to Allan’s afternoon presentation about an early season icebreaker voyage to the Weddell Sea that captured our attention. This was an expedition aboard Kapitan Khlebnikov, the ice breaker that was once operated in remote Antarctica by Quark. Unfortunately, the vessel retired from these waters in 2012, so we won’t have a chance to do a KK expedition.

    The expedition that was the topic of Allan’s presentation took in five emperor penguin colonies and visited two research stations. Allan’s a great storyteller and painted a fascinating picture of the whole experience. It was funny to see Bob Headland in one of the photos … the historian on our 2014 North Pole expedition aboard the nuclear-powered 50 Let Pobedy. What I found particularly interesting is that KK did not get as far south as we got this year.

    At today’s recap, EL Sara disabused everyone of the rumor that we are heading to Snow Hill Island. Apparently that is what is showing as Ortelius’s destination on various apps and sites. It is simply impossible to get there, however … too much densely packed ice to negotiate. The bottom line for the moment is that if there is to be any off-ship activity in the near future, it might happen on 4 March.

    EL Sara then shared a video about the 2013 Metallica concert near Carlini Station on King George Island in the South Shetlands. Ortelius apparently gave the band a ride because the owner of Oceanwide Expeditions is very much a Metallica fan.

    Gary then talked about how sea ice breakouts are impacting emperor penguin colonies. Of the 54 colonies with 254,500 breeding pairs, four were devastated in November 2022 due to record low sea ice that persisted throughout the year. These four colonies, all in the Bellingshausen Sea area, experienced total breeding failure when the sea ice on which the colonies were located broke up before the chicks had fledged. (More info for anyone interested at https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00927-x.)

    Tennessee followed with a tidbit about research stations around Berkner Island … and how Filchner Station had to be relocated when the section of the Ronne Ice Shelf that it was situated on broke off, carrying the station with it. Another station — Druzhnaya I — floated off in 1986 when a section of the Filchner Ice Shelf broke off. The station personnel were evacuated by air in 1987. The berg that resulted from this calving is the infamous A23a, which has now run aground off South Georgia Island.

    Dinner with our Dutch and Swiss friends … and then early to bed.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Ice on the inside of our cabin window ... it was quite cold overnight.
    Clara told us all about mate ... a cultural experience in Argentina.230 NM in that direction lies Endurance at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.Jens started his "Race to the South Pole" lecture with a little history.Comparing Scott's and Amundsen's ways for the race to the South Pole.Comparing Scott's (Cape Evans) & Amundsen's (Framheim) camps for the race to the South Pole.Map showing Amundsen's and Scott's chosen routes and depots for the race to the South Pole.The result of the race to the South Pole.Map showing the approximate locations of where Scott and his men died on the way back from the Pole.One of the icebergs spotted not far from the ship.One of the icebergs spotted not far from the ship.One of the icebergs spotted not far from the ship ... and more on the horizon.Title slide for today's daily recap.Today's chart shows that the Weddell Sea is once again freezing up around Berkner Island."Who tries the perpetrator of a crime in Antarctica?" Not easy to answer.Some of the crimes committed at Antarctic research stations.Yes, there is a bear in Antarctica ... you just need a microscope to see it!The water bear and science.A lovely sunset ends our day at sea.A closer look at the icebergs on the horizon at sunset.

    RWSE Day 21: North of the Circle

    3. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 30 °F

    "I own myself one of those who do not fear the shore, for hardly any great things are done in a small ship by a man that does." ~~ Admiral Lord Nelson ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    Day 4 at sea. Ortelius has veered west now for a northwesterly route … following the ice edge that is too far for us to see.

    Around 10:00a, we crossed the Antarctic Circle. We’re still in Antarctic waters, however. About an hour after that, Tennessee announced that we were at our closest point — 230 NM away — from where Shackleton’s ship. Endurance, lies on the bottom of the Weddell Sea.

    We had sunshine and clear skies today … the wind blowing 20-30 knots … the sea state choppy … the temperature still in the low Fahrenheit (negative centigrade) range. Nonetheless, it was nice to sit out on deck on and off and let the sunshine perk us up.

    Our day was jam-packed with lectures and workshops … Clara, one of the dive guides, kicking things off with a cultural presentation about an Argentinian passion … “Mate.” She explained the significance of this much-loved hot beverage, and enlightened us about its history. She also told us about the ritual of properly preparing and sharing mate with friends and family … and explained that the most important aspect of the ritual is the sense of community it fosters. Her presentation wrapped up with a live-demonstration for those who wished to partake of what many consider Argentina’s national hot beverage.

    Later in the morning, Jens gave a lecture titled “A Race to the South Pole.” He used a comparison format to highlight the differences in the way Amundsen and Scott — and their teams — prepared for and executed the challenge of reaching the Pole first. Mui and I are quite familiar with the story. Each presentation we’ve attended about the race has been interesting … and thought provoking. Those familiar with the story will know that Amundsen was the first to reach the Pole; he returned safely back to his camp. Scott’s team reached the pole second; tragically all five members died on their way back to their camp. We’ve come away from each presentation strongly believing that the no-nonsense nature of Amundsen better-prepared him for the trek. Today’s presentation did not change our opinion, though many would disagree with us and firmly put themselves on Scott’s side.

    The usual workshops rounded out the day … with the addition of a new one by Dr Amar. He shared essential medical techniques for surviving in extremely cold environments. Given our own experiences in very low negative temperatures in the deep Weddell Sea region, his insights into hypothermia and frostbite were especially interesting.

    The pre-recap lecture did not follow the usual format. Instead, Chris shared with us some of the short videos he made while he was working at Scott Base. We appreciated seeing his perspective on life in the field and the challenges of working in such a remote and harsh environment. The videos were a good follow-up to his lecture on this topic a few days ago.

    Recap followed the usual format. EL Sara shared a chart showing our position in the Weddell Sea and gave us an update on the sea and weather state in the day’s ahead. She’s hopeful that we’ll be able go off-ship tomorrow. She also showed us the most recent ice chart, which indicates that the area around Berkner Island has frozen up … a lot of very densely packed drift ice … with the sea continuing to freeze with each passing hour.

    The first recap briefing this evening tried to answer the question, “Where are you tried if you commit a crime in Antarctica?” Well, that depends on where the crime is committed. There is no easy answer. If I understood correctly, in international waters, the flag state of the ship has jurisdiction. If the crime takes place within a country’s territorial waters or economic zone, the jurisdiction falls to that country … though the country of flag may come into play as well. When it comes to crimes committed at a research station, the perpetrator’s country has jurisdiction.

    Chloé wrapped up by telling us about the bear of Antarctica! And here you thought there were no bears in this part of the world. Well there are, and they are known as tardigrades … aka water bears (or moss piglets). They are about half a millimeter in length, and can be found everywhere around the world … including the Great White Continent. And get this … they were first described as far back as 1773! (More info at this Wikipedia link … https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade.

    “Happy Feet” was screened in the lounge after dinner … complete with popcorn. We’ve seen the movie many times, so we skipped it. Turns out our very own Dr Gary was a natural history advisor on the project.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Colorful sunrise in the Western Weddell Sea — Antarctica.
    Emperor penguins preening on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Emperor penguins rafting by on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Emperor penguins on a morning walk on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Drowsy leopard seal 'smiling' at us from a passing ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.In addition to the emperor penguins, there is a seal in this photo — Western Weddell Sea, AntarcticaA newly-forming ice floe in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Leopard seal ... curiously watching us as we cruise by — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Emperor penguins rafting by on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Can you find the emperor penguin? — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A lone Adélie penguin checking us out — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Scenery through the hawse-hole at the bow of Ortelius — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.The small pans of pancake ice will eventually come together to form ice floes — Western Weddell Sea.Cruising in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Crabeater seal basking in the sunshine — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 22: In Pack Ice Again

    4. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ 🌬 28 °F

    "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.” ~~ Albert Einstein ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    EL Sara had mentioned yesterday that we would be back in the pack ice again today … density ranging from close to open to very open drift ice … aka orange to yellow to green on the ice charts. Thus, it came as no surprise that we woke up to ice scraping against Ortelius’s hull … and occasional shudders and bumps as the ship pushed some of the bigger floes out of the way.

    No doubt that we have the bridge team and Ortelius’s strong hull to thank for today’s experiences … which consisted of two ship’s cruises, two zodiac cruises, an ice floe landing, and the largest group of emperor penguins of this voyage … all of which went a long ways towards making up for the four days it took us to get out of the deep south remote Weddell Sea and reach the western Weddell Sea. An excellent pick-me-up, if you will.

    Mui and I were already on deck — enjoying the colorful sunrise — when EL Sara made an earlier than usual wake up call … warranted by the penguins, leopard and Weddell seals, and minke whales that were present in the vicinity of the ship. She also advised that the published plan for the day would be thrown out the window … lectures and workshops would be postponed; perhaps even canceled. The new plan would be a loose one depending on what Mother Nature had in store for us.

    Mui and I remained on deck for a while yet after the announcement. I was intrigued by the ice through which Ortelius was cruising … some of which was obviously older and thicker. Other floes were newly formed pancake ice … some of it still clear. Thanks to dallying a bit on deck, we also caught sight of the lone crabeater seal basking in the sunshine.

    Up first … our pre-breakfast ship’s cruise through the pack ice.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Our ship in the ice as our zodiac arrives to check out some emperor penguins — Western Weddel Sea.
    Emperor penguins rafting on an ice floe in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.2Emperor penguins rafting on an ice floe in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.1Nice and fat ... in preparation for the breeding season — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Zodiac cruising in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A section of grease ice in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice floe ... landing a la Shackleton — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Laying claim to an ice floe in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Tennessee is our historian ... find Erin & Mui (twice) — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Emperor penguins joining us to lay claim on our ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.To ensure the emperors had open escape routes, we all lined up to one side.2Photo op with the Emperor Penguins that came to check us out — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Time to go cruising again — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Snow petrel — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Snow petrel — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Crabeater seal sleeping on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Have to get through this ice to see the Adélie penguins — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Zodiac cruising in the pack ice — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Our destination ... Adélie penguins molting on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Adélie penguins molting on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Adélie penguins molting on an ice floe — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica."The zodiacs are coming, the zodiacs are coming" — Western Weddell Sea; Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 22: Ice Cruising & Floe Landing

    4. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 28 °F

    While we were enjoying breakfast, the deck crew was busy preparing the zodiacs for a pack ice cruise … with a landing halfway through that came as a total surprise … on an ice floe no less.

    With Ortelius surrounded by a belt of ice, our little rubber boat followed leads to get us into a band of open water. Spotting emperor penguins on several floes, Matilda drove us to one on which several of them were rafting. With the nose of the zodiac pushed up against the floe, and Matilda occasionally using her thrusters to keep us in position, the penguins were exceptionally tolerant of our presence.

    The emperors were pristine. Having completed their annual molt, they were busy preening their shiny coat of new feathers. They also looked to be well fed. We were especially happy to observe this as it won’t be long now before they start making their long treks — up to a 100 miles over the ice in some instances — to begin the next breeding cycle at the colonies they will be forming on the fast sea ice.

    At one point, we noticed that a group of people were on an ice floe with an Antarctic flag fluttering in the wind. There was quite a bit of ice between us and the people on the floe so we could not get a clear glimpse of the zodiacs that had been hauled up onto the floe. Considering our proximity to the Peninsula, at first I thought they were passengers from another vessel. But no such ship was anywhere in the vicinity … just our trusty Ortelius. It was then that we realized that we’d be making a surprise landing on an ice floe!

    As the passengers already on the floe departed, others took their place. Eventually it was our turn. Revving the engine, Matilda sped towards the floe and got the zodiac’s nose up and over the edge of the ice. With the expedition team members pulling hard on the ropes, we were instructed to slide our way along the pontoons to disembark onto the ice. Can’t say that we did so gracefully, but we managed. Once everyone was off, the zodiac was hauled onto the ice as well to keep it safe. This had the added advantage that the engine could be turned off for a more serene experience.

    After stretching our legs with a short stroll on the floe, we joined Tennessee. He gave us perspective on our landing by comparing it to the experience Shackleton and his men had to endure after their ship sank. Of course, they were on their floe much longer than we would be today … living on the melting and cracking ice-raft until it became untenable … hoping the currents would carry them north out of the Weddell Sea and closer to land.

    We were taking photos of the scenery when two emperor penguins popped up out of the water and joined us on our ice floe. Soon there were three of them. Their curiosity had gotten the better of them and they had come to check us out. They gave us some delightful photo ops as they waddled around … including one with the flag.

    After a little more than an hour on the floe, we bid our penguin buddies adieu and got back in our zodiac. Soon we were deeper into the fast-drift of ice floes, following narrow leads and pushing ice away to get into some of the tighter spots.

    Our destination was a group of Adélie penguins molting on a floe that they were using as a raft. Paired up as we were with Allan and his zodiac group for safety, both drivers kept an eye on the movement of the ice, advising each other of open leads, and making sure there was a way out in case of an emergency. At one point, I thought we would have to give up on the Adélie encounter as the leads were getting progressively tighter. But the brute force of the zodiacs and the ice-driving experience of our drivers allowed us to persevere.

    Unlike the emperors we had encountered throughout the morning, most of the Adélie’s were still in the midst of their annual molt. During the molt, penguins are not waterproof. Allan, in the zodiac next to ours, estimated that for some of the penguins we were viewing their ice-raft would be home for another two-three weeks. In the meantime, they would have to fast since they would be unable to feed. Those still molting sported some interesting ‘hair’ styles … mohawks were most prominent; some had natural ‘ear muffs’! Waddling penguins are often funny and make one smile … this group was especially cute. Curious, too … they approached the edge of their raft or walked up tiny hill-like humps to get a better view of us.

    Difficult though it was, after about 30 minutes we left the Adélies to begin the journey back through the ice to Ortelius. Along the way, we stopped for photo ops with a snow petrel and a crabeater seal, and detoured to check out some of the bergy bits floating by on the currents. We got back to Ortelius to find it sitting in the midst of more ice than there had been when we left it shortly after 9:00a. With floes constantly drifting by, it was a bit more challenging to off-load the zodiac as the gangway had to be pulled up periodically to avoid ice-damage. Nonetheless, the ship’s crew and expedition team had plenty of experience and seamlessly managed the process.

    An incredible morning. Incredible encounters and experiences.

    And our day wasn’t even over yet.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Leopard Seal ... yawning and showing us its teeth — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.
    Afternoon ship's cruise — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Afternoon ship's cruise — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Caribbean colors — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Reflections and color — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Emperor penguins returning from feeding ... afternoon ship's cruise — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Newly returned from feeding — Western Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 22: Ship’s Pack Ice Cruise #2

    4. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 28 °F

    It was already past the noon hour and lunch was underway by the time we returned to Ortelius. We quickly removed our extra layers and headed to the dining room for a quick bite. And then out on deck to enjoy the scenery and the wildlife.

    Though the skies were more overcast than they had been during the morning, the conditions did not detract from our pleasure in all that was around us. The ice was once again a mix of solid older ice and opaque, thinner ice that was just forming. There were emperor penguins porpoising in the water; and also a rather large group that was returning from their feeding foray. A couple of leopard seals on nearby ice floes also provided good photo ops.

    As we were enjoying the ship’s cruise through the ice, EL Sara came on the P/A with good news. Captain Remmert had found a safe patch of open water with even more emperor penguin activity. Another zodiac cruise was going to be launched.

    As a cheer went up around us at this news, Mui and I were already on our way to the cabin to bundle up.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Never tire of seeing emperor penguins on the ice — eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica.
    An emperor penguin wondering why anyone would dive in these cold waters.Emperor penguins on the pack ice — eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica.2My footage of the Emperor penguin palooza on the pack ice ... time to feed!Emperor penguins preparing to go on a feeding foray — eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Emperor penguins underwater ... shared by Becky, one of the divers — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.1Emperor penguins underwater ... shared by Chris, an expedition team member.Adélie penguins — eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Molting Adélie penguins — eastern Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Icicles in Antarctica.Daily recap title slide ... photo by EL Sara.Destination tomorrow ... Iceberg A-76C.

    RWSE Day 22: Penguin Palooza Wrap Up

    4. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    Yes, we’ve been to Antarctica multiple times. Yes, we’ve enjoyed amazing scenery, and close encounters with the ice and wildlife. Yes, we’ve dipped our toes into the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Each venture into these southern latitudes has left us all the richer for the experience.

    But today!!!! Well, today’s emperor penguin palooza, which we were privileged to witness at the very end of our second zodiac cruise in the pack ice, is one that tops our list of special polar experiences. Oh, and we visited some Adélies too.

    I’m going to let the photos — in particular the videos — do the talking.

    One video — shared with the passengers by Claudio, one of the members of the expedition team — combines his above-water footage with Dr Amar’s below-water footage. The file is too big to share here, so I will link to the copy I uploaded to my SmugMug gallery … https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/RWSE/FP-J…. I promise, it’s worth a gander.

    By the way … the daily recap was short and sweet. The plan for tomorrow — if the pack ice allows — is to check out A-76C … another one of the ‘named’ mega icebergs that roam these waters. The weather at least seems like it is going to cooperate.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Satellite imagery ... after A76 calved off two pieces in 2021 — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.
    Cruising along A76C — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A76C disappearing into the distance — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Tennessee as Ross and Ross as himself ... from "The Man, The Myth, The Legend" lecture.Sir James Clark was the 1st European to see and chart the Ice Shelf in 1841; renamed for him later.Humpback whale surfacing near Ortelius — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Antarctic Petrels on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Antarctic Petrels on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising the Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Leopard seal ... is it watching us or the snow petrel — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Portrait of a leopard seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Leopard seal on the move on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Fur seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica. — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A76C ... looks like multiple icebergs but it's all one big tabular — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A76C — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Given water and time ... the ice stands no chance against Mother Nature — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising the Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Southern Giant Petrels have a green tip on their beak — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Snowy Sheathbill — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Humpback whales feeding near A76C — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 23: Colossal A76C

    5. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    “The land looks like a fairytale.” ~~ Roald Amundsen … about Antarctica ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    A76C … a seemingly unending wall of ice towering over everything around it; 98.76 square NM in area; 16x7 NM in length and width … so long that we couldn’t see where it started and where it ended; now grounded and going nowhere fast; the third largest calf of A76, which was born of the Ronne Ice Shelf near Berkner Island in 2021 as the largest tabular berg in the world … 89x13 NM in length and width.

    We were sailing alongside A76C … in band after band of sea ice. That was the news we woke up to when EL Sara came on the P/A to make the announcement bright and early this morning.

    That we were where we wanted to be was the exciting news. That there were seals on ice floes, humpback whales in the water, and Antarctic and snow petrels in the air was good news. That it was overcast with little contrast between the sky and the colossal tabular … well, that was the bad news. Heli ops to land on the giant iceberg were out of the question. “Too dangerous to fly,” was the verdict of the pilots … unless conditions magically improved.

    They didn’t. So, the plans for the day’s program was re-written.

    After a later-than-usual breakfast, Tennessee waded into the breach with part one of a lecture about his hero … “James Clark Ross: The Man, The Myth, The Legend. Tennessee’s quirky sense of humor was apparent from the start of the lecture as the title slide showed him superimposed on one of Ross’s famous portraits … in a fancy uniform, swaddled in furs, and holding a sword. He touched on Ross’s eight polar expeditions … in the north and the south … including the final search in 1848-1849 for Franklin’s lost expedition in the Arctic.

    Tennessee’s lecture was followed by another helicopter demonstration workshop with Mario and a presentation by Bernd Konantz, one of the guests onboard, about his time over-wintering at Germany’s Neumayer II station as a meteorological officer. We skipped both.

    What did we do instead? We spent time on deck … enjoying the ship’s cruise along A76C. The size of the tabular berg made it impossible to capture photos of its immensity, so I resorted to videos. But even they fell short of accurately depicting what we were seeing with our eyes.

    As the sea ice became denser, I turned my attention to the floes moving on the currents. I kept my eyes peeled for critters that might be hiding behind hummocks on the floes. My patience was rewarded with sightings of leopard, fur, and crabeater seals … rising from their prone positions to check us out. There were also plenty of Antarctic and snow petrels flying around.

    Then, amongst the bands of ice, whales appeared … humpbacks. I’m not sure exactly how many there were, but, on occasion, there were at least two dorsal fins visible at the same time. Every once in a while we could hear the sound of their puffs and their calls. They stayed with us for quite a while, but never fluked. My guess? They were feeding.

    And on that note … time to feed ourselves. We will need energy to keep us warm this afternoon.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Fur seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.
    Fur seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.2Fur seal taking a snow bath on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Snowy sheathbill on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Crabeater seal ... actually photobombing another one I was photographing — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A 'rare double-headed' crabeater seal ... kidding ... two for the price of one — Weddell Sea.Zodiac cruising amongst the ice floes — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Antarctic petrels ... keeping an eye on us as they pretend to sleep — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Antarctic petrel on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Snowy sheathbill and leopard seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Leopard seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Leopard seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Landing on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Landing on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.4Impromptu photo op ... landing on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Allan unjamming a piece of ice trapped in the propeller — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice cruising in the pack ice — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Motion of the ocean — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Crabeater seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Portrait of a crabeater seal on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.1Curious crabeater seals on an ice floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 23: Zodiac Cruising & Landing

    5. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    The weather never cleared enough for heli ops.

    So, we went cruising amongst the pack ice … the seemingly-endless length of A76C our constant companion … giant bergs overshadowing Ortelius in size … bands of ice floes forming an ever-changing labyrinth that the zodiac drivers had to negotiate carefully.

    We were with Allan, who shared many-a tidbit about the wildlife we were seeing around us. With years of experience in these waters, he’s not only a great zodiac driver, but also a fount of information and great story-teller.

    It was cold and overcast, and more than a little windy. Light snow fell for most of the time we were out. But getting to spend quality time with critters that didn’t shy away from our presence made up for the weather.

    A sleeping humpback whale was our first sighting. Then came fur, crabeater, and leopard seals … mostly alone … some in small groups … but in abundance … giving each zodiac a private audience. Here and there, we also had snowy sheathbills keeping company with the seals. And Antarctic petrels sleeping on an ice floe.

    We were all set to spend some time with a large flock of snow petrels on an iceberg when someone spotted a leopard seal a little ways away. With the group more excited about that sighting, we left the petrels behind … a shame, I thought … but it didn’t stop me from taking a ton of photos of the leopard seal.

    It sure is going to be tough to weed down the photos from this afternoon once I get back home and find the time to do so.

    As we started to feel the cold more and more, Allan turned the zodiac toward an ice floe where other members of the expedition team were waiting to help us out onto its surface. It felt good to walk and get the blood circulating once again. From this vantage point, we had a better sense of the ice moving on the currents … the icescape in constant flux … the floes rising and falling on the waves. The ice felt alive.

    Some of the passengers opted to return to Ortelius after a short while. We opted to stay on the floe … netting ourselves a photo op when EL Sara cruised by on a zodiac and took an impromptu group shot.

    Eventually, we had to wrap up our four-hours in the pack ice … returning to the ship a roundabout way to see more critters and take a peek at some of the bergs.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Screenshot of the title slide for tonight's recap — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.
    The "Purple Monster" ... wreaking havoc in the north of the Peninsula — Antarctica.We have 150 NM to go to reach Elephant Island ... weather permitting — Antarctica.Frostbite is an injury caused by freezing of the skin and underlying tissues ... Dr Amar's lecture.Screenshot of slides from Dr Amar's presentation on frostbite.The bridge is quiet at this hour with the passengers at dinner — Aboard Ortelius.There's a lot of ice out there — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 23: Recap … Storm Ahead

    5. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    Back on the ship after our zodiac cruise, we had just enough time for hot showers before heading up to the lounge for the daily recap to find out what tomorrow had in store for us.

    The news wasn’t good.

    The Windy slides EL Sara shared showed a huge area of purple — which Allan later named the “Purple Monster.” A storm was brewing in the Peninsula region … including our target area for activities in the Bransfield Strait, South Shetlands, and Elephant Island. It would be impossible to do any kind of off-ship activities there for the next 24-36 hours.

    The solution was to spend another day in the vicinity of where we had explored today before cruising the 150 NM to Elephant Island. Frankly, we didn’t mind as we’d spent time in the target area in 2007. Where we would be whiling away our time would be all new to us.

    Rupert, one of the passengers, followed EL Sara. Looks like some of the passengers are devising a quiz two days hence to test how well the expedition team has come to know the passengers. Questions and photos to be contributed by everyone. Turnabout is fair game, I suppose. After all, the team quizzed the passengers about the polar knowledge imparted to them over the previous weeks.

    Dr Amar wrapped up the recap with a briefing about frostbite … how it happens, how to prevent it, how to recognize and treat it. Interestingly, the most important take away for me was to re-warm the affected appendage only if there is no chance of re-freezing.

    A special documentary screening is scheduled for later in the evening. But first … dinner.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    One of the complimentary postcards we picked up in the lobby of Ortelius.
    Images of Endurance in its watery grave in the Weddell Sea.

    RWSE Day 23: Endurance Found

    5. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ ☁️ 30 °F

    Actually, the ship was found three years ago today … on 5 March 2022 … where it lies in the icy waters of the Weddell Sea … at a depth of nearly 9,900 feet (3,000m) … over a century after it was crushed in the ice pack … and 100 years and two months after Shackleton died on SGI on 5 January 1922.

    That being the case, tonight was the perfect time for an after-dinner screening of a documentary movie about the Endurance … with an introduction and afterword by Tennessee … and popcorn to boot.

    A joint production by National Geographic and Disney, the documentary is simply entitled “Endurance.” It opens with a 1910 quote by Theodore Roosevelt: “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena … if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly.” A description apropos to what Shackleton attempted with the Endurance Expedition.

    The documentary tells the story of the finding of the wreck by the Endurance22 Expedition, which was organized and funded by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust. Footage from the expedition is combined with historic photos and Frank Hurley’s original 35mm footage from the 1914 expedition … color-treated for the first time in this documentary; explanations by the Endurance22 Expedition members; and Shackleton’s and his crew’s words … taken from their writings and recordings, and in their own voices, using AI technology.

    The images of the wreck show it to be in an amazing condition — the icy waters having preserved much of the ship … it’s name as clearly visible as it must have been when the ship was crushed in the ice.

    Finding the vessel was an incredible feat … considering that overcast conditions at the time Endurance sank made it impossible to mark its position. Endurance22 had to rely on coordinates Frank Worsley, the captain, wrote in the ship’s log … an assumed position based on sextant readings taken the day after the sinking and his estimates of the direction and speed of the ice drift.

    Found though the ship is, as stated at the end of the documentary, “The Endurance remains undisturbed. It is protected by international treaties ensuring its conservation.”    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    A brief glimpse of color before the overcast takes over — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.
    Every time a floe approaches, the gangway has to be pulled up to avert damage — Weddell Sea.We're entertained by wildlife rafting by Ortelius — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Zodiacs waiting to load up — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Fur seal asleep on a floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.My, what sharp teeth you have! ... fur seal on a floe — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice sculpture — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Piles of ice — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice sculpture — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice sculpture — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ortelius waiting for us — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Bobbing on the ocean — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice sculpture — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Hot chocolate with rum and whipped cream — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Ice sculpture — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising in the pack ice — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Cruising in the pack ice — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Zodiacs waiting to be brought back aboard — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Pintado petrels resting on the water — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A clear blue stripe indicates heavily compressed ice — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Splish, splash — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Fulmar on the wing near an ice sculpture — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.A giant tabular on the horizon — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.Big splash along the edge of an iceberg — Weddell Sea, Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 24: Dallying in the Pack Ice

    6. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ 🌬 32 °F

    “It was a first-rate tragedy, but tragedy was not our business.” ~~ Apsley Cherry-Garrard … on the fate of Captain Robert Scott ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    A bit of color at sunrise! But that color did not last long. It was one of those days where overcast skies dominated. The wind was strong … EL Sara reported 35-40 knots when she made her morning announcement. And Ortelius pretty much danced on 3-5m swells that the bridge described as “choppy!”

    Still cruising within the generally accepted boundaries of the Weddell Sea pack ice, we would be dallying in the area to avoid the ‘purple monster’ to our north … wreaking havoc in the South Shetlands. By contrast, we had it ‘easy’.

    The ice was looser … the floes were moving fast … some with seals taking a ride on them. Initially, loading the zodiacs was a breeze and those passengers quickly went off on their bumpy ride. Challenging times awaited the rest of us as floes of all sizes closed in along Ortelius … one after another.

    The gangway was lowered between floes, but had to be pulled back up to avoid damage when another floe began approaching. The zodiac that was loading had to move away until the all clear was sounded. Drivers waiting their turn to load ‘played bumper cars’ with the smaller floes in an attempt to re-direct them. At other times, they revved their motors to get out of the way of a floe. Rinse and repeat, It took a while for the rest of us to get away for our ice cruise, but we made it.

    Once again, we were with Allan. We felt safe in his care. He made sure we understood this would be a bumpy ride and that there was a good chance of spray as we got underway. He also warned us that we could well be recalled to the ship early if conditions continued to worsen.

    First up, we came across a couple of fur seals … one sleeping peacefully; the other one not so pleased with the presence of zodiacs nearby. We didn’t stay long as we did not want to further stress out the animal. Ice sculptures were all around us … remnants of icebergs that had been unable to withstand the changes wrought by Mother Nature.

    Allan took refuge from the winds by getting us into the lee of some of the larger pieces of ice, but photography was challenging.

    At one point, we were heartened by short-lived patches of blue in the sky. The sun wasn’t able to break through the clouds … except briefly. Nonetheless, those few minutes brightened the ice, adding to our pleasure in the icescape.

    As we were being entertained by the birds using the winds to stay aloft, we spotted a lone black-browed albatross … which prompted Allan to add to the ambiance of the moment by reciting a couple of lines from Coleridge’s “Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.”

    With the wind increasing to 45 knots, the zodiacs were recalled to the ship. Delivered safely to the expedition staff on the vessel, we were greeted with hot chocolate, topped with mounds of whipped cream … spiking with rum optional. A welcome back that was greatly appreciated by one and all.

    This was our shortest zodiac outing of the expedition … just about an hour long. But there was plenty to keep us entertained from the ship’s decks while we waited for the zodiacs to be brought aboard — ice sculptures floating by; pintado petrels, fulmars, and other birds on the wing or resting on the surface of the Weddell Sea; seals rafting by on ice floes; huge splashes from waves crashing onto icebergs … one on which two penguins were seeking relief from the rough elements.

    As Ortelius started weaving its way through the ice, we went inside to warm up … and see what was on the agenda for on-ship activities for the rest of the day.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Title slide for Gary's presentation.
    Slide for Gary's presentation.Slide for Gary's presentation.Title slide for today's recap.Fingers crossed conditions improve by the time we get to Elephant Island.Recap briefing about an important weather element in Antarctic waters.There's little to stop winds from circling around the Antarctic continent.Katabatics are cold, dense winds that flow downhill due to gravity.Yes ... we've got some rough seas tonight — Antarctica.

    RWSE Day 24: Into the Storm We Go

    6. marts 2025, Southern Ocean ⋅ 🌬 34 °F

    After lunch, workshops were held for those interested in crevasse rescue; helicopters; video editing; first aid. Mui used the time to take a nap … I took the time to download photos.

    Shortly before 4:00p, Gary announced his lecture with what we later learned was the territorial warning call of an adult skua. His topic was “The Truth About South Polar Skuas” … birds that he has studied extensively and which he deems as being very intelligent. In fact, Gary is widely regarded as a leading authority of these birds. I’ve never been a fan of skuas, but he gave us some thoughts to ponder that might change the way I look at these birds in the future.

    The lecture was followed by the daily recap.

    EL Sara’s announcement that we will be arriving at Elephant Island early tomorrow morning was greeted by cheers. But she had some bad news, too. Weather and sea conditions were looking far from optimal. She won’t know what activities, if any, will be possible until we get there and check out the conditions for ourselves.

    Recap was wrapped up with a presentation entitled “Windpower??? Or the Power of Wind!” That the wind is a defining force in these latitudes was the take away from the presentation.

    This will be our second time at Elephant Island. I hope it will be kinder to us this time.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    First glimpse of Elephant Island — South Shetlands.
    A forbidding land — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Endurance Glacier — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.One of the many glaciers streaming down to the ocean — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Penguin colony @ Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Chinstrap penguins — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Antarctic fur seal posing by the Pardo Monument — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.The Pardo Monument — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Gentoo and chinstrap penguins and fur seals — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Can you see the leopard seal patrolling the shoreline? — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Leopard seal on the hunt — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.RIP little penguin — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Making our way back to Ortelius — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.Zodiacs returning to Ortelius ... waiting to be hauled up — Elephant Island, South Shetlands.2017 Memories: a zodiac cruise in the ice; a landing at Cape Lookout — Elephant Island.

    RWSE Day 25: Elephant Island

    7. marts 2025, Scotia Sea ⋅ 🌬 36 °F

    "Soon after we were hauling ashore the scant amount that was left of our stores and dragging our boats on to what appeared to us the promised land. We did not know Elephant Island then - that it was nothing more than a gigantic mass of rock, carrying
    on its back a vast sheet of ice." ~~ excerpt from Endurance by Frank Worsley ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    After Endurance sank on 21 November 1915, Shackleton and his men endured the hardships of living in ice floe camps and trudging across the ice in an attempt to reach land … unsuccessfully. With the ice floe they were on breaking apart, on 9 April 1916, they took to the three boats they had been man-hauling and set off for the nearest land they could find. Five harrowing days later, they reached Elephant Island.

    Part of the South Shetland Islands, Elephant Island was far from an ideal place. It was bleak … it was barren … and it was far removed from shipping routes. With little hope of being rescued from the island, Shackleton set off in one of the boats with five of his men to seek help from the whaling stations on South Georgia Island … some 800 miles away.

    The 22 men who remained on Elephant Island somehow managed to survive the perilous conditions until their rescue on 30 August 1916.

    Our own trip to Elephant Island was nowhere near as difficult. Ortelius cleaved through the stormy waters overnight and brought us to this desolate piece of land in the early hours of the morning. It was overcast and foggy. It was cold. It was snowing. Swells crashed ashore in great splashes. And there was a katabatic wind coming down the peaks. In other words, typical conditions for Elephant Island.

    Like Shackleton and his men did all those years ago, we rounded Cape Valentine, and made our way to Point Wild … where the 22 men clung to life while they awaited rescue.

    EL Sara, went off with Allan and Tennessee, to scout out the conditions. It certainly seemed to us like we would be ship-bound. However, they found an area in the lee of the rocks where conditions were within operational parameters for a quick zodiac cruise … just long enough to get us close to shore to take a peek around the area and give us a glimpse of the monument to Captain Luis Pardo — of the Chilean Navy tug, Yelcho — who rescued Shackleton’s men.

    The zodiac ride was bumpy … the swells about 6.5 feet. Once we passed through a narrow channel, conditions were better. The rock and boulder-strewn beach at Point Wild, where the 22 men lived in overturned boats, was filled with Chinstrap penguins and Antarctic fur seals. We got a decent view of the monument to Pardo … against a backdrop of blue glacier ice. Offshore, there were a couple of leopard seals hunting in the water … at least one hapless Chinnie was caught by one of the predators.

    I had kept my fingers crossed that on this second visit to Elephant Island Mother Nature would be kinder to us. It wasn’t meant to be. But perhaps that wasn’t such a bad thing. We certainly got a feel for the conditions Shackleton’s men had to endure … not for a couple of hours like we did, but for four and a half months.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Bringing the zodiacs aboard one last time on this expedition — Elephant Island.
    We have another "purple monster storm" between us and the tip of South America.The results of the Helicopter Photo Contest.Sometimes you really have to work for your breakfast ... from Phil's presentation.From Clara's presentation about "Una Ventana al Mar" ... an educational project.Clara shared this amazing image from the Beagle Channel in her presentation, "Una Ventana al Mar."After 497 days on sea/ice, Shackleton & his men arrive at Elephant Isl. (Tennessee's presentation).Shackleton and 5 men set off from Elephant Island to seek help (Tennessee's presentation).Surviving on Elephant Island (Tennessee's presentation).The men created huts on Elephant Island by overturning the boats (Tennessee's presentation)."All's Well" ... arrival of Yelcho on 30 August 1916 (Tennessee's presentation).To the Drake Passage we start to make our way.

    Day 25: Heading to the Drake Passage

    7. marts 2025, Drake Passage ⋅ 🌬 37 °F

    By lunch time, everyone who was willing to brave the elements for a closer glimpse of Elephant Island was back on board. In the worsening conditions, getting the zodiacs back on the ship was a challenge … one that the crew accomplished while we were having lunch.

    And then it was time to head north across the Drake Passage. We have two full days ahead of us to reach Ushuaia, Argentina to complete the expedition where we started.

    Our afternoon at sea was filled with workshops … followed by Dr Amar’s presentation about “Cold Water Immersion.” Mui and I used the afternoon to rest before the recap.

    EL Sara kicked off the daily recap by showing us a screenshot from the Windy app. The gist of what we were seeing … we’ll be heading into rough seas and strong winds. Mother Nature is not going to be kind to us … which means that we will have no time for off-ship activities on our way north.

    Phil went first for the recap briefings, showing us what it takes to get something as simple as breakfast in polar regions … let’s just say there’s a lot of shoveling involved.

    Clara was next … sharing with us the goals of an educational project in which she is involved — “Una Ventana al Mar” (Window to the Sea). The group is working on a web page that will provide online resources for free download, and hopes to expand the project to other regions by working with researchers and teachers.

    Tennessee — who was still on a “I finally made it to Elephant Island” high — wrapped up with a topic apropos to today’s visit to Elephant Island. Using historic images taken by Frank Hurley, the photographer on the Endurance Expedition, he told the story of the rescue of the 22 men Shackleton left behind on the island when he and 5 others braved the Southern Ocean to go in search of help. I didn’t realize that there were three unsuccessful rescue attempts prior to the one aboard the Yelcho … which successfully evacuated the men nearly 4.5 months after they made land on Elephant Island.

    After the excitement of the past 20 days or so, we are looking forward to some downtime … which will be punctuated with lectures and … hopefully some interesting sightings.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    It's pretty much a straight shot through the Drake Passage to Ushuaia.
    From Gary's presentation about his research into IBD.From Gary's presentation about his research into IBD.From Gary's presentation about his research into IBD.Capturing an adult emperor penguin is no easy matter — from Gary's IBD presentation.Emperor penguin chicks in a huddle once they are old enough to be left alone.Emperor penguin chick waiting for its turn to be sampled — from Gary's IBD presentation.Taking emperor penguin chicks to be sampled — from Gary's IBD presentation.Tennessee looks awfully comfortable on the glacier — from the Life in the Freezer presentation.From Tennessee's Life in the Freezer presentation.Union Glacier Basecamp ... from the air and from the ground.Day trip to the South Pole — from the Life in the Freezer presentation.Wandering Albatross ... screenshot of title slide for today's daily recap.Relief from the purple monster is ahead of us — from the daily recap.From Phil's Greenland briefing during the daily recap.The expedition that is credited with launching modern oceanography.Route of HMS Challenger's four-year scientific expedition.Dr Angel explains her plankton research to the rest of us.

    RWSE Day 26: Rollin’ Drake Passage

    8. marts 2025, Drake Passage ⋅ 🌬 43 °F

    “Notorious for violent storms, which quickly turn a moderate sea into
 violent confusion, turmoil and mountainous waves.” ~~ Sir Ernest Shackleton … describing the Drake Passage ~~ (from the Daily Program)

    The sea state wasn’t bad, but it was blowing about 35 knots. There was a bit of wet stuff falling … on and off … enough to turn the decks icy as the temperature was barely above freezing. Best to stay inside. So that is what we did … occasionally going up to the bridge to check out the forward views as Ortelius cleaved its way through the Drake Passage. Neither the whale blows, nor the wanderers, gray-headed and black-browed albatrosses were a strong enough inducement to go outside.

    EL Sara had planned a full day of lectures for us, so we were kept busy.

    First up after breakfast was Gary who gave a presentation about his 2008 research into the emperor penguins of the Auster Rookery … near Australia’s Mawson Station in East Antarctica. His talk gave us insight into “ … the status of diseases in the Auster rookery, specifically investigating the prevalence of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV).”

    After studying the four sets of samples taken throughout different life cycles of the penguins, it was determined that antibodies to IBD were present in all, and that the antibodies in adults increased significantly through the year … not so much in the chicks.

    (For anyone interested, here’s a link to a synopsis of the study: https://www.antarctica.gov.au/magazine/issue-15….)

    Tennessee was up next with a presentation entitled “Life in the Freezer.” With some amazing photos as visual aids, he talked about the time he spent working at the Union Glacier Basecamp just weeks before he joined our RWSE. The camp can accommodate 70 guests in double-walled clam tents. The guests are flown in to the camp, which is near a blue-ice runway. That it is cold goes without saying … after all, the glacier is just 690 miles from the South Pole.

    Why go to Union Glacier? To experience what I would consider ‘extreme wilderness adventures’ in the remote interior of the continent … such as hiking over blue ice, skydiving, flying to the South Pole for a day. Would we do this? Nah … we like our adventures ‘soft’.

    Before lunch we took care of some logistics matters … returning our muck boots and helicopter landing cards since we will need neither for what remains of our expedition.

    Much of the afternoon was free. We used the time to pack our bags for disembarkation … now just two sleeps away. Mui then took a nap; I sorted through photos … doing a virtual visit to some of the unique places to which this expedition took us. I was so engrossed in my ‘virtual trip’ that I missed Chloé’s talk … “Umwelt: How Animals Might Sense the World.”

    At the daily recap, EL Sara shared once again a screenshot from Windy. Looks like we still have a bit of the purple monster ahead of us … though there is a promise of improving conditions around the tip of South America and in the Beagle Channel.

    Phil kicked off the recap briefings by sharing a bit more about his time in Greenland.

    Tennessee followed with a quick snippet about the HMS Challenger Grand Tour of 1872–1876 … a scientific voyage that spanned the globe … covering nearly 69,000 nautical miles. The purpose of the expedition was to study the deep sea, leading to the discovery of 4,700+ new species. It also mapped the ocean depths. The expedition is credited with launching modern oceanography.

    Clara then assisted Dr Angel Yanagihara, an associate researcher at the University of Hawaii, with her brief presentation. Angel is one of the passengers on Ortelius, but she’s been on the ship for a while now for the purposes of conducting a research project entitled “Plankton Observations of Lifecycles and Ecobiomes (POLEs): Mapping Polar Coastal Marine Biomes.”

    By the way, today’s Daily Program came with instructions for disembarking Ortelius on 10 March. Our flight to Buenos Aires is in the afternoon, so we will take advantage of the luggage storage service, but will need to make our own way to the airport at the appropriate time. We were hoping to do some hiking at Tierra del Fuego National Park, but I don’t think the 2:00p pick-up deadline for luggage storage is going to work. We’ll have to rethink our sightseeing plans.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    2A colorful sunrise greets us on our second day in the Drake Passage.
    A fun wake up call from Tennessee and Gary.A unique lecture from Allan was first up on our second day in the Drake Passage.Design concept for "The Turtle & The Eagle."Historic photos and the route followed by the cruiser to Boston.Loaded on a boat, the cruiser is taken to the Antarctic.The expedition was in response to the German Neuschwabenland Expedition.The planned route for using "The Turtle & The Eagle" in Antarctica.Over designed; under tested ; rushed into service ... things didn't go to plan.Title slide from Becky Kagan-Schott's presentation about the diving activities.The divers not only wore a dry suit, but a heated under-suit.From Becky's "Deep Weddell Sea Scuba Diving & Snorkeling" presentation.From Becky's "Deep Weddell Sea Scuba Diving & Snorkeling" presentation.Becky in the icy waters ... from the "Deep Weddell Sea Scuba Diving & Snorkeling" presentation.From Becky's "Deep Weddell Sea Scuba Diving & Snorkeling" presentation.From Becky's "Deep Weddell Sea Scuba Diving & Snorkeling" presentation.The heli team that was key to some of our best memories from this expedition.Quebec (above) and Tango (bottom left) and Sierra preparing to take off from Ortelius one last time.Bidding the helicopters adios as they leave Ortelius for the last time.Southern giant petrel using the winds to stay afloat.With our Dutch friends ... Marianne & Jon.Land ahoy! We're in the Beagle Channel.A colorful sunset before nightfall envelopes the scenery.One last dinner with shipmates on Ortelius.The navigation chart and the bow flag were auctioned to raise money for the SG Heritage Trust.

    RWSE Day 27: Drake Passage Day 2

    9. marts 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 54 °F

    “An Antarctic expedition is the worst way to have the best time of your life.”
    ~~ Apsley Cherry-Garrard ~~

    Woke up to a colorful morning … the hues quickly changing from pastel pinks to bright yellows and deep oranges. What a great way to start the last day of our expedition!

    I braved the wind to go out and get a couple of quick sunrise shots before retreating to the cabin. Having crossed the Atlantic Convergence overnight, the temperature had warmed up from the previous days … but the windchill from by the 25-knot wind was enough to encourage a day indoors. Otherwise, the conditions weren’t bad. Certainly, the sea was slight … with gentle swells to remind us that we were still on a ship, cruising toward South America.

    Our official wake up call this morning was an interesting one … courtesy of Tennessee and Gary … the former imitating the voice of Sir David Attenborough; the latter imitating the calls of penguins and birds. They made quite the comedy team.

    After breakfast, we joined Allan for a presentation titled “The Curious Case of Admiral Byrd’s Antarctic Snow Cruiser” … an intriguing and unusual topic that we had never heard or read about previously. He regaled us with the story of a ground-breaking engineering project … part of the 1939 US Antarctic Service Expedition led by Admiral Richard Byrd. The images Allan shared of the 55-foot, 30-ton, diesel-electric cruiser — which failed to live up to expectations — could well have been something out of science fiction … except that there were historic photos of the vehicle to back up his presentation.

    (For those interested, here’s a link to more information about Byrd’s Cruiser: https://www.antarcticacruises.com/guide/antarct….)

    I previously mentioned that we have a group of passengers on the ship who have been diving in the icy Antarctic waters. Following Allan’s presentation, Becky Kagan-Schott, one of the leaders of the group and an underwater photographer of some note, gave a brief presentation … featuring some incredible photographs.

    Around 2:00p, Ortelius began its approach to the Beagle Channel. Most of us went up on the deck behind the bridge to bid the helicopter team adios. It was a bitter sweet farewell. We enjoyed getting to know them, and appreciate the work they put in to ensure our flights were not only fun, but safe in the harsh Antarctic conditions.

    As Ortelius entered the Beagle Channel, the usually sheltered waters showed whitecaps; the wind was strong, making it difficult to stand on the foredecks. But we persevered as the channel was filled with whales … mostly blows; occasional fins and flukes … all distant, but visible to the naked eye.

    At 6:15p, when we would have normally gathered for the daily recap, we all came together in the bar for Captain Remmert’s farewell cocktail party. The highlight of the event was the expedition slideshow that Claudio put together. It brought back the wonderful memories we made on this voyage. After dinner, expedition members were standing by in the lounge to copy the slideshow and a few other files to our personal devices.

    Before the end of the evening, those who had bid generously on the expedition flag that’s been flying on the bow since we left Ushuaia and the navigational chart for the voyage received their items. The money raised by the auction — held while we were in SGI — will benefit the South Georgia Heritage Trust.

    Ortelius has yet to dock in Ushuaia. The lights are twinkling off in the distance, however, so I am sure we’ll get there soon enough. In the meantime … one last sleep for us aboard the ship.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer

    RWSE Day 27: Charcot Wants an Answer

    9. marts 2025, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F

    First though … here’s a link to the passenger slide show Expedition Team member Claudio screened for us tonight (the file is too big to post here):https://eenusa.smugmug.com/Antarctica/RWSE/FP-J…. I hope you enjoy it!

    And now … for Charcot’s question.

    I read the following quote by Charcot not too long ago …

    “Why then do we feel this strange attraction for these polar regions, a feeling so powerful and lasting that when we return home we forget the mental and physical hardships, and want nothing more than to return to them? Why are we so susceptible to the charm of these landscapes when they are so empty and terrifying?” ~~ Jean-Baptiste Charcot ~~

     I’m not sure I have an answer to his question.

    Even after four trips to these southerly latitudes … even after this expedition to one of the most remote regions of the world … the conundrum remains unanswered in my mind.

     The polar regions — both south and north … and I include Greenland and Svalbard in here as well — have certainly held an attraction that has brought us back to the icy scapes of the world again and again.

     Perhaps we were infected with ‘the incurable ice virus’ that I read about as we were preparing for our first Antarctic expedition. Perhaps we ‘fell into the clutches’ of the peaceful, pristine, and quiet nature of these regions. Perhaps we were ‘captivated’ by the wildlife that seemed completely impervious to our presence. Perhaps we just wanted to be different and see places that most people don’t think about much … let alone visit. Perhaps it is all of the above. One thing is for sure, however, it wasn’t the weather and sea conditions — at times quite horrendous — that led to our repeated ‘scratch the polar itch’ adventures.

     When we set off on our first Antarctic expedition, we thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime journey. That proved wrong … so very, very wrong.

    Will there be another polar journey like this one sometime in the future?

    Only time will tell!    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Hello Ushuaia ... from Ortelius at the pier.
    Hello Ushuaia ... from Ortelius at the pier.The bags are offloaded and waiting to be identified ... disembarkation soon — Ushuaia, Argentina.Map showing landings and zodiac cruises ... from our expedition trip log.

    RWSE Day 28: 5,489.6 NM Later …

    10. marts 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 37 °F

    All good things must come to an end!

    And so it has for the first-ever Remote Weddell Sea Explorer expedition … in Ushuaia … where we started 28 days ago.

    We were up well before EL Sara’s wake up call at 7:15a. Last minute items placed in the bags; zippers pulled and locked; weights verified … all under the airline limit of 15 kg. We placed the bags in the hallway outside our cabin and went up to the bar to get out of the way of the staff and crew rushing to move bags into the reception foyer … the staging area until the conveyor belt could be extended to start offloading everything.

    Breakfast was announced at 7:30a. It was a hurried affair. Now that the expedition was truly at an end, everyone was anxious to get going. At 8:10a, EL Sara made the first call for disembarkation.

    Captain Remmert was at reception, shaking hands and bidding everyone safe travels. We reciprocated … wishing godspeed to him and the ship’s complement on their return to the Antarctic. All indications are that Ortelius is in for a rough crossing back down to the peninsula.

    Finding our bags in the line up on the pier, we took them to the truck that would be transferring them to Avenida Maipú 1210 for storage. Satisfied that the bags were loaded, we then went around, bidding farewell to shipmates and the expedition team before heading off on the long walk from the ship’s berth to the port gate.

    The wind was blowing strong. It was downright cold. For a minute, it felt like we were back in Antarctica. We really could have used another layer of clothing in Ushuaia today.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    L to R: Ocean Endeavour, Viking Octantis, Ortelius, & Ocean Nova ... all heading south later today.
    Memorial to a ship that went down with all hands in the Strait of Magellan in 1949 — Ushuaia.Gulls along the Beagle Channel — Ushuaia, Argentina.Memorial to a Fuegian musician — Ushuaia, Argentina.Home of an early settler (1927) saved instead of being demolished — Ushuaia, Argentina.Mural depicting the train that took prisoners to Tierra del Fuego to chop down trees — Ushuaia.Symbols of the land ... winds cause trees to be mis-shapen; Fuegian fox — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World ... now a museum — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.Top: What's left of the prisoner train; Bottom: Traction Engine ... Presidio — Ushuaia, Argentina.Replica of the San Juan de Salvamento Lighthouse ... Presidio — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina.The Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina."Lost Hopes" ... @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia, Argentina."Mara, Smoke in Tifffany" by Diego Buey @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia."Fitz Roy ... Return of the Beagle 1831" @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia."Mission of Ushuaia & the Bridges Family" @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia.Wooden door built by the convicts for the entrance of the Parochial Church of Ushuaia @ the PresidioPainted penguins @ the Prison at the End of the World (Presidio) — Ushuaia.View from the grounds of Maria Lola Restaurant — Ushuaia, Argentina.

    Cold Day Exploring Ushuaia

    10. marts 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌬 37 °F

    With our flight to Buenos Aires scheduled for 6:15p, we had plenty of time to kill in Ushuaia.

    Our original plan was to throw our luggage in a rental car and drive out to Tierra del Fuego National Park to do some hiking. However, checking the forecast a few days ago, the weather looked less than ideal for spending time outdoors. So, we canceled the rental and came up with a new plan that involved visiting the old Presidio; sipping hot beverages at a café; sating our tummies at a nice restaurant; and treating ourselves to ice cream at Almendra.

    The new plan required that we find luggage storage somewhere in town … a problem that was resolved when EL Sara announced that we could leave our bags at the Oceanwide-contracted storage location until 2:00p.

    It turned out to be a typical Ushuaia-weather-day … with everything from sleet to rain, to overcast skies; to the sun peeking out at times. Rinse and repeat. And strong, cold wind gusts as we walked down the pier after disembarking Ortelius.

    Once off the pier, the wind wasn’t too bad, so we followed the waterfront to take photos of Ortelius and today’s batch of expedition vessels that would be heading south before the end of the day. Along the way, gulls and southern lapwings provided entertainment.

    Leaving the waterfront, we walked up to the Presidio next. I had a hunch that we were probably going to be too early. But what the heck! A little uphill walking never hurt anyone. I was right. The doors would be opening at 10:00a. That was 45 minutes away.

    To kill time, we walked over to Avenida San Martín in search of hot beverages. We found what we were looking for at Ana y Juana. The place turned out to be a good choice and we whiled away more time than we intended as I took advantage of the good wi-fi to upload all of my draft FP footprints.

    By the time we returned to the Presidio — officially the Cárcel del Fin del Mundo (the End of the World Prison) — it was getting on towards 11:00a. We purchased our admission and went in for a whirlwind look-see.

    The prison dates back to when Ushuaia was a penal colony. Operating between 1902 to 1947, it consisted of five wings radiating from a central hall … with 386 cells housing roughly 600 inmates at its peak. Today, it houses a collection of museums under the auspices of Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia. As such, it is one of the a major tourist draws for anyone who spends any appreciable time in the city.

    We started out by checking out the artifacts scattered around the courtyards … such as an engine and train car from back in the day when they were used to transport prisoners to Tierra del Fuego to chop down trees; and a replica of an old lighthouse that was built in 1884 … operated through 1992.

    Inside, skipping the Maritime Museum, which we explored in-depth in 2007, we wandered through the Prison Museum … some of the wings restored; others still pending renovation. The Antarctica Museum was seemingly missing a number of the exhibits we saw in 2007. The Art Museum had several new exhibits, and some of the prison cells were painted with murals depicting historic scenes from the early days of the penal colony. Unfortunately, the Art Gallery was closed until 3:00p, so we did not get to see that part of the museum.

    We left the museum around noon for our 12:30p lunch reservation at Maria Lola at 12:30p. We arrived 15 minutes ahead of schedule, so we waited a bit, wandering the grounds and taking photos of the view of the city while we waited for the restaurant to open.

    By 12:35p, there was still no sign of activity … nor a sign to explain why the restaurant wasn’t opening. Bearing in mind the luggage pick up deadline of 2:00p, we gave up on Maria Lola. Doña Lupita, the empanada place where we had lunch pre-expedition, was not far. So, we headed there instead. Soon enough, we were ordering our empanadas … fried please … though my choclo [corn] empanada was baked. Good, simple food.

    Next up … sweet treats at Almendra, the ice cream shop … and then a quick stop at La Anonima for a couple of bottles of water. It was now 1:30p … time to head to the storage place and collect our luggage.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Farewell selfie at USH with Luce and Taras — Ushuaia, Argentina.
    Dark skies as AR1887 begins its run for take off from USH — Ushuaia, Argentina.Whitecaps in the Beagle Channel is often a sign of a rough Drake Passage crossing to Antarctica.

    Aboard AR 1887: Farewell Ushuaia

    10. marts 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F

    Arriving at 1210 Avenida Maipu shortly before 2:00p, we went inside to collect our lugagge. It was easy enough to find them as there were very few bags left. It was then a quick Uber ride to the airport.

    The check-in line at USH wasn’t too long, but it was moving at a snail’s pace. No worries. We had plenty of time to kill. When our turn came, we checked our bags and asked for exit row seats … quickly granted by the agent.

    There was no line at security, so we were done with the formalities in no time. There were a few familiar faces as we wandered around the small concourse. We stopped to chat with fellow passengers, and also spent time with Luce, one of the dive guides, and Taras, Ortelius’s third officer. Then, finding a couple of seats near an outlet, we whiled away the time surfing the web while charging up our phones.

    Around 5:00p, we moved over to gate 6. Embarkation was scheduled to start at 5:30p. With no aircraft at the jetway, however, it was obvious that there was going to be a delay.

    The B737 that was to whisk us away arrived around 5:45p. Once boarding was called, it went smoothly. The aircraft pushed back at 6:32p, but then we had to wait on the apron for a military aircraft to land before we could continue onto the runway. It was 6:50p before we were wheels up.

    The flight has thus far been uneventful. The itinerary showed the flight duration as 3 hrs and 30 mins … the cockpit said it would be 2 hrs and 55 mins. That means we should touch down at EZE more or less on time.

    More when we get to our hotel …    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    A comfortable enough room for an overnight stay at Posada de las Aguilas @ EZE - Buenos Aires.

    Settled in @ the Posada

    10. marts 2025, Argentina ⋅ 🌙 66 °F

    After an uneventful flight from USH, AR1887 landed at EZE close to its scheduled arrival of 9:45p. We deplaned onto the tarmac and were transferred to domestic arrivals by bus.

    It took awhile for the bags to show up, but once the conveyor belt started moving it wasn’t too long of a wait for our bags to arrive in quick succession.

    Next step was to call the hotel for the included transfer. We tried the number we were given several times — using WhatsApp and WePhone — but got no answer. It was already past 10:30p, so we decided not to wait around.

    Arranging for a ride at the Taxi Ezeiza stand just outside the secure luggage claim area, we had a speedy drive to Posada de las Aguilas (Inn of the Eagles). The good news is that when we explained that no one had answered the phone, the woman at the front desk apologized and immediately refunded the cost of the ride to us in cash, so we are not out of pocket for that expense.

    Assigned to room 11 on the first floor — top floor of this place — we left the two bags we won’t be needing at the check-in desk and followed our escort through the grounds to our room … which has everything we could want for an overnight stay. Because we have an evening flight tomorrow, I booked us a superior king room so we have a comfy place to kill time. We have requested a late checkout, but won’t know until we go down for breakfast as to the actual time we have to leave. It is dependent on availability of the room.

    In any event, it is now past midnight and time for bed. We have no intention of setting the alarm for tomorrow morning. Breakfast is served until 11:00a, so we can have a leisurely morning.

    By the way, we got a nice surprise when we landed and cell service was once again restored. We have been upgraded to Polaris business for our flight to Houston tomorrow night! Thank you United!    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    Pretty much a straight shot from EZE to IAH.

    Killing Time @ EZE

    11. marts 2025, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Funny coincidence … Karin & Wilco, our neighbors on Ortelius, are apparently in the room next door at the Posada … once again our neighbors. We found that out when they came down to breakfast shortly after us.

    Our request for a late checkout could only be accommodated until 1:30p as someone else was due into the room at 2:00p. Oh well. At least we didn’t have to check out at 11:00a and were able to prep for our travel day at a leisurely pace.

    The hotel’s transfer van took us to EZE @ 1:00p. Who should we run into when we entered the terminal but Maria and Jan, new friends we made on Ortelius. They were waiting to check their bags, but had an hour to go before they could do so. We had four hours to wait because the counter wasn’t due to open until 5:05p. So, we joined forces and went to Pan de Quotidien for a light lunch. In short order, we were joined by Karin & Wilco, and Ingrid, another fellow passenger.

    Around 2:00p, we said our farewells to everyone as they left to check-in or make their way to security. We went for a stroll to stretch our legs and find a quiet spot where we could while away a bit more time.

    Eventually, it was our turn to go to the counters designated for UA to leave our bags in the care of the airline. Easy peasy. Going through security was was easy … very few people in the queue, and things moved along quickly. Then came immigration! We were first directed to the e-kiosks to complete the immigration process on our own, and then it was just a matter of going to an e-gate where our facial scans were matched to the passport scan. In no time at all, the formalities were completed.

    We walked through Duty Free and picked up a bottle of Amarula. But the check-out line was so long that we returned the bottle to the shelf and left empty-handed. A short walk then took us to the Star Alliance Lounge … which could do with a refresh. Not much in the way of snacks and stuff, but at least the seats were comfortable and it was better to while away our time until boarding here instead of at the gate.

    Speaking of boarding … it is scheduled to commence at 8:15p … in 45 minutes time. More once we are on the plane.    Læs mere

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  • Remote Weddell Sea Explorer

    On Our Way to IAH

    11. marts 2025, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    It’s getting on towards midnight … Argentinian time. Texas is two hours behind; Colorado three hours. My eyes are starting to get heavy, but before I succumb to sleep, let me catch up today’s travel story.

    Boarding began on time. As is the case with most USA-bound flights, there was a last minute security check as we made our way to the counter to scan our boarding passes. Usually, these checks are done randomly. However, everyone had to go through the process tonight. It was a cursory check, really, so we were on our way without much of a delay.

    Soon enough, we were in our Polaris seats and getting settled. When the flight attendant for our section came around with bubbly, we each took a glass to toast the conclusion of a successful Antarctic expedition. A great swansong adventure to the region. Should have taken a photo … as Jan would say, “If there is no proof, it didn’t happen.”

    The 777-200 pushed back at 8:55a … ahead of the 9:05p scheduled departure, and we were wheels up at 9:10p. A good omen for an on time arrival.

    As UA818 climbed up to its cruising altitude, we enjoyed the twinkling lights of Buenos Aires spread out below us. Before long, we were leveled off and the flight attendants were coming around with warm nuts and beverages. The meal service followed soon after. Dessert was the best part of the meal … ice cream with chocolate sauce.

    During dinner, I finished the movie I had started after we took off … Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Pierce Brosnan in “The Great Lillian Hall” … the story of an actress who finds herself suddenly diagnosed with a form of dementia as she is preparing for a major new role. The story is apparently inspired by the life of the late American stage actress, Marian Seldes.

    Now, the movie is finished; my bed is made up; I’ve got my United jammies on. Time to get some sleep.The app shows the flight duration as 10 hours and 30 minutes. However, before take off, the cockpit announced that we would cover the 5,066-mile distance to IAD in 9 hours and 44 minutes. If that’s accurate, we still have 7+ hours to go. Plenty of time for a good snooze that should keep me going until we get home tomorrow. Mui’s already snoozing, so he’ll be rearing to go, too.    Læs mere

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