Although we woke to fog early in the morning, it soon lifted and we were blessed with clear views, but low clouds. The wind was again with us in great force, which caused potential problems sailing through the narrow, iceberg-filled Lemaire Channel. It is only 5,000 feet wide and seven miles long separating Booth Island from the Antarctic Peninsula and is usually as still as a lake; however the ice and wind caused the captain to decide against sailing through it today. This is the southernmost point of our Antarctic adventure.
We were fortunate to have 14 members of the research team at Palmer Station on Anvers Island come on board to explain some of the projects they're working on. They focus on monitoring the marine ecosystem, atmospheric studies, and the effects of increased ultraviolet radiation on marine and terrestrial communities. It's fascinating that much of their work can be passed on to other researchers and used to help develop medications. HAL provided them with "freshies" so they'll be able to enjoy salad and fresh fruit and vegetables again for the next several days! Our hotel manager threw in an unexpected bonus at the end of their second presentation -- two bottles of scotch each!! There were many big smiles as they boarded their zodiacs to return to their Station! Incidentally, Palmer Station is on an island, but often permanent ice connects it to the mainland.
The scenery continues to be unbelievably beautiful -- it was worth freezing in the wind to get the perfect view! We again saw signs of Gentoo penguin colonies -- the green areas are snow plankton fertilized by the penguins' earlier krill droppings.
In mid morning the crew invited brave passengers to join them in the Penguin Plunge as they took a dip in the pool ... amazing how many grandparents participated so they could show their grandkids that they could still play, too! I was happy to watch bundled up in my warm parka...
We've now left the Antarctic portion of our Grand Voyage, and are on our way to Cape Horn and Drake Passage, heading to Ushuaia.
No comments:
Post a Comment