New Years Day 2020

Awoke two minutes before the 2.30am alarm. Looked at the bow camera. Bleak and snowing. My New Years resolution is to be kinder – including to myself and Garrie, so I headed back to bed. Garrie was clearly excited by seeing falling snow so he dressed and headed out. I couldn’t go back to sleep until he returned and as time moved on I wondered if I was starting 2020 as a widow. Thankfully he returned saying “whatever you were thinking of wearing tomorrow, double it.” Garrie’s resolution is to be more positive. Working well so far…

So at this point I should admit that I had always heard of the Orkneys and shetlands on British weather forecasts as a kid so I thought they were close to the UK – which some of them are!

So this morning looked grey and miserable and then suddenly, just at the end of Breakfast, huge ice bergs (well huge from what we have seen so far) appeared.

So this one had a major fall of ice on one side.

Then a pod of hump whales.

Then icebergs with passengers.

Can you see the seal and the penguin on this next berg?

There really is something new everyday on this trip and the fact this was meant to be a full sea day and we are stopping in at the rarely visited South Orkneys and an Antarctic research station is just such a bonus. Storms can be a pain but they can also bring bonuses.

Time for the first lecture of the day.

Johann our Marine Biologist again.

Crab eaters most populous seal in the world. (and yet we didn’t see one 😢). Pinnipeds – flipper. Closely related to bears.

Eared seals are sea lion ie fur seal. Much more fur. Two layers at least. Can run.

External testicles (marked on the pic) as don’t dive as deeply and generally not in as cold a region. 4 nipples. Sometimes nurse other’s pups. Live in colonies.

True or earless eg elephant seal. They do have an ear and good hearing. True guard hair and blubber. Move like an inch worm. Only 2 nipples. Don’t feed other than their own pup.

So many adaptations of hearing and sight to assist their lives. Fur and blubber assist with cold. Teeth are amazing. Crab eaters don’t eat crabs…they eat krill. Teeth filter water out without krill. Leopard seals kill and then shake off the skin of the penguins.

IDs crab eaters maybe 10 million animals but no certain stats. 200kg and 2.3m. Long muzzle. Length of the flipper – medium size flipper longer than weddell. Only 20% survive the first year as predated by Leopard seals. Look for scars. Move like a snake. More like a dog. Torpedo shape.

Weddell seals. One million. Southern most breeding mammal in the world. 500kg 2.9-3.3m. Short snout. Cute. Look like they are smiling. More like a cat. Flipper short. Barrel shape – fat. Inch worm movement. Main prey of orcas.

Leopard seal. Top predator like orca. No real predators. Orca could but generally don’t take them. 440,000 individuals. 500kg elegant face. Reptilian appearance due to length of neck. Wide shoulders. Long flippers.

Ross seal. Shy and difficult to see. Have a stripe under the throat. Singing posture.

Elephant seal. Know a bit about already so I won’t repeat that here.

Antarctic fur seal – again we have done already but this next shot shows they can sometimes eat penguins.

We were to have a presentation on the geology of Antarctica with David J in the Nautilus Lounge but this was postponed due to large ice bergs, more whales and the entrance into the station where penguins darted about the ship (in the water). Can you handle more ice bergs?

One thing I have omitted to mention is that the crew have been organising Passport stamps for us when available. Here is today’s plus a couple of others we had already obtained.

You might wonder about the adventure options. So far we are happy not to have been able to book any. The poor Kayakers have been cancelled for the fourth or fifth time (they are yet to get on the water due to wind) and also they miss some of what we do.

On approach to Laurie Island.

Laurie Island is the second largest of the Orkney Islands and is both claimed by Argentina and the United Kingdom, however, under the Antarctic Treaty System, all sovereignty claims are frozen as the island lies south of 60 degrees. You can find both chinstrap and Adelie penguins on the island. Buchanan Point at the northeastern end of the island, with Cape Whitson on its south coast, are both designated Important Bird Areas.

Orcadas Station is situated on Laurie Island and was initially established in 1902 by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, led by William Bruce. In 1904, however, the base was handed over to the Argentines, who have remained there ever since. The base is occupied throughout the year by Argentine personnel and is used primarily as a bird hide and field refuge.

A wonderful treat. Saw Adelie penguins – the last of the seven penguins we had hoped to see. Also saw a new and gorgeous seal – the Weddell seal.

There was a chinstrap on the beach where we landed and a few higher up, snuggled down in the snow.

Then Adelies too. Gorgeous eyes.

Yes I could have stayed on the beach all day! Still we felt very privileged to be able to visit this Argentinian research station. Our guide had no English so Johann went with us and did all the translation.

We saw the original building from the first settlement here.

First time I have used two pairs of bottom thermals and two pairs of socks, zero degrees. Worked well. I am using one waterproof glove and one lighter glove (that I can work the cameras with). Loads of chinstraps too. We visited the station first and Garrie purchased a hat.

Adelie penguins wandering through the station.

Sadly the station has lost a few people and has it’s own cemetary.

It is certainly a beautiful place to live. There are currently 17 people stationed here and our guide was going home in Feb after twelve months. I asked what he missed. His answer was family and green things.

Then we had a zodiac cruise with Stefano from Milano. He is a card, (funny), and at one point drove the zodiac onto an iceberg to show how people from Milano, (Italy), can park anywhere. It came as no surprise when a propellor from one of the zodiacs was auctioned off – Stefano being the one who had wrecked it!

We always travel in pairs.

I took 230 pics on this excursion all up as first we visited an Adelie penguin breeding site.

Yes lots of chicks.

Then we found a chinstrap who simply wanted to pose for photos.

Then there were more fascinating ice bergs or bits or whatever’s…

Then we spotted our first Weddell seal. Love at first sight!

More adelies.

A couple more chinstraps.

And a couple more Weddell seals, one in the water.

Back to the ship and note how twisted the anchor chain is.

I have a note that says “Thick fog.”. Think we went into that as we left this anchorage.

Garrie beer of the day – another blue moon. He was laughing at Cheryl two making faces behind me.

Recap and briefing time with our daily Canapés. Cheryl & Mike made the recap pic.

Miko, our historian started.

William Bruce experienced explorer. He set up where we went today with the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902-04. Ship called the Scotia. Set up Ormond House. 6 people lived in Ormond House. Handed over to Argentina. Discovered Coats Land, Scotia sea South Georgia and the Orkneys.

Claire geopolitics – orcadas station. Also a fan of William Bruce. Didn’t receive the press that people like Scott and Shackleton did. British backed Scott. He ran out of money. Brits not interested in the south Orkneys. So he offered it to the Argentinians. Sold for 5000 pesos (US$80).

Lots of coughing going on around us. Flo keeping us safe so far. (Ha that proved to be famous last words!!!)

76 research bases from 31 countries. Not all are manned year around. Today’s is. Argentina has 13 and 5 of those are year round. Mcmurdo houses 1500 people. COMNAP. Council of Managers of National Antarctic programs.

Michelle photographer. Showed us some pics. My egg shot one of two still pics.

Johann, marine biologist. Discussed the Weddell seal. Some weddell seals in south Australia. Breed in November. Up to 49 different sounds they make. Sound travels 30km underwater.

Solan. Going to Coronation Island. Still don’t know the depth of many places. May do a late excursion tonight. Will depend on ice conditions whether just cruise or land. Didn’t happen – hmm maybe because of the thick fog? Notice my notes are getting sketchier along with my memory….

Tomorrow at sea day. Weather looks good. Aiming towards Bransfield strait. Aiming for the South shetlands. Then to Antarctica peninsula for two full days.

Dinner was amazing and included guinea fowl and we were greeted with another carved water melon.

Richard continues to entertain us with tricks. I’ll include a video here of a trick where he turns 2 triangles into four triangles by moving just one piece. Still shot first. Give it some thought then the solution is in the video. Ciao for now.