Lamaire Channel & Petermann Island, Antarctica

January 3

This morning we made our way through the Lamaire Channel. Just last week it was too full of ice for a ship to pass. We were the first of the season to get through. There was a lot of ice, but we made it! It was cold and rainy out as we watched the passage of the ship through the narrow channel. We did have some occasional sun.

We got to see our first Crabeater Seals today. They do not eat Crabs despite their name, but Krill. There were also Penguins floating by on icebergs. We were told that a ship that wanted to transit after we did didn’t make it because of the ice. It was fun to try to guess which path the captain would choose.

 Gentoo Penguins

 Gentoo Penguin

 Crabeater Seal

 Antarctic Tern

 ice looking straight down from the ship

 

After lunch we made our way to Petermann Island. We encountered 50 knot winds and rain! We were up in the Bridge watching the scenery and listening to the discussions on the conditions. It seemed we might need to cancel Petermann, but Shane said for everyone to stand by and see what happens in a few hours. Then we only had 40 knot winds and it started to snow.

 Greg on the back deck

 me on the back deck

view of Petermann from the ship

Well, believe it or not, the winds died down quite a bit and it was deemed safe to take the zodiacs to Petermann. Shane really “undersold” going by announcing it was still windy and it will be choppy and on and on. So, of course we kitted up and went ashore. It turned out to be very nice on shore. The weather can change that fast down here. Many stayed onboard and wished they had gone since the weather got better.

There were some abandoned buildings and a cross commemorating three members of the British Antarctic Survey who died in a 1982 attempt to cross the sea ice from Faraday Station to Petermann.

The grey skies made for some interesting photography this afternoon. Many look more like pencil drawn pictures.

There was a large colony of Antarctic Shags with chicks (aka Blue-eyed Shags or Cormorants). We watched them fish and then feed their young. Like most birds they regurgitate and the chicks stick their heads way into her mouth and eat.

 Greg on the right

 Greg on the right

 me

 me watching the penguin

 

Since we went ashore just before dinner time, there was no briefing again tonight and we had a later dinner. I think they did have their game show that was canceled last night with the crew and the audience made teams. We stayed in the cabin and watched awhile on TV.

Here is the program for today: (note the wording like "following this morning's theme, this will be an Expedition Afternoon."

Antarctic Peninsula Lemaire Channel & Expedition Day

06:30 - 07:30 A Continental Breakfast is served outside the Main Lounge

07:30 We hope to ship cruise the Lemaire Channel

The Lemaire Channel is approximately 8 miles long and averages about a mile wide, though at its narrowest point it is a mere 800 metres wall to wall. It separates Booth Island from the Antarctic Peninsula mainland and runs in a northeast-southwest direction from the northern extremity of Booth and Cape Renard to Cape Duseberg in the south. The channel was traversed in December 1898 by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under Adrien de Gerlache, where it was named for Charles Lemaire, a Belgian explorer of the Congo. 

08:30 - 09:30 Breakfast is served in the Dining Room

TBA This will be an Expedition Morning!

After breakfast we will assess weather and ice conditions in the area to see what excursion possibilities present themselves. Please listen for announcements and watch for updates on the notice board regarding activities and timings. 

1) Worsley 2) Crean 3) McCarthy 4) Vincent 5) McNeish 6) Shackleton

12:30 Lunch is served in the Dining Room

TBA Following this morning’s theme, this will be an Expedition Afternoon

Please listen for announcements and watch for updates to the notice board regarding activities and timings. 

1) Crean 2) McCarthy 3) Vincent 4) McNeish 5) Shackleton 6) Worsley

18:30 There will be a Recap & Briefing in the Main Lounge

19:30 Dinner is served in the Dining Room

21:15 Please join the Expedition Team in the Main Lounge for some fun and games with the

“The Great Southern Race”  

“A journey is a person in itself, no two are alike, and all plans, safeguards, policies and coercion are

fruitless. We find after years of struggles that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.”  - John Steinbeck 

Sunrise: 02:53 Sunset: 23:41

Tomorrow, we plan to visit Pleneau Bay and Port Lockroy.