Crossing the Antarctic Circle

Day 13. Thursday 23 January - Antarctic Circle 66^o 33’ S 

Noon position: Latitude 68^o 02.51 South; Longitude 175^o 50.69’East; Air temperature: 5^oC, Water temperature: 0^oC

The temperature fell to -1⁰C overnight. The crossing into the Antarctic Circle at 03.43 was seen in by a few intrepid crew and passengers on the bridge. This was a classic beautiful still Antarctic morning, with the sun shining, clear blue sky and a gentle swell on which ice floes and small bits bergs rose and fell. Ahead was a large ice berg tilted as if on the verge of capsizing. 

Part 3 of ‘The Last Place on Earth’ was screened and then we headed outside to view another large tabular berg with its upper surface harbouring numerous snow-filled crevasses to port. 

At 11.30, in our newly issued jackets, we assembled on the bow for a special ceremony to commemorate crossing the Antarctic Circle. There was even a ‘hybrid Emperor Penguin’ present!  Rodney dispensed a mug of mulled wine for each of us then delivered a short speech and  read  a pledge for all of us to say:

“By anyone’s standards this event is an auspicious occasion-very few people have crossed the Antarctic Circle by ship. So on this occasion we want to both celebrate the occasion and acknowledge its importance.

Today each one of us joins a unique group of explorers that have gone before us, not only showing us the way, but giving us courage to follow and to make our own destiny. We follow explorers such as James Clark Ross, Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen, Sir Douglas Mawson, Richard Byrd, Sir Edmund Hillary and others, who pioneered new routes south of the Circle. Today we acknowledge them and their efforts.

 Crossing the Circle also carries with it responsibility:

“So today as we cross the Circle, I would like each of you to take this vow and receive the Mark of the Penguin - as evidence that you have crossed the Antarctic Circle and have taken the pledge which I am going to ask you to say after me:

“Having endured the privations of the Roaring Forties, the rigours of the Furious Fifties and the ice-strewn waters of the Screaming Sixties to cross the Antarctic Circle, pay homage to those early explorers who have not only shown the way, but have demonstrated what it means to advocate for the continued protection of Antarctica and its wildlife and history. I [own name] hereby pledge that, in accepting the Mark of the Penguin, I will, until I take my last expedition, advocate to everybody, even those who will not listen, the importance of the Antarctic and its wildlife and history.

Would you please step forward and receive the Mark of the Penguin.”

 The Mark of the Penguin was then bestowed by Agnes, who stamped a penguin on each of our foreheads. 

Ron then stripped down to his Hawaiian gear, (as you might wear when crossing the Equator!), and gave a moving tribute to his wife Christine who, five years ago to the day, suffered an accident when scuba diving rendering her paraplegic and, against the odds, has proved she had the courage to climb back and achieve a life-long dream of visiting Antarctica.

At 3pm David presented his lecture on the Southern Cross Expedition (1899-1900). This was the first expedition to winter-over on the Antarctic continent. The Dutch/Australian Borchgrevink had a team of competent scientists that left a remarkable record of observations. That ‘First Antarctic Winter’ the beautifully presented diary of Tasmanian Louis Bernacchi makes compelling reading. The lecture was followed by the excellent documentary on the Adelie Penguin entitled ‘Icebird’ . 

A further two Minke Whales were seen at 3.45 pm. Although we saw no more icebergs today, we still had the lovely Snow Petrels along with the occasional brown and white Antarctic  Petrels flying about the ship.

Rodney advised that we hoped to be off the most northern part of the Antarctic Continent, Cape Adare, at 8am tomorrow morning.

Southern Ocean - Icebergs!

Days 10 – 12, January 20 - 22.  the Southern Ocean en-route to the Ross Sea. 

Monday 20^th : New Zealand’s Scott Base 56 years old today

Noon position: Latitude 56^o 48.38’South; Longitude 161^o 39.121’East ;  Air temperature: 11^oC, Water temperature: 5^oC

We were now on the Southern Ocean, en-route to the Ross Sea and Antarctica. The sea in the furious fifties was a lot less rough! Our days at sea were filled in with films and lectures, catching up on what we had missed during our early rough voyage.  The first was an excellent video about the pest eradication program on Macquarie Island, removing al the cats, rats and finally rabbits. I managed to get a complimentary copy of the DVD. Later Samuel delivered a lecture entitled ‘Seabirds of the Southern Ocean’, about the various species of albatrosses, petrels, prions and other sea birds that we expect to see during the expedition. In the afternoon Katya gave us an introduction to ‘Cetaceans of the Southern Ocean’.  Then was the first of David’s lectures on the exploration of Antarctica. This focused on Sir Douglas Mawson and his first expedition to the establishment of ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition) including the founding of stations on Macquarie Island, and on the Antarctic continent Mawson Station, later followed by Davis and Casey Stations. Australia now claims 47% of the Antarctic continent (David is a NZ-lander, and NZ has a much smaller protectorate passed over by the UK!).

From our forays to the Bridge or on the Bow deck to get some very fresh air between lectures, some passengers sighted several King and Royal Penguins at Latitude 57^o 41’S 162^o 53.64E, a long way from home, although Katya said this is not unusual for these penguins.

T

Tuesday 21^st : Crossing the 60^o South longitude and entered region of the Antarctic Treaty

Noon position: Latitude 60^o22.943’South; Longitude 166^o46.905’ East; Air temperature: 2.8^oC, Water temperature: 2-3^oC.  Temperature inside the ship was 22-23^oC now that we had turned on the heaters in our cabins.

During the night we had crossed the Antarctic Convergence (a temperature and salinity boundary of the Southern Ocean and usually an area of abundant nutrients and marine life), still evident in the morning with a little fog indicating the change in water temperature. It used to about 90nm south of Macquarie Island but has shifted south with the warming seas. This is causing problems for the King and Royal penguins on Macquarie Is as they have to swim further to feed, taking longer and using more energy, resulting in lower chick survival. We expected to observe more oceanic birds owing to the upwelling of nutrients, but they were scarce for some reason.  From the bridge during the day we saw several albatrosses including Campbell’s, Grey-headed and Southern Royals were seen along with a few Prions, Shearwaters, Mottled and Black petrels. The best sightings of the day were three pods of 20-30 black and white Southern Right Whale Dolphins: no dorsal fin, a streamlined body and short beak. A pod of ten Pilot whales were also seen to starboard.

Before lunch Part One of ‘The Last Place on Earth’, a film based on Roland Huntford’s book, entitled ‘Scott and Amundsen’, was screened. In the early evening Katya gave a further lecture on marine mammals, Pinnipeds:  explaining the differences between  the three families - True Seals or Phocids (Weddell, Crab eater and Leopard Seals); Eared Seals or Otariids (Aus and NZ fur seal and sea lions) and the Walruses.

During the afternoon our fine new blue Antarctic jackets were issued, as you will see in many photographs.

With the sea rising, we took the hint from Rodney to make sure all was secured in the cabin before retiring and, as usual, to have ‘one hand for the ship and one for your-self’ when moving about the ship.

Wednesday 22^nd  - First icebergs and ice floes; 

Noon position: Latitude 63^o 49’South; Longitude 172^o 05’ East;  Air temperature: 5^oC, Water temperature: 2.5^oC

We had a very comfortable night and arose to a calm sea, with a patch of sunlight emerging from cloud to shimmer on the Southern Ocean. At 5.20 am the Officer on Watch, picked up the first iceberg on the radar. This was soon visible as two towers and a beautiful deep blue band above the water-line, eight nautical miles to starboard. At 8am we were over 1370m depth of water and at Lat. 63^o09.036’S Long. 171^o15.989’E. Last year, the first iceberg was sighted on 17 January at 62⁰34.35’S, 172^o41.2’ E, about 30 nm further south. We saw further icebergs throughout the day, but did not sail very close to any. We had to be satisfied with looking at them through our binoculars and telephoto lenses. A number of Shearwaters and a Light-mantled Sooty Albatross and several pods of Orcas were sighted

This morning Part 2 of the ‘Last Place on Earth’ was screened. Samuel then told us all about Sir James Clark Ross who first navigated the Ross Sea in 1841, after first exploring the Arctic. After Antarctica, he helped in the search for Tasmania’s Sir John Franklin, who disappeared while searching for the NW Passage. Ross’s two 32m naval ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror used by Franklin have never been found, although remains of his men and some equipment were.

The afternoon program included a lecture and briefing by Rodney on our route south; the Antarctic Treaty System and its governance; IAATO (International Association of Antarctic Tourism Operators) obligations. This was followed by the excellent documentary ‘The Last Ocean’ on the tooth fishing industry and the need for a marine reserve to be established to protect them in the Ross Sea.

During the afternoon three large Rorquals and more Orcas were seen and later a large male Sperm Whale accompanied by two other whales, was blowing as it moved along the surface. In the afternoon we sailed past three large tabular icebergs.

We passed a large berg to port, with a cave which had the most beautiful deep Prussian blue colour.  It took us 20 min to steam past the largest one at 11 knots (nautical miles per hour), so it must have been about 6.6 k long. These icebergs have broken off an ice shelf and all large ones are numbered and tracked by satellites for years until they break up into small pieces and melt. That evening the first beautiful, snowy white, black-eyed Snow Petrels were sighted along with three Minke Whales. At 11pm we had a lovely sunset together with a bright half- moon rising behind the end of an iceberg. 

Macca's ANARE Station

Day 9. Sunday 19 January – Macquarie Island: afternoon at Buckles Bay ANARE Station

  

Back on board, Bruce and Michael had a wonderful selection of pizzas ready for our lunch. At 3.30 we had a briefing in readiness for our second landing at Buckles Bay. Again it was a wet landing requiring sliding over the rear of the Zodiac tubes onto submerged rocks. The Macquarie staff met us at the landing place and kindly gave up a few more hours on their day off. We formed two groups, each with a guide that took us for a walk across the isthmus. 

Lots more Elephant Seals were slumbering in clumps of tussock who took exception to the intruders, snorting or grunting as we walked past.

The wind almost bowled us over as we crossed the isthmus, and it was very difficult walking against it.

On the rugged windblown western shore we saw shy Gentoo penguins on the beach and climbing up to their nests in the greenery. 

Cormorants nested on the rocky islets and a Giant petrel chick in its nest just behind a rock beside the path to the station.

(And my camera lens got covered with the misty rain and sea spray, so apologies for the 'soft focus'!) 

 

 On the right is  a memorial to a wrecked ship, but more interesting is is the pillow shaped rock it is attached to: Macquarie Island has one of the few examples in the world of oceanic crust rocks that originated on the seafloor and have been thrust to the surface.









Elephant seals guarded the station!

 Below is the meteorology dome and radio shed; 'Macca' as the island is nicknamed by all who stay there, has been an important radio and meteorological station for the Antarctic bases ever since it was established by Douglas Mawson.

We very much enjoyed our visit to the station, in the warmth and shelter, where we were treated to scones with cream and jam, along with a cup of tea or coffee. Most of us had our passports stamped and the postmaster took delivery of our post cards. The wall was covered with photographs of the overwintering groups from each year, each trying to outdo the previous years in their costumes and pose.

On the way back to the landing beach we saw some of Joseph Hatch’s steam digesters for penguins, 

 and one of the amphibious landing craft..

 The Station is on the tiny isthmus on the extreme northern end of the island, as seen on the map above.

While waiting for the zodiac we were fortunate to meet the dog handlers with their dogs that have been working throughout the last two years clearing every last rabbit and rat off the island, making sure none survived the intensive baiting program. When the Aurora brought them back to Hobart in March, they officially declared the Island free of introduced mammals.

When we reluctantly began our departure for the ship, the wind had fortunately turned to the north and the sea was much calmer. Back on board we enjoyed a hot shower and a superb dinner with a choice of fish or rump of lamb.

By 9pm we were passing the large King Penguin colony at Lusitania Bay where two steam digesters could be seen in the middle of the colony. As Rodney said in his lecture, the digesters were set up to process the penguins for their oil, however the day will come when they have corroded away and the penguins will again be in charge. By 10pm we were passing Hurd Point and on the next stage of our expedition that would see us traverse the Southern Ocean to the Ross Sea. As we left Macquarie Island, a pair of Orca was sighted along with a large number (perhaps 100+) of Antarctic Prions. Conditions now became a little rough again and following the daily discussion on bird sightings, most of us decided to have an early night to dwell on our marvelous time on Macquarie Island. 

Royals, Kings and Elephants on Macquarie

Day 9. Sunday 19 January – Macquarie Island

Noon position: Latitude 54^o33.97’South; Longitude 158^o55.72 East

Air temperature: 7^oC, Water temperature: 8^oC

At 8am we were positioned roughly mid-way down the length of Macquarie Island and opposite Mt. Law, one of several high points on the plateau. The strong westerly was whipping over the top and from around both ends of the island, creating a choppy sea with white caps. A beautiful Light-mantled Sooty albatross was cruising around the ship and penguins were swimming past the ship. 

The vessel steamed back to Buckles Bay so the staff from the ANARE Station on the Island could come out to the ship to brief us about going ashore, if that was possible in the conditions. By 10am there were spells of rain, the sea was still rough and in places spray was shooting up rock faces. We assembled in the lecture room for a briefing and met the four staff who had been brought to the ship from. (Chris Howard a Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service ranger; Vicki Heinrich from the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne; Josh Tomasetti the station plumber and John Hodgson the station electrician).

 Thankfully the sea conditions eased enough so that by 11am the first Zodiac was heading for Sandy Bay, just south of the settlement at Buckles Bay. This was a wet landing and Rodney again stood waist high as he helped the driver maneuver the Zodiac for disembarking over the stern. 

We spent three hours watching the wildlife.

There was a continual coming and going of various penguin species, surfing in on the waves, then parading along the beach to and from their respective colonies: Royals, Kings and Rockhoppers. Many stopped to look curiously at the invading species pointing lenses at them. 

(Dr Eric with his cannon Camera)

The young males in the group of Elephant Seals were sparring and attempting to bite each other, or being content to lie on the beach while others sprawled on top of them. 

We all walked up the short boardwalk to a platform overlooking the large Royal Penguin colony with 11-14,000 breeding pairs. Some of the birds had young chicks and the noise and smell was extraordinary, as birds entered the territory of others during their commuting to or back from the narrow stream that took them to the beach. 

It was great to see that Ron and his helpers were able to push Christine’s wheel chair up the boardwalk to watch the colony.

There were no nests so fluffy chicks huddled together waiting, waiting for their special call by their parent bringing food. 

As each adult entered the colony they called until they found their mate or chick, and then performed an elaborate greeting ritual. And skuas patrolled the edges of the colony ready to pounce on the weak and helpless. 

Looking back to the beach from the boardwalk

 Huddled in small groups on the edge of the beach were some bedraggled adult King penguins forced to stay ashore until they had finished moulting.

 Further north along the beach was another large colony of hundreds of King Penguins. Not a lot of ground space here either and they too were maintaining a continual cacophony. 

It was late in the season so most chicks had almost lost their fluffy brown plumage. 

Some adults had the brood flap of vascularised tissue that folded down and over the small young or unhatched eggs.

 The birds did not take too kindly to an Elephant Seal in the midst of the colony, eventually harassing it enough for it to move to the water’s edge. A hut once used for field work with its roof covered in grass, appeared to be built from an early aircraft crate.

 The only way for parents and chicks to locate each other in the crowd was to call to each other, recognizing each other; voices. As each adult emerged from the sea and made its distinctive call to its chick, all others remained silent, waiting their turn to call.

The water was also seething with penguins, standing on small rocks or swimming around. A few elephant seal were also enjoying a bath, some young males still sparring.  

 Although we could have had enjoyed more time with the amazing penguins, the wind chill was starting to penetrate, resolving us to put on more thermal layers for the next shore trip that afternoon.