Antarctic Peninsula 2019
The Trust’s expedition team travelled to the Antarctic Peninsula aboard a One Ocean Expeditions vessel where they experienced the challenges and rewards of kayaking through pristine playgrounds of whales and seals, navigating between icebergs, and exploring glaciers, penguin colonies and historic explorer bases, including those the Trust is helping its sister trust, UKAHT, to restore.
This expedition offered the young explorers a chance to push themselves, to connect with experts, and learn about Antarctica’s history, science, wildlife, and environment, as well as the legacy of exploration in Antarctica. Participants pushed their own limits and experienced that same spirit of exploration of the early polar explorers—a remarkable legacy the Trust cares for on behalf of all humanity.
New Zealand Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson joined the team as a kayaking mentor and Sir Edmund Hillary’s grandson was also part of the expedition.
Two students and a teacher joined the expedition from Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, in Auckland, New Zealand as part of a new partnership with the Trust.
The Trust also initiated its Inspiring Explorers™ Official Supporters’ Expedition which saw some of the Trust’s close supporters join the ship as full fare paying passengers and be part of the Inspiring Explorers experience.
Explorer Interviews
13 March 2019
Drake Lake
Relatively calm waters on the Drake Passage today – as on our way to Antarctica, we’ve been fortunate to experience mild weather that is closer to the Drake Lake than the wild Drake Shake.
Many of the team are enjoying catching up on sleep – well-deserved after five non-stop days of adventure in Antarctic waters. Others have been attending the many presentations on offer today. First up was a presentation on albatrosses, many of which have been spotted from the ship today. Learning about the history and politics of the Antarctic Treaty has also been a highlight, as has hearing about the women of Antarctica – amazing too that one of our ship’s staff, Karen (also a Kiwi!), was one of the first fifty women to work in Antarctica as a member of the team at Scott Base.
Today has also been a fantastic opportunity to share previous Antarctic Heritage Trust Inspiring Expeditions’ short films with the rest of the passengers on the ship, who were in awe of the powerful narratives.
The night has ended with a hilarious game of Polar Pictionary, with our Inspiring Explorers and supporters putting forth a great show. We are all thrilled to hear that the Akademik Ioffe is ahead of schedule – we will arrive at Cape Horn around midday tomorrow, enjoying the calm waters, and will be met by a pilot ship that evening to be guided through the Beagle Channel back to Ushuaia.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
12 March 2019
Taking the Plunge
We have just explored an Antarctic volcano on Deception Island. This morning we paddled around the coast of the island, including through a choppy passage between a cliff and a high rock. The waves arose from all angles, making for such an exhilarating ride we did it twice. Humpback whales were spotted and playful seals followed our kayaks round the shore where we headed to the remnants of an abandoned whaling station in Whaler’s Bay. Seals everywhere!
We also took the opportunity to go for a polar plunge – stripping down to our togs and running into the freezing water. I managed a couple of strokes before sprinting straight back out. The spectators (which numbered many more than those in their togs) had as much fun watching the spectacle as the swimmers themselves.
In the afternoon, we hiked up to the craters of the volcano. This side of the island was striped in black and white – volcanic pebbles and ice, the small rocks blackening the crater edges.
We are sad to say goodbye to Antarctica as we head back to the Drake Passage. Every moment of this huge adventure will be treasured for our lifetime.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
11 March 2019
Penguin Post
Today we stepped back in time by visiting Port Lockroy, a historic site maintained by Antarctic Heritage Trust’s sister Trust, the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. We explored the station here, Base A, which was established in 1944.
The facilities have been preserved right from the tins of food, to the Reader’s Digest catalogues, to the scientific equipment, as well as sleeping and living quarters.
We mailed postcards to ourselves from Port Lockroy’s famous Penguin Post Office – they won’t make it back to us until November as the staff, (including AHT’s own Conservation Programme Manager Al Fastier), have left for the season.
In the afternoon we kayaked around Argentinean base Almirante Brown Station, to Paradise Bay. The Bay is a stunning vista filled with tall mountains, glaciers, and brash ice on a still harbour. Mike, Mele and I chose to hike up a hill, to view the beauty from above.
After dinner, Nigel gave a riveting presentation about Shackleton’s whisky. Many passengers were keen for a tasting with the bottle he brought along.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
10 March 2019
A Night on Ice
Last night, on a flat, snowy hilltop we made our beds. By beds, I mean digging human-sized holes in the ice and then placing a ‘bivvy bag’ with a mat, sleeping bag and liner in the hole. The view was spectacular, mountains and icebergs resting in the ocean all around us. The colours changed as the sun went down. Mele made a miniature snowman. The clouds cleared and Lana saw shooting stars amidst the twinkling heavens.
During the night there our group experienced varying degrees of sleep and coldness (temperatures down to -2). For me, cold toes in the morning was a small price to pay when you’re waking up in paradise.
This morning we went for a long paddle in Foyn Harbour. This ended with paddling into a rusted shipwreck – the remains of a ship that caught fire and sunk in 1915 carrying barrels of whale oil. More humpback whales and porpoising penguins sighted on our excursions.
In the afternoon we explored Cuverville Island, home to the leftovers of a Gentu penguin colony. Those of us that kayaked had whales surrounding the kayaks and swimming underneath. Some of us got up close and personal to an elephant seal and leopard seals.
We ended with a barbecue on the stern, mulled wine, Nutella doughnuts and whales breaching beside the ship.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
9 March 2019
Whales Ahoy
Another amazing morning in Antarctica. Today we found the whales!
The ship docked up in Charlotte’s Bay – a glassy harbour surrounded by looming white glaciers over black rock, and home to large arctic-blue icebergs. Some icebergs had deep holes or caves in them, and we saw carving inside of one of these cavities.
A pod (if not pods) of humpback whales were breaching metres from our kayaks. A whale came up in front of me, mouth first, and I could make out the balaena and barnacles on its black coat. Some had a bright yellowy-orange colour on the underside of their tail which you could see as the tail came up and rolled into the ocean again.
In the afternoon, zodiacs carried some of us onshore to Portal Point. We saw a big Weddell seal lazing on the ice, fur seals playing around on the water and sliding on the ice, and a lone penguin looking for some friends. Overhead there were dozens of Antarctic shags flying above us.
We have arrived in perfect conditions to spend a night on the ice! After dinner we plan to kayak out to our own camping spot (for the Inspiring Explorers group), dig us some holes in the snow, and hunker down in bivouac sleeping bags for the night. We are all beaming about this rare opportunity.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price.
8 March 2019
Discovering the Wonders of Antarctica
Yep, that’s an iceberg. Today we really discovered the wonders of the Antarctic!
We awoke to find ourselves sailing in front of the South Shetland Islands – huge, mountainous islands of ice, snow and dark rock. Wildlife dotted all along the shores.
Finally, we were able to put all our hard work from kayak training into practise. Plonking down the gangway, and then cruising along in a zodiac, we made our way out to the calm waters of Yankee Bay on Greenwich Island. Getting into a kayak from over the side of a zodiac is much easier than we’d imagined (with many hands to help). Seals and penguins watched us from the shore, as we paddled around the coast.
It was such an amazing experience to be able to see Chinstrap and Gentu penguins, fur seals and Antarctic shags bobbing through the water, swimming alongside the kayaks and entertaining us all. Picture three juvenile seals wrestling with each other on top of an iceberg. One of the many, many highlights was kayaking through brash ice close to the shore.
The glaciers are beautiful – just like paintings. The scale is hard to capture in photographs because they look so flat, but there is a vibrant arctic blue that glows through the ice.
In the afternoon we made it to Half Moon Island. The water was a bit more choppy, and we got the chance to thread through some rocks close to shore. Again, getting up close to wildlife and being absolutely in awe of the mountainous glaciers all around us. We exited the kayaks onshore (bar Alex, who had more photographing to do from the kayak) and walked around the island to get up close to the animals – including a Weddell seal and some elephant seals. We even came across a washed up whale jawbone.
What a day. We are thoroughly fed, as always, and ready for bed.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price.
7 March 2019
Almost in Antarctica
This morning Marco and I saw a whale for about two seconds – it was brown, with a curvy fin, and we’ve had a dozen guesses at what species it could be.
The weather has taken a turn – the waves have become bigger, wilder, crashing over the bow and sending the boat into a pendulum-like motion. On the top deck we have to be extremely careful. The winds can knock you over if you don’t hold onto the rails.
We kitted up in our kayak gear today, in preparation for the adventure that awaits tomorrow. The prep consists of layering up our clothing, getting into a dry suit, pulling on a skirt which attaches to the kayak, securing our life-vest and practising entering the kayak. While all this was going on, it was snowing on the deck. Amazing.
There is a competition on at the moment where we guess the coordinates and day for spotting the first iceberg. No icebergs yet. Tomorrow it’s highly likely.
We’ve had a rundown of the sail plan, subject to change, but the first stop tomorrow is Aitcho Island part of the South Shetland Islands. Home to Chinstrap penguins, fur seals and hopefully an elephant seal or two. We’ll be up nice and early, hopefully in calmer waters, ready to paddle.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price.
6 March 2019
Hitting the Drake Passage
Most of us awoke in our beds to the swaying motion that indicated we had entered the Drake Passage. Notorious for its choppy seas and high swells, we are lucky enough to have only gentle rocking to prepare our sea legs with.
There is dark blue ocean as far as the eye can see, and not much else except mild skies and patches of sun. Caragh, Mele and Lana have found their favourite spot on the boat to watch the waves – the corner of the stern. You feel as if you can touch the waves as they rise up and the boat plunges with the trough.
The day has been filled with presentations about whales, polar photography, binocular use and the interesting birdlife in the region. We have learnt a lot about what we are going to see. A few birds have graced us with their presence – a patterned petrel has been following the boat for some time and a number of albatross were wheeling about the ship.
After dinner we learnt a few maritime superstitions – it’s bad luck to whistle on the ship and it’s good luck to see dolphins. Pirates wore eye patches so that when they raided another ship, they could switch the patch to the other eye below deck (where it’s dark) and their eye would adjust quickly. And you shouldn’t clink your glasses when toasting, you simply clink knuckles while holding your glass.
We are all feeling well. There were a few bouts of seasickness and tiredness, nothing a few patches and naps couldn’t fix.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
5 March 2019
Cast Off
We have cast off on the Akademik Ioffe!
This morning we spent a few hours getting some fresh air by exploring Ushuaia, its hilly streets and bright murals. Feeling refuelled and ready to head South, we made our way to the Port where our docked One Ocean Expeditions vessel awaited – the Akademik Ioffe.
The 117 metre-long boat was built for scientific research and is designed to measure the transmission of sub-surface sound waves. We quickly unpacked our belongings, keen to explore our new home for the next 10 days, introducing ourselves to friendly staff and other passengers – and made for the view as we made an early cast-off.
There’s no better place to say goodbye to the glorious peaks of Ushuaia, than from the deck of a ship. Marco quickly sighted an albatross, and was able to capture the bird take flight.
We are now gliding through the Beagle Channel. The mountains have become silhouettes on a darkening horizon. Waves are calm. Seasickness pills have been taken. Belongings have been secured. The forecast for the Drake Passage is looking ‘benign’, with winds no higher than 20 knots.
Boarding the ship has reinforced anticipation for our next stop – the Antarctic Peninsula.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
4 March 2019
The End of the World
We have touched down in Ushuaia, and everyone is in good spirits. I’m pleased to report that we made it without any serious injuries or lost baggage! In Buenos Aires we were treated to some seriously meaty cuisine and have had ample opportunity to practise our Spanish.
The flight into Tierra del Fuego and the southern-most city of the world Ushuaia, was a feast for the eyes, as we glided over the sharp peaks of mountains spotted with snow, rivers and crater lakes. The air is crisp, refreshing and not too cold, and the sun is beaming down.
We are all spending our down time preparing for the voyage ahead, excited to get on board the vessel tomorrow. A few of us have taken a stroll through the quaint town shops and along the waterfront.
Ushuaia is known as ‘El Fin Del Mundo’, ‘the end of the world’, as it’s the southern-most city in the world and departure point for Antarctic voyages.
Written by Inspiring Explorer Rosanna Price
