fun on the ice

ICE FUN

Its time to leave the ship and go onto the ice shelf.
A basket picks us and drops us on the ice.
After more than a week stuck to the confines of the ship it feels good to be able to stretch the legs and walk on "solid land" again. Even if it is only 2 metres thick with icy (-2C) water below us.







A bit of fun with the camera and some ski goggles.







Mock crevasse rescue with ropes and ice axes. All part of the training for the week long winter holiday trips into the unknown.





One thing that will be happening lots and that is driving the skidoo's around base. Time here to find out how to start and ride one on the snow. Not so easy when you can barely distinguish the snow from anything else.







Our first emperor penguin but definitely not the last.

ice and last sunset

Floating ice fields with the sun setting over the horizon. This was the last sunset. Now the sun will not dip below the horizon and we will be in 24 hours of sunlight for a while. Does anybody know what time it is?






Icebergs are now part of the scenery, all shapes and sizes fill our eyes. Amazing to witness them floating alone in the vast ocean. When the wind blows the temperature drops and still suntan lotion has to be administered.




A vast mass of ice sitting on the surface invades our space for as far as the eye can see, in some parts over 3 metres thick.

Can we get through it???????






No way through for the ship.
I think we will have to wait for a while until the ice blows away with the wind. No one knows how long that will take but if we keep trying to break through we will run out of fuel and have to return to Stanley.





Its Christmas time and the mulled wine and mince pies are available.






Xmas carols sung by the masses and heard only by the unfortunate ones. What a terrible din?????
It might help to break the ice around us that keeps us stuck in this harsh environment.

Nights on the Ernest shackleton

The Ernest Shackleton.






THE HORSE RACING EVENT

A night at the races for charity. We raised over £400 for the charity event. The spectators involved a sumo wrestler, a couple of jockeys, an Arabian sheik, the Queen, a vet and many other horse going characters all dressed in their finery.






A win at last !! One of two that was achieved on the night!!









The horses in all their glory get ready to cross the finish line.








THE COCKTAIL EVENING

The doctor enjoying a relaxing moment at the cocktail evening. Not everyone had brought along their favourite shirts for the occasion but the doctor did not disappoint.








More cocktails at hand, James the Halley chippy with Dave the met fid. Mixing of drinks is definitely not a good idea aboard a floating vessel in the southern seas.




WINE AND CHEESE PARTY

A civilised wine and cheese evening that carried on until the early hours of the morning.

KEP (South Georgia)

KEP from a high point. The base has only about 9 people in the winter. The museum is only open for the summer season when most of the cruise liners enter the bay.








The old whaling factory and museum. The whaling station was built around the start of the 20th century.






Gentoo penguins on the crest of the hill.








A young elephant seal with the big googly eyes










Shackleton's grave












King penguins enjoying the view on the shore of the island








A BBQ for all, the Halley chef Antony taking control of the situation. Suckling pig on the menu.






Time to leave. Next stop Halley. No more greenery for a while.

Bird Island (south orkney islands)

Male fir seal on the move. They have sharp and large incisors, very sharp!!!!


The island has 1000's of seals that cover the jetty and the doorways of the buildings. Broomhandles are used to defend against attacks.



Bite on the leg from a male fir seal that was hiding under the jetty. It came out and took a bite whilst i was collecting cargo. Think it liked the orange colour of the overalls. I hope the seal survives, my blood may be a bit too rich for it!!!!!!


A few stitches needed. Happy to know we have a good doctor, richard, to take care of us all!!!






Overlooking the buildings of bird island which are surrounded by fir seals.






Macaroni penguins nesting on the islands, there are over 14,000 all nesting in the same place. They have yellow hair, the punk rockers of the penguin world.








Colony of macaroni's and an orange figure in the foreground.





The largest bird in the world "the wandering albatross" over 12Kg in weight and over a 3m wing span. They are truly magnificent and so pure and clean....beautiful!!!! All nesting and breeding on this island.

Signy

After leaving Stanley the sail through the drake passage and onto to the antarctic peninsula (south Orkney islands) was much quieter than anticipated. Only 30 % of the FID's felt the need to stay in their cabins for most or all of the day. The light winds that crossed the bow of the ship had a breath taking chill to them although comfort could be found in the sheltered parts. More layers of clothing were definitely needed.


The Signy base is set in a cove on the island and consists of about 4 buildings and accommodates about 8-12 people. It is a summer base only and mainly deals with scientific insight into penguin life. The ship docks about a kilometre out to sea and transports food, goods and people by sea crafts. Namely the Tulla and FRC.





Humping and dumping of hut materials for the replacement of one of the huts was the task for the day. Elephant seals hidden within the cargo are not so easily moved.







the first sight of icebergs around the coast and a colony of Adelle penguins with young at Gourley point.





the second type of penguin on the island was the chinstrap due to its clear chin markings. Both types of penguins nested within the rocky enclave and were ever so watchful of the skuas which would steal their eggs or young given half the chance.

Stanley wildlife

A skua drifting alone and aloft on the high breeze.








some type of duck/geese feeding on the land???








ducks splashing about on the cold clear crystal waters.









A Magellanic going for shelter in its home.









The penguins at gypsy cove (Magellanic) which nest under the ground on the hillside of a grassy cove.










A colony of Gentoo penguins at Bertha's point








Penguins at Bertha's point near to where the ship is docked.






Gentoo penguin on its nest on the ground with its young in between the sheep and fairly close to the beach.













me with the Gentoo penguins





a walk home from the colony along the beach with a beautiful sunset....soft sand through the toes, the things i will miss!!!!!!!

Falkland Islands

The passage to Stanley was calm and took about 3 days. Although saying that there were times when the head gave way to feeling queasy and lying down felt like a safe and secure option. We slept on board the ship at Mare harbour and spent the next three days there. It felt good to be getting back on land again.

The Falkland islands wasn't really like I expected it.

The town of Stanley, which was an hours drive across mostly dirt road, was small and most of the houses were more like tin sheds with corrugated roofs than actual houses. The landscape is desolate, similar to the Scottish highlands but without the bog. The most surprising thing is that the accents are all English and being so far south I didn’t really expect that even though I knew it was a British colony.

The long under developed road, the no insurance policy. Pristine and clear beaches, landmines and partitions.

Broken boats and bars that served only canned alcoholic beverages.

The red buses, telephone and post boxes. The union jack roof. All British.

Walking in the hills, the soldiers that didn’t return.

The weather was surprising gusty but clear leaving behind it a beautiful tinted sun set.