Jan. 5: Aloha from Antarctica

January 5th, 2011

Aloha from Antarctica,

I just noticed I got my dates wrong yesterday since I looked at my watch after midnight. So yes, today really is the 5th of January. A long four-day journey has finally come to a close after passing through the straits of Magellan and the Drake Passage. 

I awoke this morning after doing an XBT survey until 04:00 in the morning to see the beautiful mountains and glaciers that are Antarctica. Unfortunately, to my surprise we were still in the open ocean trying to save time and making a faster trip. 

I ate my breakfast/lunch and went up on deck and finally got a glimpse of the land through the fog and clouds.  We spotted some birds (sorry I do not know what they were) and three humpback whales spouting and diving, which is indicated by their flukes popping up in the air, along with a group of Adelei penguins swimming away from the ship.

One of the scientists had to deploy some equipment in the water so we slowed down and let her pump some water on board and make sure everything was operating correctly. We resumed our speed and prepared for our arrival approximately 30 minutes later.  I am not sure how to explain our arrival other than it being surreal. 

There was a low cloud layer that made everything grey, but there was still enough light to make the islands and mainland of Antarctica glow with a “godlike feel,” as one of the scientists put it.  We could see Palmer station set against a backdrop of glacier, granite rock and enclosed bay. 

Everyone, even people who had been down here before, were on deck or outside the bridge taking video and pictures of each other and their surroundings. As the captain backed the ship into the dock at Palmer Station, we could see a penguin community, a southern elephant seal community and an enormous glacier surrounding us. 

The small community of Palmer Station was out at the dock waiving and greeting us as the crew cast out our lines and pulled us in tight. Honestly, everyone felt like school children running around the playground.  I guess we really never do grow up.

The place where the ship docks, is a little fjord or valley that used to have a glacier extending down almost to the aft section of the boat.  There are 4 zodiacs (inflatable boats/rafts) in the water that can be taken out to do sampling or deploy instruments from, and a pier for the ship and other tourist vessels that pull up. 

There are 5 or 6 buildings where people live and work along with antennae for communication and storage tanks for fuel and water. Once we arrived we got a briefing on station rules and what the schedule was going to be for the next day. 

After taking a tour of the station and getting our Internet passwords and room assignments, we returned to the ship for dinner. Sadly, this will be our last meal on board.  We also made sure that our underwater vehicles were moved in the Palmer Station lab and plugged in. 

Then we got to go climb the glacier behind the station. To our left was a huge glacier that was cracking and rumbling and to our right was a view of the southern extent of the Antarctic Peninsula.  We took a lot of pictures and video and then returned to the station to hang out with the station crew and boat crew for a relaxing night together. 

Almost forgot: there was a leopard seal lounging on a small iceberg 100 meters off the shore and there were two Gentoo penguins hanging at the water line as we walked around the station. What a welcoming.  We did learn that we had to sleep on the boat tonight, so one more night of kinked necks and backs.