Day 9, 19th March – Sleeping whales and Swimming in Paradise

sh52

Thursday 19 March 2015

Another incredible day in Antarctica! The day got off to a blistery but slow start with relatively few whales and birds along with the news that the winds had blown ice to the shore meaning it was impossible to do a planned landing at Almirante Brown, which is an Argentinian research base used in the summer. Plan B then was to visit the nearby Chilean base Gonzalez Videla (also only used during the summer) at Waterboat Point. A scout boat was sent out and reported that there were too many penguins along the accessible shoreline, and that it would not be safe for us or the birds to proceed with a landing. So we cruised into the Gerlache Strait and around Ronge Island for a while as the staff worked out Plan C …. At the time we were in the tail end of gale-force winds and the narrow Errera channel between the mountains of the Peninsula and Cuverville Island acted as a bit of a funnel meaning we had bone chilling strong winds. I was up on the bridge wing alone on my observation station and despite the absolutely bitter cold it remains a huge highlight in this trip so far. The scenery was absolutely incredible; nothing a camera can capture even comes close to representing the sheer scale and beauty of this landscape. It is a time when you can really see why people continue to return to the Antarctica year after years. The fun however, was only just beginning.
As we approached Cuverville Island we were met by a plethora of humpback whales with sightings being called from all sides. Our Captain Alexey expertly managed to sneak the Plancius up close to three sleeping whales without waking them up which was pretty incredible. In total there were around 20 humpbacks around us against a backdrop of some stunning scenery.

Following this we decided to try again to go to Base Brown, located in a place called Paradise Bay, in order to set foot on the Antarctic continent proper (not just islands) and do the long-anticipated polar plunge. This meant around another hour of sailing, and it turned into an hour that none of us will ever forget. We were cruising among scattered icebergs in a large bay called Andvord Bay. I was just heading down for lunch when I heard Lars whisper “Orca at 11pm” to one of the crew. This triggered a frantic scramble back outside where we stood with binoculars, all thoughts of cold or food gone. Sure enough after a few minutes we saw the unmistakable sight of an orca dorsal fin, followed by another, and then some more. As the staff told the passengers we realised we were looking at what was probably two or three pods of orca with a combined total of around 20 animals including two newborns and several bigger calves and some large adult males with impressively tall dorsal fins. For the next hour we stood, completely captivated by the sleek lines and grace of the orca, again with Captain Alexey carefully manoeuvring the Plancius around the whales. Cameras were clicking and everyone was spell-bound by the experience. We finally sailed away and let the whales go on about their own business, possibly looking for seals or penguins to snack on.

With the orca gone it meant the countdown to our polar plunge had really begun. We sailed back to Base Brown and with a mixture of fear and excitement we heard the announcement that we would be landing and the polar plunge could go ahead. After a brief but soaking Zodiac cruise (with more CTD, Secchi disk and acoustic measurements, ever the scientists we are!) we arrived at Base Brown, a relatively small base at the foot of steep hill which was a a good exercise to climb and provided us with beautiful views across Paradise (bay). As the snowy slope was steep we took the opportunity to slide down it and play in the snow (don’t judge us, we work hard!).

Next up was the plunge. We were faced with an immediate problem as there was no beach meaning we would have to scramble over rocks to get into the freezingly cold sea. With a sense of trepidation we stripped off, in a fashion that could not be described as nimble, and made our way into the icy water. By the time we reached it our feet were freezing from the snow and the slippery rocks were certainly a challenge. We got in and out as fast as we could, all of us peer-pressured into fully submerging beneath the waves in waters around 0°C (remember this is salt water, so it is still liquid at 0°C). The icy water stung our skin and the wind added its teeth just to ensure the cold really set in. After much face making, screams and phrases that cannot be shared we scrambled back out to find that none of us could feel our feet and that our whole bodies were in pain. After putting on clothes, after a fashion, we tried to get back to the landing site as fast as our numbness would allow.

Luckily the zodiacs were lined up to take us back to the ship where we quickly showered and then sat comparing anecdotes and injuries for a while. Dinner was soon served and after the usual post dinner chat about our activities most of us turned in to our warm bunks. All in all it was a completely unforgettable day, full of great moments in a trip that has already been full of excitement.

Scott Thomson (SH student)