The Lazarus Effect
19th March, day 2 in the Drake Passage.
This morning’s breakfast service was far busier. Passengers, including a fair chunk of our own expedition, rose Lazarus-esque from their bunks, significantly less green in the face. The morning announcement claimed a reduced wind speed of 20 knots, a mere breath through a straw compared to the wind equivalent of the descent into hell that was yesterday. Calmer waters, clear skies, and a rapid onslaught of chinstrap penguins greeted us on deck, forcing yesterday’s ills to the backs of our minds.
Our fortuitous day continued, with a sudden cry of “there she blows!” emanating from the bow as a large blow was sighted on the horizon. With our first live large whale sighting (a fin whale), we all rushed to join our on-effort comrades, everyone competing for the praise of Sonja and Lars to see the next marine mammal.
The next opportunity came soon after, accompanied with a lot of opinionated claims amongst one another as to what we had actually seen. Thankfully, these mystery animals were feeling generous and hung about at the surface long enough to pose for some photos. Some hurried discussion and spotting guide analysis later, we decided these were Gray’s beaked whales, an incredibly fortunate sighting. So rare indeed that not even our glorious leader Sonja had seen these animals yet, essentially the marine mammal equivalent of being the last turkey on Boxing day [a bit of artistic licence here…].
Following lunch, the cetacean sightings continued, with hourglass dolphins spotted on two occasions. Seabird sightings were also coming in thick and fast. The group is now confidently discerning between blue petrels and prions. Special mention must be made to top Welsh birder, David, who has provided crucial tips and assisted with spotting. As a thank you, we’re all hoping to spot a snow petrel for him, or at least buying him a drink in the bar.
Like the many varied menus on the Plancius, today provided a plethora of weather. From practically sunbathing in the morning sun to a more stereotypical Antarctic scene of a snowstorm in the afternoon, we were getting a real taste of the range of weather Antarctica enjoys. While the snow was certainly picturesque, the novelty did soon wear off. The numbers of visible birds and animals depleted soon after, bringing a fitting end to our day. All that remained was for our sit-down dinner, including the traditional requests for seconds rising from the vegetarians.
Tomorrow’s surveying includes an early start for some, as we are beginning our expeditions onto the continent! Preparation for these trips included some vacuuming of our clothing and bags for misplaced seeds to prevent any possible contamination of the Antarctic. Certainly the oddest use of a Henry Hoover I’ve ever found use for.
(written by Aran Garrod)
