Tim January 22nd, 2008

December 14th 2007

Surreal Light

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As the day progressed, the weather made a change for the better from the moodiness of the morning. Now with the sky breaking and leaving holes of light streaming down on to the landscape below, the drama was unfolding. We were ready with cameras in hand despite the frosty winds coming from the bow. Port Lockroy was a bit too moody for us photographically. We were looking forward to some photogenic moments beaming from the sky and we were not to be disappointed.

Neumayer Channel

Solitary Drift

It took a few hours of cruising before coming to the next destination of Orne Harbour. Guarding the mouth of the harbour, is the relatively small Spigot Peak. We see the impressive dog tooth promontory from Polar Star the icebreaker as we entered the harbour. Sheer cliffs are descend from summit to coast line unabated by any horizontal planes what so ever. Yes, that peak looked to be a challenge, perfect for an afternoon jaunt. I just hoped that the weather was going to continue to improve so that we might get a clear, uninhibited view from the top. The plan, for those who are keen on getting a little way off the water line and feel up to the challenge of a moderately steep snow slope, is to ascend the less dramatic back side. We would be guided by one of the ships mountaineering staff, Florian Piper leading the way with more of the ships outdoor guides bringing up the rear.

Spigot Peak

As we entered the harbour the dramatic scenery unfolded before us, with the clouds parting as if on cue for our arrival, bringing forth vistas unseen by us from such a close proximity. On the opposite shore from Spigot peak, the Arctowski mountain range vaulted straight from the water to unknown heights. With such a grand presence we stopped our conversations to take it all in. The clouds and spindrift are swirling over and around the massive summit, partially veiling the impressive massif from view.

Mount Arctowski

Arctowski Summit

Summit Mood

"Things are looking up" I am thinking, the hike looks like it might be a go, with blue sky opening up and raising the temperatures to the point of peeling a layer or two of clothes off.

Getting a chance to see from a higher vantage point with surroundings like this, created a deep anticipation within me. A familiar sensation, something I have felt before every adventure that posed possible dangers of the unknown, a mixture of fear, curiosity and challenge. This will be a new peak for all of us. It was a suggestion by Florian to try going for the top not long before arriving here. I guess he had been eyeing this one peak on previous excursions to this harbour.

Orne Harbour

The further we ventured into the caldera shaped bay the more the surrounding peaks opened themselves up to our evermore engaged eyes. Mist, shadow and brilliant light, all of it changing with the rapid movement of the winds still blowing in from the strait. Everywhere you looked things changed to new and ever more impressive visages. The power of this landscape has not diminished at all, despite our being here already close to a week. I wanted to see more and more and was not looking forward to heading home just yet.

Hidden Peak

Orne Harbour, Spigot Peak on the left

Again the anchor went down with the now familiar clanking of steel chain deep into unknown depths close to shore. The water was so clear it seemed bottomless, with a inviting azure blue beaconing us to come and explore. I chose to try for the summit of Spigot Peak, while Debbie considered the photo options available from the water level vantage point. She wanted to get shots of some of the seals spied by some of us upon entering the harbour. I wished her luck and with a kiss, hopped onto the zodiac bound for shore and a mountain adventure. I had bought a basic type of crampons for just this type of mountain slopes and was happy to feel that my foot steps would be all the more secure on the steep slopes of the back side. Having been on a few mountains before, I had some Idea of what was in store terrain wise. As we progressed across the bay I looked down at my fellow trekker’s footwear and then up at the ensuing slopes and was just a bit concerned. All of them were wearing various types of rubber boots, some insulated, some not. What concerned me somewhat was that rubber boots are great for getting on and off of zodiacs but on snow laden talus strewn slopes of a moderately steep nature it seemed a bit dicey. I could tell most of these folks hadn’t been on many mountain slopes and had no real idea how serious a misstep could be with such minimal gear. I chose not to think of the potential unrestricted 150 meter glissade over sharp rocks back down to the bottom shore. Instead I focused on the potential sights to be had in the very near future once we get close to the summit.

Florian Piper,     Mountain Guide

I am on the last zodiac and at the rear of the boat when disembarking on to shore. Needless to say this put me in the rear of the procession looking upward at close to 30 trekkers bound for the top. It was slow going, one step then wait a minute, then a few more steps and so on, slowly ascending the snow and rock strewn slope heading for the saddle between two peaks, one of which is Spigot peak. The slowness of the procession made me think of the pace that climbing Everest would have been like but in that case more due to the lacking of oxygen than slippery rubber boots. I was glad that they were taking their time really. This allowed me plenty of time to look around and zip off lots of shots during the slog skyward. Amazingly as we gazed up we could discern the familiar toddling of penguins, 200 meters above us! I am wondering why are they all the way up there? It looked windy and colder then many other seemingly more habitable spots closer to their food source on the oceans shore. WOW, these guys are something else. Mountain penguins! Well, I guess not many predators are going to hike that slope to get a meal.

Summit Bound

As we switch back and forth the saddle comes nearer, bringing thoughts of what the other side is going to look like from that vaulted vantage point. The views to the rear, over the bay are becoming ever clearer as the clouds diminish and our horizons expand over the encompassing mountain peaks in the distance. I am more breathless from the view then from the slow plod as I take in the vista. The Polar Star an icebreaker is looking more like a reddish spot nearer the distant shore then a ship able to hold 150 passengers. It is surrounded by comparatively large icebergs jockeying for space around the hull, sometimes grinding their way along the sides with a growling type sound, hence the name "growler" for that size of iceberg.

Growler  iceberg

Summit Bound II

As we ascended the snow steps to the saddle the slope abated somewhat making things easier. The view from the ridge is only minutes away. I guess the view has always been a big motivator for me, no matter how many summits I complete. The view from a summit allows for a unique perspective and only to those that choose to make the effort to get there. Almost an exclusive club of our own making, this creates camaraderie, a common experience to be had with the other fellow trekkers and mountaineers.

Hurry Up!

Cruz n’ Talus

Almost there

Upon reaching the saddle, I realized that there is a storm approaching from the far side with ominous black lines scouring the olive green ocean below. From my small experience at sea, I recognized this as high winds coming our way. How high, I was not sure until some minutes later. With some caution I proceeded along the saddle ridge heading for the upper slopes. Most of the trekkers were already high above me on a talus slope nearing the summit. Looking behind me I perceived more dark gray clouds ascending over the distant ridge heading in our direction. While situated in a fairly exposed area looking down on both sides the wind hit, knocking me down on to my knees while I am shielding both Nikon cameras with my hands. The blast of wind continued unabated for 5 minutes convincing me that maybe it was a good time to head back as it was hard to even stand.  I wasn’t alone. A few of the other members just in front of me were convinced that maybe this wasn’t the best day to be up here either. Fortunately the majority of us were higher up and on a lea slope not experiencing the full blast of the winds that we had and were unaware how strong the squall was. They continued on eventually to reach the summit. This is one of those points in life that we all experience, where you see that you are in a crossroads situation. You are the only one that can make the decision to head back down to safety, or add a bit of risk to achieve unknown sights and challenges. In the past I had always been one to put risk aside and push on with too many freaky stories to regale as a result. Well age being the better part of wisdom, I choose to head back down and watch what happens from below.

Storm Front

As I turned around, I went over the logic of my decision, including the sentiment that I would never likely get the chance to see this again. Maybe I was being hasty in my turning around. These are all thoughts that assail me, thoughts that I usually dismiss. I was adamant that I was not going to regret this downward decision and that I wouldn’t dwell on it later. I only hope that the others won’t be getting into a situation over their head as the clouds and wind approach and that they make it back to the ship intact. 

Mountain Rookery

Minutes before the oncoming squall I had the chance to marvel at the Chinstrap Penguins lodged on pebble nests at close to 200 meters above the ocean below. The rookery composed of 200 plus penguins hung perilously on the edge of the long slope back in the direction from which we had come. I had to wonder why they choose to nest this far up? It seems a huge effort on their part.

Approaching Squall and nesting penguins

Chinstrap Penguins on summit ridge

Arctowski Summit

Arctowski Point

While heading back down I take some time to capture some of the moody drama created by the oncoming squall on the far mountain slopes. The descent being fairly easy, I was on shore waiting for the coming zodiac occasionally looking upwards to see how things were working out for the rest of the group. As it turns out the squall ended up being violent for the first wave of wind and then abating to the point of blue skies opening up not long after. Seeing this was tough and I tried not to chide myself with regret. At least I got to shoot a few shots of the fortunate ones on the top looking over the distant sights with awe.

Summit Team on Spigot Peak

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim January 13th, 2008

December 14th 2007

Story and images by Debbie Garside 

This afternoon we had a choice to climb Mount Spigot or take a Zodiac tour. After checking out the spindrift coming off Spigot’s peak, I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and would leave the climbing to Tim. However, this time I was determined to get on the zodiac that was driven by expedition photographer ‘Danny’. The other drivers/marine biologists/historians were great, but when it came to finding the ‘money’ shots, Danny was the best. After strategically jumping place in the line of passengers I managed to position myself in the right boat.

Negotiating the Brash Ice

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We began with an excursion towards the huge hanging glaciers to look for seals on the ice bergs. Pushing through the ‘brash ice’ was fun and we came upon several crab-eater seals but they were partially hidden and would not be coerced into displaying themselves for the entourage of zodiac tourists. All the while I kept looking up at the precarious cornices and groaning glaciers, whose previously calved pieces were the size small buildings, and wondering… how big are the waves from calving glaciers? Instantly a vision of a tsunami-swamped zodiac comes to mind and I am grateful to hear Danny’s suggestion of heading to the adjacent bay.

Summit Cornice

I can not emphasize enough how insignificant one feels next to these immense glaciers. It only enhances the already eerie feeling of remoteness inherent in the Antarctic experience. Upon entering the un-named bay we were treated to spectacular mountains with glacial caves where ice meets ocean. Spindrift and frequent small avalanches remind us of our tenuous occupation here. Minutes before our scheduled return time we spotted some Weddell seals basking on the nearby ice-shelf! Danny tried to reach our expedition leader via two-way radio to get permission to stay out longer but alas she did not answer. We all agreed it was better to beg for forgiveness than miss this opportunity, so Danny steered for the shore (all the time concocting a story about a little outboard engine trouble). A VERY wet landing on the rocky shore of the 7th continent proved to be worth while, as we photographed the nonchalant poses of several beautiful Weddell seals.

Glacial Caves

Weddell Seal

Since this was an unplanned landing we had no anchor to secure the zodiac on the beach so poor Danny had to act as human anchor, hanging on in knee high waves while his passengers took advantage of an all too brief exploration of shore and seals. The zodiac began to buck and pull with growing waves and an ensuing storm with high winds, so Danny hurried us all back into the craft. As we pulled out of the bay to return to the Polar Star we were excited to see the brave climbers summit Spigot Peak. We all gave them a group wave and a cheer via radio and I thought proudly that Tim was among them. 

Spigot Peak

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Tim January 12th, 2008

December, 14th 2007

A Moody and Snow Laden Morning

Deep Blue

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Early in the morning the Polar Star sailed down Neumayer Channel as thick snow descended from the heavily laden skies making photography difficult. The large snow flakes transformed into water blobs on my exposed lens, inspiring constant lens cloth application with the hope that the next shot would be unblemished and clear. The light was moody, dark and mystical as we thrummed down the waterway, the diesel engines loud in the quietude of the moment.

Aqua Blue

Despite the current weather, we were excited with the anticipation of a new location soon to be explored. I am still in awe of being here in an environment with deep moods and expressive landscapes, unaffected by human intervention. I feel small as we enter the harbour. We are very much at the whim of the land. To live here, I think, you would need to develop a way of introspective listening, where the smallest vibrations reverberated a sense of changes to come. An almost spiritual perspective based on vague tingling of the mind. Something often dismissed by us in our civilized, loud and blunt city environments. A new feeling and sensation that is available if only we would listen.

Glacial Edge

Viewed from the bow, slowly a grouping of small islands emerged through the meager visibility. On one such island a small architecturally antique building stood. Looking to be of somber, dark tones with brick red trim giving life to what might otherwise be a depressing looking lodging. I am all too aware that this feeling comes predominantly from the present state of dim lighting and quiet. It might be a spectacularly situated postal station, if only we could see beyond the far shore and allow the potentially amazing mountainous surroundings to reveal themselves. Not far from Goudier Island, we once again throw our anchor into the bay,the chain rattling through the silence, finding a good hold within the sandy bottom only a few fathoms below.

Our Zodiacs are ready and being driven by our now familiar crew mates, we head off into the speckled gray seascape bound for adventures we have yet to behold on the near shores of a mostly rocky and snow covered Island. This being a rookery for many different types of penguins, birds and a few lounging seals thrown into the mix.

Port Lockroy,  Goudier Island

The first thing that comes to the fore when gazing at the few feet in front of us are the large skeletal remains of whales long forgotten. The light of the moment is so dull and uninspiring I forgo taking any images of this historical reminder of the whaling industry’s long presence here. The stark reality of our past and the dim lighting set a tone for me that was, for the moment, a little depressing. I chose to trudge on in search of more enlivening things to focus on.  Squinting ahead and following dull rust colored guano trails, we come to a gully thriving with life. Gentoo Penguins were trundling everywhere in such a comical way that it can only bring forth a comical mood. Situated in the middle of this mass of wobbly penguin movement is a stoic elephant seal looking more like a large rock protruding from the fresh snow. They are so well disguised that it would be easy to walk right by them, unless your eye caught some subtle movement that gave her whereabouts away. Again, due to the dull and uninspiring light I chose not to photograph this moment. Now as I write this, I register a small regret in the back of my mind.  

Prayer Penguin

Friendly Gentoo Penguin

Port Lockroy is a historical base that was established in 1943 as a secret WWII military operation for the British called "Tabarin" Its objective was to observe perceived German maneuverings. For the most part I understand that the men stationed here were pretty much out of the field of action for the duration of the war. After the war this base was handed over to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Initially, it was used for the scientific research of biology, geology, survey and meteorology, However, as of 1950 it focused on atmospheric studies, researching the various layers of the atmosphere involved in radio wave propagation. The base was occupied continuously until 1962, after which it was abandoned.

Port Lockroy,  Goudier Island

Old Time Pantry

Image by Debbie Garside

Coal Stove

Image by Debbie Garside

Restoration began in 1996 by the BAS and the base is now used as a penguin research station as well as a museum circa 1950 era. It was restored complete with food goods and various types of equipment used during that time. All around the station were nesting Gentoos, Snowy Sheathbills and brown Skuas. One of the current operation’s duties was to keep track of the local populations of penguins. They found that compared to areas unoccupied by humans, there seemed to be no discerning affect to their presence.  From my perspective, the penguins are not overly afraid of anything human-oriented happening around them. They were more curious than afraid.

Happy penguin

Nesting Rock and Boat Shed

Once we finished buying some T-shirts and mailing some post cards to friends and family from the most southerly post office in the world, we again loaded back in to the zodiacs to return to the Polar Star so that we might embark on our next adventure in the afternoon at Orne Harbour. There, some of us will attempt to climb a smaller mountain called Spigot Peak, while others will be exploring various fiords looking for interesting things to observe.

As we pulled anchor on the port side there was a large iceberg complete with mid-swimming pool of turquoise blue and multitudes of gentoo penguins lounging on the ice, or sometimes jumping into the ocean. It looked like a penguin playground.

Penguin Playground

Local Swimming Hole

Image by Debbie Garside 

so stay tuned for the next excerpt  "100km winds, While Climbing Spigot Peak "

as well as a chapter from Debbie Garside complete with her own images

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim January 6th, 2008

December 13th 2007

Polar Star’s Wake

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After spending a night on the "hook" in calm and peaceful Neko Harbour, we pulled up anchor before breakfast and headed back into Gerlache Strait and into Errera Channel for a landing on Danco Island. Again, while on route to the next new destination we encountered Minke whales flagging their dorsal fins and flukes at us from afar. To bad, this is when I really wanted a longer lens!!….Oh well…there was no room in my pack and there was a weight restriction on the airline coming down here. Just the same it would have been nice to get a chance to capture one of these ocean giants for my collection of images on this trip ( Debbie, has some, maybe I will post them later ). The Antarctic is just overwhelmingly full of life, in the air, in the sea and on the land. Nowhere that you looked, did you see true desert-like desolation. True, it is a very harsh environment 75% of the time but life has flourished despite these difficulties. I had no idea to what extent this was to be the case upon embarking on this adventure. I would recommend this trip for any of those wishing to see land in it’s rawest form and those who want to get a true sense of the natural vibration of the world undistorted by human influence. This experience is a rare opportunity and I am not too sure how long it will last.

Tim Schumm,      Neko harbour

There is this awareness within me as well, that my very being here is shaping things to come. More and more tourists (30,000 this summer) and ships will be coming here, this being the new tourist frontier and the profits are good I imagine. Then of course, there will be the accidents such as the "Explorer" sinking mere weeks before our arrival. This has got to have drastic effects on the nearby landmasses and shorelines. Never mind, deep below, where our eyes remain shrouded from the true under sea effects. I am torn between my deep interest in exploration and my understanding of its ramifications. The fact is as humans we are the only ones that have the capacity to see and comprehend this conundrum. Hopefully this bodes well for the wisdom that we need to develop and to survive our own ignorance.

Big Little

Once arriving here in the Bay next to Danko Island we began the usual preparations for disembarking to the next penguin rookery. Unbeknownst to us at the time, we would never get the chance to land…

For photographic purposes I wanted to get a better look at many of the stunning shapes and sizes of the icebergs lodged in this bay, while others were keen on seeing more penguins and seals in their natural habitats. Generally the ships crews do a great job of accommodating the various levels of interest and managed to devote different zodiacs to different pursuits. This one, however, was going to experience its own unique adventure long before reaching land. Pierre, the zodiac operator from South Africa, was a marine scientist and had his own interests, which came into play not long after zooming in the direction of shore zigzagging around here and there through huge Icebergs to reach our goal. About midway we became aware of a large Leopard Seal coming our way and showing an uncommon interest in us and our INFLATABLE Zodiac. This female was far from small, approximately the same length as our skiff which, incidentally, felt very small now. She probably weighed in at over 1 ton and swam as though she was weightless. Her effortless maneuvers toward us were fascinating in itself, much like an underwater ballet. "KEEP YOUR HANDS IN!!!" yells Pierre! "This is a carnivore! She will take your hands off in a flash, if you’re not careful!" She did not have any observable fear. In fact, she was VERY curious….What kind of curious I wonder? Meal Time!…..I hope not!….. Pierre was very skilled at keeping the large seal close for us but not so close that it had a chance to jump on board and have some snacks for lunch. 

Two Friends

Leopard Seal,                                                                        

by Debbie Garside

Leopard Seal Lunch…..faster the better!

He backed up, did circles and zoomed forward when the time deemed necessary. Not that the seal couldn’t keep pace but more to keep our actions less predictable and less likely a platform for mounting. She was tricky too, she would zoom straight at us aware that we could see her, then zoom underneath seemingly to the other side…..but nooooo… while under there, she would come out from the same side she had approached us from and quickly come to the surface to catch us unaware, hopefully.  We were being stalked and tested. There was no doubt about it. Pierre, being the marine scientist, was caught up in his own interests, as were we, so the game continued for close to a hour. Like two dogs play biting. At the end of the hour the Leopard Seal was familiar enough with us to try taking a test snack of our INFLATABLE BOAT. Below you will see a shot just before the test bite.  Finally she managed to catch us right in the rear, leaving a small hole, well really more like a pin prick.

Bite Me!

Teeth and more teeth                                                    

by Debbie Garside

That was it, we thought it was a good time to head back, the fun time being over……oh yeah…..that was my kind of experience….a little dangerous! So in the end, we never reached land and the ice bergs would have to wait for the next day!

85 % Deep

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim January 2nd, 2008

December 12th 2007

The Gap,    Polar Star

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Andvord Bay

As we cruise further down Gerlache Strait and into Andvord Bay we pass a few Minke and Humpback whales taunting us with their flukes raised high but, unfortunately, at a distance that my 18-200mm lens could not capture adequately. I chose instead to just watch and enjoy. Sometimes feeling the need to record everything in my camera keeps me from having a more relaxed experience with what is happening at the moment. Ahhhh………there is still plenty more to see and the trip was just starting!

As the ship glides into the bay, past huge headwalls of ice periodically peeling off chunks as big as homes, we find anchor at a safe distance and for the first time hear the chortling of the Gentoo penguins which take up residence here in Neko Harbour. Then the smell hits……a scent that we will become accustomed to as the landings on Antarctica continue. I can’t say that it was horrendous, rather a distinct aroma that you didn’t want to bring back to the cabin to experience more fully. The ship’s crew was very conscientious with deterring transport of foreign substances either way. We had to wear our landing boots that were thoroughly cleaned before disembarking and then once again upon arriving back on board later in the day. These boots were left in a boot/drying room for the duration of the trip.

Loading the Zodiac

The Camera’s are Loaded

Gentoo Penguin Rookery

Once on shore via the Zodiac skiffs we were given instructions not to approach the penguins closer then 5 meters. The penguins seemingly had no real reaction to our invading their rookery. Well, they were more curious in us than anything and would for the most part go on with their business of making stone nests and maintaining their eggs. The nests were comprised of many small stones gathered from here to there, picked up by the mate it seems. Later delivered to the female already sitting on some semblance of a nest many generations old. The male often stealing a small stone from one of the less attentive adjacent nests and bringing home the new prize! I have not found that this technique works well with the human female where new is better. But in a land where small stones are not that frequent it seems to satisfy the partner and the male looks like he is doing his job. Hmmm I wish it were that easy at home, shuffling dishes from one side of the sink to the other!

Penguin Gossip

Family Discussion

It is difficult watching these penguins and not to anthropomorphize the scenarios unfolding before us. They seem to have many basic human qualities, in a goofy sort of way. The caring for one another with beak nudging snuggles, creating a home and the waddling walk that seems to get them through the toughest terrain, albeit not gracefully. When overwhelmed by some sort of obstacle they plop down on their bellies and push themselves over whatever it is with their clawed hind feet. Often this was because we humans made deep impressions in the snow with our boots big enough for the penguins to stumble into. They had established penguin highways going in most directions which were smooth and flowing making it easier for them to access whatever job they were embarking on. We tried to stay clear of these snow ruts so as not to hinder them any more then necessary

Penguin Highway

Neko Harbour

Tsunami Wall

Feeling Small

While Many of us were entertaining the penguins with our antics, some of us took the optional hike to the top of an adjacent hill to get the distant view. From this vantage point it became even more apparent just how mountainous this terrain really was. Most of it being covered with huge glaciers at unknown depths. The drama unfolding before us was awesome. Many of us sitting there taking it in for over an hour before setting back on the descending trail to the shore and ship

Summit View of Neko Harbour

Far Below

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim December 27th, 2007

December 12th 2007

Enterprise Island in Wilhelmina Bay

Latitude 64

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Neko Harbour I

As Polar Star completed the crossing of the Drake passage, the rocking and rolling subsided as did my sea sickness. We entered the calmer Gerlache Strait early that morning. Our destination is Enterprise Island in Wilhelmina Bay and Neko Harbour, Latitude 64 32′ South, Longitude 062 20′ West.  The day was surprisingly warm at +3 C , much warmer then the -15 C temperature in Alberta, Canada when we had left, just a week ago. 

Up until this point I had been in a horizontal position in my bunk estimating the hours that remained for this crossing to be completed, so that I might feel somewhat better physically and regain my original enthusiasm for this adventure. Yellow being my current skin coloring having recovered from spring green. I am now hoping for a pleasant rosy color once we embark on the first Antarctic landing not long after breakfast.

Early that morning before the breakfast announcements on the intercom Debbie has been enthusiastically tearing the velcroed window blinds from their mooring with a more then irritating ripping sound that was not improved by my present yellowish state of mind. Ahhhh yes, Debbie is a early bird and all the more early when the sun does not set! She was beside herself with excitement and couldn’t wait to see some of the vast sights promised us. At this point we are just a week away from the longest day of the year down here. The sun just ducks down below the horizon for what seems mere minutes before beckoning us to wake yet again to enjoy the glorious sunrise. It seems a bizarre concept that I can photograph the sunset and sunrise within a hour of each other. Although as a photographer, this is of course a perfect time of the year having the sun at it’s lowest point for extended periods of time, giving us continuous and fabulous long shadowed panoramas bathed in the warm light of the evening or morning as you would have it. This warm lighting creates a wonderful contrast to the stark Cerulean blues cast by various ice chunks floating their way to eventual oblivion somewhere beyond the horizon. The play of warm and cool tones was what I was hoping for, as this to me creates wonderful visual excitement combined with the right compositions.

As I threw my feet to the floor I did a mental and physical check……was I feeling better? Hard to say, I was sitting upright, I wasn’t dizzy and disoriented…..hmmm…..time for the galley test. As I had mentioned earlier once the sea sickness subsided no amount of rocking or rolling set me off again, I was good to go! The breakfast was fantastic, as had all the meals been up to this point. The kitchen staff and chef were top notch in my book. I was never happier to be enjoying a meal.

Disembarkation

Ice Headwall

This will be the first time we have disembarked for land since leaving Ushuaia 2 days ago. There are around 20 Zodiac inflatables with 60hp Yamaha outboards ready for these twice daily excursions to shore. Once there on land we have a few different options for exploration. All of the landings are areas where there a numerous types of fauna to watch and photograph or if you choose there are hikes to some of the surrounding areas. Sometimes there are small summits to be conquered of 300 meters or so. This was my favorite exploit, a time to stretch the legs and see what is on the other side. All my life I have been enamored with the "other side" finding wonder and vastness but no answers, and yet I am still intrigued. The third option at times, is exploring via the Zodiac to some of the near bays, penguin rookeries or just shapely Ice sculptures beckoning to be recorded by the occasional photographer.  Today it was moodily calm and reflections were to be had at every turn as the zodiac slid at an idling pace through the small and ever changing passages in the "brash ice". My camera was more at my eye then at my side, this unique and tremendously abstract landscape cannot leave you without deep impressions of a land yet unaffected by human manipulations. The stark power and rhythm of the environment here envelops your very being to the point that feeling the vibrations of the land is a visceral experience.  In an effort to allow you a small sense of what we are experiencing I hope that these images will give you a feel of all that we are immersed in.

Neko Harbour II

Latitude 64

After exploring various nooks and crannies of the undulating coastlines here within Wilhelmina Bay we come upon the sunken and burned hulk of the Wreck Guvernoren, a 3400 ton Norwegian Whaling factory ship that was built in 1891 as a cargo ship and converted for the use as a factory ship in 1914. The ship caught fire and was beached in 1915 right here where we found her, half submerged but amazingly intact for the length of time at this location. Upon looking within the rusting hull you could discern the stern planks far below the surface of the water. The clarity of the sea here was amazing where seemingly there is no limit to the depths unveiled.

The Wreck Guvernoren

Wilhelmina Bay

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim December 20th, 2007

December 10th 2007

Beagle Channel and through the Drake Passage

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The first day on Polar Star was spent mostly cruising through the Beagle Channel en route For the Drake Passage. For the most part we had reasonable weather sea wise but the photo opportunities were rather dull due to the over cast skies and dull coloring. Not one to be daunted by the lack of subject matter I thought that I would practice my skills with bird shots as they were hovering about the stern of the ship and presenting me with a subject matter that I had not really been giving much energy up to this point, primarily being a landscape photographer.

Pintado Petrels

These photos posted here are not the ones with the dull background described earlier, mostly because that was the 2000 images that it took for me to get something that was reasonable to present here. It was a bit frustrating to get my eye/camera to match the challenge of capturing birds flying at speed, twisting turning and diving into the sea at the last moment. never mind the rocking of the ship on top of that. What? My horizon is not horizontal? Ha-ha I was lucky to get a bird never mind something horizontal. Never the less I am stubborn, if not a little blurry eyed after 5-6 hours of the digital learning experience. Yes, it was sunset before It all came together. After trying various settings in the menu on the Nikon D80 and 18-200mm VR lens. My percentage of success improved and I could then start to focus on getting a composition, as well as the birds in some kind of focal order.

Pintado Petrel

Giant Petrel

Giant Petrel

This last shot is Debbie’s of a Blackbrowed Albatross shot with her Nikon D70s and Nikon 70-300mm VR lens. A much better lens for the job magnification wise but just as difficult to get the proper focus in time. The auto focus on our cameras was not quite as fast as required and did a lot of searching before locking in. Doing it manually was a option but the rate of success was no better. The best choice we had was to shoot like crazy and hope for the best.

Blackbrowed Albatross                                   image by Debbie Garside

The next posting will be missing a day. It was stormy for our Drake Channel crossing and I was more horizontal then anything. Although I did try to make it to the galley for breakfast in the morning telling myself that seasickness was all in the mind and it was just a matter of focus in order to continue as before. But as god willed it I was running for the door within a minute and diving for the deck my determination awash in nausea. Debbie having sensibly worn the the seasickness patch had to deal with my "natural remedy state" for only a day before I recovered wearing my sea legs. I was never seasick again throughout the rest of the journey.

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim December 19th, 2007

December 9th ,2007

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The Polar Star leaves promptly in the morning from Ushuaia, registering us into our cabins and lofting our back packs and luggage via the dock hoist on to the upper deck to be delivered to our assigned cabins. The morning is a day of broken skies displaying spot lights of sun on the surrounding mountains. We are excited with all the hustle and bustle around us on all the various levels of the ship’s decks. Having never been on a seafaring ship of this size, all of it was new and filled with anticipation as well as thoughts of the possible rough seas to come while crossing the infamous Drake Passage. As a child I had read many a seafaring story expressing the serious nature of the environment that we were entertaining to venture into. Stories of sailors sailing single handed into the Straits of Magellan and rolling over several times braking their masts and lashing them on to their decks in huge waves trying as they might to enter the Pacific currents just west of our current position of safety here in the port of Ushuaia. Having just heard via the news and many concerned emails from friends and family that a ship of similar size and stature was sunk just a week before our disembarking, did not quell the queasiness in my stomach.

Right from the start though, my mind was set somewhat at ease by the confident jovial nature of the staff. With smiling faces and suntanned heads as they ushered us through the daily goings on with efficiency and cheer. I was glad to see that the staff was well picked although slightly eccentric, even though I had only just a first impression as of this time. They seemed to be well versed in a variety of disciplines, well suited to the environment to which we were destined. In fact one of the expedition staff claimed that this was his working holiday away from his usual profession of biology and that this was a great way to see aspects of animal and marine life that would be far more costly by any other means. And while looking after the needs and concerns of the paying customers was just as interesting to him and fulfilling in a way that the home employment may not have been.

This type of excursion was not the type ventured into by the dull and boring. It was filled with adventure types, spanning all ages and with a vast collective knowledge that made these trips interesting for the staff as much as for the customers. As the stories of interesting lives unfolded at dinner times , various hikes or on some of the sometimes wild white knuckled Zodiac rides to shore, I was astounded by the huge and consummate level of traveling knowledge ensconced on board. These were my kinda folks!

Some images to wet your appetite for the stories yet to come………..

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• Tim Schumm
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Tim December 6th, 2007

Dec 04-07 2007

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After driving for 4 1/2 hours from Punta Arenas, Chile on mostly good roads we arrived at our Hosteria ( Hosteria Lago del Torre) in Torres del Pine National Park at around midnight. The last 2 hours on a windy washboard road that jarred my teeth from their lodgings. Although we knew we were driving though some of the most dramatic landscape on this planet we would have to wait like children at Christmas till the early morning to get a true sense of where we had arrived. For the most part the final 30 minutes were a bit stressful, in part due to the unknown extreme windiness of the road exposed to the extreme, and with parts descending into unforeseen depths just inches from our tires as well as the frequent startled rabbits racing the headlights for safer land in front of the car…..get out of the way!! go left, go right, but not the same direction as us! There were plenty of the flatter versions of rabbit from previous unconcerned Chileans driving at side slipping speeds far in front of us. Debbie was white knuckled with concern in the passenger seat for the rabbits or any other unknown being to invade our headlights. This putting all the more pressure on me and my purported “male” driving skills. Now being in South America ,it is all the more important to maintain the fragile male macho perspective intact! Having grown up with a “Liberated” mother from the 60’s I was not sure I was ready to accept this new and weighty responsibility.

Upon arriving at our Hosteria they were waiting for us with kind patience for our tardiness and lack of adequate Spanish. We were shown to a cabin complete with fireplace and super bed with absolute cheeriness. I would have slept in a cave at this point being soooo tired that the toothpicks holding my eyes open were straining at the sheer weight of my exhaustion.

The next morning was met with the inevitable winds, moody skies and imminent rain. But we could see just enough of the famed mountains to inspire a exploratory drive through most of the park seeking out the best vantage points photographically speaking. This way when the weather turned for the better, we will have scoped out the best vistas ahead of time in order to proceed to them without delay, the light here being short and fugitive at the best of times.

During this drive we came across many types of wildlife seemingly unconcerned with our presence……”Great” said Debbie! She is the long lens ( Nikon 70 - 300mm VR ) animal buff and was in total excitement with the Guanacos grazing near the roadside.

Most of my first days shots were not very impressive partly due to the lack of light but also my adjusting to the area and how to present the perspective impact of the terrain before us. The next day was a different story and the following images are an example of the mutable dramatic moodiness surrounding us on all sides. It was hard to know where to focus.

Windy is the word when thinking of our few days in Torres del Paine National Park. Or in my mind it was like living in a tornado for most of the time. Except for a few hours one morning when the day started in dead calm only to render stronger wind and rain then previously experienced. You had to be conscious of topping any rise where the compression of the airflow came to a maximum and getting blown on your keester was a real concern. I do not use a tripod and am a big fan of hand held shots. I am not sure if a tripod would have been of benefit here anyway unless you had 30lbs of sandbags to anchor it down. The sheer weight and size of tripods has always been daunting, I just didn’t want to be limited as to the distance and speed of my travels by having that extra encumbrance on my back. So where necessary as in situations like this, where the wind vibrated your very teeth I optioned for less depth of field for some extra shutter speed to get as clear a shot as possible. I was also feeling my way in the timing of the shot, waiting for a slight lull in the gusts to click the shutter and holding my breath like a sharp shooter. Shooting numerous times the same composition helps as well, just in case. I was asked in one of the earliest posting whether I was processing these images before posting here.

The answer is yes, I do but mostly I try to keep it simple by adjusting the levels, saturation, sharpening and compositional cropping. Mostly if it is to much work I just go to the next shot. My idea is to shoot lots and get something good in the grouping mostly composing on instinct and long established patterns of habit from shooting 400-700 shots per session. I used to bracket all my shots + and - one stop but after a year of bracketing with the D80 I have a pretty good idea of the result of the image and manage to abstain from bracketing now and saving space on my SDHC card and a lot less images to process later in the day. Also the “Highlights” window on the LCD screen of the Nikon D80 lets me know when the shot is over exposed. Being under exposed is not as much of a problem and with the ND filters I mentioned before the camera has less of a spectrum of light to deal with making post processing a breeze.

Yesterday while we were searching for the ultimate wind blown trees to use as fore ground imagery, Debbie came across an Orchid that she has since found to be of a rare type nestled in the grass slightly out of reach of the horrendous winds. To be specific it is a Porcelain or Magellan Orchid. She has been a Orchid fan for years and has a keen eye for the floral world in our meanderings. Here is a shot of it below. Let us know if you have any other info on this amazing flower we would be keen to know more.

Porcelain Orchid

We are as I write this, in the process of packing and on our way from Chile, Patagonia deep in Torres del Paine National Park and off to the Antarctic via Ushuaia, Argentina. So in our haste I will for the moment just post a few shots from the last few days and come back to fill this posting with a little more description once we get a lull in the daily events.

For those of you that are interes