Date of Entry: February 26th 2016
Date of Writing: April 19th 2016, Palermo Art Factory hostel, Buenos Aires, Argentina
I wake up on time for our world Tobogganing championship schedule but many others don’t, though the lecture about waking up on time seems to be coming to the wrong people, as in the awake ones. Oh well, eventually we all do crawl out of bed, undoubtedly so much activity and excitement is starting to drain us, but once we get going we’re excited for the days activities, a zodiac trip to Dorian Bay to do some serious sledding.
It’s a longish Zodiac trip and I’m glad to be ready with the first group, even if I almost go into a crevice climbing out of the boat at an unusual landing point.More accurately I do crash into a tiny little crevice (probably has a different name for so small a whole) but it’s only waist deep and pull myself out without any problem, and soon enough were walking over some rocky ice covered hills past still more Gentoo penguins. The mountains out here are amazing too, and while there’s more clouds then blue the misty darkness seems to suit the landscape well.
We eventually reach the end of our short hike coming to a house Darrel restored several years ago with a school group who came to Antarctica with him on a field trip of sorts. (Raises the bar for acceptable field trips doesn’t it). Here we hang out and wait for the others to arrive, but not without exploring the inside of the house, and doing a little sledding too.
As I watch some of the others climb half way up the huge hill in front of us I focus my attention in on a little group of rocks and a pair of squawking skuas. The way they are carrying on I’m sure there must be some little fluff ball chicks around and soon enough I get some of the best views of these cute little baby birds, doing my best to keep my distance so as not to antagonize the parents.
We keep tobogganing and I even take a turn despite it really really not being my thing. Still I’m in Antarctica and enterprise Island was kind of fun, so I grab the bright red sled and little less than halfway up the enormous hill before barreling down to the bay with all the speed I can find, only bailing by choice at the end as how else are you supposed to stop.
As I leave the toboggan behind I feel a headache coming on and decide that it’s one and done for me, thinking back to my time alone a few days ago and deciding to ask for permission to go exploring on my own again, while the others have their competition. shameful from a Canadian perhaps but what can you do. Looking back I don’t regret it one bit.
Eventually the other group arrives walking along our tracks while Darrel brings the zodiac around to our little bay. I head off but not before snapping a few photos of Tash, Ulises, Mariana, and James in the great white abyss of Antarctica.
Getting Permission from Josh I grab a radio and go, Darrel advising I keep my eye out for Adele penguins who have been known to pop up around here. Hell once there was an emperor penguin spotted not far from here, though that was indeed a rare event and rather than leave you all in suspense I’m not to be so lucky.
Still that doesn’t mean today isn’t going to be special, as I head out toward a point circled by fascinating mountains and covered in Gentoo penguins, including more new born babies than I’ve seen anywhere else. I just wish I didn’t know they were going to die.
As I keep wandering away from the tobogganers who seem to already be in the heat of an intense competition and come across a seal lounging in the snow very clearly dreaming good dreams judging by the wide smile on his face.
I eventually leave the tired looking seal to his dreams of swimming and keep going heading further and further away from the group keeping my eyes pealed for anything that is not a gentoo penguin. Nothing really presents itself but lots of Gentoo’s do and hard as it may be to believe I’m not sick of them yet.
As I keep going I suddenly see a penguin that doesn’t look like all the rest and hurry towards it, but sadly it’s not another species to add to my list, just a lonely looking chinstrap, no doubt wondering why the Gentoo’s have taken over.
I snap a few shots and then keep going through the seemingly endless groups of Gentoo’s nestled into the rocky coastline, keeping in touch with the others by radio and enjoying the endless penguins and way too many little babies who won’t make it, including one who looks to have died a very painful death.
Eventually I start heading back the way I’ve come, but before i’m halfway there I see Darrel coming around in the Zodiac to pick me up, and grabbing a few others who got tired of walking back we head back to the Spirit of Sydney.
Back on board I get a recap of the world Toboggan championships which included some close calls on collisions, some excellent one on one races, and Mariana going down most of the hill backwards at one point and eventually being crowned the winner at that point.
We hang out and relax on board for a while, eating some chocolate gifted to me by the people at before I get bored, and turn down a chance to Kayak for the opportunity to back ashore with Mariana and Ulises. We’re going to the same place as yesterday and the day before, but I love it there and feel like it’s my place in Antarctica, reminding me of a terrance bay family tradition where we each had our own rock looking out at the ocean.
On shore we disembark and find the same lazy Wedell or crab eater seal from yesterday in almost the exact same position. Saying a quick hello I’m just as quick to say goodbye to Mariana and Ulises, heading up towards the top of the hill and my seat overlooking the British base and it’s plentiful penguins below. Today the sky’s not blue but it hardly matters, this place is special in any weather.
On my way up I pass by lots of little baby penguins and snap more cute shots, my climb soundtracked by the near constant trumpeting of anxious Gentoo parents, a beautiful and surprisingly loud sound.
As I climb I find another lonely chinstrap, a molting adult gentoo, and even get some distant glimpses of Tash and Josh out for a kayak alongside a huge iceberg, a a penguin spine in the snow, picked clean of any flesh.
As I continue up the mountain though things get more interesting as looking back the way I come I find two Skua’s playing tug of war with a dead penguins head, not the last penguin Skua confrontation for today.
Continuing up I find two more chin straps and tons more gentoos, all framed by the absurd scenery it’s just… hard to describe in words over and over again, because I fail each time, so here’s a ton of pictures from up on my perch above Port Lockroy. Hope you enjoy.
After a long sit I get up and build my mother an inukshuk to look out at this absurd place and spend a moment or two lost in my thoughts before getting called away by a particularly desperate sounding penguin trumpet. I head towards it and find three juvenile penguin chicks facing down one giant Skua and … well let’s let the video tell the rest of the story. Apologies for the shaky camera work.
Eventually I head down to the little back beach to grab some more pictures of penguins coming to shore after a long day spent hunting. this is of course after singing my lungs out up above Lockroy only to find out later that yes Ulises and Mariana could totally hear me. they swear it didn’t bug them too much but I have my doubts.
Back at the beach as I take my photos I also position my go pro in a few strategic locations and will add the videos of some up close penguin action hopefully tomorrow, so be sure to check back, one penguin even attacks the camera kinda!
Mariana and Ulises have already headed back to the boat a while back and now it’s my turn to give a call on the radio and have Darrel and Enora come pick me up. She’s learning to drive the zodiac and somewhat surprisingly doing a very good job of it. Back on board I relax and enjoy dinner before calling it an early night. We’ll be staying in Lockroy tomorrow too, but the weather all day is forecast to be very frightful.
