1671: Ross Sea - In the Wake of Scott and Shackleton 13 Jan 2016
Day 1, Wednesday 13th January
Invercargill, Bluff and Embarkation for the South
Most of us arrived in a state of high excitement at New Zealand’s southernmost city, Invercargill to be greeted with light rain and a cool breeze in the evening. Over dinner at the downtown Kelvin Hotel, we met the experienced Antarctican Don McIntyre, the Expedition Leader for our quest to the Subantarctic Islands and the white continent.
On Wednesday morning, 13th January we lounged over breakfast at the Kelvin and farewelled our luggage as it was transferred directly to the ship, then met our naturalist and guide, Katja. We set off together for the interesting Southland Museum and Art Gallery and toured the museum highlights including the Tuatarium, the Subantarctic Islands gallery and the Roaring Forties theatre presentation.
We returned to the Kelvin for lunch then transferred to Bluff and boarded our ship, Professor Khromov, known to us as the Spirit of Enderby. After being guided to our cabins by the expedition staff there we were offered juice and hot drinks accompanied by freshly made Afghan biscuits. At 1500 the New Zealand Customs Service officer received our departure cards and checked identity against passport images. The rest of the afternoon was taken up with meeting the expedition staff and learning our way around the ship. A voyage safety briefing was scheduled later in the afternoon then, once we were heading out of port, we undertook a full lifeboat drill. We disembarked the pilot around 1715 and made for the open sea. We departed Bluff (46° 36’ S, 168° 22’ E) and skirted around the western side of Stewart Island then, turning southwards we enjoyed a colourful sunset as the ship picked up some movement from the low swell.
© A.Fergus
Day 2, Thursday 14th January
Snares and sea passage southward
The morning wake up call at 0600 brought the message that we would make a pre-breakfast Zodiac tour off the coast of North East Island, the largest and northernmost island of the Snares Group. These are found at 46° 40’ South latitude and 168° 49’ East longitude. The Zodiac safety briefing was held at 6.30am and we embarked soon after. There was a 15 knot breeze from the north-northwest and the temperature was 10 ° C, so we enjoyed these favourable conditions (just a 1.5 metre swell) while they lasted, as the weather was predicted to pick up later in the day. We saw a few Dusky Dolphins that played beside the Zodiacs and many New Zealand Fur Seals with pups and weaners were seen ashore and in the water. The highlight for the birders amongst us was good close up viewing of Snares Crested Penguins. They were in the water, on the littoral zone and extending way back into the forest. These are unique to the Snares. Two terrestrial forest birds were sighted, the Fern Bird and the endemic all black Tomtit. The rookeries of Buller’s Albatross extended along the edge of the precipice and they were in abundance in the sky above our Zodiac cruise route. Other birds seen were the Sooty Shearwater (Titi), the Cape Petrel (Pintado), Antarctic Tern, Common Diving Petrel, Great Skua and Giant Petrel.
After a couple of hours of cruising we returned to the hot breakfast which awaited us back aboard. The transfer from Zodiac to gangway was a challenge as the swell was greater than when we left the ship but everyone boarded without mishap, albeit a little wetter. We reflected on the morning’s sightings over breakfast and then most of us retired to our cabins as the waves developed to a point where moving about the ship became uncomfortable. Departing the Snares we followed a bearing intended to reduce the discomfort of ship rolling, however some of us were challenged when moving around, and cups of tea were lost from table tops in the bar.
After dinner there was a ‘vacuum party’ where we thoroughly checked and cleaned and hoovered the pockets and velcro strappings on clothes, backpacks, and camera bags as required under guidelines for visitors going ashore in the Subantarctic and Antarctica.
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
Day 3, Friday 15th January
Enderby Island and the Auckland Island Group, 50° 32’ S, 167° 22’ E.
We had an early start then after breakfast some of us completed our final clothing and gear inspection and certification in preparation for landings. We then assembled for an introduction to island natural systems by Alex, then a landing briefing by Don.
There was a plan to commence transferring 200 litre fuel drums of aviation fuel from the ship to shore by helicopter before breakfast. As the wind was gusting up to 35 knots this operation was postponed until later in the day when conditions were predicted to improve. The Spirit of Enderby carried the drums on behalf of Southern Lakes Helicopters, the company contracted to fly aerial reconnaissance and delivery of wildlife monitoring researchers to outlying islands. Also, the research teams use the helicopter time for aerial photography in order to make population counts of the Sea Lions, albatross and nesting shags.
We landed in a cove adjacent to the beach at Sandy Bay (50° 30’ S, 166° 15’ E), on the south-western corner of Enderby Island and moved directly up to the research station area where we dropped our life jackets and most of us switched out our gumboots for hiking shoes. Due to the wind and waves some of us had some seawater to disperse after the Zodiac transfer to the landing. Once organised and having met some of the research staff visiting the island, we headed east following a low ridge behind the beach. We crossed a pathway used by Yellow-Eyed Penguins, and a number were seen heading into the forest having just returned from feeding at sea. On a grassy knoll overlooking the beach of Sandy Bay there were many Hookers Sea Lions, grouped in harems maintained by large bull males with distinctive manes. There were many young pups and weaners. Normally the females give birth to only one pup, but twins are not unknown. Some researchers were tagging the pups and were happy for our group to observe activities.
We then moved to the boardwalk that crosses the island (a distance of about 1 kilometre). The trail commenced with a passage through a dense patch of low Rata forest (some in flower) that was alive with birdsong (Silvereyes, Black and White Robins, Red-crowned Parakeets). It then transitioned into the open sedge land where Pipits and Double-banded Dotterels were also seen by careful observers amongst our group. The megaherbs on the exposed highland were in full bloom or had set fruit so there were splashes of vivid purple and orange amongst the green herbage. These were a favourite for the photographers. All of us trekked across the island to its northern edge where precipices overlook the ocean. On the way we passed nesting Royal Albatross and at the cliff lookout there were a number of Light Mantled Sooty Albatross also on nests. Many Royals were circling low overhead, a real treat to watch. The outlook was magnificent, with crashing waves on the rock platform below us, and the long tendrils of the Durvillaea antarctica kelp swirling around the shore. From this point two walk options were possible. The ‘short walkers’ returned by the same route but had ample time to stop and enjoy the wilderness values of the sedgeland and forest. Photographers amongst us were glad of the chance to set up shots unhindered by the need to keep moving to make a deadline. Some just sat in the forest and absorbed the ambience. The ‘long’ hikers set off on a journey that took them around the periphery of the island.
One of our party tumbled at a creek crossing, suffering an ankle injury, so the patient was stabilized at the collection of small huts that make up the research station. A medical evacuation was necessary and rescue helicopters from Dunedin were arranged. The ‘short’ hikers were transferred to the ship prior to the helicopter operation and the ‘long’ hiking group had to wait a while until the medevac was completed. The fuel transfer was then carried out using heavy-duty slings below the aircraft, taking three 200 litre barrels with each load. This resulted in a late but very welcome dinner for all back on board. After dinner, and with all helicopter operations complete, Captain Zinchenko relocated the ship to deeper water away from Sandy Bay for the night and everybody was able to rest easy.
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
Day 4, Saturday 16th January
Carnley Harbour, 51° 07’ S, 166° 13’ E
In the early hours of the morning the thrum of the main engines returned as we commenced our passage down the eastern side of the island group destined for Carnley Harbour. We woke to a lightly overcast day with 10° C temperature and a breeze that was picking up, heading for about 30 knots. Carnley Harbour is the inundated caldera of an ancient volcano. We cruised through the narrow entrance of the harbour, no more than about three-quarters of a mile wide. Adams Island (on the port side as we entered) is free of rodents or other introduced pests. Musgrave Peninsula is the centre of the ancient caldera and we skirted around it and ship-cruised towards North Arm and Figure of Eight Island. As the area was relatively sheltered we launched the Zodiacs and enjoyed a cruise around the sound before lunch.
There were abundant Auckland Island Shags, many Sooty Shearwaters, a surprise Pacific Black Duck and an immature crested penguin whose identity could not be determined with certainty, given its under-developed adult plumage. The dense Rata forest came right down to the water’s edge and some forest birds were seen and heard, including the Tui. In 1910 the Fleming family settled here for sheep farming at the head of Musgrave Harbour, bringing with them 2,000 sheep. It was not economically viable and the hardships were severe. The Fleming Plateau overlooks the harbour from its western side whilst the eastern peak is named for the famous French Antarctic explorer and South Sea ethnographer Dumont D’Urville.
There is a history of shipwrecks in the region. The Grafton was a schooner that ran aground and after 18 months on the island the crew extended the ship’s dinghy and some of them sailed back to Stewart Island for help. The Flying Scud relieved the crew that remained behind. Another vessel, the General Grant was carrying tons of ‘lead’ in 1867, during the gold rush era in Australia. It ran aground and fourteen survivors made it to safety. Four of those attempted to sail for help but were lost. The remaining ten sailors survived on the island and were saved. Treasure hunters are still looking for the gold from the General Grant, but the wreck still has not been found in spite of recent attempts.
We returned to the ship for lunch and the vessel remained in the calm waters of the harbour until that was complete. At about 1400 we set sail for Musgrave Inlet on the north eastern side of Auckland Island where the calm waters would be suitable for some maintenance on the anchor windlass. During the passage Katja Riedel gave an excellent presentation on how to improve the quality of our photographic endeavours. Musgrave Inlet was an absolute treat. Although we launched the Zodiacs into a choppy sea and stiff breeze, we were rewarded with spectacular wildlife sightings. Massive kelp beds guarded the entrance to two deep caves in the edge of the precipice. One was a cavern that led deep into darkness, probably in excess of 10 metres from the entrance. We drove right into the cave once we had worked our way through the kelp beds. The water was crystal clear and the Sea Lion that joined us was clearly visible swimming below the surface. Scott sang beautifully for us within the cavern. Then we cruised to the adjacent cave that appears to have collapsed in, leaving an open-topped almost circular enclosure fringed with all varieties of ferns, tussocks, megaherbs and rata. The sound of forest bird song rang through the cavern. Outside we spied Light Mantled Sooty Albatross on nests, kelp gulls and a Tui that was flycatching on the border of the forest. Across the inlet we found a small colony of Rockhopper Penguins inhabiting the littoral zone and their colony extended into the hinterland. We returned to the ship in time for cocktails and dinner.
Day 5, Sunday 17th January
At Sea, bound for Macquarie Island
This was the first challenging day at sea. We were at 50° 48’ S, 168° 40’ E at breakfast time heading south west into a 30 to 35 knot wind and seas to four metres. The ship was certainly lively due to the inconsistent wave form. The great polar navigator James Clark Ross described these conditions as a ‘Jobbling Sea’. Most of us bunkered down for the day while we acclimatised to life on the ocean. This week marked the centenary of some historic events of note. Shackleton’s Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition had been drifting for almost exactly a year by early January 1916. Firstly in the icebound Endurance and later, after having abandoned the fatally crushed ship, the first of the dogs was slaughtered as the food supply was becoming critical for the 27 men. Also, the week marked the anniversary of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s arrival at the South Geographic Pole, 34 days after the Norwegian, Roald Amundsen.
Day 6, Monday 18th January
At Sea, landing at Macquarie Island
Special Birthday wishes to our hostess, Natalia.
We woke in the morning to calmer seas with not more than three metre swells from the west-nor-west. At 57° 15’ S, 164 ° 41’ E Macquarie Island was about 60 nautical miles distant and we were closing on it at around 9 knots. Although the sky was completely overcast there was no rain. We anticipated seeing Royal and King Penguins on our landing. Gentoo and Rockhopper penguins also inhabit the island. Later we anticipated a visit to the scientific base at the isthmus, which is part of the network of Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) bases. The others are on coastal Antarctica and known as Mawson, Casey and Davis. There has been a permanently staffed base at the isthmus on ‘Macca’ since 1948 when the ships HMAS Wyatt Earpand LST3501 were in service to establish the permanent Australian presence in Antarctica.
We landed on the eastern side of the isthmus, Buckles Bay. Macquarie Island was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1933, so the exploitation of seals and penguins for fur and oil ceased after 110 years of exploitation. The island and its adjacent islets, sea stacks and reefs were proclaimed a conservation area in 1971 and accorded full Nature Reserve status in 1978. In 1999 the waters around the island were proclaimed Commonwealth Marine Reserve. It is now a World Heritage site managed by the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service. Expeditioners were split into four groups for guided walks around the isthmus and hinterland. The Senior Ranger, Paul Helleman, guided us around the isthmus locality of the island where the Australian base is located. Afternoon tea was provided in the mess hall and various souvenirs were available for purchase.
Overnight we accommodated Paul and the other staff (Anna Lashko, Wildlife Ranger, Terry Egan, Station Carpenter and Dan Laban, Meteorology Bureau Senior Observer) from the island on board so they could accompany us on landings at Sandy Bay.
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
Day 7, Tuesday 19th January
Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island
On this day we made two landings at Sandy Bay (56° 39’ S, 160 ° 08’ E) on the east coast of the island to the south of the isthmus. There was a wealth of wildlife to be enjoyed. King Penguin and Royal Penguin rookeries dominate the area. The Kings are distributed mostly along the pebbly beach area whilst the Royals have the majority of their nests on higher ground, and there was a constant population movement between the rookeries and the beachfront along Finch’s Creek that provided a natural ‘Penguin Highway’. Some of us witnessed the massacre of a hapless Royal Penguin by Skuas when he had somehow became separated from his buddies during the trek to the beach. Four white morph Southern Giant Petrels were easy to pick out amongst the birdlife.
Evidence of the success of a major vertebrate pest eradication project could be seen all around. Between 2011 and 2013 baiting, trapping and digging out burrows successfully cleared the island of rats, mice, rabbits and cats. These were brought to the island by sealers or early mariners either inadvertently, or in the case of rabbits, purposefully as a food source in case of shipwreck. This expensive operation was carried out mostly by aerial baiting by helicopter and supplemented by the use of specially trained dogs to track down remnant individuals who escaped the baiting phase. It was hailed a success in April 2013 but constant vigilance is required to ensure no reintroduction of any of these alien animals. The full flower heads on the tussock grasses that we saw was one piece of evidence of the resilient regrowth. At Sandy Bay there is a small hut, abandoned by ANARE (Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition) in the 1980’s. Until two years ago the sloping roof of the hut was completely clear and visible. Now it is a profusion of tussocks and grasses, a result of abundant seed being blown onto the roof from the hinterland, and germinating and gaining a foothold.
In the evening the ship cruised past Lusitania Bay which is host to a massive colony of King Penguins and the site of (Invercargill’s) Captain Joseph Hatch’s sealing and oil harvesting operations. After Fur Seals (harvested for their pelts) and Elephant Seals (oil) were depleted in numbers, the sealers turned to penguins for oil, slaughtering tens of thousands. After 110 years of exploitation ‘Macca’ was designated a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1933. Thankfully the populations have been resilient and seals and King Penguins are now abundant. Two pods of Orcas were seen during the cruise down the coastline, along with Black Browed and Grey Headed Albatross.
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
Day 8, Wednesday 20th January
At Sea
At the wake up call we were still punching at 11 knots slightly east of due south, on a bearing of 163° with a following breeze and moderate swell. At that stage we were still 950 nautical miles from our first Antarctic landfall at Cape Adare.
The first activity of the day was the mandatory International Association of Antarctic Tourist Organisations (IAATO) briefing during which Don explained the protocols for biosecurity and safety during landings in Antarctica. IAATO is the organisation of Antarctic tourism operators who have developed their own code of conduct and protocols to ensure that tourism remains an extremely low impact activity and proceeds in accordance with the obligations of the Antarctic Treaty. At midday Andrew gave a presentation ‘Scott and Amundsen: the race to the geographic pole’. This gave a terrific overview of some of the points of interest in the Ross Sea locality and featured many rarely-seen images of both these expeditions from later in the so-called ‘Heroic Era’ of Antarctic exploration.
Around this time evidence of the dropping barometer became apparent with the winds shifting around to the west and the skies clearing somewhat. The ship maintained speed however and the ETA at the next prospective landing (Cape Adare, a continental landing at the cusp of the Ross Sea) was around midnight on Saturday 23rd January. All being well, this would give us twelve days to investigate the Ross Sea region fully. The first part of Dava Sobel’s ‘Longitude’ was screened after lunch. On this day we crossed the Antarctic convergence, a notional line across which the sea surface temperature drops dramatically due to the influence of sub-surface currents from the Antarctic. We had entered the Antarctic in a biogeographic sense.
Later in the day Katja gave a presentation entitled ‘Icy Antarctica: Ice, Snow, Glaciers, Icebergs, Sea Ice and Ice in the Atmosphere’ that demystified ice and snow, with a strong emphasis on classification of the different types we were destined to encounter once we arrived in Antarctica. She also covered elements of climate science and global climate change.
Day 9, Thursday 21st January
At Sea
Being a clear day, many bird observers were on the bridge or on deck. A pod of at least four Long Finned Pilot Whales was seen. Competition entries to guess the latitude and day/time of our first iceberg sighting were still open when we were surprised to hear the call from Don that one had been sighted. Enthusiasts crowded the bridge with binoculars and as we closed on it, Karl demonstrated use of the sextant to estimate height of the berg using simple trigonometry. We determined the position of the berg to be 61° 41’ S, 164° 21’ E. The final estimate was around 54 metres in height, which meant there would have been about 250 metres of its keel hidden below. Rob and Owen had submitted entries that gave the closest time and position for the sighting and won the opportunities to be the first expeditioners into Scott’s Cape Evans hut. As we loped along across the Southern Ocean, Andrew gave a presentation called ‘Ross Sea Huts: History and Conservation Overview’ that reviewed the Heroic Age expeditions to the Ross Sea locality and the conservation measures undertaken by the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust at the historic huts.
After lunch Don screened a movie telling the story of his first sailing venture to the Antarctic, Antarctic Bearing, when he sailed south with 200 teddy bears on a fund-raising enterprise for Camperdown Children’s Hospital in Sydney. The afternoon was fully overcast and it brought snow flurries. We knew we were approaching a different summer-time experience from our norm.
©A.Fergus
Day 10, Friday 22nd January
At Sea
This morning we were at 64° 54’ S, 167° 40’ E travelling on a course of 150°, roughly south-southeast. We were around 200 nautical miles from the continental edge and closing on it at 11.5 knots. Visibility was low, with light snow and ice falling and a dense haze. The air was at 1° C and the sea a snip warmer at 2° C. We pushed through a confused 1.5 metre swell.
During the morning Andrew gave a presentation ‘Cape Adare History of Occupation’ which commenced with the discovery of the area by James Clark Ross during his epic voyages in Erebus and Terror between 1839 and 1841. The whale ship Antarcticmade a landing at Cape Adare in January 1895. On board was an ambitious young surveyor turned sailor, Carsten Borchgrevink. ‘Borchy’ was enthused by the idea of an expedition of his own and returned to Cape Adare with the Southern Cross. He landed a party of ten that overwintered in two huts (a living hut and a store hut) that remain today. Scott’s Discovery, then the relief ship Morning, both visited briefly in 1902 and 1903 respectively. The cape was then occupied over winter 1911 by the ‘Northern’ scientific party of Scott’s second, Terra Nova expedition who built a third hut adjacent to those left by Borchgrevink.
After another splendid lunch, by popular demand, there was a viewing of the second part of Dava Sobel’s ‘Longitude’. Later Katja gave an engaging ‘Introduction to Antarctica’ that related the geography, ice science, meteorology and information on the human occupation of the continent.
Around 6pm we gathered on the bridge to mark the crossing of the Antarctic Circle at 66° 33’ S. All eyes were on the GPS monitor and shutters clicked at the critical moment as we crossed the iconic line that marks the zone of perpetual daylight in summer and perpetual night in winter solstices. We then moved down to the bar where mulled wine was distributed to celebrate the event. Joining the handful of people ever to have sailed across the Antarctic Circle in the East Antarctic region, we took the oath as led by Don:
“By anyone’s standards this event is an auspicious occasion-very few people have crossed the Antarctic Circle by ship. So on this occasion we want to both celebrate the occasion and acknowledge its importance.
Today each one of us joins a unique group of explorers that have gone before us, not only showing us the way, but giving us courage to follow and to make our own destiny. We follow explorers such as James Clark Ross, Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen, Sir Douglas Mawson, Richard Byrd, Sir Edmund Hillary and others, who pioneered new routes south of the Circle. Today we acknowledge them and their effort.
Crossing the Circle also carries with it responsibility - a responsibility that those explorers who went before us took seriously which is part of the reason that we are here today. They advocated for the protection of these lands and wildlife that inhabited them, ensuring that future generations would have them to enjoy. So today as we cross the Circle, I would like each of you to take this vow and receive the Mark of the Penguin - as evidence that you have crossed the Antarctic Circle and have taken the pledge which I am going to ask you to say after me.
Having endured the privations of the Roaring Forties, the rigours of the Furious Fifties and the ice-strewn waters of the Screaming Sixties to cross the Antarctic Circle, pay homage to those early explorers who have not only shown the way, but have demonstrated what it means to advocate for the continued protection of Antarctica and its wildlife and history. I [own name] hereby pledge that in accepting the Mark of the Penguin I will, until I take my last expedition, advocate to everybody, even those who will not listen, the importance of the Antarctic and its wildlife and history.
Would you please step forward and receive the Mark of the Penguin.”
All present were imprinted with the penguin stamp as a sign of accepting the role of Antarctic ambassador.
©A.Fergus
Day 11, Saturday 23rd January
At Sea, approaching Continental Antarctica
The day began with a bright sun visible on our port side, with light overcast conditions and a view to the horizon. The first Snow and Antarctic Petrels were seen, so we were certainly well into the Antarctic biogeographically. Our morning position was 68° 00’ S, 168° 60’ E and we were on a heading of 180°, due south. With 180 nautical miles to go we were idling along on one engine at 6.6 knots in order to arrive at Cape Adare after a predicted blast of poor morning weather. Both the water and air temperature were hovering at 1° C and there was a south-southeast wind gusting between 15 and 20 knots.
After wrangling a new data projector into place Don delivered the morning briefing from the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust regarding protocols and behaviour in and around the historic huts to the full complement of passengers. The requirement to manage numbers within the Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAS) and the number of visitors within each of the huts was laid out. As we are a small ship, there would be ample time for all to take in the ambience of the huts.
After lunch we watched Part 1 of the ‘Shackleton’ video (with Kenneth Branagh as Sir Ernest) that tells the story of his Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition, also commonly known as the Endurance expedition. Afterwards Alex talked about ‘Penguins of the Antarctic’.
Day 12, Sunday 24th January
Closing on Cape Adare
A calm, low swell (< 0.5m) greeted the early risers and the view of the high tops of Trans-Antarctic Mountains, 20 miles distant, was splendid. We were at 70° 59’ S, 170° 26’ E. The air was at 0° C and the water temperature was a brisk 1 °C.
Louis Bernacchi wrote the following near the beginning of his account of the Southern Cross expedition’s year on the continent:
Approaching this sinister coast for the first time, on such a boisterous, cold and gloomy day, our decks covered with snow and frozen water, the rigging encased in ice, the heavens as black as death, was like approaching some unknown land of punishment, and stuck into our hearts a feeling preciously akin to fear…it was a scene terrible in its austerity, that can only be witnessed at that extremity of the globe: truly, a land of unsurpassed desolation.
Louis Bernacchi on the Southern Cross, 1898
Arriving at Cape Adare we found it locked in by sea ice from the northern side so the captain coasted down the western side of the cape, found a lead through the ice and returned close to the coast in almost ice-free water. The pack ice was dense and its edge was a magnet for Snow Petrels and the occasional Wilson’s Storm Petrel. We sent out a scout boat and Don determined that conditions were manageable for a landing, but when the first boat with the survival and landing gear arrived at the beach, conditions had deteriorated and the swell had increased significantly. After the shore party had spent a fraught five minutes wrangling the Zodiac in the surf the landing was unfortunately aborted, but Option B, a Zodiac cruise, swung quickly into operation.
This was doubly unfortunate as this was the anniversary of the day of the first landing at Cape Adare and indeed many believe the first certain record of landing on the Antarctic Continent. It had been 121 years since the landing on January 24th, 1895. On that occasion a boat was sent ashore from the whaling expedition of Henrik Bull’s ship Antarctic. Carsten Borchgrevink was on board the boat and he claimed to have been the first to exit the boat and wade ashore. However, the ship’s captain, Kristensen, also made the same claim, so some doubt remains.
Under a bright sun we enjoyed a morning Zodiac cruise amongst the floes and along the perimeter of the beach. The huts from Borchgrevink’s Southern Cross expedition could be seen at close hand, along with the remnants of Scott’s ‘Northern Scientific party’ hut from the Terra Nova expedition. The site of the grave of Nicolai Hanson, the zoologist on Borchgrevink’s expedition was visible far up the hillside. He died of the vitamin deficiency disease Beri Beri during the winter of 1899. Incidentally, one of the Southern Cross ship’s crew died during the return journey and the doctor also died soon after his return. Many Adelie Penguins were resting on floes and one Leopard Seal was encountered basking in the relative warmth of the midday sun.
We set a course after lunch for Ross Island, and as we left Robertson Bay and rounded Cape Adare, a lone Minke Whale was sighted. Coasting south eastwards past the Admiralty Range we saw Mounts Sabine and Hershel above the line of summits. There were many rafts of pack ice remaining as we nosed towards the open water in the Ross Sea. Many Snow Petrels were coursing above the sea ice.
On January 11th 1841, almost 175 years to the day before, Ross had claimed these “newly discovered lands” in the name of Queen Victoria, as recorded below in a segment of his voyage account.
After dinner many Minke Whales were sighted from the bridge in the bright evening light.
© A.Fergus
Day 13, Monday 25th January
Into the Ross Sea
During the early hours of the morning we passed Coulman Island, named by James Clark Ross in honour of his father-in-law. His wife Anne also has a cape on that island named for her. Tactful! We awoke in mild seas in light snow with an air temperature of 0° C, and sea temperature of 1.5° C, at 74° 02’ S, 170° 26’ E. Our course was 175°, almost due south and anticipated arrival at Ross Island was 0900 on 26th.
During the morning Andrew gave a presentation on ‘Shackleton: The Boss’ that gave an account of Shackleton’s life history and exploits. This covered his training in the merchant marine then his involvement with Scott’s Discovery expedition, Shackleton’s own Nimrod, then the Endurance and Quest expeditions. These days Shackleton is best known for bringing his men home from the Endurance expedition, but there is much more to this great explorer.
After lunch, part II of the Kenneth Branagh movie of Shackleton was screened, so it was a big day of immersion into the life of the great man. Don’s account of his year living in Antarctica entitled ‘Living Together in a box, chained to Cape Denison, Commonwealth Bay’ followed. Plans were made for a post-dinner excursion to Franklin Island, weather and sea state permitting. Franklin Island was named by James Clark Ross for his friend Sir John Franklin who, as Governor of the penal settlement in Van Diemen’s Land, had assisted Ross to rapidly establish the magnetic observatory on the site now occupied by Tasmania’s Government House. Franklin and his wife Jane had entertained Ross, Captain Crozier and the officers of Erebusand Terror lavishly (by the standards of the time and place) during their stay in Van Diemen’s Land.
Rossbank Observatory is depicted in a very fine painting by Thomas Bock that hangs in the Tasmanian Art Gallery and Museum (TMAG) shown below. In that painting Captains Ross, Franklin and Crozier stand together in the outdoors and various magnetic and astronomical instruments can be made out on plinths around the observatory.
Ross made a brief and very wet landing on Franklin Island on January 27th 1841, during which he quickly proclaimed the land for England before returning to the ship. Below is an excerpt from the account by JCR of his assessment of Franklin Island.
We also geared up for a landing on Franklin Island after dinner. The scout boat left the ship around 2100 and reported that conditions were suitable for a beach landing. We went ashore accordingly, the expedition staff performing the elegant stern-first landing procedure. A relatively flat area at the base of the cliff line was home to a thriving population of Adelie Penguins. The chicks were well advanced and many were huddled in crèches, while there were numerous chicks chasing parents hassling for a feed. Skuas were doing well as shown by the numerous Adelie carcasses that attested to their voracious appetites. One lone Wilson’s Storm Petrel was seen hovering above the water just off the beach. About a half dozen Weddell Seals were in the vicinity of our landing site too, but they do not form communal wallows like the Elephant Seals of Macquarie Island. We returned to the ship by midnight and weighed anchor.
© A.Fergus
Day 14, Tuesday 26th January (Australia Day)
Cape Evans, Ross Island, 77° 26’ S, 166° 04’ E
In the early hours of the morning Mount Erebus hove into view. One of Scott’s Terra Nova men, Apsley Cherry-Garrard, wrote the following in his diary on January 2nd, 1911 and repeated in his famous Antarctic book ‘Worst Journey in the World’:
I have seen Fuji, the most dainty and graceful of all mountains; and also Kinchinjunga: only Michael Angelo among men could have conceived such grandeur. But give me Erebus for my friend. Whoever made Erebus knew all the charm of horizontal lines, and the lines of Erebus are for the most part nearer the horizontal than the vertical. And so he is the most restful mountain in the world, and I was glad when I knew that our hut would lie at his feet. And always there floated from his crater the lazy banner of his cloud of steam.
It was unlikely at this stage that we would be able to visit Scott’s Hut Point Peninsula hut, but we ended up spending the full day at Cape Evans, and ‘double dipped’ by spending the morning and then the afternoon as well in and around the Terra Novahut, arguably the most interesting and iconic Antarctic huts.
The hut is managed as a living museum commemorating the Heroic Age of Antarctic exploration, and the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust has laid out the conserved artefacts to represent the first period of occupation by Scott’s Terra Nova expedition. The hut was subsequently occupied by Shackleton’s Ross Sea party from the Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition (Aurora). This is arguably the most significant historic polar hut on the planet and the sense of awe amongst those within the hut was palpable.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
STOP PRESS
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Cadaver discovered at Scott’s Cape Evans Hut by Visitors
Identity of Body a Mystery: Crime Scene Established by Authorities
Dateline Antarctica: Tuesday 26th Jan, 2016.
From our exclusive correspondent on the icy continent.
Today visitors from the Antarctic Expedition ship Spirit of Enderby were met with a shocking revelation. A body in a state of partial decomposition was discovered in the locality of Scott’s historic Cape Evans expedition hut near the foreshore of South Bay. It appears to have become exposed during the spring thaw and may have been present at the site since the so-called “Heroic age” of Antarctic Exploration.
The body was discovered by a group of ornithologists. “My heart skipped a beat” said the leader. “I saw it amongst the ice and thought it was the rare and elusive Leutino form of the Adelie Penguin, a genetic form that has no dark pigment. It appears to uninformed observers to be an albino form, all white, but in reality it is not albino, just an unrelated genetic defect. My heart sank when I realised it was just another bit of historic dross.”
As the locality of the hut is an ASPA (Antarctic Specially Protected Area # 155) the cadaver was left in situ. In the circumstances where jurisdiction was uncertain (the nearest New Zealand police station being over 1750 nautical miles distant) the Official Representative from the New Zealand Government (Commander Karl Woodhead MNZM, RNZN) took control and a crime scene was established. Forensic investigation proceeded and our correspondent can reveal the following facts:
The cadaver was certainly ancient in nature, but well preserved by virtue of the frozen environment. It appears to have died before incarceration in the ice and most likely did not die in situ. When questioned, a group of Skuas, skulking nearby stayed quiet on this matter but their guilty looks betrayed the likelihood that the body had been moved. The skin appears to be composed of a hardy felt of unknown origin whereas the stuffing of the body is surely cotton wadding. Any colour from the outer skin has long since been leached from the body. Laboratory analysis of the fibres will be able to tell with certainty the continental origins of the cotton but initial investigation of fibre length and gauge hints that the cotton was grown in a southern state of the U.S then milled in Birmingham, U.K. This makes it possible that the remains are connected with that Antarctic explorer with a gentle soul, Apsley Cherry-Garrard. Meta analysis of the collection of historic photos by Herbert Ponting, Camera Artist will follow to see if the body appears in any of the group photos of the era and can be connected to any individual.
The body could not be identified at this early stage of investigation as dental records may not be of any utility. It is however clear at this stage of the investigation that the cadaver is not a remnant of either Macintosh or Hayward, lost expeditioners from Shackleton’s Ross Sea Party. The facial region and jaw appear to have been predated upon by Skuas who may have found the meal unpalatable and possibly fatal. The search for dead skuas entombed in ice and snow continues nearby. Officials from the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust will be advised of the situation at their office in Christchurch at the end of the Expedition.
Exclusive photos have been leaked to our correspondent from an undisclosed source close to the investigation.
(Apologies to Birders Debbie and Jules) 
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
Day 15, Wednesday 27th January
Cape Royds, McMurdo Sound
This morning we had the pleasure of visiting Shackleton’s Cape Royds hut. We accessed the hut by landing in Backdoor Bay and trekking over the hill, about 1 kilometre between the landing and the hut. The expedition hut at Cape Royds was the launch point for Shackleton’s South Pole bid during his Nimrod (1907-1909) expedition. Like the Hut Point and Cape Evans huts, it has been stabilised and conserved by the NZ Antarctic Heritage Trust. It has many amazing artefacts within, the highlight being a beautiful stove.
Conditions were cramped within the hut and it appears to have been much less comfortable than Scott’s Cape Evans equivalent. From here Shackleton, Wild, Marshall and Adams discovered the Beardmore Glacier, the pathway from the Ross Ice Barrier up onto the polar ice cap and reached their Furthest South on January 9th, 1909 at 87° 23’ S, a distance of 97 miles from the pole and over 10,000ft altitude. For transport they used dogs and ponies and if the last pony, Socks had not fallen into a crevasse on the Beardmore Glacier they might have made it to the pole. It was a 1,700 mile round trip, mostly man-hauled. At the same time Mawson, Edgeworth-David and Mackay trekked to the region of the South Magnetic Pole to the north-west of Ross Island, a round trip of 1,260 miles of unsupported man-hauled sledging which included about 740 miles of relaying the loaded sledges.
We returned to the ship for lunch then proceeded south towards McMurdo Station, but shipping movements related to the US Coast Guard icebreaker Polar Star and cargo ship unloading meant that we were unable to approach and visit McMurdo Station (US) or New Zealand’s Scott Base. The alternative activity was not a disappointment however. We moored the ship to the vast and stable sea ice of McMurdo Sound, under the smoking Mount Erebus and within sight of Observation Hill and McMurdo Base. From there we could descend the gangway and walk directly onto the ice. We could take ourselves off a fair distance to escape the machine noise from the ship and sample the peace and silence. From time to time our travelling minstrel Scott would customize songs for the loved ones of those strolling the ice. McMurdo Sound, at 77° 30’ S, 165° 00’ E, was named by Ross in February 1841 for Lieutenant Archibald McMurdo of the ship Terror, and was originally named McMurdo Bay as Ross didn’t realize the full extent of the frozen waterway.
© A.Fergus
© A.Fergus
©A.Fergus
Day 16, Thursday 28th January
Cape Bird, Ross Island, 77° 13’ S, 166° 25’ E
The morning was overcast with air temperature of -2.0°C and a 15 knot northwest wind. The planned morning landing at Cape Bird was postponed due to fast moving rafts of ice shifting along the length of the landing zone at the beach and the only safe landing area was far away from the Adelie rookery. Don decided to sail for the Ross Ice Shelf via Cape Crozier then possibly revisit Cape Bird later in the day. Katja had spent time at Cape Bird as a researcher so she was able to provide some commentary as we sailed past. Heading northwards around the cape we sighted Beaufort Island, named for the Royal Navy hydrographer and inventor of the Beaufort scale of wind speed that is still in common use today.
Andrew gave a presentation on the ‘Quest for the South Magnetic Pole’ that tied together elements of the scientific programmes of a number of expeditions of the heroic era after which we lunched.
In the early afternoon we were treated to magnificent views of Mounts Bird, Erebus and Terror from their northern aspects as we coasted along Ross Island’s perimeter. There was a golden moment for photographers when the peaks of Erebus and Terror were in alignment and both visible except for a few wisps of cloud. It was almost windless and we enjoyed the stunning panoramas under a warm sun.
The Ross Ice Shelf hove into view as we rounded Cape Crozier, starting at about 12 metres above sea level where we encountered it, but increasing to around 30 metres by the time we had travelled along its face for upward of an hour. We encountered a large embayment that became known as the Spirit of Enderby Bay. The ice cliffs were a brilliant white and their base was a deep jade or kingfisher blue. We had a gleeful group photo on the forecastle of the ship (on the bow).
Mt Terror and Cape Crozier from ‘Spirit of Enderby’ Bay
At around 4pm we turned to head west, returning to attempt a landing at Cape Bird. As some of us had been enjoying the outdoors on the sea ice the previous night until late, or have been suffering ‘Big Eye’ and not sleeping well, we took the opportunity to take a power nap before a mid-afternoon showing of Herbert Ponting’s movie from Scott’s Terra Nova expedition. The evening meal included a special surprise from the chefs Robin and Ben, who made a splendid layered slice that approximated aqua cheesecake upon a bed of dark crust with meringue sea ice topping. Don introduced a competition to name the creation for which elegant prizes were offered, including the chance to be first in the breakfast buffet queue, the opportunity to stand the ‘middle’ (midnight) watch on the bridge and a Heritage Expedition brochure. Rob provided the winning name for the delicacy as ‘Iceberg Pavlova’ (after some disputed returns and deep dissention amongst the review panel).
Around 2100 we launched for the beach at Cape Bird. Many of us went ashore and met Adelies, Weddells, Skuas and some Scott Base staff and the eminent filmmaker Anthony Powell (‘Year on the Ice’) who was making a documentary and acquiring footage for online learning. All were back aboard just before midnight.
©A.Fergus
Day 17, Friday 29th January
Ross Sea, bound for Drygalski Ice Tongue, 76° 23’ S, 167° 18’ E
We left Cape Bird in the early hours of the morning and encountered pack ice that caused us to divert from a direct course to the Drygalski Ice Tongue. Having enjoyed a slightly later breakfast than normal we swung into a day of entertainment commencing with Commander Karl Woodhead’s illuminating presentation on the Royal New Zealand Navy’s (RNZN’s) capabilities and operations, including forays into the Southern Ocean. Andrew then gave a brief history of Colin Archer, naval architect and shipbuilder. Sadly, fresh ice maps showed that approach to the ice tongue would be impossible as would be any chance of landing at the bases of Terra Nova Bay. But there was compensation.
In the mid afternoon as we were beside the edge of the ten-tenths pack ice there was an excited buzz through the ship as two Emperor Penguins were spied on an ice floe amongst the pack. Captain Zinchenko took the ship into the pack closer to ensure a good sighting for the keen birders on board. The Emperors were joined by a few Adelies and Weddell Seals also. Low visibility and increasing snowfall obliged us to slow as we travelled northwards skirting the ice pack. After dinner we changed course to head westwards towards Inexpressible Island. Later, after a couple of hours pushing through pack ice up to ten-tenths in places, we came within about 40 miles at which time the density of ice was noticeably diminishing.
©A.Fergus
Day 18, Saturday 30th January
Inexpressible Island and Terra Nova Bay, 74° 29’ S, 169° 50’ E
Don gave us all a surprise early wake up call at 0530 to prepare for a pre-breakfast run ashore to Inexpressible Island. During the night we had pushed westward through the fringing pack ice into open water close to the island. The sleepless ones saw Minke Whales and more Emperor Penguins amongst the ice floes. At Inexpressible Island we trekked from the landing cove to the site of the ice cave of the Northern Scientific Party from Scott’s Terra Nova expedition. The ‘Northern Party’ was originally intended to be the ‘Eastern Party’ but circumstances changed when the Terra Nova met Amundsen’s Fram in the Bay of Whales in early February 1911 when depot laying for the South Pole trip was underway. Instead of continuing to King Edward VII land to drop the scientific party, the Terra Nova returned to Cape Evans to deliver the news that Amundsen had established his base nearby, and closer to the pole than Cape Evans. The scientific party plans then switched and they were dropped at Cape Adare where they constructed a new expedition hut.
The scientific team was made up of Priestley, Debenham, Levick, Campbell, Abbot and Dickason. They spent a successful year at Cape Adare then were picked up by Terra Nova and transferred down the coast to the locality of Terra Nova Bay to be picked up after about six weeks. Ultimately the ship was unable to return to lift them off due to heavy ice, leaving them stranded with summer-only equipment and little food and fuel. Realising their predicament they cached seals and penguins for food and dug a snow cave into the hillside of Inexpressible Island, sometimes referred to as an ‘Igloo’. They survived the winter living like troglodytes and emerged in the spring with their clothes blackened by the soot of cooking of seal blubber. In spring when the sea ice was secure they walked back across the frozen sea to Cape Evans.
We did not endure such hardship however. We returned to our vessel and a hearty breakfast, although the last group was delayed when an Adelie Penguin mistakenly propelled itself out of the water into Katja’s Zodiac at the landing place. We waited until the stowaway chose to depart of his own accord.
As we departed Inexpressible Island we had clear views of Cape Washington. Moving along the coast, we had a close ship cruise past the Italian (Mario Zucchelli), German (Gondwana) and South Korean (Jang Bogo Station) Bases in Terra Nova Bay. Contrary to expectations the sea ice was open near the coastline but we risked being locked in by the huge raft of dense ice offshore, so around midday we turned towards the south to loop around the ice and make our way back to open water. We approached the ice after lunch and most of us either caught up on ZZZ’s or hovered around the bridge to watch the icebreaking procedure.
Day 19, Sunday 31st January
At Sea, towards Cape Adare, 73° 15’ S, 170° 46’ E
This morning was lightly overcast as we loped northward at around 10 knots with a low swell. The air temperature was -2° C with a 15 to 20 knot breeze. It was a day of lectures and films.
Katja gave an engaging presentation about her year on the ice performing research into atmospheric physics and later in the day Andrew presented a biographical sketch of ‘Sir Douglas Mawson: Australia’s Antarctic Hero’. In between we watched a couple of episodes of ‘Life in the Freezer’. During lunch we passed Cape Hallett (72° 19’ S, 170° 16’ E), named by Ross in 1841 for Thomas Hallett, purser of his ship Erebus. This was the site of a joint US and New Zealand research base from the International Geophysical Year of 1957.
There has been a major clean up operation over a number of years and many artefacts including huts, the bulldozer ‘Duck’ and the magnetic observing dome were repatriated to New Zealand and put on display in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch. The artwork shown below was painted on a large tarpaulin and was found folded on top of the dozer.
We returned to Cape Adare after dinner to find it was locked in with pack ice that appeared to have been blown onto the cusp of the Cape. Access to the beach for landing being impossible we enjoyed a Zodiac cruise amongst the spectacular bergs and brash ice while we watched the extended light show of the soft, low westering sun. We were all on board by midnight.
Day 20, Monday 1st February
At Sea, towards the Balleny Islands, 70° 00’ S, 171° 50’ E
In the early morning a pod of Humpback Whales accompanied the ship as we made way towards the Balleny’s. We steamed at 11.5 knots a little west of north on a heading of 340° and the sky was just very slightly overcast and the sea was calm.
The Sea Shop opened at 1000 for a last minute shopping frenzy by souvenir hunters.
Later in the morning Katja gave an enlightening presentation on Climate Change. In the afternoon Andrew presented a biographical account of Louis Bernacchi, physicist on the Southern Cross and Discovery expeditions, who was a colourful character with connections to Tasmania’s Maria Island. An entertaining episode of ‘Frozen Planet’ was also shown during the afternoon.
Day 21, Tuesday 2nd February
Balleny Islands, 67° 26’ S, 165° 52’ E
Early morning found us hovering offshore looking north towards the Ballenys. Their precipitous cliffs and huge glaciated features told mariners to beware. The ship was calm and peaceful as the engines had been shut down while we waited offshore. About 0630 we commenced steaming towards Sturge Island from the east, at which point the panorama of steep-sided cliffs separated by glaciers flowing into the sea became apparent. The other islands (Buckle and Borradaile) lie to the north west of Sturge Island.
The Ballenys were discovered by John Balleny, master of Eliza Scott and named in his honour by Francis Beaufort, Hydrographer to the Admiralty (mentioned above). The voyage was a two-ship enterprise for whaling and sealing sponsored by the Enderby Brothers and using the Eliza Scott and Sabrina. As neither vessel was suited to the task at hand the voyages were not commercially successful. They departed from London in July 1838 and stopped by Ile Amsterdam on 27 September 1838 then Chalky Bay, New Zealand on 3 December that year. On 16 January 1839 they encountered John Biscoe at Campbell Island and rescued a party of New Zealand sealers. Heading south in February 1839 they discovered the islands on 9 February and landed on 12 February. This was the first landing south of the Antarctic Circle. Buckle Island was reported to be undergoing a volcanic eruption at the time. Sabrina was lost with all hands in a gale on 24 March 1839 and Eliza Scott returned to England on 18 September of that year. In spite of inexperience of the master and crew, and the unsuitability of the vessel for high latitude sailing, they had managed to voyage into uncharted waters at 69° 02’ S, make preliminary charts and record observations of new territory.
We cruised Sturge Island’s eastern edge towards the suggested landing site at the north west corner but again heavy ice blocked our path. The wind speed had also risen as we turned the corner and moved out of the lee of the island so conditions were clearly unsuitable for a landing. We celebrated Chris’s birthday with a pear cake that chef Ben had created during his sleepless early morning hours. Don gave a presentation on his circumnavigation of Australia by gyrocopter and his re-enactment of the whaleboat journey of Captain Bligh from Tonga to Kupang. Katja followed up with a presentation on one of her obsessions, ski touring.
Making our northing during the afternoon we had to take a wide arc around dense sea ice on our port side and as we were far off the track to pass the other islands in the group and, the weather being favourable for our passage to Campbell Island, we set course directly towards it. During dinner we crossed the Antarctic Circle again.
Day 22, Wednesday 3rd February
At Sea, 64° 27’ S, 166° 22’ E
We were in open sea on a course just a little west of true north (350°) travelling at 12 knots. There was a light but 100% overcast sky and a three-metre swell. The ship was rolling significantly so Don decided to postpone the lecture and movie programme until the sea abated. Many of us caught up with photo culling and editing, clarifying bird lists, reading and snoozing during the day. We were around 700 nautical miles from Campbell Island and anticipated arrival on the evening of Saturday 6th.
Day 23, Thursday 4th February
At Sea, 60° 26’ S, 164° 58’ E
Overnight we had the first experience of complete darkness around the midnight hours for some time and awoke to another overcast day with visibility less than a mile. We were still on a course of 350°, almost due north and travelling slightly slower at an average of 9 knots. The outside air temperature was a sultry 5° C and the sea state remained about 3 to 3.5 metres on the bow, so the ride was not uncomfortable. We passed through 60° S in mid-morning and so left the Antarctic Treaty Zone.
In the late morning Alex provided an informative photographic essay on ‘Expedition Cruising in the Russian Far East’ that featured stunning scenery and wildlife. During the day the wind and waves picked up somewhat making the ride more lumpy, so the afternoon activities were postponed.
Day 24, Friday 5th February
At Sea, 60° 26’ S, 164° 58’ E
In the early hours of the morning we had changed to a bearing slightly east of north, which gave an easier ride in the swell that was mounting between 6 and 8 metres. This was causing rolls of up to, and occasionally well above, 30°. With a further 320 nautical miles to go, our intended landfall at Campbell Island still seemed possible for late afternoon on Saturday 6th. The air temperature was steady at 5°C and the wind was a brisk 25 knots.
Campbell Island has been a waypoint for many early Antarctic expeditions. The island was discovered by Captain Frederick Hasselbourgh in the brig Perseverance in 1810 and he named it for his employers, Robert Campbell & Co. of Sydney. This explains the name of the well-sheltered ‘Perseverance Harbour’. Then John Balleny in the 154 ton Eliza Scott, accompanied by Thomas Freeman in Sabrina landed there for four days from 11th January 1839. By chance they met John Biscoe in Emmaduring that visit. These were all exploratory ventures to find new whaling and sealing grounds sponsored by the Enderby Brothers. Biscoe had previously undertaken the third circumnavigation of Antarctica in Tula between 1830 and 1833 and had sighted and named some the Enderby Land coastline for his employers.
James Clark Ross with his ships Erebus and Terror made what the expedition botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker called a “Flying Raid” on Campbell Island in mid-December 1840 on their way southwards from Hobart. Erebus and Terror both ran aground in Perseverance Harbour but there were no ongoing consequences from the mishaps. Hooker had four days of frenzied botanising and observed that there were no land birds, only sea birds on the Island. Prior to landing there he’d written:
…another edition of Kerguelen Land I suppose. I know I shall be happy there, for I was sorry at leaving Christmas Harbour, by finding food for the mind one may grow attached to the most wretched spots on the globe…
He noted later that he had collected a total of 97 flowering plants indigenous to Campbell and Auckland Islands. Hooker succeeded his father as curator of Kew Botanic Gardens and he wrote seminal scientific treatises on Antarctic and Subantarctic flora. A small portable hut was sent ashore to use as an observing station, probably for terrestrial magnetic studies.
The last Antarctic expedition of note to visit was the October 1894 landing of crew from Sven Foyn’s ship Antarctic that subsequently made the first landing at Cape Adare described above.
Day 25, Saturday 6th February
Campbell Island, 53° 16’ S, 168° 39’ E
With only about 50 nautical miles to go to Campbell Island we could feel the warmer air outdoors, around 7° C in spite of the 25 knot breeze. We were still cutting through the 5 metre waves at a speed of 11.5 knots, making our landfall around lunchtime. Alex gave a presentation on the natural history of Campbell Island entitled ‘Two Centuries of Environmental Change on Subantarctic Campbell Island’ so we were primed with useful information in readiness for our shore excursion after lunch. After a bit of wrangling with the Sea Lions at the landing ramp we all went ashore for a walk along the Beeman Hill-Col Lyall track. This trail is boardwalk all the way and takes a route around the base of a massive rock outcrop of Beeman Hill and across a couple of saddles before emerging at the cliff tops overlooking Northwest Bay and Dent Island.
Some walkers near the front of the group observed the rare and endemic Campbell Island Snipe that was only discovered in 1997. The Grass Tree Dracophyllum longifolium forms a dense low forest for some of the way and beautiful fields of flowering megaherbs in the genus Pleurophyllum were encountered towards the highest point of the walk. Acute observers also found ground orchids in bloom beside the trail. The highlight was certainly the population of nesting Southern Royal Albatross near the top of the walk. Many were circling low overhead and those on nests were docile and photogenic. On the return to the landing some of the walkers encountered a Yellow-eyed Penguin with its well-developed chick begging for a feed.
Day 26, Sunday 7th February
Campbell Island, 53° 16’ S, 168° 39’ E
The first task after breakfast was to assemble lunch packs. This was especially important for the long-distance hikers who would be on the trail all day. The long walkers were away from the ship soon after 0900 and we didn’t expect to see them until around 1700. The catering staff had the day off after sorting the lunch makings, so even those remaining on the ship or taking the morning Zodiac cruise had the delight of putting together their own version of a feast for later consumption.
Those left behind, the morning Zodiac cruisers, were away around 1000. We visited Tucker Inlet and landed at its furthest extent where we found remains from the homestead used during the wool growing period of occupation of the Island. Hardy men from the Shetland Islands were employed to manage the flock of 2,000 imported crossbred Merinos until it became clear that the venture was uneconomic.
Coasting the harbour in search of the elusive flightless Campbell Island Teal along the shoreline, we moved around to Camp Cove where the trail from a coast watchers hut emerges. During the Second World War a network of coast watching stations had been established amongst the Subantarctic Islands; we had seen the rusty sheet tin hut from above during our walk to Col-Lyall the previous day. We landed to take a look at ‘The Loneliest Tree in the World’, a Sitka Spruce that nestles in a sheltered spot at the head of the estuary. It was planted as a memorial in the early 1900s and is now protected due to its historical significance. The jaunty little New Zealand Pipit entertained us at each of the shore landing sites.
After lunch back on board the option of walking the Col-Lyall boardwalk during the afternoon was offered to those wishing to savour the natural beauty of the island once more. Those that remained on board were delighted by the activities of the Muttonbirds (Shearwaters), New Zealand Antarctic Terns, Gulls, Light Mantled Sooty and Southern Royal Albatross and the occasional (endemic) Campbell Island Shags.
The ‘long walkers’ made a great day’s outing, walking about 16 km in total on a loop that took them past Beeman Hill, through Col-Lyall and down to the coast at Northwest Bay. During lunch on the beach they encountered what was originally thought to be a lone Emperor Penguin. After rigorous debate and forensic scrutiny of the photographic evidence the identity was confirmed as a stray King Penguin cunningly disguised as an Emperor. The walkers were picked up later in the afternoon from Camp Cove and given a wet ride back to the ship as the wind and waves had picked up. After a clean up and hot showers, all repaired to the bar and then another delicious hot dinner that restored the vitality to those who had tramped.
©K.Woodhead
©K.Riedel
Day 27, Monday 8th February
Leaving Campbell Island
After weighing anchor in the early hours and passing down Perseverance Harbour, the morning found us at 51° 22’ S, 169° 04’ E, bound for Stewart Island. We were making 12 knots in a sea of not more than 2 metres, on a course of 350°, close to true north. Not surprisingly we were still under an overcast, hazy sky but the air temperature had risen to a balmy 10° C. Under way we made good progress to the north in order to beat an incoming weather system that could have caused an uncomfortable ride.
In the late morning Alex gave a presentation on Subantarctic flora, sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for the topic. After lunch Andrew previewed and then showed two newsreel-style videos from the Film Australia archives. The first (Antarctic Pioneers-National Film and Sound Archive) from around 1933 was narrated by an elderly Frank Hurley and contained much of his historic footage from Mawson’s 1911 Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) and his 1929 British, Australian and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE). The second (Antarctica 1948-Film Australia) showed the voyages of HMAS Wyatt Earp and LST3501 to Heard Island, Macquarie Island and the edge of continental Antarctica.
In the late afternoon in the bar area Katja gave a fun interactive session posing the question “Why Visit Antarctica?” to winkle out motivations and dreams of the travellers. One written response (appropriately written on an unused sick bag) is shown below:
Why did I Come to Antarctica?
I have asked myself that question every 15 minutes for one and a half days out of Macquarie Island and for 2 days out of the Balleny Islands.
My main reason was to meet Ms. Antarctica, and what a gal she has turned out to be. She gave us tantalizing glimpses of ankle around swirling petticoats-2 huts, the Ice Shelf and a bloody fantastic afternoon/evening on the fast ice.
She is cunning though, promising more but ultimately keeping it a secret. Denying us quality contact with Emperors and having the last word on stepping on her continental shores.
But oh! The consolation prize of the ‘Midnight at the icebergs’ was simply quintessential Antarctica. For this I forgive her the omissions.
She is magnificent, untamed and at the same time TERRIBLE.
She is definitely a Gemini.
After dinner Bill gave an update on Al Gore’s crusade on Global Climate Change.
Day 28, Tuesday 9th February
Stewart Island, 52° 28’ S, 175° 19’ E
At breakfast time we arrived in the vicinity of Stewart Island. Don’s wake up call advised us that mobile phone reception might be available. This fact was greeted with mixed feelings as it marked the end of our splendid isolation from the worries of the world. The outside air temperature was up to 15° C in spite of a heavy overcast sky and 25 knots of breeze from the northwest. Salvin’s Mollymawks were massed around the stern of the vessel, coursing low and landing on the water in a particularly photogenic scene.
A day of on-board entertainment was planned commencing the last two episodes of ‘Frozen Planet’. This was followed by a medley of entertaining videos including the Gyrocopter flight and sea rescue performed by Don and a man in a leaky boat (bathtub) by Sam. The noticeboard has been posted with anonymous literary pieces in recent days. First is a poem, The Penguin & the Explorer as follows:
The Penguin & the Explorer
The sun was shining on the sea
Shining with all his might
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright
And this was odd because it was
The middle of the night
The penguin and the explorer were walking on a floe
They sighed like anything to see the skyscape all-glow
“If it could all be blotted out, we wouldn’t have to go
In rubber boats that bounce and splash
And freeze each cheek and toe…”
“Day is day and night’s night the explorer said
Antarctica breaks the rules
What are we doing here anyway
Are we just bloody fools?
It was your choice the penguin said
I had no choice it’s true
I choose to be philosophical-
Do you admire the view?
(with apologies to Lewis Carroll)
The second selection is a triplet of limericks:
Three Spirit of Enderby Limericks
An adventurous fellow named Dick,
Took a journey to the Antarctic,
Saw lots of Adelies,
Some flat on their bellies,
But no Emperors made him quite sick.
A parental Adelie called May,
Had two chicks that chased her all day,
Till a Skua descended,
And took all that she tended,
For a meal in a quite thoughtless way.
A Heritage Aussie named Don,
Built a toilet at Cape Denison,
Where he lived for a year,
Bet you wouldn’t dare,
‘Cos it could finish up with you gone.
3 February, 2016, Anon
And they just kept coming during the day, some serious and some frivolous:
Limerick-“Don Don”
There was an explorer named Don
Whose motto was “Let’s have some fun”
His timings precision
‘Cept in role expedition
For Antarctic trips he’s the one
Anon
Untitled
Home-Hot dust and sunburnt brown
Snow Antarctic white, ice, and rolling sea,
Fearless fury feathered life
And soundless spray filled light.
For us a cruel cold our first friend and so much of it…
Great mountains of ice adrift and floating fields of white sea ice
Windswept and currents forced from somewhere to somewhere…
Majestic beauty just as is, yet
cruel in consequence
Unforgiving and Unpredictable
All within a unique beauty, in all dimensions defying at best and challenging at least description.
Slipping silently through white fields of sea ice, Zodiac safe
Accompanied by swimming penguins and seals asleep on table ice boats
Sky bound albatross soaring, gliding through the cold air they call home.
Thermal proof
Wind resistant hats and gloves
Cold noses and wind red cheeks
Enthralled minds and stunned emotions.
John E. Potter
In the late afternoon we had the disembarkation briefing and the expedition crew each gave us some reflections on their experience over the last thirty days. Afterwards the get-together in the bar featured some music from Scott on the guitar with a bit of singalong and a special guest appearance by ‘Attenborough’ and ‘Bailey of the Antarctic’ who brought their previously unknown species of penguin along to meet the expeditioners. It was a fun event and spirits were high as we shared our reflections on the trip. After dinner many of us met in the bar area to continue the discussions and savour the last vestiges of the camaraderie that has evolved amongst our new found friends.
Day 29, Wednesday 10th February
Bluff
Don’s early call to breakfast was the first step towards our departure. Luggage was put outside cabins first thing, then customs and quarantine procedures were performed smoothly. The expedition team bade everyone farewell from the gangway and we made our way to the airport or downtown hotels by coach.
We had become a community of like-minded expeditioners through our shared experiences. We shared a lot of fun and supported each other without hesitation when appropriate. No doubt some enduring friendships had been forged.
The task now was to translate the experience through words and pictures for our friends and family back home.
Words by Andrew Atkin
