Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Akademik Vernadsky - A Ukrainian Antarctic Research Station

Evening Update from Geoff Green, Expedition Leader

We have had a magical day today.  It began with the Lemaire Channel and ended with one of the most beautiful sunsets and vistas I have ever seen in my 76 Antarctic expeditions!  In between we visited Pleneau Island for a landing with Elephant seals and Gentoo penguins, and a spectacular zodiac cruise in an iceberg gallery.  After a BBQ lunch we visited the Ukrainian research station Vernadsky, where all the students were toured through the station and taught about the research taking place on the ozone hole and other high atmospheric studies.  As we returned to the ship, a pod of feeding Humpback whales surrounded the ship.  For the next hour we had the most profound encounter with these whales.  It was peaceful and deeply moving.  The whales were bubble-netting to catch krill.  There was a mother and a calf that kept on swimming right underneath our ship.  The whales did not seem to mind our presence at all and just went about their business. It was truly an experience that none of us will ever forget.  And I hope one of the experiences that will give these students that connection to nature that is so critical, and a big part of the reason we are here.

The day did not end there.  We had to push our way through some heavy ice in the Lemaire Channel as we made our way back north.  The Captain did a magnificent job.  Our next destination was the Wauwerman Islands to land on a small island that Students on Ice has visited the past two years.  The island is completely covered by a small ice-cap or "pillow ice-cap", and the late Dr. Fritz Koerner who came with SOI on eight Antarctic Expeditions was always very curious about this island.  Fritz was a legendary glaciologist and great friend.  Just before he passed away in 2008 we found out that the International Polar Year project we had jointly submitted to study this ice-cap was approved.  Last year we started the research and this year we wanted to continue it.  The goal is to gather some long-term data that will help us understand what is happening to the ice.  In some ways, this island is like a mini- Antarctica, and Fritz thought it might provide some understanding of what is happening to this part of the Antarctic.

We landed after dinner, and hiked up to the top of the ice-cap!  What a view!  It took a few hours to conduct our studies, but everything went very smoothly.  A group photo insued and than it was time to head back to the ship. But not before soaking in one of the most unreal views imaginable.  Mountains, icebergs, glaciers all basking in this incredible glow from a setting sun.  It was beyond description...

Our day ended at 11:00pm and we all felt great to be alive!!  Nothing else was in our minds except that wonder of that moment.  Mother Nature really blessed us yesterday...

Today is our final day in Antarctica. The expedition has flown past.

Our plan is to visit Deception Island, an active volcano, before starting our way back across the Drake Passage.

In the expedition spirit,

Geoff Green, Expedition Leader

High winds and big swells kept us from heading out at 6:00 a.m. this morning, but just four hours later, we were off on an excursion in the Pleneau Islands. (Folks back home would be so impressed to see how quickly, confidently, and expertly we get into those zodiacs!) It was truly a dreamland of fascinating shapes, snow- laden ice scultpures with intricate patterns scattered artistically throughout the clear waters.... icebergs resembling cruise ships, castles, and archways! Our zodiac wove in and out of this mysterious labyrinth, fascinating us at every turn as we cruised in and out of a natural wonderland. To top off this delight of enchanted surroundings, we even encountered crabeater seals, luxuriously basking on the ice. 

The smell of a barbequed lunch lured us back to our floating home. So what do we do while on the ship waiting for the next landing? Besides incredible lectures, lots of socializing, journal writing, and singing, expeditioners are involved in a variety of contests. The photo contest has stirred the most excitement. Students and staff have been downloading photos in a variety of categories with nonstop enthusiasm!   To sum up our experiences thus far...we're all having a wicked good time!

- Maggie Hoagland, Chaperone

It is difficult to express in words both the magnitude and majesty of this special place. Antarctica is a wild and formidable land of rock and ice.....and the most magnificent landscape I have ever seen.

Each of us had our own reason for joining the SOI expedition. For many the opportunity to experience the natural wonders of this continent was the enticement, for others it was the sense of adventure obtained by travelling the waters of courageous explorers. Perhaps not altogether unexpected was the realization that within this expedition, there is a secondary journey - a personal exploration of spirit. Fraught with risk and uncertainty of destination, spiritual exploration is perhaps the most dangerous journey of all. This frigid Mordor infuses itself into your blood like no other place on Earth. Each mist-enshrouded peak and every groan of cracking ice reminds you that humans were not meant to live here….and yet this harsh land stirs the soul and whispers your name with icy breath. The question is not whether I will come back, but rather, how quickly I will return. Antarctica is forever etched upon my heart. 

- Jacqueline Phillips, Chaperone

Today has been a wonderful day, where I actually felt proud of myself for trying something new. For the first time ever, I drove a zodiac in Antarctica. It was scary at first, but definitely worth it. Monica was our Zodiac driver and she allowed us to drive it and everyone in my group did as well. I set the zodiac neutral and than forward and had to do a 360 to avoid hitting rocks. Afterwards we saw marvelous icebergs that were in beautiful shapes.

We also visited the Ukrainian base and got a tour around it. They had an ozone box and just being in there made me see what is happening in the world. Then we went back to the ship and passed frozen ice sheets which made the ship tremble but everything was great. I couldn’t believe how the ship passed the ocean and the ice opened up for us as if it was letting us in. 

- Estefani Chimbo

Today was the most incredible day of my life! I woke up to the ship navigating through a tiny channel. The icebergs were incredible! All around were tall mountains and huge glaciers. I was blown away! It was spectacular. We got to go out for a cruise in the zodiacs, Alex was my driver, so we were able to cruise at high speeds through the icebergs, which was such a blast! A small Minke whale came so close to our zodiac that I could've reached out to touch it.

After lunch we were surrounded by about 10 hump back whales; they were feeding on tons of krill just outside of the channel. I was mesmerized! There is just something about seeing a whale fluke that takes my breath away.

We also got to visit and real working research station. It was a Ukranian station called Vernadsky. I loved getting to take a tour through the lives of these hard working and strong willed people. I think someday I could live with working in a station for a while. This entry is very short compared to all of the things that happened today. You have no idea.

Tonight we hiked up to a place where SOI had an information station set up. We did an ice core at 8:00pm as the sun was setting in the west. I am running out of words to describe the way I feel about this place. The sun was setting with the mountains of the continent only kilometers away from us. It is getting late now and I have yoga in the morning, so I better get some writing done and then get myself some rest...well I am getting good at running on adrenaline!

- Jenna Gall, Participant

I am exhausted from the three excursions yesterday to Danco Island, Neko Harbor, and Port Lockroy! I have to admit that hiking up the mountains on both Danco Island and Neco Harbor was tiring, but the strenuous effort was worth it. After each climb, I was able to embrace my surroundings by spending a moment of silence to simply listen to the rushing streams, breaking ice, and loud Gentoos that surprisingly are barely afraid of people. Sliding down the steep ice was equally satisfying; I didn't hesitate to climb up again and slide a few more times. I wasn't too excited to visit Port Lockroy, but after Dave Fletcher's presentation about the history and characteristics of Antarctic stations I was eager to view the station and personally experience a space where so many explorers have previously survived. I also was fascinated by the sheathbill and Gentoo nests under the wooden pathway outside the station. It was shocking to see how accustomed those birds have grown to human presence. It seems I have also grown accustomed to the presence of glaciers, icebergs, penguins, seals, and seabirds, and it will be awkward leaving this place and returning to a world filled only with people, technology, anbd man made strictures.

- Simit Christian, Participant

The last three days have been some of the best so far. We went to Danko Island and hiked a small hill at 6:00 A.M. It was a beautiful scene from the top. The slide down made it worth the time. We contuned to Neko Harbor and took an ice core sample. It is amazing that we can see see how the air was 30 years ago! At Neko Harbor, we were on the beach when a huge chunk of glacier fell and caused a small wave. We also stopped at Port Lockroy which was an old British base. Now it is a museum and gift shop. I mailed my postcards.

So far it has been a great expedition and it can only get better!

- Chris DiCesare, Participant

Oh my gosh!  I just can't get over how beautiful the ice can be. I just saw a holey, cerulean blue iceberg with water dripping off it. As I continued watching, the berg sank down, rolled over, first one way, then back again, and continued as we sailed past. It was so fascinating to see! That was my first time to see a berg actually going through the process of breaking down. Totally amazing to see!  And the colours...incredible! 

We spent time this morning driving amongst the many icebergs in the Pleneau Islands. There was a real diversity of colours, shapes, angles and sizes amongst them. And driving around them, sometimes close enough to almost touch them ... every day is my favourite day!  How can each day top a previous one?  There was one large arch precariously perched that started to break off as we watched, ready to collapse completely at any moment. Some people tried loud voices, zipping zodiacs near by and eventually even the harmonica sang, all in an attempt to bring it down, to no avail. I wonder if someone else will witness the collapse in future days or will it go suddenly and alone?

- Marion Woodman, Chaperone

The highlight of the day today was getting to drive a zodiac around the front of the Vernadsky Station. It was a lot of fun but very hard work to steer in the right direction and hold the heavy steering arm. Everyone on our zodiac got a chance to drive the zodiac and it was a lot of fun to watch them drive us around. While we were all driving the zodiac, we got a spectacular view of Crabeater seals and one Weddell seal. One iceberg we were passing by which had 3 Crabeater seals caused us to drive off for our lives. Not really, but as we drove by the seals, they started to bark and growl at us and began to franticly move on the iceberg so we sped up and left them alone. After having that wonderful experience of driving a zodiac I now have a greater respect for the zodiac drivers because though it looks fun and simple to drive the zodiacs, it actually takes a lot of concentration and arm strength.

This day has been filled with beautiful icebergs and snow covered mountains. Though we were not able to go to the Wauwerman Islands this morning, I was able to sleep in a little later and view the ship crossing the Lemaire Channel. The channel was surrounded by tall snow covered mountains and the sea was covered in icebergs and bergy bits. I loved the sound the ship made as it crossed the icy water and ice.

This trip has been amazing and unreal many times, I am not looking forward to the end of it.

- Nicole Rodriguez-Fierro, Participant

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