Penguins in Antarctica
Backpacking, Eight Months On the Road
By Bus Through South America
By David Rice
| Penguins Page Thirty Two |
Page 10
Penguins
The penguins would be crowding the shoreline making their nest of
rocks if they could find them. A shortage of rocks would cause many
a squabble with thrashing wings as the birds fought over the scarce
nesting rocks but doing no apparent permanent damage to each
other.
In this surreal deep freeze, the only thing alive were the birds, fish,
penguins, seals and the algae that grows on the rocks.
Every night the naturalists would present a movie about what me
might encounter the following day. In the evenings they would brief us
on the life we would see and these presentations even included some
Shackleton lore
Bright clear air in the evening and mornings brought the most unusual
light that I have ever seen. Huge glaciers calving made their presence
know with rumbles echoing throughout the sea of icebergs as they fell.
One afternoon we pulled into a bay close to shore and circled the bay
as glaciers fell all around us . We had an outdoor barbecue on deck
where the crew grilled chicken and sausage as we drank wine and
watched the amazing calving of glaciers all around us.
At sunrise one morning we went into a bay full of icebergs and
climbed on top of a few of them where a few of us had a snowball
fight. A close look revealed unusual colors caused by the continual
slapping of waves.
We visited an English research station and found a whale skeleton up
on the ice.
One of the rules impressed upon us was that we were not allowed to
leave anything onshore. It seemed, however, that cigarette smokers
never got the word.
On another trip ashore we entered a volcanic lagoon were the water
was warm and we were able to swim in the Antarctic Ocean from a
black volcanic sand beach. Lots of warm drink followed that trip. The
crew had Courvoisier and hot coffee waiting to warm us up.
On another trip ashore, I had basalt rocks with surreal rock formations
on one side while on the other side seals and penguins moved all
around me and I felt like I had entered a Dali painting.
Each day for the seven days of the tour through Antarctica we went
ashore in the morning and then again in the afternoon. We had
stepped on the continent of Antarctica a total of fourteen times and at
the last visit, the crew awarded us a certificate stating as much. I
marveled that I had reached the bottom of the world and I felt
privileged to be there.
I know that these trips might someday be halted because of the
damage that so many tourists are causing. I have read rumors about
the end of tours to this area. I felt lucky to have made the trip and to
be one of the privileged few on earth to sail through the Drake
Passage and to circle Cape Horn. The last night on board we had a
party and the wine and liquor flowed freely.
To circle Cape Horn earns a sailor the right to put a ring in his ear. I
will pass on that honor, however.
The penguins would be crowding the shoreline making their nest of
rocks if they could find them. A shortage of rocks would cause many
a squabble with thrashing wings as the birds fought over the scarce
nesting rocks but doing no apparent permanent damage to each
other.
In this surreal deep freeze, the only thing alive were the birds, fish,
penguins, seals and the algae that grows on the rocks.
Every night the naturalists would present a movie about what me
might encounter the following day. In the evenings they would brief us
on the life we would see and these presentations even included some
Shackleton lore
Bright clear air in the evening and mornings brought the most unusual
light that I have ever seen. Huge glaciers calving made their presence
know with rumbles echoing throughout the sea of icebergs as they fell.
One afternoon we pulled into a bay close to shore and circled the bay
as glaciers fell all around us . We had an outdoor barbecue on deck
where the crew grilled chicken and sausage as we drank wine and
watched the amazing calving of glaciers all around us.
At sunrise one morning we went into a bay full of icebergs and
climbed on top of a few of them where a few of us had a snowball
fight. A close look revealed unusual colors caused by the continual
slapping of waves.
We visited an English research station and found a whale skeleton up
on the ice.
One of the rules impressed upon us was that we were not allowed to
leave anything onshore. It seemed, however, that cigarette smokers
never got the word.
On another trip ashore we entered a volcanic lagoon were the water
was warm and we were able to swim in the Antarctic Ocean from a
black volcanic sand beach. Lots of warm drink followed that trip. The
crew had Courvoisier and hot coffee waiting to warm us up.
On another trip ashore, I had basalt rocks with surreal rock formations
on one side while on the other side seals and penguins moved all
around me and I felt like I had entered a Dali painting.
Each day for the seven days of the tour through Antarctica we went
ashore in the morning and then again in the afternoon. We had
stepped on the continent of Antarctica a total of fourteen times and at
the last visit, the crew awarded us a certificate stating as much. I
marveled that I had reached the bottom of the world and I felt
privileged to be there.
I know that these trips might someday be halted because of the
damage that so many tourists are causing. I have read rumors about
the end of tours to this area. I felt lucky to have made the trip and to
be one of the privileged few on earth to sail through the Drake
Passage and to circle Cape Horn. The last night on board we had a
party and the wine and liquor flowed freely.
To circle Cape Horn earns a sailor the right to put a ring in his ear. I
will pass on that honor, however.
Penguins in Antarctica
Backpacking, By Bus Through South America
Eight Months On the Road
By David Rice
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