Gullet and Detaille Island
We cruised past the Antarctic Circle (66° 33´) early this morning, with blue skies and blue ice luring us to our farthest south point in the Gullet (67° 10´). Zodiac cruising was very exciting, with many seals lounging on bergs of incredible shapes. Among the seals, we found another Emperor Penguin – a 2-year-old this time! He posed for photos like a supermodel, preening, and staring back at the ship and all the red coats trying to get just the right shot! After we all got a great view, the ship turned north up Tickle Channel in search of killer whales. As we maneuvered through the narrow channel the pack ice got thicker and thicker, making for tricky navigation and spectacular scenery, but no whales!
The Oceanites team engaged those who were not on the Zodiac cruise with an informal lecture about the Antarctic Site Inventory project. The Counting Penguins movie provided details on why it is so important to understand the population dynamics of penguins and other seabirds in response to climate changes. The Antarctic Peninsula region is warming faster than just about any other place on the planet (approximately 5°C in 50 years), Gentoo penguins are able to exploit this warming trend, but the Adelies in the peninsula region are declining. Understanding how different penguin species respond to these changes in sea ice distribution and altered storm patterns can help us get a better understanding of how global climate change will ultimately impact us, wherever we live.
After lunch we continued cruising north to Detaille Island, where we were treated to a glimpse of what life was like for the FIDS (Falkland Islands Dependency Survey, now the British Antarctic Survey) men during the 1950’s. This was a sledge dog base, where survey crews sledged off in many directions to survey the Antarctic Peninsula. The men signed on for a two-year stint. The base was abandoned in a big hurry in December 1958, with the men leaving behind all but what they could load on their dog sledges to haul out to the ship, waiting miles away over fast ice. One dog got left behind, and much to everyone’s relief, turned up 60 miles away at Stonington Base six months later in good health! For years the small base hut stood weathering the elements, until rediscovered by Lindblad Expeditions. The UK Antarctic Heritage Trust has taken on the huge task of restoring the hut as a historical monument. Seeing the love letter telegram lying on the desk in the radio room was a reminder of how isolated life in this southern outpost could be!
Despite our every effort, the killer whales continue to elude us, but the clear skies and lovely scenery leads us north again.
