Up and at’em early today – we were supposed to be traversing one of the canals that was “not to be missed”. Our expedition leader told us if we were not up at 6:30 to see it, he would come find us. Unfortunately the plans have obviously changed overnight, and since we came through the Lemaire channel instead, we are already at Port Lockroy. Oh well.
Breakfast – and pictures. It’s incredible. Huge cliffs, encased in clouds, sit atop snow and ice crevasses that line the bay surrounding the little island of Goudier where Port Lockroy was built in 1944. And here it still sits. All alone in this vast emptiness. When you see it, you just can’t imagine the isolation – and people live here 5 months out of the year!
As we wait for the quick intro presentation to the island and Port Lockroy, we watch fascinated, as the zodiacs are lowered and then, used to push an ice flow away from the ship. Really wild!
The introduction presentation is given by 2 of the volunteers for the United Kingdom Antarctic Heritage Trust organization that manages Port Lockroy and other historic sites on the peninsula. They give us the history – started out as base to report enemy activities and provide weather reports in the 2nd World War. After the war it was handed over to the Falklands, became the base for the major international scientific organization in the Antarctic and was subsequently closed in 1962 after the organization moved to another site on the peninsula. The little base fell into disrepair and wasn’t restored until 1996. It is now run by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust which allows visitors during the summer season. There are 6 people who live at the base – 4 full time and 2 mobile staff. When asked what qualifications were needed for the job, the 2 gals who were giving the talk told us “none”! You just have to be willing to live there without running water (not showering often), no toilet facilities, and enjoy eating “not fresh” food for quite some time. Ay yi yi!
Their main jobs are environmental monitoring (analysis of the gentoo penguin population) and some weather reporting. Oh, and to run the shop and the Southern most post office in the world! Cute!
After the presentation, it is now, finally time to go ashore! We are the first group to go at 9:00am. We run back to our cabins and prepare for the first landing. Long underwear, 2 pairs of socks, overshirt (ELA’s for photo opps!), balaclava, liner gloves, waterproof gloves, ski pants, life jackets and our boots – along with cameras in bags, money for the shop, tissues and the darn Terrible Towel, all get stuffed in our pockets as we head down to the main lounge to “dress” for Antarctica. Suited up and more than ready – we swipe our cards in the computer and head down the stairs to disinfect our boots then hope on the first zodiac. OMG! It’s freezing, the wind is whipping and the swells are really, really deep. Oh, and the ship is now WAY further away from that island than it was when we first arrived. Flexible, remember to be flexible!
The zodiac ride over is pretty uneventful – we have to go around in some channel to get into the landing area, and when we turn into the wind, we all get our first taste of “words #1” – you will get wet! And it’s freezing remember, so the water splashing on our glasses immediately turns to ice. Thank heavens for the layers of protection and those ski pants!
The landing is semi-difficult – we have to crawl out over the top of the zodiac. Niko even slides down it and falls to the floor of our zodiac on the way in – he very athletically saves himself at the last moment like a gymnast finishing a routine – and while we all clap for the performance, we understand it’s not really all that funny. Once we’re out – we’re on the peninsula! On land! And there are PENGUINS!!! Everywhere!
We have to walk up some rocky terrain to get to grates that are embedded in the snow that help us traverse up a small hill to the heritage museum. Penguins are nesting on the left, penguins are nesting on the rocks, penguins are wandering all over, crossing our paths without a care in the world. You really have to pinch yourself to remember – this is the wilderness! This isn’t the zoo – and well – the arctic winds and the blowing snow and freezing temps do kind of remind you where you are!
Wishing to warm up a tad bit, we head into the museum which is really quite an experience. The rooms are all laid out exactly as they were used when the base was last operational in 1962. The kitchen still has utensils and canned foodstuffs, and a cookbook with recipes on how to cook a penguin breast! Yikes! The bunk room has 4 beds, covered in shag wool /lambskin hides. The girls said that the workers slept there as little as 2 years ago (there is now a new bunk house up the hill that they say is much nicer with TONS of insulation so it’s much warmer – although still no running water!). The old generator room has been converted into the gift store – but you can still see the generator there – on display beneath the nice wool blanket, miscellaneous books and Antarctic keychains for sale.
Back outside, we walk among the penguins – oh – they are so darn cute – and so darn smelly (yeah, forgot about that). Of course we take tons of pictures – including the terrible towel picture – which isn’t really working all that well to be honest, not in this wind – and we try to take a good ELA’s shot – but – sorry gang – it’s too darn cold to take our parkas off!
Soon, we decide its time to head back to the zodiac. The wind is picking up and we’re starting to get a little chilled – although have to say, not too terribly much, those parkas are great! Back we go with a 1/2 full zodiac. What a ride! This ain’t the Galapagos – that’s for sure! When we got wet there – it wasn’t a big deal – here we are slamming into the waves and the spray and overwash starts out as water but ends up as ice pellets raining down on you. Totally wild! Our zodiac driver is awesome – he reads the swells and waves so well, I mean, it’s a wild ride, but it’s totally fun – and totally drenching! Remember Words #1. We are soaked – we find out much to our dismay, that Ed’s ski gloves are waterproof after all, and that both our ski pants can only take so much water. Oh well – that’s what the blow dryer is for! Oh and that awesome mirror in the bathroom that is heated so it doesn’t fog? That becomes the defacto clothesline for all our stuff now!
Exhilarating!
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