By Jen :-
We have been travelling south all night and our destination is Detaille Island, where we are due to arrive at around 1400. Detaille Island is a small island at the end of the Arrowsmith Peninsula in Graham Land. From 1956 to 1959 is was home to “Base W” of the British Antarctic Survey.
We have a relatively leisurely morning and our first activity is the Crossing of the Antarctic Circle Ceremony at 10am. This ceremony is a traditional maritime event that occurs when a ship or expedition crosses the Antarctic Circle, which is located at approximately 66 degrees 33’ south latitude.
Various crew members dressed up in costume, which included a King and Queen Neptune and pirates. Everyone was divided into 2 groups. Those who had crossed the circle before and those who had not. The only crew member, Jo, who had not crossed before was thrown fully clothed into the swimming pool. Then everyone had to kiss-the-fish, a large, dead fish before knocking back a shot of vodka. Certainly a different experience.
Kissing the Fish!
The race to the Pole
Events then quietened down and we attended a lecture given by Alena, a lovely Russian lady from St. Petersburg, on the race to the South Pole between Robert Falcon Scott, who was British and Roald Amundsen. Amundsen, a Norwegian, originally intended to go to the North Pole but changed his plans when he was beaten to this goal and headed south. The two expeditions could not have been more differently organised.
Amundsen had already experienced a polar winter, had visited the Inuit and learned how they dressed and ate to survive in extreme conditions. He picked a small, but experienced crew who knew how to ski and manage dogs sleighs. He provisioned the ship well and knew how to prevent scurvy. They had a large team of dogs. Some to eat, both by the humans and by the dogs. The raw meat prevented scurvy.
Scott had a much larger crew, but they were inexperienced. Only 1 could ski. They took 3 heavy machines with caterpillar tracks which they thought would operate well to carry their equipment in the snow, but they could not traverse the mountain range between them.. They also took ponies and had a few dogs, but had no experience in how to use them. They also had less provisions and inappropriate clothing.
Conditions were very harsh and the two teams advance from different sides of the Ross Ice Field.
Both teams sent 5 men on the final push to the pole. Amundsen”s team arrived first and left a tent with some provisions and a letter for Scott’s team.
Amundsen’s team all made it back to their ship. Scott’s men made it two weeks later to the pole, but they all perished on the return. That they made it at all was pretty miraculous as their ponies had all died, the machines sank in the snow and they were undernourished and the clothing was ill designed for polar conditions. They would get hot from exertion and sweat. The damp perspiration would then freeze.
Afternoon exploring
In the afternoon we took to the zodiacs to go out to Base W. We have been extremely fortunate with the weather over the last 2 days. Glorious sunshine and relatively mild. The scenery was stunning. Just, breath-taking. Large icebergs of unimaginable shapes.
The bay beyond Detaille Island was icebound. We are at our most southerly point in the voyage, being the only the third cruise ship to venture this far south this season.
In the distance we could see an Adelie Penguin colony and some of the birds sliding down a long slope to reach the sea. Also sunbathing on the snow were a few Weddell seals.
Back at the ship we enjoyed afternoon tea while admiring the beauty all around us. It is so silent with the ship stationary.
More about Leopard seals.
After our daily briefing, Anya, gave a fascinating talk on leopard seals. She is so enthusiastic it becomes almost infectious. Apparently leopard seals are solitary animals and we were fortunate to see one yesterday sunbathing on a small iceberg next to the ship. They don’t just eat penguins, but other seal’s pups, fish and krill. They are curious animals and can be dangerous.
Endless sunshine
As we get further south the nights get shorter and the days longer. Tonight sunset is at 00.00 and sunrise at an identical time. We’re in the land of the midnight sun.
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