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Monday 2nd March 2015

Brown Bluff and Paulet Island Weddell Sea

First and foremost a quick rundown on the Aurora crew in whose care we will be for the next week.

Aurora Team
Back L to R Alisdair, Liz (penguin outfit) Judd
Front L to R Martin, John, Birgitta, Diego behind Heather, Peter

Christian Genilliard- Our very well-travelled Expedition Leader who has worked on projects such as ‘Round the World Race’ and the America’s Cup.

Liz Pope- Assistant Expedition Leader who has travelled widely throughout Australia, New Zealand, India, Vietnam,Nepal, Mexico,Europe and Africa.

Alasdair McGregor- Historian, painter, photographer and writer.Vast experience and knowledge of the Antarctic and the author of 3 books with Antarctic themes, including the biography of famed polar photographer Frank Hurley.

Diego Punta Fernandez.- Naturalist. Originally from Buenos Aires but now based in El Chalten Patagonia. For over 15 years he has been leading trekking, birding and photographic trips through South Patagonia.

Dr John Barry- Doctor who has worked in over 50 countries over the past decade and when not aboard Polar Pioneer works as a GP in Bondi. A big part to play in getting some of us landlubbers through Drake Passage on our return from Antarctica .

Elena Wimberger – Hotel Manager. After working on board Polar Pioneer in the European Arctic in 2014 Elena is now visiting the Antarctic for the first time.

Birgitta Moeck – working on her first trip to Antarctica but a very experienced diver and underwater photographer who is the Creative Director for her family company Crystal Water Film Production AB. Birgitta comes from Orust on the west coast of Sweden an area with which I am very familiar and which we visited last year.

Other vital members of the crew with whom we have less contact in view of the activities for which they are responsible are :

Judd Hill, Sea Kayak Guide, Martin McGrath, Scuba Diving Guide and Peter who works for an independent company, Waterproof and is involved in the diving and kayaking area.

I have had a good night’s  sleep but Gail has had just the opposite with the luggage drama really hitting home. The previous night’s sanguine attitude had been replaced by her understandable anger at the stupidity of the idiot who had made the mistake.

Given the fact that we had been on a charter flight with only Aurora passengers it is unforgivable.

Understandably Gail is totally uncompromising in her determination to get the right size of waterproof jacket ( which had been ordered some months earlier) rather than the XL provided.Liz, the assistant expedition leader feels the full force of a very disenchanted Gail. The correct size L is delivered to the cabin but it has been used and has salt stains on both sleeves. Not happy, Liz!

Excellent breakfast after which we have another mandatory briefing on zodiacs and how to get our superannuated limbs into and out of them.

With rather threatening skies we eventually land at Browns Bluff ( as distinct from Paulet Island which had been the original plan). Our first landing on the continent of Antarctic!

Get to view Adelie and Gentoo penguins at close quarters plus a few fur seals. Weather and visibility closes in and the call comes to return to the zodiacs before the ice closes in.

Hot drinks and a great lunch thaw us all out and with the temp now at minus 5 we are off again on the zodiacs landing on the north side of Paulet Island.

Unmistakable odour of the Adelie penguins ( by now few in number as the end of the season approaches) and the Antarctic cormorants assails our senses as we land and receive an informative briefing from Alasdair on the ill- fated Nordenskjold’s expedition of 1901- 1904 and the loss of the ship Antarctic.

Remains of stone hut occupied by 20 survivors from the sunken ship Antarctic 1901

Spend considerable amount of time on shore and are able to view the wild life at very close quarters. Have good chat with Birgitta Mueck in Swedish which is lot better than my very rusty Spanish.

Before heading back to the ship Liz, who is our zodiac skipper for the afternoon takes us on a great tour through the maze of icebergs and fantastic shapes, even achieving a short stay on floating ice.

Return to Polar Pioneer very happy with the day’s events and Gail decidedly less peed off with the luggage issue.

Drinks in the bar with the Captain to celebrate this epic journey and he makes a fine brief speech before returning to the task of keep us all safe.

Usual great meal although Gail blots her copybook by forgetting to save a seat at our table for Sarah, our UK friend who has charged the battery to Gail’s camera.

G tries to make amends by making a non too subtle attempt at matchmaking by finding Sarah a seat next to Diego, our pin-up Argentinian naturalist .

End the day chatting to a group including Ross, with whom I discuss the merits of George Best, Becks and a few others. Peter, who had lead us from the aircraft on the first day, joined us to tell us his version of events on the luggage and Sarah stays to join us and tell us  of her career as a diver and instructor.  As Peter is not employed by Aurora he is able to be fairly blunt with his comments but is full of praise for Aurora and the whole team.

In bed by about 11pm after a day which has gone a long way towards taking Gail’s mind off lost luggage,at least for a while.

 Cheers

Obese Ferret