Brown Bluff/Hope Bay

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JonJon, our butler, knocked on our door delivering a very early breakfast.  Wanted to be up and ready for the 7am landing.  We were both moving rather slowly.   The passage during the night sounded very crunchy breaking through the brush ice.  There was also a bit of rocking and rolling. Sure enough our morning landing has been cancelled due to extreme high winds.  It is still very sunny.

Oh well, we weren't terribly disappointed. Our landing has turned into an expedition cruise.  It was a

pleasure not having to put on the outfit. Layering up and then trucking downstairs to try and put your boots on with all this clothing is a real feat!  Gives a whole new meaning to the expression "booting up".  Tucked ourselves back into bed when suddenly there appeared a gigantic iceberg outside our balcony.  This berg is part of the Larsen B ice shelf which is a small part of the Larsen Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea that has been disintegrating more and more rapidly as the years pass.  The berg we saw is 175 meters down below sea level and 50 meters tall above.  No one could tell us how long it extended.

In the Southern Hemisphere summer of 2002, scientists monitoring daily satellite images of the Antarctic Peninsula watched in amazement as almost the entire Larsen B Ice Shelf splintered and collapsed in just over one month. They had never witnessed such a large area—3,250 square kilometers, or 1,250 square miles—disintegrate so rapidly.

The collapse of the Larsen appears to have been due to a series of warm summers on the Antarctic Peninsula, which culminated with an exceptionally warm summer in 2002. Significant surface melting due to warm air temperatures created melt ponds that acted like wedges; they deepened the crevasses and eventually caused the shelf to splinter.

We have the ship's camera on the tv and we get a view from the bridge.  It was time to hit the deck and see this thing up close.  Another WOW moment!  Traveling around on a much smaller berg, we spotted the Adelie penguins.  These little guys are known for their stupidity - decision making is not their strong suit.

The wind is really howling out there.  Feels like home.  Guess we are staying inside for a while.  Trivia, lunch, a short rest and it was time to suit up for our exploration of Hope Bay and the Argentinian Base Esperanza.  This is a military/research base and is one of the larger ones.

We had a tour of the facilities - visiting the school and church.  Note that the crosses on the top of the hill do not designate graves but is a memorial to the men who passed. We were able to buy simple souvenirs at what looks like the local VFW club. Our postcards were stamped with the base stamp and each received a personal signature from the commander in charge, who we were fortunate to have as our guide, along with his daughter.  Another wonderful experience.

Esperanza base is a permanent, all-year-round Argentine research station in Hope Bay, Trinity Peninsula (in Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula). It is one of only two civilian settlements in Antarctica (the other being the Chilean Villa Las Estrellas). The base's motto is Permanencia, un acto de sacrificio ('Permanence, an act of sacrifice').

Built in 1953, the base houses 55 inhabitants in winter, including 10 families and 2 school teachers. Provincial school #38 Presidente Raúl Ricardo Alfonsín (formerly named Julio Argentino Roca) was founded in 1978 and acquired independent status in 1997. It maintains the furthest South Scout troop. The base has an Argentine civil register office where births and weddings are recorded.The base has tourist facilities that are visite The LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel radio station started transmitting in 1979 and currently broadcasts on shortwave and FM. A wind generator was installed in 2008, mounted by INVAP.

The base was the birthplace of Emilio Palma, the first person to be born in Antarctica. There have been at least ten other children born at the base.

Back on board and I couldn't keep my eyes open.  Finally was able to take a nap and got up in time for the daily briefing. Kate decided to have dinner in the room and I went to the restaurant.  I sat our old table with a whole other group of people.  Lots of interesting conversation all around.  This is all a bit too posh for me but I do have to say that so far everyone is very friendly, world traveled and the conversations are fascinating.

Since the wind was so strong, kayaking was cancelled all day.  I am hoping for better conditions tomorrow.  It'll be my last chance.  After tomorrow, we head back through Drake's passage and we are on our way home.

Next time...Whalers Bay/Snow Island

CLICK HERE: TODAY'S PHOTO ALBUM