Today I am having a hard time seating down to write. This time is not due to heavy seas like before. This time is the gorgeous scenery out there that is keeping me from my desk. I have made many attempts to stay focus and write, but every time I do that, something new comes through the portholes that sends me out on deck with my camera.
Last night we started to see a lot of ice around; it was the preamble of a wonderful day. I was having a snack at the mess room before heading to bed when all of a sudden a loud noise came from the walls. I had been warned that you cannot carry a conversation at the mess hall when the Palmer goes through ice, so I know what was going on. I went up stairs and found the bridge with quite some people enjoying the view. Vladimir, the ice captain, was navigating a big ice patch full of floats. He was using two very powerful directional lights as well as the radar.
I asked Max if they had seen any seals, remembering the last time we came across an ice patch, and he said no. A minute later Vladimir pointed one of the lights on a nearby float with three Adélie penguins on it. It was pitch dark except to the float with the penguins under the spot lights; it was like watching an old black and white film of penguins, including the white speckles of old film created by the light snow that was falling. We traverse the field and I decided to go to sleep.
Singing Emperor. This is next day's rendition of the black and white penguin film. We did not have snow to provide the aging characteristic of the film this time, bit it was still spectacular!
Singing Emperor. This is next day's rendition of the black and white penguin film. We did not have snow to provide the aging characteristic of the film this time, bit it was still spectacular!
I woke up early, around 5:30 am, to help with the carbon 14 measurements. The sea was free of ice and the sky free of snow. That did not last long. Ice floats started to appear again as well as some light snow. We crossed a couple of ice patches until it became a whole complete ice field. Thomas came to the dry lab and said penguins had been spotted on portside. We grabbed our cameras and left.
I took them to starbord by mistake (I have the worst sense of orientation. Even after three weeks on the boat I get lost, pathetic). Not all was lost, as we found a crabeater seal on the ice. We all snatched a couple of pictures of her and went to the other side in search of the penguins. Three Adélies that were very close to the ship began to run on their float and jumped to the water. They were so cute waddling together! I wonder what they think when they see this enormous metallic monster crunching the ice. All I can think of is that it must be very scary. I was able to shoot a 3 second video of them jumping in the water.
Three Adélies waddling away
I came back in and tried to sit down to write. Then I thought I should go out and enjoy the unique view; I might not be able to see it again after this trip. I mounted guard on the 01 level deck at starboard, waiting for more penguins. I saw one that crawled amazingly fast on the ice running away from the big yellow and orange monster. It seems tome this is the penguin that has been more frightened was the only one I saw with a tag on its wing; it cannot be a coincidence. Wilson came out to enjoy the view. He is on the night watch and is usually asleep at this time of the day. Not on a day like this.
We saw a group of six Adélies that seemed to be waving good bye to us. Then another group of four. I spent a lot of time soaking the hole experience until the cold was stronger than me
A penguin about to dive into the water to escape from the big orange and yellow monster.
A clear patch of sky appeared far in the horizon, letting a sliver of yellowish light. What an amazing view! The ice floats, icebergs, penguins, seals and more with a yellowish background. Do not expect amazing pictures once I can post them, though. No picture can do justice to what we were observing. At the end I had to go back in. My toes were freezing.
Great views of the ice when the seas are calm
I came out later to see the sunset. The gorgeous views changed, but did not cease to amaze. We cleared the ice from a small patch so we can lower the rosettes at a station. The petrels seemed to like that, as they kept fishing from the open hole.
Snow petrels came to fish on the patch we cleared of ice for lowering the rosettes
Overall an unforgettable day. If the sky could clear for us to see the starry night and Auroras… I should not be so greedy.