SOUTH SHETLANDS & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA 1-10 February, 2020

1-10, FEB 2020 Volume 2, Issue 12 

Albatros Magazine 

A Visual Journey 

South Shetlands & 

Antarctic Peninsula: The 

Journey of a Lifetime 

THE OFFICIAL VOYAGE LOG OF

Albatros Magazine: A Visual Journey 

Editor-in-Chief: 

Layout & Design: 

Shelli Ogilvy 

Gaby Pilson & Shelli Ogilvy 

Front Cover Image: 

Back Cover Image: 

Photography Contributors: 

Leopard Seal © Sandra Petrowiz 

Whale Fluke © Sandra Petrowiz 

Sandra Petrowitz 

Yuri Choufour 

Werner Kruse 

Renato Granieri 

Gaby Pilson 

Listen to the stories of the women and men who make these 

expeditions a reality. From members of our onboard team to 

guest experts and other incredible characters. Available on 

Spotify, iTunes, and most other podcast providers. 

www.albatros-expeditions.com/podcast 

1-10 FEB 2020 Volume 2, Issue 12

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

The Voyage 

Meet the Team 

Day 1: Southward Bound 

The Seven Sisters of Szczecin 

An Unlikely Antarctic Explorer 

Day 2: Rolling Our Way South 

Penguins! Fun Facts for the Antarctic 

Adventurer 

Day 3: At Sea in the Southern Ocean 

Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts 

Whales: Friendly Giants of the Sea 

Day 4: Our First Steps in Antarctica 

The Geological Structure of the Antarctic 

Peninsula 

Day 5: The White Continent 

When and How the Earth Got Cold 

Day 6: Furthest South 

Day 7: The Last Day 

A Brief History of the Zodiac 

Antarctica: A Continent for Science 

Day 8: Northward Bound 

Fire in the Antarctic 

Day 9: The Beagle Channel 

King of the Southern Winds 

Day 10: Home Again 

By the Numbers 

A Final Note 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

13 

14 

15 

16 

18 

19 

22 

23 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32

The Voyage 

3 

The following map traces the approximate route that the M/V Ocean Atlantic took during our 

voyage to Antarctica. You can find more information about our day to day activities, landings, and 

excursions on the following pages. We hope that this magazine serves as a reminder of all of the 

wonderful memories you made while experiencing the Antarctic with. 

© Renato Granieri 

© Yuri Choufour 

1-10 FEB 2020 

Volume 2, Issue 12

Meet the Team 

4 

Ted Creek 

Assistant Expedition 

Leader 

Samuel 

Expedition Leader 

Wan Meng Chieh 

Assistant Expedition 

Leader 

Kevin Burke 

Zodiac Master 

Shelli Ogilvy 

Kayak Master 

Thomas Bruun 

Kayak Guide 

Kim Schuster 

Equipment Master 

Nadine Smith 

Shop Manager 

Rose Li 

Translator & Guide 

Slava Nikitin 

Lecturer & Guide 

Sandra Petrowitz 

Photographer 

Shannon Jensen 

First Aid Responder 

Mark Hebert 

Lecture & Guide 

Ab Steenvoorden 


Lisa Pettenuzzo 


Nick Gan 


Mariam Pousa 


Pai Liu 

Shop Assistant 

Chloe Shang 

Shop Assistent 

Steve Egan 


Rashida Lim 


Zoy Li Jianqun 


1-10, FEB 2020 

Volume 2, Issue 12

5 

Day 1 - Southward Bound 

1 February 2020 - Embarkation Day 

As the wheels of the plane touched down on the 

runway in Ushuaia, we were treated to magnificent 

views of Tierra del Fuego and the southernmost city 

in Argentina that marks the start of our Antarctic 

adventure. After a night in Ushuaia we were better 

rested from the long travel and mid-day we arrived 

at the pier eager to board the lovely ship Ocean 

Atlantic. 

Our adventure to Antarctica started as the first 

busses drove along the pier in beautiful summer 

weather. Members of the Albatros Expedition Team 

welcomed us onboard and the excitement was 

palatable as we climbed the gangway steps. 

Everyone checked in with the hotel department and 

settled in our rooms before starting to explore the 

vessel which will be our home for the next ten days. 

Having time for tea as well as a small snack, it was 

soon time for the mandatory safety briefing 

followed by an important safety drill. The 

recognizable alarm went off throughout the ship 

and people gathered at their muster stations and 

later at the emergency life boats. 

Shortly after the drill was finished, the Ocean 

Atlantic slowly started to move away from the pier 

and began its journey through the Beagle channel, 

before heading straight South towards Antarctica. 

Meanwhile, Expedition Leader Sam hosted the 

welcome briefing in the Viking Theatre and Hotel 

Director Oliver introduced the ship and the many staff 

working to provide an excellent experience, including 

the food and beverage manager, the head of 

housekeeping and the purser. Sam then introduced the 

different members of the expedition team and their 

roles onboard. He proceeded then to outline the plans 

and details for the voyage, including an update 

regarding the weather, which was for a very pleasant 

forecast for the infamous Drake Passage. 

The evening ended with a big welcome dinner, where 

people got to know their new travel companions. Many 

went to bed early after several days of travel. However, 

a few went outside on the decks, where we were able 

to spot many seabirds flying around the ship, several of 

the larger albatrosses were sighted marking the start of 

a great wildlife journey in the southern hemisphere. 

But, as explorers know all too well, we can only ever 

experience true beauty in nature when we are brave 

enough to seek it out amongst the mountains and the 

seas in the world’s most remote places. It is with that 

sentiment in mind that we venture away from Ushuaia 

and south, to the future and all the wonders it holds. 

1-10, FEB 2020 Volume 2, Issue 12

The Seven Sisters of Szczecin 

David MacDonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide 

M/V Ocean Atlantic was launched in 1986 as the last-built of the ‘Shoshtakovich’ class of ice-strengthened 

passenger vessels, alongside six sister ships, together known as the “Seven Sisters of Szczecin”. 

6 

Her original name was Konstantin Chernenko 

(Константин Черненко), after the President of the 

USSR (1984-1985). She was renamed Russ (Русс) in 

1989, and spent much of her life working in the Russian 

Far East. 

She was purchased by Albatros Expeditions and 

completely refitted in 2017. She is now a 200- 

passenger expedition vessel and is one of the strongest 

polar cruise ships afloat. Here are some fun facts about 

the “Seven Sisters”: 

• All seven ships were built by Stocnia Szczecinska 

shipyard in Szczecin, Poland between 1979-1986 

• Main engines: 4 x Skoda Sulzer 6LZ40 total power 

12800 kW, giving a maximum speed of 18 knots 

• Most of the class have one bow thruster (736 kW) 

and one stern thruster (426 kW); however, two 

ships, including ours, built in 1986, have two stern 

thrusters, each of 426 kW 

• Feature Siemens stabilisers for seaworthiness 

• Although built as ferries, they have a strengthened 

car deck for transport of tanks 

• Two of them had diving chambers 

• MV Mikhail Sholokov had hull demagnetising 

equipment so it could operate in minefields 

• All of these ships have been scrapped except ours 

and Konstantin Simonov – now Ocean Endeavour 

Our ship has had a complex history: 

1986-1987 In Baltic traffic, then Vladivostok to 

Japan & S Korea 

1989 renamed to Russ 

1997-1999 In traffic Stockholm-Riga; 2000 

Odessa-Haifa; 2002 back to 

Vladivostok transporting cars from 

Japan 

2007 Sold to Sea Ferry Shipping in Majuro 

and renamed 2010 to Atlantic; 

renovations in Italy and in traffic 

Stockholm-Helsinki-St. Petersburg 

during summer and laid up (October 

2010) in St Petersburg 

2012 Sold to ISP in Miami and renamed to 

Ocean Atlantic under Marshall 

Islands flag 

2013 Used as a hotel ship in the German 

bight wind farm project 

2015-2017 Laid up in Helsingborg and taken to 

Gdansk in Poland, where totally 

refitted 

2017 Chartered to Quark Expeditions 

2017-present Chartered to Albatros Expeditions. 


Volume 2, Issue 12

An Unlikely Antarctic Explorer 

Gregers Gjersøe – Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide 

In a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand, the local 

cemetery is home to a rather unassuming grave. 

The final resting place of Henry “Chippy” McNish, 

one of the survivors of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 

1914 Endurance Expedition, the grave is also a 

memorial to one of the most improbable of 

Antarctic explorers. 

In January of 1915, the Endurance got trapped in 

the Antarctic pack ice. McNish's work prevented 

the ship from flooding, but he couldn’t do 

anything to stop it from being crushed. The ship 

was abandoned and, much to McNish’s despair, 

Shackleton ordered Mrs. Chippy to be shot, as 

they couldn’t take her on their survival journey. 

7 

McNish himself was a carpenter onboard the 

Endurance, though he didn’t travel alone. During 

the expedition, McNish brought along a cat that 

followed him around like an overpossessive 

wife. Soon enough, the 

crew named the cat Mrs. Chippy, 

although the expedition quickly 

realised that Mrs. Chippy was a 

gentleman, not a lady. 

Mrs. Chippy was an unusual cat, 

though an avid adventurer, 

having climbed the Endurance’s 

rigging lines on several 

occasions. Mrs. Chippy also did 

some very provocative strolls 

across the roofs of the dogs’ kennels 

and even once fell into the frigid water 

below. Thankfully, the crew heard her cries and 

quickly turned the ship around so they could 

pluck her up from the icy cold waters and get her 

to safety. 

Also onboard the Endurance was a young man - 

Perce Blackborow. Perce had travelled to Buenos 

Aires looking for new employment, but wasn’t 

hired; at 18, his youth and inexperience counted 

against him. Somehow, he managed to sneak 

aboard the ship, and he hid in a clothing locker 

for three days. Eventually, he was discovered, 

and Shackleton was furious with him, but was 

sent to work in the galley where he became great 

friends with Mrs. Chippy. 

Now, the group had to make it back to safety. For 

months, the expedition drifted through icy 

waters until they made it to Elephant Island. 

Once at Elephant Island, Shackleton set out 

in a 22-foot-long open boat and made 

an 800-mile crossing through the 

rough waters of the South Atlantic 

to South Georgia. McNish was 

one of the five men who 

accompanied Shackleton, 

making improvements to the 

boat to make the voyage 

possible. 

For the next fifteen years, McNish 

lived a difficult life in Wellington 

before passing away in 1930. He never 

forgave Shackleton for shooting Mrs. 

Chippy. 

Nearly 30 years later, in 1959, the New Zealand 

Antarctic Society realised that McNish had been 

given a very poor burial in an unmarked grave. 

The Society raised funds for a headstone and 

even reunited McNish and Mrs. Chippy by adding 

a life-sized bronze statue of Mrs. Chippy to the 

grave. 

Now Karori Cemetery near Wellington is a 

pilgrimage site for Antarctic history buffs, who 

visit McNish’s grave and see Mrs. Chippy 

watching over him once again. 


Volume 2, Issue 12

Day 2 - Rolling Our Way South 

2 February 2020 – Drake Passage South 

8 

A gentle sea swell greeted us for our first full day 

together on Ocean Atlantic as she sailed surely 

southwards toward the promise of a snowy white 

continent, lost at the edge of the known world. A lovely 

breakfast as the skies lightened, gave us a nutritious 

beginning to the events of the day. It was a relaxed 

start as many of us were still finding our sea legs even 

as we rolled gently across the Drake Passage. 

Our ornithologist Ab rolled out an entertaining 

introduction to the Seabirds of the Southern Ocean, 

giving us a great taste of the encounters we could look 

forward to with these feathered friends who 

accompany us on our passage to Antarctica. Interest 

was high & the theatre full of curious questions about 

our winged companions & time ‘flew’ - before we knew 

it, it was time for a Mandatory IAATO briefing. After 

Expedition leader Sam gave us a preview of some 

introductory thoughts & perspectives about Antarctica, 

we enjoyed a great lunch put on by our consistently 

creative galley team, fueling us for an afternoon of 

further activities. 

A sweet snack at Tea Time flowed into an invitation to 

join our Marine Biologist Kim for what was an excellent 

overview of the Whales we hope to sight on our 

adventure ahead. Soon enough, a day of various 

briefings, social occasions & educational presentations 

brought us to our official welcome to the journey by 

the Master of our vessel & our captain Georgii toasted 

to an expected successful Expedition ahead, leading us 

into a delightful evening meal as Ocean Atlantic 

steamed on south towards the horizon. Some gathered 

after dining, for popcorn & a screening of Frozen 

Planet to fuel dreams of the icy realms ahead. 

Late tonight, while we slept, we would cross the 

Antarctic Convergence, the gateway into Antarctica’s 

unique biological zone & can consider ourselves then 

already embraced by the great White Continent. 

After dining, we followed up on our understanding of 

the importance of arriving clean into the sensitive 

Antarctic environment, with the practicalities of 

screening all the clothing & equipment we would take 

ashore & generally had a fun social time in doing so. 

Throughout the afternoon as the sea state settled, 

many of us wandered upstairs to inspect the view from 

the Ocean Atlantic bridge or explored the outer decks, 

mingled with our naturalists, or photographed the 

many & wondrous seabirds that chaperoned our sea 

journey. 


Volume 2, Issue 12

Penguins! Fun Facts for the Antarctic Adventurer 

Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide 

For many of us, the chance to see penguins waddling around in the snowy vastness of Antarctica is the reason 

that we came to the White Continent. These charismatic sea birds are a fan-favourite for visitors to Antarctica, 

but even cuddly-looking penguins are incredibly well adapted to one of the harshest environments on Earth. 

1 

2 

Depending on what book you read, there are 19 

species of penguins. If you count all of the 

subspecies, there are 25 total varieties of 

penguins in the world, however, there are only 

four truly Antarctic species of penguins: the 

Adélie, Gentoo, Chinstrap, and Emperor. All of 

the other penguins in the world live south of the 

equator yet north of Antarctica, with the 

exception of one species in the Galapagos whose 

range barely crosses into the northern 

hemisphere. 

The largest penguin to have ever lived was the 

now-extinct mega penguin, which weighed some 

115 kg. These days, the largest penguin is the 

Emperor Penguin, which tips the scales at 23 kg. 

Alternatively, the smaller gentoo penguin weighs 

just 15 kg. 

9 

3 

4 

5 

Although they nest, breed, and socialize on land, 

penguins rely on the sea for survival. As 

swimming and diving birds, penguins are adept 

at fishing and must head to the ocean for their 

sustenance. Indeed, the deepest diving bird in 

the world is the Emperor Penguin, with a 

record-breaking dive of 535 meters! 

Penguins are amazing swimmers. They spend 

much of their day searching for food in the 

ocean, particularly for their favourite meal of 

krill, squid, and small fish. The fastest swimming 

penguin is the Gentoo, which is known to reach 

speeds of upwards of 50 kilometres an hour 

while zooming through the water. 

Penguins are highly social birds, choosing to 

nest in large colonies, where they will also raise 

their young. Many penguin chicks, after 

hatching stay with their parents for a few weeks 

to a few months before forming large “crechés,” 

many hundreds of individual teenage penguins 

in size. 

23 JAN – 1 FEB 2020 

Volume 2, Issue 11

Day 3 - At Sea in the Southern 

Ocean 

3 February The weather 2020 gods were – Drake pretty kind Passage to us this South 

voyage as the drake was appealingly calm. As 

we awoke to the morning call made by our 

Expedition Leader Sam, one couldn’t help but 

realize how lucky we were to not wake up to a 

Drake shake. 

The day started with a sumptuous breakfast 

buffet, followed by a photography lecture by 

our very own photographer Sandra. Many 

guests were excited about the journey to the 

seventh continent, and also about capturing 

the moment in the many pictures that they 

anticipate they would be taking. 

This was followed by a mandatory Zodiac 

briefing where all the guests were required to 

attend as the Zodiac was our only means of 

transport in Antarctica. Succeeding which, we 

had a kayak briefing where all interested 

kayakers attended. 

Lunch time soon came, and we were all quite 

hungry after a fruitful morning. After lunch, 

we had a very interesting lecture on penguins 

where many guests had thousands of 

questions on the type of penguins that they 

will be expecting to see as well as their 

lifecycle and behavior. Time seemed to be 

flingy as it was already mid-afternoon and 

another opportunity to eat again: tea time! 

Delicious sandwiches, scones and different 

pastries were served to the delight of 

everyone. 

© Sandra Petrowitz 

Boots were distributed to all of us that afternoon, 

and the excitement was showing on our faces as 

everyone looked forward to the very first landing 

in Antarctica. They were already putting on their 

waterproof pants and thick socks while trying on 

the boots. After which, some had a breath of fresh 

air as they joined the expedition staff for some 

bird watching on the outer decks. 

Ab our ornithologist hosted a bird watching 

session off the stern the skies seem to be flood 

with avian visitors. We were able to spot three of 

the large albatross species: Wandering, Gray 

Headed and Black browed. A few Humpback 

whales were spotted but at a distance to the ship. 

As it is early in the expedition and we remain 

confident that we will find more cetaceans in the 

days to come. We also were lucky in spotting our 

first fur seals and penguins porpoising through the 

waters. 

The day ended off with a recap and briefing of the 

plans of the next day, and everyone was definitely 

looking forward to dinner after a long day. Those 

who love to sing had an opportunity to sing their 

hearts out that night after dinner during the 

Karaoke session in the Viking Theatre. 

10 

© Sandra Petrowltz 


Volume 2, Issue 12

Ice is Nice – Glacier Fun Facts 

Gaby Pilson, Hiking Master & Expedition Guide 

Glaciers have, quite literally, shaped our world. Without glaciers, the rolling hills and wide valleys we know 

today would look very different, but it turns out that these icy giants have a much longer and more storied 

history than many of us would initially suspect. Here are some of the best fun facts about glaciers: 

11 

1 

Not just anything can be a glacier. In fact, there’s 

a size requirement that a piece of ice has to 

meet to become a glacier. Anything considered a 

glacier must be at least 0.1 km 2 (nearly 25 acres) 

in area to be worthy of the name. Although 

there’s a minimum size requirement to be 

considered a glacier, there’s no upper limit to 

glacierhood. The longest glacier on earth is the 

Lambert Glacier of Antarctica, which measures 

out to some 434 km (270 mi) long. The world’s 

largest non-polar glacier is the Fedchenko 

Glacier of Tajikistan, which measures a 

respectable 77km (48mi) long. 



2 

Glaciers are formed by snowflakes. Although it’s 

crazy to think that a tiny snowflake can create 

something as large as a glacier, without snow, 

glaciers would never exist in the first place. To 

form a glacier, massive amounts of snow must 

accumulate and persist in a single location all 

year long for hundreds, if not thousands of 

years. During this time, the individual snowflakes 

found in the snowpack change in a process 

known as snowflake metamorphosis, where 

individual ice grains fuse together and get bigger 

and air bubbles get smaller. Once the icepack 

builds up enough mass to start flowing downhill, 

then, voila! We have a glacier. 

3 

Glaciers are found all over the world, not just in 

the polar regions. While the majority of glaciers 

and glacial ice is concentrated in high northern 

and southern latitudes, glaciers are found even 

near the equator, such as on Mount Kilimanjaro 

in Tanzania and in the mountains of Ecuador. 

That being said, about half of the world’s 

200,000 glaciers are found in one place: Alaska. 

There, glaciers cover a whopping 72,500 km 2 

(28,000 mi 2 ) of the US state’s total area. That’s a 

lot of ice. 

© Werner Kruse 

4 

Glaciers are basically really, really, really slow-moving rivers. To be considered a glacier, a large mass of ice 

must be physically moving downhill. This movement downhill is driven by gravity and is the main reason 

why glaciers also act as major agents of erosion. Since glaciers move downhill, they often remove and 

transport large boulders and chunks of rock, depositing them much further downhill then where they 

started. 


Volume 2, Issue 11

Drake Passage 





Beagle 

Channel 



All photos © Sandra Petrowitz 

Volume 2, Issue 12

Whales: Friendly Giants of the Sea 

Amanda Dalsgaard – Lecturer (Marine Biology) and Expedition Guide 

13 

When one talks about whales, we must acknowledge 

the vast diversity of whales on earth and the 

uniqueness of each species. All whales fall into an 

order of marine mammals known as Cetaceans. The 

scientists who first discovered and named this order of 

marine mammals, used the word cetacean or 

‘ceatacea’ from the Greek ‘ketos,’ meaning monster. 

Long ago, when whales were first scientifically 

observed and recorded, people believed they were 

monsters, due to their size. Today, we know much 

more about the gentle giants that roam our planet’s 

seas, thanks to a number scientific and technological 

advances, our knowledge of these creatures will only 

continue to grow. 

The order Cetacea is divided into two sub-orders, 

Odontocete and Mysticeti. Odontocete, meaning 

‘toothed-whale’, includes all of the whales and 

dolphins with teeth. Mysticeti comes from the Latin 

root meaning “mustache”, and includes all of the 

whales that have baleen plates instead of teeth. It’s 

important to keep these differences in mind when 

trying to observe whales from a ship as this 

information can help identify cetaceans from far away. 

Since whales are marine mammals, they must breath 

air to survive. They do so by breathing at the water’s 

surface through their blow holes. 

Interestingly enough, however, toothed whales have 

only one blow hole or spout, while baleen whales have 

two. Plus, many whales can be identified from afar 

using the size and shape of their spout blow as well. 

For example, grey whales tend to have spouts shaped 

like hearts, while orcas have low bushy spouts. 

Another distinguishing characteristic that sets these 

two sub-orders apart is the way that they 

communicate. Odontocetes use a method of 

communication called echolocation. This is best 

described as a series or clicks and precise sounds that 

are then reflected back to the animal and allows the 

whale to ‘see’ their environment through noise. It is 

the same communication style used by bats in 

terrestrial ecosystems. Mysticetes on the other hand, 

communicate through a variety of low-frequency 

songs. These songs have been described by scientists 

as being beautiful, mysterious and sometimes gloomy, 

with the males being the most active singers of the 

Mysticeti clan. 

Regardless of the kind of whale you see however, any 

encounter with one of these graceful marine giants, 

however brief, is sure to be a memorable experience 

for years to come. 


Volume 2, Issue 11

Day 4 – Our first steps in Antarctica 

4 February 2020 – Mikkelson Harbor and Hydrurga Rocks 

14 

By Thomas Bruun, Kayak and Expedition Guide 

The day started, as we woke up to find ourselves 

surrounded by shiny blue icebergs and snowcovered 

mountains in the distance. We were finally 

in Antarctica. 

After breakfast, it was finally time for the real start 

of our adventure. We suited up in our warm and 

waterproof gear and went into the Zodiacs. As we 

took off it was still a bit foggy, however soon the 

mist lifted and we could really enjoy the massive 

glaciers around us. Our first landing was Mikkelsen 

Harbour, which was full of Fur Seals, Weddell Seals 

and Gentoo penguins. The island also gave us a 

glimpse of the past, when we saw the many whale 

bones and the old water boat slowly disintegrating 

over time. 

As one half of our ship was on the island, the other 

half was Zodiac cruising in the surrounding area. 

Many of us were lucky enough to experience 

Leopard Seals and several other seals up close, as 

we drove along the glacier front and in between 

the icebergs. 

. 


After lunch it was time for our second landing of 

the day, as we came to Hydrurga Rocks. We slowly 

made our way around the island, where we saw 

Weddell Seals, Chinstrap penguins and many blueeyed 

shags up close. Once again, we also did a 

Zodiac cruise in the surrounding waters. Hydrurga 

Rocks was also the first time we saw the yellow 

and red kayaks glide through the water, as the 

adventurous spirits paddled around the island and 

encountered the wildlife right next to them. 

Directly after our landing at Hydrurga, 29 brave 

souls decided to take part in the famous Polar 

Plunge. They jumped into the freezing water one 

after one, and were awarded with cheering from 

the crowd on the upper decks, a shot of vodka and 

a lot of honor. 

The day ended the most spectacular way, when a 

humpback breached several times in front of our 

ship, as the sun set in the horizon 



Volume 2, Issue 12

The Geological Structure of the Antarctic Peninsula 

David Macdonald, Lecturer (Geology) & Expedition Guide 

This cartoon shows what the Antarctic Peninsula looked like 100 million years ago (mya). The main points to 

note are: 

• The peninsula was a continuation of the Andes. They were connected until 35 mya 

• The peninsula was a volcanic arc from about 200 mya3 until about 25 mya 

• Volcanism ended 50 mya in the south and 20 mya off Brabant Island 

• Only the South Shetlands Islands have any volcanic activity now 

15 

There are three main geological domains, each formed of multiple rock units: 

1. The basement domain (grey and brown colours) contains sediments scraped off the ocean floor which were 

changed by heat and pressure (metamorphosed) in the subduction zone and during folding and 

deformation. These metamorphic rocks span a wide range of ages from 299-65 mya. They tend to be older 

on the east coast of the peninsula. These rocks are best seen in Paradise Harbour, at the shag colony near 

Brown Station. 

2. The igneous domain contains rocks crystallised from magma. This includes both plutonic rocks (where the 

magma crystallised slowly within the earth’s crust) and volcanic rocks (where the magma was erupted as 

lava and ash). Again, the rocks span a wide range of ages from about 210-25 mya, and the younger rocks 

tend to be in the west. These are the commonest rocks seen in the Peninsula and are well displayed in the 

South Shetland Islands (e.g. Half Moon Island, or Yankee Harbour) or on the peninsula (e.g. Cuverville 

Island). Plutonic rocks form Goudier Island at Port Lockroy. 

3. The sedimentary domain contains rocks eroded from the volcanic arc and deposited in sedimentary basins, 

either on the eastern, Weddell Sea side (in a very large structure called the Larsen Basin), or in smaller 

basins to the west (the largest of which is the Fossil Bluff Basin on Alexander Island). Sedimentary rocks are 

not seen on most peninsula cruises (unless they visit the area of James Ross Island), although there are 

sedimentary rocks with abundant fossils interbedded with volcanic rocks west of Hannah Point, in Walker 

Bay. 


Volume 2, Issue 12

Day 5 - The White Continent 

5 February 2020 – Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay 

16 

We woke to Sam’s morning announcement eager 

to make our first continental landing at Neko 

Harbour. Once breakfast was finished, operations 

began with the first half going ashore to step foot 

on the seventh continent and the other half 

beginning their day with zodiac cruising. 

On shore, visitors walked amongst nesting Gentoo 

penguins with chicks and moulting adults standing 

off to the side. The views were impressive with 

glaciers everywhere the eye could see and 

icebergs, easily the size of the ship, floating in the 

water. Zodiac cruising visitors spotted Weddell 

seals resting on the ice and a few lucky ones 

watched as a humpback whale slept at the surface 

of the water. The second group of kayakers had 

their opportunity to experience Antarctica from a 

new perspective. They paddled amongst the ice, 

taking a moment to enjoy the sound of the 

glaciers groaning and cracking around them. 

Lunch was BBQ, bringing everyone onto the back 

deck to enjoy their meal as we cruised by craggy 

mountains covered in glaciers. 



After lunch operations for the second landing of 

the day began, a second continental landing in 

Paradise Habour. This landing delighted us as we 

could roam along the beach, take photos with the 

towering glaciers behind us, and simply play in the 

snow and watch penguins feeding in the shallows. 

Weddell seals dozed on the snow, occasionally 

lifting up for a scratch or to have a look at us. 

Zodiac cruisers spotted Crabeater seals while 

navigating through the thick brash ice. 

During recap and briefing Sam updated us with 

the plan for the next day while Marc explained 

what makes icebergs blue, Kim helped us with seal 

identification, Slava shared the history of the 

Gerlache strait, and Thomas introduced us to the 

first charity in which Albatros supports. 

During dinner several humpbacks put on a show 

for dinning guests. As the ship meandered along 

to the next landing area we caught up to a pod of 

Orca. They charged towards the ship and we 

quickly realized that they were not traveling but 

they were in fact hunting! The bow of the ship was 

opened for a closer view and we watched as the 

pod worked together to corner a humpback 

whale. The chase continued but as we lost sight of 

the orcas, a lone humpback came into view, 

slapping his flippers and his tail. 

Evening entertainment was postponed as the 

whale watching continued into the evening ending 

an amazing day in Antarctica. 


Volume 2, Issue 12

Home, sweet 

home 

Gentoo chicks 

Neko Harbour 

Hydrurga 

Rocks 


All photos © Sandra Petrowltz 


Volume 2, Issue 12

When and How the Earth Got Cold 


The Earth’s climate has two end-member states: 

greenhouse and icehouse. In a greenhouse climate, 

there are no polar icecaps (although there may be 

valley glaciers in high mountain areas) – the climate of 

the Cretaceous Period (144-65 million years ago) is a 

typical greenhouse. We are currently in an icehouse 

climate, since there are icecaps at or near both poles. 

Although life on Earth goes back 3.5 billion years, the 

main expansion in numbers of species and hence of 

easily found fossils occurred 540 million years ago. 

During the time from then until now, greenhouse 

climates have dominated, with three periods of 

icehouse climate, lasting a total of about 100 million 

years. Our current icehouse period began abruptly 35 

million years ago, with formation of an icecap in 

Antarctica. Why did it happen then, and why did it have 

such an abrupt beginning? 

Water temperature (°C) 

Antarctic convergence 

October 2019 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

54 56 58 60 62 64 

Latitude (°S) 

18 

Figure 2: Temperatures in the Drake Passage from Friday 25 

October to Sunday 27 October 2019 as Ocean Atlantic sailed south 

across the Antarctic Convergence, where the sea temperature falls 

below 4°C. 

It was the severing of the link between the Antarctic 

Peninsula and Tierra del Fuego that allowed deep cold 

water to circulate around the planet at 50-60°S and 

thermally isolate Antarctica from the rest of the world. 

This situation continues today (Figure 1) 

The key area for this was the Drake Passage, which is 

the western end of the Scotia Sea (Figure 3). Geological 

and geophysical studies of the sea floor show that the 

Antarctica-South America link was severed by the 

growth of ocean crust, beginning 35 million years ago. 

Opening of this deep-water gateway cooled the planet 

and turned Antarctica into the white continent. 

Figure 1: Thermal structure of the Southern Ocean showing the 

position of the Antarctic Convergence (Polar Front) at the junction 

of the dark blue and mid blue shading. This is the line of the 4°C 

isotherm, where Antarctic surface water plunges below cold 

temperate water. 

The first, and most important factor was that we had a 

polar continent. Antarctica was in roughly its present 

position over the South Pole, so would have had 

strongly differentiated winters and summers. However, 

although the former supercontinent of Gondwana had 

largely broken up by then, there was still a land bridge 

to South America and Antarctica was still forested, 

probably with a migratory fauna. Warm currents bathed 

Antarctica’s shores and, 35 million years ago, the 

temperature of the Southern Ocean was a relatively 

mild 6°C. 


Figure 3: The Drake Passage and the Scotia Sea formed from 50 

million years ago, when there was slow extension between South 

America and the Antarctic Peninsula which stretched the crust and 

allowed surface waters to circulate through this former land 

bridge. The temperature of the southern Ocean fell from 12°C to 

6°C between 50-35 million years ago, then abruptly fell to 0°C 

when the deep water gateway of the scotia Sea opened, sundering 

the link between Antarctica and South America and allowing 

continuous circulation of deep water, thermally isolating 

Antarctica. 

Volume 2, Issue 12

Furthest South 

6 February 2020 – Petermann Island and Port Charcot 

It was an early start to the day with the morning 

announcement at 6am, but what a way to begin 

our day. We found ourselves at the entry of the 

famous Lemaire Channel, with the towering 

peaks of Cape Renard overhead. The 

temperature was just above freezing which 

caused the precipitation to be misty wet as 

opposed to snowing. No one seemed to mind and 

everyone was smiling, in awe. The thick fog gave 

a feeling of earie décor to the surroundings and 

yet everyone was happily capturing memories 

with their cameras. The narrow passage gave us a 

sense of how rugged the geology and glaciology 

have shaped the place over the last thousands of 

years. 

A good lunch put us in position to tackle the 

afternoon, our landing at Port Charcot and 

Pleneau Bay, yet again a vivid and dynamic 

location. The numerous amount of dramatically 

shaped icebergs was lending more than enough 

to satisfy any artistic thirst. The abundant almost 

uncountable number of seals, added to the action 

with added mention of an elegant humpback 

whale. Close to the end of our outing, the fog 

lifted off and gave way to some warmth from the 

sun and in turn opened up the visibility of the 

surroundings, magnificent. We made our way 

back north through the Lemaire yet again, with 

the clear skies we were able to appreciated even 

more the grandeur of the glaciers and peaks of 

Booth Island and the peninsula itself. 

19 


After a great breakfast, our first daily operation 

began at Petermann Island was appreciated by 

all. It was clear we most definitely have a solid 

group of guests as no one seems fazed by the 

rain. It’s all part of the package, tasting, feeling 

and smelling the ingredients of this amazing 

Antarctic continent that we get to explore. The 

island was a treat; a wide area was presented to 

roam, allowing us all to stretch our legs, to 

stretch our views and our minds. It was a 

privileged to witness the remoteness of it all. 

Adelie and Gentoo penguins are the most 

prominent locals on the island, skuas might be 

present as well preying on some of the young 

birds. As the first half of our group was out and 

about, Kim gave an amazing talk some of her 

experiences with cold water diving, bringing a 

new level to enduring-dealing with cold 

temperature! 



Fun Fact: 

There are over 20000 species of lichen. Lichen is 

actually a combination of a fungus and a 

cyanobacteria! #thatsneat 

Volume 2, Issue 12

Weddell Seal 

Paradise 

Harbour 


Lemaire 

Channel 

Adelie 

Gerlache Strait 


1-10 FEB 2020 All photos © Sandra Petrowitz 

Volume 2, Issue 12

Skua with egg 

Lemaire 

Channel 

Gentoos 

Pleneau Bay 

Adelie 

Port Charcot 



Volume 2, Issue 12

The Final Day 

7 Februrary 2020 – Danco Island and Melchior Islands 

We sailed in the early morning light through open 

windswept straits, weaving our way northward to find 

Danco Island, sheltered in a tranquil icy hideaway. A 

breaching Humpback whale signaled the dawn of a 

day of wonders, adventure and sheer delight. After 

breakfast we either went directly ashore to explore or 

zodiac cruise before switching our excursions to enjoy 

the best of both of Danco’s hidden treasures. 

22 


Those of us on shore descended onto a rocky 

landscape, where Gentoo penguins waddled 

endearingly and pirate Skuas patrolled the skies in 

search of their own breakfast. Remains of the islands 

whaling days stood defiant to the raging winds of time 

and whalebone scattered about had us wondering 

about the islands history and the beautiful creatures 

that once swam in these clear waters. It was good to 

stretch our legs ashore in the sunny but fresh 

conditions and most of us became thoroughly 

absorbed in the curious sculptured shapes of the 

sizable bergy bits of ice skirting the shoreline. 

After lunch we steamed across the Gerlache among 

beautiful mountainous scenery to the Melchior Isles, 

our last adventure in Antarctica for our expedition. 

Warm sunshine greeted us as we embarked on the 

zodiac cruise amidst the maze of rocky waterways in 

search of wildlife and spectacular ice shapes. Many fur 

seals were sighted along the shores, some lucky 

humpback sightings for many and beautiful blubbery 

Weddell seals were also seen soaking up the sunshine 

on land. Many exquisite icy forms captured our gaze 

and we captured them as memories in photographs. 

For those waiting onboard, expedition guide Steve 

gave an enlightening talk on the Orca that we had 

seen earlier in our journey. What an incredible last day 

in Antarctica! 

We had a chance to freshened up before enjoying a 

recap and briefing, a lovely social dinner and a great 

story by Kevin of his life in the Polar regions. A perfect 

finale to a super day. 


Soon enough we took our turn then to be shown the 

many highlights of the area by zodiac. Giant size 

icebergs of magnificent shapes and grandeur loomed 

above us and glinted shiny in the morning sun. As we 

circled these monoliths, smaller bluer shapes of 

ragged and rugged splendor sat momentarily peaceful 

perched on the rocky sea bed below us. A waterfall 

blew upwards in the wind and magical frozen rivers of 

blocky ice poured out of the interior to form cliffs at 

the waters edge. Crab-eater seals soaked up the 

fleeting summer rays and a leopard seal stole the 

show with attentive circling acrobatics and curious 

approaches to those hovering above in the zodiacs. 

Fun Fact: 

There are over 20000 species of lichen. Lichen is 

actually a combination of a fungus and a 

cyanobacteria! #thatsneat 


Volume 2, Issue 12

A Brief History of the Zodiac 

Steve Traynor, Zodiac Master 

In expedition cruising, the most important tool we use is the Zodiac inflatable boat. These manoeuvrable, 

reliable, robust vessels are the workhorse of the expedition cruise industry, from the north of Svalbard to 

the southern end of the Antarctic Peninsula. They have a long history – as you can see from the stages 

below, many different inventions needed to come together to create the craft we use today. 

1838 Charles Goodyear (USA) discovered the process for vulcanising rubber (a US patent was granted 

in 1844) – this process is used for hardening and strengthening rubber. 

1843 Goodyear’s process was stolen by Thomas Hancock (UK) using the process of reverse 

engineering; less controversially, Hancock invented the “masticator” – a machine for re-using 

rubber scraps – this made the rubber industry much more efficient. 

1845 The first successful inflatable boat (Halkett boat) was designed by Lieutenant Peter Halkett 

(UK), specifically for Arctic operations. Halkett Boats were used by the Orcadian explorer, John 

Rae, in his successful expedition to discover the fate of the Franklin Expedition. 

1866 Four men made the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Britain on a threetube 

inflatable raft. 

1896 The original Zodiac company was founded by Maurice Mallet (France) to produce airships. 

1909 The first outboard motor was invented by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

1912 The loss of the Titanic and subsequent shipping losses during World War 1 proved the need for 

inflatable rafts for use as supplementary lifeboats. 

1919 RFD firm (UK) and the Zodiac company (France) started building inflatable boats. 

1934 The airship company, Zodiac, invented the inflatable kayak and catamaran 

1942 The Marine Raiders – an elite unit of the US Marine Corps – used inflatable boats to carry out 

raids and landings in the Pacific theatre. 

1950 Alain Bombard first combined the outboard engine, a rigid floor and an inflatable boat (built by 

the Zodiac company). 

1952 Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic Ocean with his inflatable; after this, his good friend, the 

famous diver Jacques-Yves Cousteau, started using them. 

1960 Zodiac licensed production to a dozen companies in other countries because of their lack of 

manufacturing capacity in France. 

23 


Volume 2, Issue 12

Melchior Islands 

Leopard Seal 

Fur Seal 

Danco Island 

Errera Channel 



Volume 2, Issue 12

Antarctica: A Continent for Science 


Until the advent of mass tourism, Antarctica’s tagline was: “A continent for science”. 

25 

Antarctica affects the rest of the world in a variety of 

ways, so “Antarctic Science” should really be “Global 

science that happens in Antarctica”. Although many 

early expeditions were purely geographical in scope, 

there were some important scientific expeditions in the 

late 19 th to early 20 th centuries. In this “Golden Age” of 

exploration, there were many scientific contributions 

from Antarctica which changed our view of the earth’s 

evolution and environment. 

Indeed, three expeditions brought back proof that 

Antarctica once had a warm climate. Scott’s first 

expedition (1901-1904) found coal from 250 million 

years ago in the Transantarctic Mountains; 

Nordenskjӧld’s Swedish Antarctic Expedition found 

warm-water fossils on James Ross Island; and the Scotia 

Expedition under Bruce (1902-1904) dredged 

fossiliferous 500 million-year-old limestone from the 

Weddell Sea. Scott’s second expedition (1910-1913) 

found fossil leaves(Glossopteris) in the Transantarctic 

Mountains. These fossils belong to an extinct order of 

seed ferns from 299-252 million years ago, only found 

in the southern hemisphere continents and India. They 

were used by Wegener in 1924 in his work on 

continental drift to reconstruct the former 

supercontinent of Gondwana. 

In the years after the First World War, the focus 

changed from individual expeditions to national 

pursuits, such as the British Discovery Investigations – 

the first permanent oceanographic body in the world. 

During 33 years (1918–51) of pioneering work, the 

research ships collected an enormous amount of 

oceanographic, biological, and geographical data. 

Among the results of the investigations was the 

discovery of both the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the 

Antarctic Convergence - the natural boundary of 

Antarctica. 

By the end of the Second World War, the move to 

create national organisations was complete, with the 

formation of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey 

(now British Antarctic Survey), the Australian National 

Research Expeditions) and other civilian operations 

(France, New Zealand, South Africa, etc). 

As a result of these organisations and better logistics, 

the rate of scientific discovery soared, and new polarspecific 

studies proliferated. Some highlights include: 

• 1957-58: The International Geophysical Year (IGY) 

was an 18-month collaboration between 67 

countries. Antarctica was the focus, with 12 nations 

participating. Many new scientific stations were 

created and the IGY was a resounding success as it 

led directly to the Antarctic Treaty 

• 1959-1996: The discovery and delineation of 

subglacial Lake Vostok is a great example of scientific 

cooperation. Lab studies showed that ice under very 

high pressure reverts to water and in 1964, seismic 

soundings from Vostok Station were used to 

measure the thickness of the ice sheet. This 

suggested the existence of a subglacial lake. British 

airborne ice-penetrating radar in the 1970s detected 

unusual radar readings, suggesting a freshwater lake 

below the ice. In 1991, a radar satellite revealed 

that this subglacial water body is one of the world’s 

largest lakes. We now know that there are at least 

140 subglacial lakes in Antarctica. 

• 1980-present: The US-funded collection and curation 

of Antarctic meteorites has recovered about 22,000 

meteorites from Antarctica (about 75% of all known 

meteorites worldwide). There are samples from the 

Moon, Mars, and asteroids. 

• 1985: In hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica was 

discovered from ground-based instruments at Halley 

Bay and Faraday (British Antarctic Survey). 

• 1986: Research at McMurdo Station, the main U.S. 

scientific station in Antarctica, established that 

chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as the probable cause of 

the Antarctic ozone hole (US NSF). These two bits of 

work lead to signing of the Madrid Protocol on 1987, 

banning CFCs. 


Volume 2, Issue 11

Northward Bound 

8 February 2020 – Drake Passage 

As we began our journey through the Drake Passage 

back to Ushuaia and civilization, we were greeted with a 

thick fog that surrounded the ship. Although the seas 

had rocked the Ocean Atlantic through the night, the 

swell wasn’t too harsh and we had a pleasant morning 

on the Southern Ocean. 

After breakfast in the Vinland Restaurant, we were able 

to listen to a lecture in the Viking Theatre by Ab who 

spoke about Antarctic Seabirds. He explained how to 

identify ten different bird species, and how there are 

subtle differences between species. We then had the 

chance to have a stretching class hosted by Rashidah 

before gathering again for a delicious lunch buffet. 

In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to listen to a 

lecture by Kim, who spoke about how organisms adapt 

to the cold waters of the Antarctic. We learned how the 

Crocodile Icefish has no red blood cells, and instead can 

diffuse oxygen across its very thin skin. Directly 

following, we were treated to our daily tea time in the 

library with many delectable treats. Concurrently, 

upstairs in the Bistro a dumpling making party took 

place, where we were able to create our own version of 

a perfect dumpling. These were then served later for 

dinner! 

26 

In the evening we met once again the Viking Theatre 

for the day’s recap and briefing. Our expedition leader, 

Sam, told us about what we should expect of the Drake 

Passage for our final voyage day. Recap that evening 

focused on poop, and how it contributes to the 

Antarctic ecosystem. We learned that whale poop is 

helping to save the planet by creating nutrients for 

algae. After handing out polar plunge certificates to the 

few who decided to brave the cold Antarctic waters, 

Sandra put on a slideshow showcasing the best polar 

plunge images. 

Following a delicious dinner in the Vinland Restaurant, 

we joined Rose for the Lantern Festival activities. Our 

photographer, Sandra, then showed a slideshow of the 

photo contest winners and handed out well deserved 

prizes. Festivities continued with an Antarctic quiz 

followed by karaoke. The evening ended with a zoomba 

lesson in which our expedition leader, Sam, showed off 

his impressive dancing skills. 


© Renato Granieri Photography 

Volume 2, Issue 12

Fire in the Antarctic 

Gregers Gjersøe, Snowshoe Master & Expedition Guide 

Fire is one of the greatest threats in Antarctica thanks 

to the region’s very dry climate, frequent strong winds, 

and nearly complete lack of liquid freshwater. Due to 

the continent’s isolation with and little possibility of 

rescue for weeks or months, a fire in the Antarctic is a 

potentially very disastrous event. 

Although it is covered in snow and ice, the cold 

temperatures of Antarctica make the White Continent 

very dry. As it is one of the windiest places on Earth, 

there is almost always a strong wind blowing much of 

the time, more than strong enough to fan any flames. 

As the temperatures across the whole continent of 

Antarctica is averaging below freezing, there is unlikely 

to be very much liquid water to fight fires. So, the 

response to fire is usually to make sure everyone is out 

of danger and safe and then stand back and watch it 

burn itself out. 

Bases in Antarctica are often designed to survive fires 

because they are made up of a number of separate 

buildings, each with a significant distance between 

them. Many bases have emergency supplies stored in a 

hut near the base but well away. In these huts, there 

are often enough supplies and ample shelter for the 

base’s crew to be able to survive a fire or emergency 

until help can arrive. 

The Argentine Antarctic base and scientific research 

station, “Brown Station,” is named after Admiral 

William Brown, the father of the Argentine Navy. 

27 

Located on the Sanaviron Peninsula along Paradise 

Harbour’s Danco Coast, from 1951 to 1984 it served as 

a permanent research base, though, since then, it is 

open only during the summer season. 

During its heyday, the station was home to one of the 

most complete biology laboratories on the Antarctic 

Peninsula, featuring a main house, as well as an 

additional building exclusively for scientific research. 

This building was equipped with three labs, a 

photography workshop, an emergency radio station, an 

office and a library. 

Unfortunately, Brown Station’s original facilities were 

burned down by the station’s doctor on 12 April 1984 

after he was ordered to stay on for yet another winter, 

despite the original terms of his contract and his desire 

to see his fiancé once again. As you can imagine, the 

stress of Antarctica’s harsh winter conditions can take 

its toll on residents and explorers of the region, driving 

them to take extreme measures to get back home. 

The doctor simply couldn’t bear to stay on for another 

winter and he couldn’t stand the isolation as the days 

drew darker. His solution? To force an evacuation of 

himself and his colleagues in the only way plausible 

manner: by burning the station down. 

After the fire, the station’s personnel were rescued by 

the USS Hero and taken to United States’ Palmer 

Station. Argentina later rebuilt the base, but it is now 

only occupied during the summer months. The station’s 

doctor was sent to prison for arson and his fiancé 

decided to call off the engagement. 

© Werner Kruse 


Volume 2, Issue 12

The Beagle Channel 

9 February 2020 – Drake Passage 

We enjoyed a nice chance to sleep-in until 8:00 am 

after the late-night lantern party celebrations. We had 

so much fun with all the singing and dancing, especially 

the expedition leader Sam, who was dancing along with 

his lead ladies. 

After breakfast on the sunny calm seas of the Drake, 

Sam held a debriefing about how and when to get off 

the ship tomorrow. It’s hard to believe the trip is nearly 

over. 

The Expedition team held a tour of the bridge with the 

Offices on watch Roman. We learned a little about the 

instruments for navigation and steering the ship. We 

also had the opportunity to take our photos at the 

helm, a very generous offer from the Bridge personnel, 

and a privilege. The steering wheel was surprisingly 

small for such a huge ship. 

Still the sun shined through the window for our last 

lunch. The seas bounced and crested in the wind as we 

approached Cape horn. By 2:00 pm the expedition 

leader Sam called “land hoy”. Directly in front of the 

ship we could see the first glimpse of land through the 

haze ahead. We have crossed the Drake in two days and 

were fortunate to have such calm seas on the return. 

The kayakers had a debrief of their great adventure 

gliding along the surface of the sea, dipping their 

paddles left and right. Such a surreal experience to be 

fulling immerged in the ocean of Antarctica, so close 

and personal. 

28 

The afternoon was relaxing, sitting in the tearoom 

watching the Drake pass outside through the windows. 

Later we had a lecture on the attributes of the Arctic, 

and what a northern expedition looks like. Perhaps a 

very tempting prospect for a summer vacation. Polar 

expeditions are an addictive experience. 

In the late afternoon we had a slideshow of all of 

Sandra’s photos from the expedition. She is such a 

talented photographer; she really captured all our 

experiences in crystal clear stillness for us to remember 

forever. 

The charity auction was fun and managed to raise a 

beneficial sum for the important charities we have 

learned about. One is the “South Georgia Heritage 

Trust” whose efforts try to eradicate foreign species of 

flora and fauna that threaten local ecosystems; the 

other was “Hook Pod”, an invention that protects 

seabirds from getting caught in the fishing lines of 

commercial fishing vessels; and the last one was the 

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC). 

The evening events were literally Capt off with a toast 

from our Captain, a farewell to the hotel team, and a 

cast back of the recaps of all recaps with Sam walking us 

through the last amazing 9 days of our lives. 

The Captain’s dinner was our last “hoorah” for the trip 

and our last grand gathering of chocolate as well as to 

enjoy our new friends made on the ship. Tomorrow we 

will be saying good-bye, and hopefully in the future a 

new hello again. 



Volume 2, Issue 12

King of the Southern Winds 

Sandra Ophorst, Lecturer & Expedition Guide 

The wandering albatross is an impressive bird with the 

world’s largest wingspan of up to 3.5 meters in length 

and a weight of up to 11 kilograms. Unfortunately, the 

number of wandering albatrosses is rapidly declining 

with only 20,100 individuals left as of October 2019 

(Red List, World Conservation Union) 

The wandering albatross is rarely seen on land and 

gathers only to breed, at which time it forms large 

colonies on remote islands, such as South Georgia. The 

female lays a single white egg and both sexes share 

incubation, which lasts about 60 to 80 days. Both sexes 

feed the youngster by regurgitating food, a process 

that can continue for up to nine months. 

The nesting cycle of wandering albatrosses is so long, 

they can’t complete it in one year. So, they nest every 

other year. When young albatrosses become 

independent and leave their nest site, they begin a 

multi-year foray on the open ocean and will not return 

to land until they are old enough to breed. This can 

take up to 10 years of their 50 year average lifespan. 

29 

The wandering albatross is famous for its dynamic 

flight. They turn into the wind to gain height, then glide 

back down to the sea to gain speed. Sometimes they 

glide for hours without rest or even a single flap of 

their wings. Indeed, this principle was used to design 

airplanes, especially gliders that have albatross-like 

wings. 

As a result of these wings, however, an albatross’ 

landing process often looks a bit comical as their 

narrow wings do not allow for a slow approach. So, 

they often land on their feet and then tumble forward 

and slide on their bellies. The biggest threats to the 

wandering albatross are pollution and large-scale 

commercial tuna fisheries. These tuna fishing boats are 

equipped with up to 20,000 fish baited hooks and 

these lines can be up to 100km long. 

Unfortunately, these fishing lines often attract 

albatrosses get caught up on the hooks and drown as 

they are cast out at sea. Organisations such as Hookpod 

are trying to save the albatrosses from the dangers of 

long line fishing vessels by providing fishing boats with 

“hookpods” that cover the barb and point of the hook 

during setting, reducing the likelihood of an albatross 

by-catch. 



Volume 2, Issue 12

Home Again 

10 February 2020 - Ushuaia 

After last night’s end-of-voyage festivities, we awoke 

much too early for our final morning on the Ocean 

Atlantic. Although we wish we could stay, we started 

the process of leaving behind the ship and the people 

we’ve come to know so well over the past week. 

Our bags were packed and stowed in the corridors, 

ready for our early-morning busses and flights back 

home. After nine whole days immersed in the 

landscapes and amongst the wildlife of the Antarctic, 

it was time to return home or to wherever our life’s 

journeys bring us. 

And so – farewell, adieu, and goodbye. Together we 

have visited and incredible and vast wilderness. We 

have experienced magnificent mountain vistas, seen 

icebergs roll and crack, felt the power of the elements 

and seen how quickly they can change. We enjoyed 

wonderful food and comfortable surroundings aboard 

the Ocean Atlantic. 

30 

We boarded zodiacs and cruised through icy bays at 

the end of the Earth. We shared unique moments, 

held engaging conversations, and laughed together 

over tea or wine. We’ve made new friends and 

experienced the power of expedition travel. 

We hope the expedition team has helped make this 

the trip of a lifetime - one that will persist in your 

memories for weeks, months, and years, to come. 

Although we must say good-bye to these places we 

have come to know and love, it is a fond farewell as 

we are all true ambassadors for the Antarctic and all 

the beauty it holds. 

On behalf of Albatros Expeditions, our captain and 

crew, the expedition team, and everyone else who 

helped make this journey a resounding success, it has 

been a pleasure travelling with you. We hope that you 

will come back and experience these wonderful places 

with us once again! 


Volume 2, Issue 12

By the Numbers… 

31 

Voyage Statistics: 

Southernmost Point: 

Total Distance Travelled: 

65 o 10.59’ S, 64 o 06.94’W 

1590 nautical miles 

Excursion Locations: 

Mikkelsen Harbour: 63 o 54’ S 60 o 46’ W 

Hydrurga Rocks: 64 o 08’ S 61 o 36’ W 

Neko Harbour: 64 o 50’ S 62 o 33’ W 

Brown Station: 64 o 53’ S 62 o 52’ W 

Petermann Is: 65 o 09’ S 64 o 06’ W 

Port Charcot: 65 o 06’ S 64 o 01’ W 

Danco Is: 64 o 44’ S 62 o 33’ W 

Melchior Is: 64 o 19’ S 62 o 59’ W 

Ushuaia: 54 o 45’ S 68 o 23’ W 

During our time on the M/V Ocean Atlantic, we consumed: 

Beef 

Lamb 

Pork 

Poultry 

Cold Cuts 

Fish & Seafood 

Eggs 

Milk 

Cheese 

Ice Cream 

Vegetables 

Fruit 

Wine 

Beer 

Toilet Paper 

495 kg 

125 kg 

600 kg 

720 kg 

180 kg 

400 kg 

6300 kg 

600 ltr 

85 kg 

180 ltr 

2900 kg 

3000 kg 

127 btls 

416 cans 

960 rolls 


Volume 2, Issue 12

A Final Note… 

32 

As any good expedition comes to a close, many of us experience the 

effervescent excitement that comes when we immerse ourselves 

completely in an adventure. Although we all came into this voyage with 

our own expectations and personal motivations, on the ship, we quickly 

learned that the best plan is the one that we end up doing. 

While weather and the landscape 

can conspire against us in the 

southern latitudes, the right mindset 

can make all of the difference. 

Wind, rain, sleet, and snow make no 

difference when we come prepared 

for an adventure and all the 

excitement it holds. Whether you 

saw what you came for or you 

experienced something else 

entirely, when you set out on an 

expedition, you come for the 

mountains and the wildlife, but stay 

for people and places you meet 

along the way. 

Although we all eventually have to 

leave behind our beloved Ocean 

Atlantic, there are always a few 

things we can take home from an 

expedition: 

• An acceptance and embracement 

of adversity and uncertainty 

when the natural world alters 

our plans. 

• A fondness for the wild and a 

strong desire to keep remote 

natural locations as beautiful and 

free as they can be. 

• An insatiable interest in learning 

more about the people, places, 

and cultures in some of the most 

remote parts of the world. 

As you unpack you bags, you may 

find souvenirs and keepsakes from 

your journey. Your camera may be 

filled with countless photos, 

however blurry, of the many 

animals and mountains that have 

crossed our paths. At the end of the 

day, however, what matters most is 

the experience of, the journey to, 

and the memories of these wild and 

wonderful places. 

Best wishes from all of us on the 

expedition team as you continue on 

with your adventures! 

Sam Gagnon 

Expedition Leader 

Ted Creek 

Assistant Expedition Leader 

Thank you for experiencing the Antarctic with us at Albatros 

Expeditions. We hope to see you aboard the Ocean Atlantic 

again in the future! 

Wan Meng Chieh 

Assistant Expedition Leader 


Volume 2, Issue 12

SOUTH SHETLANDS & ANTARCTIC PENINSULA 1-10 February, 2020

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