Four years, four vaccinations and the virus decides to attack in Antarctica! Really????
So, I tested. At first, it looked negative and, then, at the last minute, it turned pale pink.
I was shocked. My symptoms didn’t seem like COVID at all – no fever, no fatigue, no aches.
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| Would we see it this way? Photo: Scott Stevens |
And, I was terrified that after all the planning and expense, were we going to miss Antarctica?
So, we trotted down to the ship’s doctor. He tested us. Scott was positive and I was negative. But, we would both have to quarantine.
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| Every excursion is like a cocktail party |
Bad news: no contact with other guests. These tours are always made better by the interesting people you meet and we had been talking with quite a few. Now that was over.
Also, no going into the dining room, lounge or Polar Bear Bar. That meant that all our meals would be brought to us and we could no longer meet and mingle.
It also meant that we couldn’t attend any of the onboard lectures, which tend to be quite informative, any of the daily recaps of what we had done or any of the briefings for the next excursion.
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| Drat! The programs are a big part of the experience |
Good(ish) news: We could go on deck, but had to mask in the halls and when people were near and, regardless, we had to stay at least six feet from other guests on deck.
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| The balaclava worked pretty well over a mask (but see how I fog up?) |
Good (phew!) news: We would be able to go on excursions, just in a private Zodiac with the other two passengers who also had COVID.
The doc gave us some antibiotics (probably useless against COVID, but it is all they had) and told us that after five days, we could come out of isolation. That meant that we would be isolated for all the excursions, but could rejoin civilization on the last day.
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| We missed group activities |
It all turned out fine (unless we infected others before we tested). We missed the lectures and we missed meeting people. But, the two other COVIDites were nice and having a Zodiac with a driver and only FOUR passengers instead of the usual 8-12 was A-MAZ-ING!
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| No more of this |
A photographer’s dream! We could easily move about without having to worry too much about blocking others (well, I always have to worry about even getting even slightly in Scott's way and he often gets in front of me).
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| Scott enjoying lots of room in the Zodiac |
Wearing a mask on the Zodiac was tough because the cold and damp meant constantly fogged glasses, but the drivers didn’t care if we unmasked. With the wind, it wasn’t really necessary. The crew seemed unfazed; they dealt with COVID all the time and viewed it as a non-issue. See one of our post-COVID trips here.
I was concerned that we might get sicker (and that, if we got too sick, we would be the cause of terminating the tour and heading home early, which can happen if there is an injury or severe illness). But, except for some increasing congestion and that pesky cough, I didn’t. And, Scott improved very quickly. After five days, he tested negative, but I still showed barely positive.
It turns out that I tested positive for almost three week, which my doctor in Colorado says sometimes happens even when you are not contagious. My congestion and cough lasted that long, too. But, fortunately, I never felt terrible and the worst days were after I got home. I think I may have had COVID and a cold and the cold was the worst part.
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| The cold, wet and wind could have aggravated it |
So, from that point on, our experiences were slightly altered and we missed a lot of context. But, the excursions were great. And, even with all the time talking to the doctor and making the new arrangements, we didn’t miss a beat, especially because the morning we tested positive was devoted to travel rather than an excursion.
Lemaire Channel
We started with a cruise through the allegedly stunning Lemaire Channel, a narrow route between vertical cliffs.
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| Going in: Photo: Ship Photographer Sheeren Mroueh |
Lemaire Channel is between Kyiv Peninsula in the mainland's Graham Land and Booth Island. Steep cliffs hem in the passage, which is 6.8 miles long and just 2,000 feet wide at its narrowest point.
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| That's really, really close |
Ships often cannot negotiate the channel because it is easily choked with icebergs.
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| We passed a lot of really big icebergs |
I said "allegedly stunning" because the almost-1,000-tall snow-covered stark black basalt walls were mostly hidden in the fog and softly falling snow. The peaks on the port side were almost completely obscured.
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| Poor visibility |
We viewed and photographed as far from other guests as we could get. I found out later that the crew served Kahlua-laced hot chocolate on deck. As outcasts, we were nowhere near that fun.
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| We stayed on the aft deck and took photos |
Fortunately, we cruised through with no blockage and didn’t have to turn around and take the alternate route of the other side of Booth Island.
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| Made it through |
The fog was unfortunate (as was missing the hot chocolate). But, fortunately, it was the worst weather we saw on the trip and, although Lemaire wasn’t as spectacular as it could have been, it was lovely.
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| Dramatic |
And, along the route, mainly after we cleared the channel, we saw …
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| Humpback Whale very, very close |
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| Porpoising Gentoo Penguins and we weren't even tired of them yet |
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| Blue-eyed Shags on a mission |
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| Another tour boat! |
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| And, as I said, some pretty spectacular icebergs |
But, we had some more places to go where, maybe, the weather would be better.
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| Making tracks |
Polar Plunge
After making it through the Channel, the Captain headed for the sheltered Gerard Bay because it was time for the “Polar Plunge.” For many people, jumping into frigid waters is some kind of rite of passage. I guess I am boring; the thought of jumping into freezing water just doesn’t appeal to me. Jumping into any water doesn’t appeal to me. Plus, with COVID, we couldn’t do it anyway.
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| If it is good enough for Penguins, then ... |
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Nope!
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When we were in Svalbard, the “plungers” were transported to a gravelly beach, where they ran into the freezing water in one big group.
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| Svalbard Polar Plunge: Photo: Ship Photographer Rosemarie Keough |
I didn't get to watch because I think they only took traveling companions with the plungers. I never had a chance, even though the photos showed non-plungers taking photos.
On this trip, the plungers jumped from the stairs we used to access Zodiacs, one by one, with a rope tied around their waists so that they could be hauled back in. Scott watched – away from the people – from a deck above. I could see them jumping by looking straight down from my cabin window.
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| And, away he goes; Photo: Scott Stevens |
It did not look like fun. See for yourself.
I saw one person chicken out (no shame there!) and five days later (after our quarantine) talked to a woman who still had a black eye because she dove in and hit a chunk of ice. The water was just on the edge of freezing, so it sure doesn’t seem like a good idea to dive face-first (that was her hindsight perspective, as well). And, the guides said they never do it (although, I bet all of them had plunged at some point, whether intentionally or unintentionally).
Petermann Island
The afternoon was a trip to Petermann Island, a small, low and rounded island only 1.1 miles long and three quarters of a mile wide that rises steeply to elevations of up to 820 feet from a rocky coastline. It has volcanic origins, with about half the land surface covered by a permanent, crevassed icecap.
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| Rock, snow (and Penguins!) |
Ice-free areas have a sparse vegetation of mosses and lichens.
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| In the summer, algae grows on the side of the icecap |
The waters around the island were filled with massive icebergs and the previously foggy weather was clearing up.
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| Even some blue sky! And, see the iceberg lurking at the back of the channel? |
There was an option to hike, but with my fear of steep, icy slopes and our new diagnoses, both Scott and I decided that we would just cruise. That was a good call because we saw things on our Zodiac trip we would have missed had we hiked.
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| Hikers coming down the hill (at least this wasn't as steep as the others) |
The island was discovered by a German expedition of 1873-74, who named it after geographer August Petermann. The French Antarctic Expedition of 1908-10 wintered over aboard ship in a cove on the southeast side of the island. Huts built by the expedition are gone, although a cairn remains, along with a the Groussac Refuge hut built by Argentina in 1955, and a cross commemorating three members of the British Antarctic Survey who died in a 1982 attempt to cross the sea ice from Petermann to Faraday Station.
Petermann was special because it was our much-awaited first opportunity to see Adélie Penguins, the cute little black-and-white guys with blueish-white eye-rings. Adélies have a small rookery there (less than 500 pairs). But, we saw one! Just one!
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| Our first (and only here) Adélie was happy to see us, too |
Perhaps there more were in the distance, but I saw and photographed only one I could ID as an Adélie!
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| Home base for Penguins |
At Petermann, Gentoos have a much greater presence. Much!
There was a large group around the base of the refuge hut and a number of Penguin Highways fanning out from the rocky beach behind the hut.
There were more Gentoos lining the tops of the hills that comprise the island and standing on the rocky shores of all the little coves and inlets.
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| They greeted us at almost every turn |
Petermann has the most southerly colony of Gentoo Penguins (2,000-3,000 pairs) ...
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| Sitting on their rock nests |
... and a large Blue-eyed Shag nesting area.
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| A successful colony; there were so many of their huge, fluffy chicks (the brown ones) |
While most the Gentoo rookeries seemed to be only Penguins, the Shags shared their area with Gentoos.
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| Or, maybe the Shags invaded the Gentoos (and see the Snowy Sheathbill?) |
We got to see some active feeding, with adults reaching deep down their chicks’ throats to regurgitate what I am sure was a very tasty meal.
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| Shag feeding, with a Gentoo serenade |
As we were skirting an inlet in the island, we saw one of those “Nature Channel” moments that photographers live for and sensitive people cry about. So, warning: the next part could be disturbing.
Nature Show
I mentioned in my post on Penguins that the biggest threat to Penguin eggs and chicks is the Skua. We saw that unfold in real time.
As we were cruising past a breeding colony, we saw two Skuas (possibly Brown, maybe South Polar) land on either side of a Gentoo Penguin tucked into a nest.
I couldn’t tell if there was an egg or a chick, although when I looked at my photos later, I could clearly see that the parent had a small chick in the nest (look at the top photo).
It can be tricky to see from a Zodiac when lots of stuff is going on. My camera has a long lens, so it often reveals new information after the fact.
Regardless, we could certainly tell that the Gentoo was distressed. It swung its head back and forth, squawking at the Skuas that initially squawked back.
Then, the Skuas quieted down, standing stock-still on either side of the Penguin, looking like some kind of enforcers or mafia debt collectors.
Very chilling.
Other Penguins in the area looked mildly interested, but didn’t really budge. After all, what could they really do?
It looked like the Skuas were trying to unnerve the Penguin enough to get at whatever it was sitting on. Eventually, the tactic worked.
One Skua moved in and there was a little scuffle behind a rock while the adult Penguin continued to berate the other Skua. We couldn’t see what was happening behind the rock. We figured that it wasn't good (for the Penguin).
Then the one Skua flew out and down the slope with a screaming chick in its claws.
The parent continued to scream at the other Skua until it flew down to join its partner.
The Skuas turned toward the chick and our Zodiac moved on, sparing us the gory parts.
I wonder if they fed cooperatively or if the two Skuas then fought with each other over the prize.
People often get upset at these kinds of events. Yes, the baby Penguin died and the adult Penguin failed to protect it (its sole purpose at the rookery).
But, on the other hand, the Skuas (or at least one Skua) got a meal so that they could continue to thrive. I mean, do we mourn the Krill that the Penguins eat?
Unfortunately, this was my best view of the whole trip on a small Penguin chick. I saw larger ones later, but none that were still in the nest.
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| A sad way to see a small chick |
Our Zodiac of just four and a guide were the only ones to witness the attack (well, in addition to some other Gentoos and a couple of Blue-eyed Shags).
I caught the whole thing with my camera and Scott caught it on video (although he followed the wrong Skua momentarily after the attack (it was hard to know what was happening). Exciting. Interesting. Sad. Real.
In addition to the bird drama, we also saw a couple of Weddell Seals, which, as far as we could see weren't involved in any drama at all. In fact, the one we saw on the rocks didn't even have any noticeable injuries.
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| A nice specimen |
Petermann was beautiful with lots of nooks and crannies along the shore, some colorful lichens ...
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| A steep cliff with colorful lichens and plants |
... some impressive icebergs ...
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| A stranded iceberg on the shore |
... a lot of interesting wildlife. I just hoped we would see more Adélies, which our guide assured us we would.
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| I checked, not a single Adélie here |
That night was the ship BBQ, which we were sad to miss. It smelled wonderful (I recall that the one in Svalbard was great). I had a cold burger in the room. But, we didn’t feel sick and we were in Antarctica. It could have been much worse.
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| How could you not be happy after spending a day with Penguins? |
Trip date: December 30, 2023 - January 12, 2024
