“Antarctica: The Ultimate Adventure” Part 3 The Animals
As spring liberates the sunshine, throwing off the last icicles of winter the team come out of their bracing slumber, full of mischief, zest and zeal. Fun loving characters dressed in tuxedos waltzed around, giants tiptoed through their favourite swimming holes, winged acrobats ducked and weaved along side capacious roly-poly rogues crammed with attitude. All squawked and twanged embracing the advent of the summer solstice. Intrinsically linked to their local landmark, the continent of Antarctica.
Welcome back. For those who have just joined us, this is the 3rd instalment of the “The Ultimate Adventure”, a 29 day semi circumnavigation of the Antarctic aboard the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov. Part 1 was the Journey, Part 2 the Landscape and now Part 3 the Animals that inhabit this scintillating macrocosm. Seeing them is like visiting pen pals who you feel you know but have never met.
Traversing the Drake Passage sea birds swirling in the skies above the white caps, they farewelled the KK as she set off south. Antarctic Petrels toyed with the waves gliding over the peaks of the wind lashed depths, playing with the frothy edges.
Gentoo Penguins lodged in Neko Harbour, a refuge also inhabited by a gaggle of migratory Skuas, Snowy Sheathbills and Kelp Gulls who all come for the penguin eggs. Skuas are known as the “Buccaneers of the South”, villains. Beach gives way to gentle slopes ramped up to the surrounding mountains. On the upside one can discern organic red streaks, penguin guano montaged as “Penguin Highways” leading to the rookeries. The harbour covers a large area and yet the penguins prefer to tread the historical corridors to and from the sea. Traffic is non-stop, waddling, slipping, sliding and tobogganing along. Comings and goings are comical; the only things missing are the traffic lights and walk beeps to regulate the ebbs and flows across the snowy textile.
Intrepid travellers are instructed to keep a minimum distance from the animals, but if you sit quietly, curiosity triumphs and soon you are immersed in penguins. Our presence did not alarm or distress the penguins; they stopped, looked and listened; some fascinated, others impartial.
Gentoos have a brood pouch (bare small patch of skin on their lower abdomen) with which they warm and protect their egg. Nests are built of small rectangular shaped stones with the nursing parent sitting on top. There are gulls and other birds, predators patrolling the plains opportunistically waiting for a minute of forgetfulness to steal the eggs. Parents must be diligent.
Rocks; the building cornerstone are at a premium. It is a battlefield out there with much skulduggery and competition for the highly prized objects; robbery is the motive and rocks are the treasure. When a conquering knight returns victorious with a rock there is a shrill “Well done!” While the victor celebrates and his back is turned, guess what? Another interloper takes advantage and steals a foundation from the victor’s stash. The tussle is ceaseless and goes on all day resulting in lots of vocalizing, squabbling and shifting of rocks. Someone suggested painting the rocks, then watching the pageant; amusing!
A resident Weddell Seal asleep just up from the landing beach at Peterman Island caused quite a stir. Snoring, he looked to be dreaming. Charming, with a grey soft brown mottled coat and long whiskers, flippers across his chest like a child in slumber. Clickety click from dozens of cameras stirred him ..….. a big open-mouthed exclamation and an expression “Oh, it is only you”, and he returned to his dreams of endless fish and beautiful females. Gentoo and Adelie penguins rested, mated, socialized, thieved and incubated along side him indifferent to the landlubbers and the seal. These creatures have never been hunted; consequently they do not fear man.
A colony of Imperial shags nests alongside an Adelie rookery at Jungla Point their blue markings identify the breeding season is here. Unlike the Adelie’s rock courtship, shags board close together, attentively grooming each other, more stay at home folk. They also were not disturbed by the penguins’ activities and squabbles.
While garaged in the fast ice at Marguerite Bay a sole Emperor Penguin appeared out of the icy wild blue yonder. What a handsome fellow, at one metre tall Emperors are the tallest and heaviest of the penguins living up to 40 years. Emperors winter over to breed in the Antarctic and are actually sea birds that have lost the ability to fly. They have a coat of jet-black fur; a chest of pure white with a collar of incandescent yellow markings, flippers, a short tufted tail and 2 large webbed feet. Perfect!! Upright and plainly curious this is a sociable visit reminiscent of the movie “Happy Feet”. Waddling close to inspect the KK, he paused to speculate our origins. Quick as a flash the gangplank was down and photographers captured the performance. A new slant on Antarctic tourism; rather than a few people watching a lot of penguins…a twist… one penguin watching a lot of people.
30 minutes later as quickly as he had come, the Emperor is gone. Best of all though, he returned later in the afternoon to everyone’s delight. He personalized this visit acquainting himself and strolled right up to my roommate. Po Lin said “he looked straight at me” preening and strutting his stuff; she is smitten. Generally wildlife watching is a patient pastime, with long solitary hours rewarded by brief glimpses of animals. These interludes become memories that stay with you long after the moment.
Garaged near the Dry Valleys we encountered the enchantment of the Antarctic. Just the spot for a wonderland; gaping ocean interfaced on two sides by mountains and icebergs with a stage of sweeping ice flats and a basin routed to the Dry Valleys. First a placid watercourse then a splash, a small disturbance in the aqua and a Minke Whale emerged, a member of the Baleen Family. He is titanic, grey black with a heavyset bulk and a small dorsel fin. Cruising the channel, his blow signalled the unhurried rhythm of his movements, softly and smoothly over and under the water, echoing an ancient and primal ritual.
A multi layered vista fringed by blue and white, first the Minke cruised the gaping ocean then Emperors amused themselves with catch and tag from the shore to the inner limits of the bay. All afternoon they were in and out of the water. Are you familiar with the sound and exuberance of a champagne cork popping? There is the rush as the bubbles effervesce and fizz out of the bottle; that is exactly how Emperor Penguins squirt out of the water. Travelling at up to 20 kilometres per hour in short bursts they belly flop onto the hard ice then apply the brakes. Next second they are upright, making room for other arrivals. Only once did I see a mishap when an Emperor overshot its arrival point, back pedalled trying to stop the forward locomotion, succeeded, then out of sync finished up with an ungainly vertical mount to a walking position, oops! Typically they are elegant giving the impression of gliding rather than waddling.
Lining up like models behind the curtain of a catwalk “you first, no you” all jostling for position, until everyone is wet. Looking down, the Emperors could be seen propelling through the water, a telltale bubble trail lingering in their aftermath.
While Emperors occupy the inner blue fringing the shoreline, Adelies occupy the ice flats; they are small in stature and monochrome in colour. One is reminded of the Cat from “Alice in Wonderland” who is late for a very important date, after chatting he headed off in completely the opposite direction from whence he came. Whereas Emperors are tall and graceful, Adelie’s are short and nervous, watching the interactions between the species a monologue for a screenplay may go like this:
∑ Setting: water’s edge Antarctica Solitary Emperor Penguin standing regally on the ice ledge quietly enjoying the peace and sunshine
∑ Approached by a Nervous fidgety Adelie who splutters a dialogue HelloOOOO, helloOOOO prattling “can I be your friend”, vocalized in a desperate sounding hurried high pitched whine
∑ Emperor condescendingly looks down his nose at the bothersome Adelie and simply but firmly enunciates “NO”
∑ Disappointed the Adelie meekly mooches off
∑ Adelie sees another solitary Emperor and starts the same jumpy discourse hoping for better luck this time
Apsley Cherry-Garrard said about penguins “They are extraordinarily like children, these little people of the Antarctic world; either like children, or like old men, full of their own importance and late for dinner, in their black tail coats and white shirt fronts and rather portly withal”, what a amusing way to represent these engaging creatures.
Perfect postcard picture; a tableau of penguins and Minke Whales, the pattern of life is different for each of the inhabitants:
∑ Minkes cruising slowly and luxuriously
∑ Emperors elegantly aqua-playing for the sheer pleasure of it
∑ Adele’s all hurrying somewhere, it didn’t seem to matter where; infact it is decidedly random, here there and everywhere, waving their flippers up down, left to right always at a frantic beat. Like a younger brother, a pest, but you love him
The bay pulsed, brimful with pastiche energy, a glorious convergence leaving one energised about life and living. Antarctic animals are fantastic and like no others. One felt intoxicated being privy to the antics and behaviours. This is not just a show for the tourist but a daily event that moulds the cycles of life. There is a biodiversity that is staggering in its richness in the Antarctic.
Passing the Ice shelf of the Ross Sea we head towards the Bay of Whales. Hoping to recapture the excitement of previous encounters, scanning the horizon from dawn to dusk. Rewarded with a pod of 12 Killer Whales or Orcas. Known as “Wolves of the Sea” due to their hunting in packs, Orcas are from the oceanic dolphin family they are gregarious; foraging, travelling, resting and socializing as a group.
On board polar experienced staff share their amazing stories and folklore about the wildlife. Tony the marine biologist spoke of his time on Macquarie Island. To illustrate a yarn Tony showed a photograph of a huge bull seal, head first in the entrance to his tent completely blocking exit or entry. It looked hilarious; can you imagine telling your boss why you where late for work? “It was like this etc etc”, imagine the response deprecating in disbelief “SURE”.
Campbell Island one of the sub-Antarctic groups, is home to a Hooker Seal colony. At the zodiac landing place a huge male sunned himself; feigning sleep he was watchful through half closed eyes. His features included nasty looking big dentures. Weighing in at 500 kilograms and having the reputation of being rather ill tempered with the ability to move with great haste and purpose, we had been cautioned to give him a wide birth.
On route to the Albatross nests in the hills, one of the party lagged behind and was nearly ambushed by another cranky Hooker bull seal. It was practically guns at high noon. Jonathan wanted the vegetation to swallow him up; the seal had large yellow fangs and a troublesome mind-set. In the end, each went their separate ways, one buoyed by supremacy, the other unharmed but shaken.
Albatross have a wingspan of three meters; shoulders the same height as an adult Labrador but with a shorter round body on large legs. Biologist Robert Cushman Murphy said, “ I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the Albatross”. Early sailors believed to shoot an albatross would bring bad luck. Today Albatross have more to fear from long line fishing boats, but this is being addressed by mindful work practices. To see these birds in flight is akin to “touching the wild”; being able to feel the pulse of the wind. Yet on land they are awkward and generally nest on the wind side to assist takeoff. Albatross generally mate for life, reinforcing the bond with tender preening and elaborate ritualised courtships.
On Enderby Island the first influx of seals were gathering harems on the sandy shore. Bulls were marking their territory and securing the most females. Arriving three weeks too early to see the masses and the associate bedlam that insures. We did however witness teenagers honing their fighting skills and a mature bull jealously guarding his ladies. Interactions loaded with recital, pontificating and vocalizing, signalled dominance or attempted dominance; all acted out with the intent to scare the novice. Great lumbering beasts heaved their blubbered forequarters at the opposition connecting with a thud, accompanied by grunts and groans supplemented by open tusked mouths, vivid displays of aggression. The ladies looked on amused. A combination of power, unpredictable and unknown animal logic reinforced the wisdom of distance and the prudence of a long 300 m lens. Bones at the landing point being picked over by Skuas were the result of a scuffle between 2 males fighting over a female. The bones were those of the female crushed by the bullyboys.
As we headed north to New Zealand, seabirds welcomed us back to the more temperate weather; two Wandering Albatrosses remained aloft and separate from us mere mortals, enjoying the swells and air currents of the huge seas. Groups of Petrels showed off to their peers. Like friends farewelling friends we said adieu to the animals of the Antarctic, silently expressing gratitude for the unique opportunity to visit and comprehend their world, if only briefly.
Living up to dreams and expectations “The Ultimate Adventure” reinforces the wonder and pleasure of travel. The expedition with its profound experiences remains etched on one’s mind:
∑ KK’s uniqueness and experienced crew, a highlight
∑ Helicopter jaunts, breathtakingly ostentatious
∑ Zodiacs, adventure on rubber so to speak… what a thrill
∑ The assorted landscapes….. braggart, unforgettable and awe-inspiring……fabulous, frigid and fragile..…. completely overwhelming and defying portrayal
∑ Last but by no means least the animals; delightful, cute, aggressive, and endearing; they bewitched you. Their curiosity, their interactions, their individuality… all wooed the adventurer, we each had a favourite
Amid thunderous ovations the final curtain call brings to a close the opening night of a new Broadway production. A hit, the audience are on their feet shouting more, more, more, more; this mantra imitates the feeling when leaving the phenomenon known as the Antarctic.
I realise this extraordinary adventure is not for everyone, but I trust you have enjoyed being involved even by osmosis. It has been my joy to share and to include you, albeit in a small way.
Author: Jan Thompson
e-mail: jan@pcandjt.com
Web Site: www.pcandjt.com
Welcome back. For those who have just joined us, this is the 3rd instalment of the “The Ultimate Adventure”, a 29 day semi circumnavigation of the Antarctic aboard the icebreaker Kapitan Khlebnikov. Part 1 was the Journey, Part 2 the Landscape and now Part 3 the Animals that inhabit this scintillating macrocosm. Seeing them is like visiting pen pals who you feel you know but have never met.
Traversing the Drake Passage sea birds swirling in the skies above the white caps, they farewelled the KK as she set off south. Antarctic Petrels toyed with the waves gliding over the peaks of the wind lashed depths, playing with the frothy edges.
Gentoo Penguins lodged in Neko Harbour, a refuge also inhabited by a gaggle of migratory Skuas, Snowy Sheathbills and Kelp Gulls who all come for the penguin eggs. Skuas are known as the “Buccaneers of the South”, villains. Beach gives way to gentle slopes ramped up to the surrounding mountains. On the upside one can discern organic red streaks, penguin guano montaged as “Penguin Highways” leading to the rookeries. The harbour covers a large area and yet the penguins prefer to tread the historical corridors to and from the sea. Traffic is non-stop, waddling, slipping, sliding and tobogganing along. Comings and goings are comical; the only things missing are the traffic lights and walk beeps to regulate the ebbs and flows across the snowy textile.
Intrepid travellers are instructed to keep a minimum distance from the animals, but if you sit quietly, curiosity triumphs and soon you are immersed in penguins. Our presence did not alarm or distress the penguins; they stopped, looked and listened; some fascinated, others impartial.
Gentoos have a brood pouch (bare small patch of skin on their lower abdomen) with which they warm and protect their egg. Nests are built of small rectangular shaped stones with the nursing parent sitting on top. There are gulls and other birds, predators patrolling the plains opportunistically waiting for a minute of forgetfulness to steal the eggs. Parents must be diligent.
Rocks; the building cornerstone are at a premium. It is a battlefield out there with much skulduggery and competition for the highly prized objects; robbery is the motive and rocks are the treasure. When a conquering knight returns victorious with a rock there is a shrill “Well done!” While the victor celebrates and his back is turned, guess what? Another interloper takes advantage and steals a foundation from the victor’s stash. The tussle is ceaseless and goes on all day resulting in lots of vocalizing, squabbling and shifting of rocks. Someone suggested painting the rocks, then watching the pageant; amusing!
A resident Weddell Seal asleep just up from the landing beach at Peterman Island caused quite a stir. Snoring, he looked to be dreaming. Charming, with a grey soft brown mottled coat and long whiskers, flippers across his chest like a child in slumber. Clickety click from dozens of cameras stirred him ..….. a big open-mouthed exclamation and an expression “Oh, it is only you”, and he returned to his dreams of endless fish and beautiful females. Gentoo and Adelie penguins rested, mated, socialized, thieved and incubated along side him indifferent to the landlubbers and the seal. These creatures have never been hunted; consequently they do not fear man.
A colony of Imperial shags nests alongside an Adelie rookery at Jungla Point their blue markings identify the breeding season is here. Unlike the Adelie’s rock courtship, shags board close together, attentively grooming each other, more stay at home folk. They also were not disturbed by the penguins’ activities and squabbles.
While garaged in the fast ice at Marguerite Bay a sole Emperor Penguin appeared out of the icy wild blue yonder. What a handsome fellow, at one metre tall Emperors are the tallest and heaviest of the penguins living up to 40 years. Emperors winter over to breed in the Antarctic and are actually sea birds that have lost the ability to fly. They have a coat of jet-black fur; a chest of pure white with a collar of incandescent yellow markings, flippers, a short tufted tail and 2 large webbed feet. Perfect!! Upright and plainly curious this is a sociable visit reminiscent of the movie “Happy Feet”. Waddling close to inspect the KK, he paused to speculate our origins. Quick as a flash the gangplank was down and photographers captured the performance. A new slant on Antarctic tourism; rather than a few people watching a lot of penguins…a twist… one penguin watching a lot of people.
30 minutes later as quickly as he had come, the Emperor is gone. Best of all though, he returned later in the afternoon to everyone’s delight. He personalized this visit acquainting himself and strolled right up to my roommate. Po Lin said “he looked straight at me” preening and strutting his stuff; she is smitten. Generally wildlife watching is a patient pastime, with long solitary hours rewarded by brief glimpses of animals. These interludes become memories that stay with you long after the moment.
Garaged near the Dry Valleys we encountered the enchantment of the Antarctic. Just the spot for a wonderland; gaping ocean interfaced on two sides by mountains and icebergs with a stage of sweeping ice flats and a basin routed to the Dry Valleys. First a placid watercourse then a splash, a small disturbance in the aqua and a Minke Whale emerged, a member of the Baleen Family. He is titanic, grey black with a heavyset bulk and a small dorsel fin. Cruising the channel, his blow signalled the unhurried rhythm of his movements, softly and smoothly over and under the water, echoing an ancient and primal ritual.
A multi layered vista fringed by blue and white, first the Minke cruised the gaping ocean then Emperors amused themselves with catch and tag from the shore to the inner limits of the bay. All afternoon they were in and out of the water. Are you familiar with the sound and exuberance of a champagne cork popping? There is the rush as the bubbles effervesce and fizz out of the bottle; that is exactly how Emperor Penguins squirt out of the water. Travelling at up to 20 kilometres per hour in short bursts they belly flop onto the hard ice then apply the brakes. Next second they are upright, making room for other arrivals. Only once did I see a mishap when an Emperor overshot its arrival point, back pedalled trying to stop the forward locomotion, succeeded, then out of sync finished up with an ungainly vertical mount to a walking position, oops! Typically they are elegant giving the impression of gliding rather than waddling.
Lining up like models behind the curtain of a catwalk “you first, no you” all jostling for position, until everyone is wet. Looking down, the Emperors could be seen propelling through the water, a telltale bubble trail lingering in their aftermath.
While Emperors occupy the inner blue fringing the shoreline, Adelies occupy the ice flats; they are small in stature and monochrome in colour. One is reminded of the Cat from “Alice in Wonderland” who is late for a very important date, after chatting he headed off in completely the opposite direction from whence he came. Whereas Emperors are tall and graceful, Adelie’s are short and nervous, watching the interactions between the species a monologue for a screenplay may go like this:
∑ Setting: water’s edge Antarctica Solitary Emperor Penguin standing regally on the ice ledge quietly enjoying the peace and sunshine
∑ Approached by a Nervous fidgety Adelie who splutters a dialogue HelloOOOO, helloOOOO prattling “can I be your friend”, vocalized in a desperate sounding hurried high pitched whine
∑ Emperor condescendingly looks down his nose at the bothersome Adelie and simply but firmly enunciates “NO”
∑ Disappointed the Adelie meekly mooches off
∑ Adelie sees another solitary Emperor and starts the same jumpy discourse hoping for better luck this time
Apsley Cherry-Garrard said about penguins “They are extraordinarily like children, these little people of the Antarctic world; either like children, or like old men, full of their own importance and late for dinner, in their black tail coats and white shirt fronts and rather portly withal”, what a amusing way to represent these engaging creatures.
Perfect postcard picture; a tableau of penguins and Minke Whales, the pattern of life is different for each of the inhabitants:
∑ Minkes cruising slowly and luxuriously
∑ Emperors elegantly aqua-playing for the sheer pleasure of it
∑ Adele’s all hurrying somewhere, it didn’t seem to matter where; infact it is decidedly random, here there and everywhere, waving their flippers up down, left to right always at a frantic beat. Like a younger brother, a pest, but you love him
The bay pulsed, brimful with pastiche energy, a glorious convergence leaving one energised about life and living. Antarctic animals are fantastic and like no others. One felt intoxicated being privy to the antics and behaviours. This is not just a show for the tourist but a daily event that moulds the cycles of life. There is a biodiversity that is staggering in its richness in the Antarctic.
Passing the Ice shelf of the Ross Sea we head towards the Bay of Whales. Hoping to recapture the excitement of previous encounters, scanning the horizon from dawn to dusk. Rewarded with a pod of 12 Killer Whales or Orcas. Known as “Wolves of the Sea” due to their hunting in packs, Orcas are from the oceanic dolphin family they are gregarious; foraging, travelling, resting and socializing as a group.
On board polar experienced staff share their amazing stories and folklore about the wildlife. Tony the marine biologist spoke of his time on Macquarie Island. To illustrate a yarn Tony showed a photograph of a huge bull seal, head first in the entrance to his tent completely blocking exit or entry. It looked hilarious; can you imagine telling your boss why you where late for work? “It was like this etc etc”, imagine the response deprecating in disbelief “SURE”.
Campbell Island one of the sub-Antarctic groups, is home to a Hooker Seal colony. At the zodiac landing place a huge male sunned himself; feigning sleep he was watchful through half closed eyes. His features included nasty looking big dentures. Weighing in at 500 kilograms and having the reputation of being rather ill tempered with the ability to move with great haste and purpose, we had been cautioned to give him a wide birth.
On route to the Albatross nests in the hills, one of the party lagged behind and was nearly ambushed by another cranky Hooker bull seal. It was practically guns at high noon. Jonathan wanted the vegetation to swallow him up; the seal had large yellow fangs and a troublesome mind-set. In the end, each went their separate ways, one buoyed by supremacy, the other unharmed but shaken.
Albatross have a wingspan of three meters; shoulders the same height as an adult Labrador but with a shorter round body on large legs. Biologist Robert Cushman Murphy said, “ I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the Albatross”. Early sailors believed to shoot an albatross would bring bad luck. Today Albatross have more to fear from long line fishing boats, but this is being addressed by mindful work practices. To see these birds in flight is akin to “touching the wild”; being able to feel the pulse of the wind. Yet on land they are awkward and generally nest on the wind side to assist takeoff. Albatross generally mate for life, reinforcing the bond with tender preening and elaborate ritualised courtships.
On Enderby Island the first influx of seals were gathering harems on the sandy shore. Bulls were marking their territory and securing the most females. Arriving three weeks too early to see the masses and the associate bedlam that insures. We did however witness teenagers honing their fighting skills and a mature bull jealously guarding his ladies. Interactions loaded with recital, pontificating and vocalizing, signalled dominance or attempted dominance; all acted out with the intent to scare the novice. Great lumbering beasts heaved their blubbered forequarters at the opposition connecting with a thud, accompanied by grunts and groans supplemented by open tusked mouths, vivid displays of aggression. The ladies looked on amused. A combination of power, unpredictable and unknown animal logic reinforced the wisdom of distance and the prudence of a long 300 m lens. Bones at the landing point being picked over by Skuas were the result of a scuffle between 2 males fighting over a female. The bones were those of the female crushed by the bullyboys.
As we headed north to New Zealand, seabirds welcomed us back to the more temperate weather; two Wandering Albatrosses remained aloft and separate from us mere mortals, enjoying the swells and air currents of the huge seas. Groups of Petrels showed off to their peers. Like friends farewelling friends we said adieu to the animals of the Antarctic, silently expressing gratitude for the unique opportunity to visit and comprehend their world, if only briefly.
Living up to dreams and expectations “The Ultimate Adventure” reinforces the wonder and pleasure of travel. The expedition with its profound experiences remains etched on one’s mind:
∑ KK’s uniqueness and experienced crew, a highlight
∑ Helicopter jaunts, breathtakingly ostentatious
∑ Zodiacs, adventure on rubber so to speak… what a thrill
∑ The assorted landscapes….. braggart, unforgettable and awe-inspiring……fabulous, frigid and fragile..…. completely overwhelming and defying portrayal
∑ Last but by no means least the animals; delightful, cute, aggressive, and endearing; they bewitched you. Their curiosity, their interactions, their individuality… all wooed the adventurer, we each had a favourite
Amid thunderous ovations the final curtain call brings to a close the opening night of a new Broadway production. A hit, the audience are on their feet shouting more, more, more, more; this mantra imitates the feeling when leaving the phenomenon known as the Antarctic.
I realise this extraordinary adventure is not for everyone, but I trust you have enjoyed being involved even by osmosis. It has been my joy to share and to include you, albeit in a small way.
Author: Jan Thompson
e-mail: jan@pcandjt.com
Web Site: www.pcandjt.com
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