Bob's Antarctic Adventures

WE THREE KINGS.....

2009-12-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

These three King Penguins were photographed on St. Andrew's Beach on the islands of South Georgia, which is about 1000 miles south east of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

I am now home in the Iowa version of Antarctica, and ours here looks and feels more intense than it was there!! The Three Kings and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a prosperous New Year!

This will end the postings to this blog and trip. It was an incredible adventure in every way, and the stories and photos here will help me and other relive it any time we would like. Thanks for stopping by.

Coming HOME to Ames !

2009-12-14T12:28:00.001-08:00

We are leaving Santiago, Chile for an evening flight to Miami, and then as Tuesday progresses I will proceed to Dallas and then back to Des Moines and home, one day later than had been planned originally. We have had a very relaxing day here in Santiago, just hanging around in our nice rooms at the Sheraton here and enjoying delicious meals at their breakfast and luncheon buffet. We are all ready to go home and be home and soon my 22,000 mile journey will be over. This blog will continue for a few months as I catch up and add other things that I wanted to include or could not becuase of the expense of satellite internet time to do so. I will go home to lots of snow and cold, and the warm parka that I used in Antarctica will be carried with me from Miami to Des Moines, so I can have it on my return to Ames. It IS good to be coming home!

Easter Bunny did not make it today....

2009-12-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately the bunny did not come to Easter Island today, and our airplane home did not come here either! Due to foggy weather in Santiago our flight was cancelled today, so we are going to be coping with lots of changes. There was a group scheduled to come to our hotel today, that was on the plane we would have left on as we went home, and since the flight was cancelled, the hotel let us have their rooms they would have had. Also the special dinner they were going to serve the new group, will now be eaten by us. As it stands now our flight out will be on Sunday about 11 AM, and then to Santiago about five hours later, and from there to Miami and all the rest. So far the only scheduled flight I have is the first one out of here, so a bit later I need to see what I can do about the rest of the trip. I am sure I may end up spending one additional night in Santiago or Miami, before I return to Ames. Time to get hopping!

Scenes around town...

2009-12-12T04:09:00.000-08:00

Here a few photos taken around Hanga Roa, the city where we are staying, and for that matter the only city in Easter Island. It has a population of about 4,000, and is situated on the leeward side of the island. The first photo is the scene you would see after walking down the steps from the airplane, and heading into the terminal for your baggage. The next four photos are taken on the grounds of my hotel, the Altiplanico. Each room is in a small bungalow type building with its own outdoor shower and large bedroom space. My bungalow was the one to the left, and the bananas you see growing, were doing so right in front of my building. Another view shows more banana trees in front of the ocean view as seen from the front of our hotel lobby. There are no windows or doors on this side of the lobby, and I am admiring the calm ocean right now!

The red Canna flowers were a distinct color contrast against the lava wall. Obviously lava is a most plentiful stone on this island and is used for lots of purposes. The boys pounding the Eucalyptus logs on the street were doing so to remove the bark so the poles could be used to make a fence and railing in the building near where they were working. The last photo is that of a painting hanging in a museum here, and it depicts the area shown earlier on the blog posting that featured a couple of single Moai statues along with some shots of wild horses.

Unfortunately I have much to write about, and photos to process and post here, but I am out of time. We leave here in an hour or so and do some more sightseeing until lunch time, and then we travel direct to the airport to catch our flights. In my case, four flights for a duration of 16 hours as I travel from Easter Island to Santiago, Chile, to Miami, to Dallas, to Des Moines, and finally making my way to Ames on Sunday afternoon….all in one continuous trip with waiting times in-between flights. I hope to sleep on the plane and if not I will be writing more notes to place here, when I resume blogging next week. Enjoy.

Magnificient Moais !!!

2009-12-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today we saw some magnificent Moai statues...here are a few photos...

First Views in Easter Island

2009-12-10T05:43:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the first images as we approached and explored Easter Island on Wednesday. It was exciting to see some land after flying over open water for five hours! It was hot and humid here when we landed and, nearly the total opposite of being in Antarctic waters a few days ago. The temperature was nearly 80 degrees with a humidity level to match. It seems impossible to be sitting out in the middle of this giant Pacific Ocean on this small bit of land, thousands of miles from everywhere, and be able to write these thoughts to you and in a few minutes have them beaming out to anyone who looks at my blog.

Our hotel is very unique and I will post some more photos of it very soon. Each room is in a separate kind of bungalow, with a large king bed (in my case) built up on a platform in a large room with a high vaulted ceiling that has a continuously running ceiling fan to help keep things cool. The furniture and surroundings are simple and stylistically basic. My shower is unique in that it is outside, and when I open the locked door to go into it, I can look up and see the sky. There is a privacy fence around it, and it is a fun and very exhilarating way to shower! The water tank is on the roof, and it is heated by solar panels, and gravity does the rest. We have a breakfast buffet here each morning, and the lunch and dinner are eaten out, all provided by the tour company. Our local guide is much fun and tells many stories to us as we travel about and as we eat together. Tonight he and his wife are inviting all of us to his home where we will have dinner. Later in the evening we will all go to a Polynesian dance program that should be fun and colorful.

The first Moai we saw were some of the oldest ones here, and thus looking a bit more worn than the web image I posted earlier. We will see those as well sometime within the next two days, and I will find their successive variations interesting and exciting. They are massive in size and scope and it boggles my mind to visualize them being carved in a volcanic quarry near here, and then moved by hand into place and positioned where they were. Those you you see in the photos were excavated from where they were and placed on the altar platforms where they have stood for many decades. All of the Moai statues face inward towards the land, to the people they represent and to the land which created them.

We have frequent showers here in this tropical climate, but they do not last long, and as our guide says we just look to the other sides of the island, most of which are visible, and we just go there instead. We did so yesterday as the large altar we were heading for became enveloped in rain, so we just turned around and went a few miles in the opposite direction to the site you see illustrated here.

There are wild horses here that just run around like they own the place, and in a sense they do, for no one actually owns them! A small herd of ten or so galloped through the area where these statues were and it was fun to see them do so. There are also free range chickens that go where they want, and begin to crow in the early morning (the roosters at least) so I have a built in alarm clock!

The landscape, the town, the buildings, and the cultural pace of this area reminds me so very much of the rural areas of Hawaii I have seen, away from the tourist cities, and exhibiting a more basic and mellow life style. The buildings are fabricated simply with materials from here, and often appear to be not yet quite finished. There is much use of plywood, concrete blocks, and logs and poles for support and decorations. Many homes have their own smaller Moai statues just for decorative purposes, and there are gorgeous and colorful flowers everywhere. There is a banana tree growing right outside my sliding door/window that has about 50 bananas on it at the moment slowly getting ripe.

So today (Thursday) we will have breakfast here, and then about 9:30, our guide Elmundo will pick us up in the mini bus and we will be on our way to adventures, that I hope i can post here before I leave. It is now about time for the first light of dawn in the sky, which of course I will try to photograph if I can.

Safe and Sleepy in Santiago...

2009-12-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

Our band of 18 Easter Island adventurers arrived safely in Santiago, Chile this afternooon, and after a shuttle from the airport to our hotel, and a lovely dinner it is time to rest, take a soaking bath, and repack for and early departure (7 AM) from the hotel as we go to the airport to connect with our flight. The flight will take about 5 1/2 hours to travel the 2300 miles to the mysterious island with the stone heads! I am not sure if there will be any internet connectivity there at all, but if possible I will try to post something from there before I start the long return trip back to Ames, Iowa.

I am very much aware of the severe snow and blizzard situation in Iowa and in the midwest just now, and while I am glad I am in the opposite climate, my heart, head and responsible nature wants me to be in Ames to help cope with it all. I am sure there will be several other snows for me to deal with after I return. Until then here is a web image of one of the stone heads that I will be seeing soon.

Arrived in Ushuaia

2009-12-07T19:33:00.000-08:00

Our ship arrived safely ontime about 10 PM on Monday evening, and we are spending the night on her in our rooms as we are tied up to a pier. Tuesday we have some city tours and a lunch here, and then our charter plane returns us to Santiago, Chile, where my shipmates spread out to a variety of places all over the world. About 18 of us will stay in Santiago, spending the night there in the hotel we used before, and then Wednesday morning departing for Easter Island. I am not sure what my internet link will be there, and if I can be online for at least one post I will do so.

This blog will continue well into the New Year as I complete other aspects of the trip that I have not had time to describe so far. Thanks to those of you who are reading, learning, and exploring with me.

Macaroni With No Cheese!

2009-12-07T19:25:00.001-08:00

These little fuzz balls are Macaroni Penguins, so called for obvious reasons I hope. If you use your imagination a bit, it does look like they have pieces of macaroni stuck to their head. You can read more about them in one of the early blog sections on penguins, but for now I will just tell you they are LOUD, and not a cute and cuddly to me, as the Chinstraps were. None the less they sure were fun to watch as they hopped around on the rocks carvingn out their space.

One of the favorite stories I enjoyed reading to my special Grandson Charlie, dealt with Macaroni Penguins, and as I saw them I thought of the many times he had sat on my lap as we enjoyed the story, sometimes not finishing it as he fell asleep on my chest.
Charlie....I love you and miss you, and this blog post is dedicated to you!!

Historic Grytvikyn in South Georgia

2009-12-05T18:56:00.000-08:00

A cluster of old, historical and rusting buildings that once was a giant whale processing factory stands today as a reminder of times gone by. Hundreds of men worked and lived here, as they processed whales for their oil, meat, and bone meal. Search the place on Google and you can learn more about how expansive it was in the early 1900s. The government of South Georgia is just letting it decay in place, which may cause it to look a bit unkept, but yet it provides some interesting subjects for photos. Old machines, factory processing equipment, ships, harpoon guns, tools, and many other numerous items are there in the same place they were when things were shut down. The penguins and seals do not mind, as they walk around or lie around on the beach areas like they own the place! There is an extensive and very wonderful museum there that is worth seeing, a unique and quaint country church built in 1913 which is still used by a small congregation, and the cemetery for several of its former residents including, Earnest Shackelton, famous Antarctic explorer from England. You can read more about him in some of the first postings on this blog if you keep going back into "older posts." Besides these facilities a short distance away on the edge of the bay is the British Antarctic Research Station, one of several new facilities in the antarctic operated by the UK.

The Beaufort Scale becomes REAL in the Scotia Sea...

2009-12-02T18:32:00.001-08:00

The Beaufort scale is an empirical measure for describing wind intensity based mainly on sea conditions. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale. It became very real to us as we traversed the Scotia Sea between South Georgia Island and the Falkiland Islands on Wednesday, December 2, 2009.

The scale was created in 1805 by Irishman Sir Francis Beaufort, a British Admiral, and hydrographer. At that time naval officers made regular weather observations but there was no scale and so they could be very subjective..one man's "stiff breeze " might be another's "calm conditions." The initial scale from 0 to 12 did not reference wind speed numbers, but related qualitative wind conditions to effects on the sails of a man of war, then the main ship of the Royal Navy, from "just sufficient to give steerage" to "that which no canvas sails could withstand." The scale was made a standard for ship's log entries on Royal Navy vessels in the late 1830's.

The scale was adapted to non-naval use from the 1850's, with scale numbers corresponding to cup anemometer rotations. In 1906, with the advent of steam power, the descriptions were changed to how the sea, not the sails, behaved and extended to land observations. Rotations to scale numbers were standardized only in 1923. George Simpson, Director of the UK Meteorological Office, was responsible for this and for the addition of land based descriptors. The measure slightly altered some decades later to improve its utility for meteorologists.

The Beaufort scale was extended in 1946, when forces 13 to 17 were added. However, Forces 12 to 17 were intended to apply only to special cases, such as tropical cyclones. Nowadays, the extended scale is only used in Taiwan and mainland China, which are often affected by typhoons.

That said, our ship, "The National Geographic Explorer" endured winds and sea conditions equivalent to a Beaufort Scale rating of 8 in the early morning hours of Wednesday, December 2nd, which accounts for the severe tossing around all of received for several hours in the morning hours. The Captain told me that at the most severe point we were encountering waves of 40 feet in height from their trough up to the top of the wave. The total effect of the forces of the sea and the wind upon the ship were at approaching hurricane levels. One adventurous photographer (no, not me!!) was standing at the bow, and as a BIG wave crashed over the bow and him, he got drenched and so did his Canon SLR camera, which was shorted out from the moisture. Its prognosis is currently undetermined. As the day progressed the conditions varied but continued to get better. By midnight on December 2nd, the Beaufort scale had lowered to 4, but was still it was still a very bouncy ride, and it looks as if it will be that way for the rest of the night and into tomorrow.

The Kings of St. Andrew's Beach...

2009-12-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

St. Andrew's Beach in South Georgia is home to the largest colony of King Penguins in the world. The day we landed on the vast beach there we were greeted by hundreds of thousands of adult and juvenile King Penguins, and countless Elephant Seals. A reasonably accurate count of the Kings on that beach approached half a million birds. The adults in their black and white tuxedos with beautiful orange and yellow color accents were easy to identify. The large brown penguin looking fur balls are the juveniles, still considered their young, and still cared for, even though some of them at this stage are larger than their parents. The juveniles still have their small chirpy voices and not the loud raspy calls they will have a few months from now, when they shed their brown feathers for the classic adult colors.

I was compelled to photograph them of course and I did so fervently, but I also enjoyed just watching them, seeing their body language, and trying to interpret their actions and intensions. Some were trying to find mates and sometimes a lovely lady had more than one fella interested in her, and then troubles broke out. King penguins fight mainly by stretching up and looking bigger and taller and thereby tougher and more intimidating than their competitors. They walk proudly with arrogance and attempt to use chest pushes to discourage the other male. They do peck from time to time, but the flipper slap seems to be a favorite, and is reasonably effective.

At one point a King Penguin came close to me and wanted to investigate my glove. My photographer friend had me hold my hand in the air in the perfect position so it looked like I was patting the penguin on the top of his head. I was not, but it is impossible to not feel affectionate and captivated by them. I enjoyed having the special moments of the "King and I," and I hope you enjoyed them as well. You can find more specific info on the Kings on a very early posting of this blog, shown in the archive list to the right. Find the heading "BLOG ARCHIVE" and click on November, and look for a posting called, "Panoramic Plethora of Prolific Penguins."

On our way to the Falkland Islands...

2009-12-02T07:28:00.001-08:00

We took on another passenger last night, as a man on another nearby ship had fallen and broken his hip, and since we were soon heading for the Falkland Islands he was put aboard our ship as it was the fastest way he could get the medical care he needed. So we are now on our way to the Falklands this morning, and the seas are ROUGH. I am taking Mecalzine in the morning and and evening and so far my stomach is under control. It looks like one is watching an earthquake movie to see people walking around and suddenly are thrown this way or that. The most comfortable place to be for me, is lying bed and rolling with the waves. We are going through winds now that are blowing at 47 mph, sometimes creating waves as much as 35 feet high, and there is much water that is splashing over the bow of the ship. I will not be up and around much today as long as it stays like this, and we have at least two days of seas to get through before we arrive in Stanley, Falkland Islands. We will end up having an extra day there due to the schedule change. Until then it is rock and roll on the high seas!

Georgia on my Mind !

2009-11-27T04:07:00.000-08:00

It is Friday, November 27, and as I write this it is 11:05 AM for these waters, and folks in Iowa may just be getting up....or not! The island of South Georgia is at our bow as I write this, and we will be disembarking in about two hours or so for our first of many on shore adventures. Prior to doing that we had to see an informational video from the government of South Georgia, and sign a document that we had viewed it, and were aware of their strict laws regarding the environment, animals, and what we may and may not do, while there. After viewing the video we had to take down to the mudd room (the place where we get on the Zodiac rafts) all of the items we will take ashore, so they could be examined, cleaned and vacuumed out. That included my high boots, gloves, parka, and camera bag. All items in bags and pockets had to be removed so all traces of soil, food, or other items that may be there could be properly disposed of before going ashore. All that is done and I am just now crusing along as the island gets larger and larger in the wide windows of the Chart room, just below the bridge. You WILL see more photos from South Georgia, as we will be circumnavigating around the entire island, and will stay here for nearly five days as we see hundreds of thousands of King Penguins, many seals, Elephant seals, and species of Albatross. It is cloudy, windy, and the temperature is about at 32 degrees F, at the moment. More to come....

Happy Thanksgiving.....

2009-11-27T02:05:00.001-08:00

I am most thankful for my loving family and friends that may be reading this blog today and any day. We had a very delicious turkey dinner on Thanksgiving evening, with all the trimmings, and while I do have pictures of my plate, I want to spend my picture upload time sending you these lovely icebergs. I am going to present a sound slide show with music to the theme of "Big Country," tonight for our group and these are some of the images in the show. I am also very thankful that I can be here in this incredibly beautiful and precious place. Enjoy the beauty of the ice!

Bring on the Ice!

2009-11-27T01:39:00.000-08:00

Deception Island Adventure

2009-11-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

Deception island is deceiving! If you look for it on Google Earth it will resemble a donut….but, there is a small bite taken out of one side! Millions of years ago it was a large and active volcanic cone, that created an island. Some time later another eruption blew out a chunk of the cone on one side, and the center or caldera of the volcano filled with sea water. The caldera is about a mile in diameter, and sometimes the water in various places is warmed by steam.

In 1969 a steam vent along the side walls erupted causing a mud and ash flow that covered a small cemetery there, and destroyed some the structures of an old whaling village. Remnants of the tanks for storage of whale oil are still there, and the place looks like it has been frozen in time.

We first stopped along its outside edge to see a penguin colony for several hours, and then we moved around to the entrance to the caldera, through an opening called Neptune's Bellows. About half way through the caldera we encountered ice that got thicker and more widespread until at last we stopped. Crew members got out and checked the ice for its stability, and soon we were all frolicking down the gang plank and enjoying the ice and snow there. Some people took photos, others played soccer, while still others enjoyed hot chocolate provided by the ship's restaurant. After awhile we got back into the ship and it moved to the other side of the caldera where the water along shore was suppose to be warm. Several brave men and women (me included) got down to our swim suits and went into the water and it was not warm all!! It was in fact nearly 32 degrees, and so I stayed in a very short time, and quickly went for a large warm towel that was nearby. Nearby Adelle Penguins looked puzzled with wonder at the sight of it all. The Adelles have white circles around their eyes that distinguish them from the Chinstraps and Gentoos. We got dressed, and back aboard the ship with bragging rights that could proclaim we had experienced a swim in the waters of Antarctica. Here are a few photos that captured some of these events.

A look Around the Front of the Ship...

2009-11-26T12:20:00.001-08:00

The bow of the ship is a place where photographers gather to photograph whales and other significant scenes. Looking towards the ship you can see the bridge area and on the deck itself the large spools that hold the rope for tie-ups at a pier. Also in that area are two very large anchor winches, each of which has 900 feet of heavy anchor chain. Their is an anchor on each side of the bow, and they weigh 5000 pounds each. There is even a spare anchor behind the winches in the event they would loose one of the anchors.

At the front of the bow our ship flies a small flag with logos for Lindblad and National Geographic and a very prominent penguin as well. Up on the mast above the bridge are flags of the two companies, and a colorful flag that is that of the Bahamas, which is the country of registry for this ship.

The Emperor of Antarctica!

2009-11-25T07:03:00.001-08:00

I met and photographed the Emperor of Antarctica yesterday and it was exciting. We were going along between ice flows (various sheets of ice) and I saw some penguins sitting on one of them. That was not unusual but I put my camera up to my eye and I could see one was more than twice as large as the others. THAT one was an Emperor Penguin...the largest, most elusive, and the hardest penguin to see in Antarctica. So I took a bunch of photos, and then went up to the brige (command center of the ship), and told the Captain about what I had seen. He had seen it as well and was slowly turning the ship around, and did so, cautiously approaching the ice flow where the penguins were. The smaller Adelle penguins were all nervous and excited but the Emperor just laid down on his belly and watched us. I took more photos of course, but the first ones of him standing up are far more dramatic, when his height is compared to that of the Adelles. In an earlier post on this blog you can find the average height and weight of various penguins, but as I reall the Emperor is nearly 4 feet tall or more, and can weigh as much as 90 pounds. The Emperors were the star of the wonderful movie, "March of the Penguins," which is worth seeing on DVD if you have not seen it yet. So that was my moment with the Emperor, and I was the only person on the ship that got it photographed standing up, as I was in the right place at the right time. Here is the resulting cropped photo to show the Empero off in all its glory. Enjoy!

Update 11-25-09...

2009-11-25T06:49:00.000-08:00

This is a text only update to make things current at least on this section of the blog. The date is Wednesday, November 25, 2009, as I am typing this it is 11:52 AM here in the Weddell Sea, South East of the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. That makes it nearly 9 AM in Ames, Iowa, so if the kids at Meeker check in today they will know where I am located. It is cold and windy out here in the open sea...and rough! The ship rocks a great deal back and forth, and while my stomach protested at 7 AM today, it is fine now. Earlier today in the dining room, the ship pitched a great deal to one side and dozens of glass plates and cups all fell to the floor and broke. I was not there at the time, but it must have been dramatic.

The temperature is just at about the freezing level of 32 degrees F, but we have strong winds as high as 45 mph at times that toss this ship around a great deal. We are heading to South Georgia Island and should get there by Thanksgiving Day most likely in the evening.

Other postings which follow this one may appear out of order, because I have been so busy, or needing sleep or the satellite link on the ship was not working well, or all of the above! This is not a pleasure cruise, but a working one as I see it, and when we go ashore on Zodiac rafts and hike in the snow to be with penguins, up steep hills, and across rocky beaches it is hard work, at least for this photographer.

You will see other postings on other topics that have occurred prior to todays date, but they still will hopefully be of interest. The icebergs are fantastic and come in all sizes and shapes from GIANT to little sculptured wonders. They will appear in a post sometime soon as well. Time to go for now...more later!

Say Hello to the Gentoo Penguins!

2009-11-25T06:39:00.000-08:00

Meet the Chinstraps !

2009-11-22T19:59:00.000-08:00

The Chinstrap Penguins have become my favorite so far. They look like they are smiling and happy, and when we saw these on November 18, they were sure busy and totally ignored us most of the time. They would go swim for awhile and eat some food, and then come back out onto the black lava beach. There will be other penguins posted here soon, so stay tuned! It has been cold but not unbearable as temps have not gotten much below 20 degrees during the day, and on some days as high as the 40's. So long now from the bottom of the world!

There's Our Ship!!

2009-11-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

When we returned from the catamaran ride and lunch we strained our eyes looking for our ship, and then I saw her! Rather I saw her radar dome on the top mast, as the rest of her was covered up by a red freighter that was parked in front of her. There was much excitement from our group as we pulled aside her on the way to the dock. Once docked we made our way down the pier, got our luggage which was waiting for us, and after some photos we found our rooms as we ooooohed and ahhhhhed over the ship. Our home for the next 23 days was ready for us, very soon our voyage had begun!

Santiago to Ushuaia....

2009-11-20T00:50:00.000-08:00

The four hour journey from Santiago to Ushuaia was one we were highly anticipating, for it would be in Ushuaia where we would meet our ship and be on our way to Antarctica. As we flew farther south I could see graphic evidence of the colder weather in that area, in the form of mountains not only with snow on tip, but snow and ice covering all of them. We could also see large icebergs floating in a Argentine River, along with glaciers and their interesting black margins running through them, created by compaction of rocks and dirt as they slowly move.

The new airport at Ushuaia was situated on a small hill top overlooking the city. It's terminal was made with lots of open beams, and resembled the look of a ski lodge. As we walked into the terminal we were greeted with a flashing welcome sign, that said, "Happy Staying" and "Ushuaia." The immigration line for the stamping of our passport by the government of Argentina went fast and soon our bags were being loaded on buses. On the bus I sat with Victor, originally from Russia, and now from Texas, who happened to be the pianist on our ship. We had a good chat, and since that time several of us have heard him play during tea time in the late afternoon, and again after dinner. He is incredibly talented and really makes the piano come alive.

Our bus lumbered through the small town of Ushuaia, the southern most city in the world, and home to nearly 60,000 people. We were soon entering Tierra del Fuego National Park, and learned about trees that grow there, as well as other plants and flowers. We saw a pair of "Upland Geese" and I photographed them because their colorings were so eye catching. We could now see the frostily covered mountains more clearly that earlier from our cursing altitude. They were all over the area on all sides, with small fingers of the sea moving between them. We came to the end of road from our trip through the national park and were met by two catamaran boats that were to take us on a luncheon cruise back to Ushuaia, where we would then get to go into our ship for the first time.

The luncheon was very good as all the food has been. I was sitting with a friend I met from New York at our table for eight, as Neil and Carol Armstrong walked over, and asked us if we would mind if they joined us…..MIND?…..are you kidding? We loved having them there, and in between our eatings we had some chats about the space program Neil had experienced as well as future missions. I learned that all the nations and heads of state from nearly all the countries in the world had sent letters of best wishes, good luck, and congratulations to the Apollo XI crew prior to their lift off, and that these letters had been etched into a small silicone disc, which Neal places on the moon before they departed for earth. I asked him about his famous phrased known around the world…"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." He said he was not that concerned about what he would say as he stepped off, for his total focus was on LANDING the Eagle space capsule safely. They lost the computer controlled guidance system and had to land it totally by hand. There were times when he and Buzz Aldrin were not sure they would be able to land safely, and their survival took precedence over any few words Neil would say. He did not think the words would matter that much, and he could never have been more wrong! My friend from New York talked tech with him in areas of physics and the scientists and Neil was very tuned into what was being discussed.

Soon we were nearing Ushuaia once gain and our boat traveled around to a cluster of rocks called Seal Island, of course because the seals hung out there to bask in the sun when it was shining. There was a quaint lighthouse there, and grouping of black and white Commorant birds, that some people hopefully but incorrectly though were penguins! As we got closer to shore we could soon see our ship and everyone on the boat was very excited. We went ashore, walked out onto the pier and there she was, in all her glory, tied up waiting for us to come aboard and we sure did. They collected our passports, took a credit card swipe, and took our photo for ID purposes as we left and returned to the ship many times. There were smiles all over as members of the crew greeted us and showed us to our rooms. There I met my roommate Bill Jennings from California and we quickly became good friends as we stashed our things in the closet and storage areas there. We went up on the top deck to check things out and soon our ship was moving, and then turning around to point to the Beagle Channel, which would travel through for 150 miles before reaching open sea. We were on our way!!

Flying Into Santiago...

2009-11-20T00:45:00.000-08:00

Arriving in Santiago…

Our overnight flight of more than eight hours to Santiago was long! For me anyway, sleep was not very successful.
I was excited to see the sun beginning to rise over the Andes Mountains as we flew southward along the western shore of Chile, making our way to Santiago.

The sun began to rise about 3:45 AM and continued to glow in reds and yellows behind the mountain, and the longer I waited the more dramatic it became. I took photos every few minutes and the one shown here with the wing of the plane in the foreground was my favorite. It was taken about five minutes before we landed.

After getting our bags and going through Chilean customs we boarded buses and went to our hotel, the Santiago Grand Hyatt. It was indeed Grand and lovely in every way, with lovely rooms and lots of staff on the inside and outside of the hotel all dressed impeccably in black suits and putting forth much effort to please us. Even the guy who was sweeping up seed pods from the trees was wearing a black suit, white shirt, and tie, taking the perception of gardener to a new and higher level!

Hotel and Easter Island Preview...

2009-11-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

Our Grand Hyatt hotel here in Santiago is superb and so lovely in every way. Here is how it looked from the outside as you first approach it on a VERY busy system of highways in this area. A green space area in front of the hotel has this very authentic replica of an Easter Island stone head. This caught my eye of course, as I will be visiting the real things, next month!

Presidental Palace and Colorful Flags....

2009-11-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed standing in the large plaza across from the Presidential Palace in downtown Santiago. There were some very well groomed and ornate soldiers standing guard at the front entrance. The panorama shown will give you a good visual sweep of the area. There were lots of Chilean flags in the area as well giving added color.

Pre-Columbian Art Exhibit...

2009-11-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

We spent a good deal of time looking at an incredible display of Pre-Columbian art that was most interesting. Two of the images I liked are shown here. One is a relief from and ancient Myan tomb, and the other looks to be the inspiration of Rodin's "Thinker," except these guys were thinking thousands of years before Rodin had the idea!

Welcome Dinner tonight...

2009-11-16T17:40:00.000-08:00

The event was the Lindblad National Geographic Dinner held in the Salon Aysen ballroom of the Grand Hyatt in Santiago. While I have no photos of the dinner maybe you can visualize and mentally taste it! It WAS delicious:

Mushroom strudel with asparagus cream sauce
Fish with zucchini, grilled polenta and olives sauce with tomato
Brownie with dry apricot ice cream and mint sauce
Coffee, Tea, or various fruit drinks
Petit Fours

Everyone was very tired, and after eating that I am sure most of them fell asleep...well other than for yours truly who is still up pecking away at the moment. We have a wakeup call at 5:45 on Tuesday, breakfast for those who want it, and at 6:15 start loading buses for our drive to the airport and connect for a 9 AM flight to Ushuaia. It is a four hour flight, and I am looking forward to flying over the Andes and of course taking photos of their snow capped peaks!

Waiting in Miami...

2009-11-15T15:27:00.000-08:00

After two very nice flights from Des Moines to Chicago, and then to Miami, I am now here, and officialy checked in all legal and proper for my overnight flight to Santiago. It is now nearly 5:30 here EST, and my LAN airlines flight leaves at 8:30. I plan to get a few of the Zzzzzzzs I have missed out on, the last few days, but still eat dinner, and a light breakfast on Tuesday morning before we land. We arrive there about 6:00 AM and will go directly to our hotel to rest, shower, and take it easy for a few hours. In the afternoon we have a city tour of some kind, and a welcome dinner in the early evening. After an early breakfast Tuesday morning we get on our chartered LAN flight to Usuhaia, Argentina that will take about 2-3 hours. We have a luncheon cruise on a catamaran kind of boat down a long stretch of water going from Usushia out into the ocean below Argentina. The 150 mile long natural water way is called the Beagle Channel (no I don't know why! Early that evening we get on our ship the National Geographic Explorer and away we go! There have been no Neal Armstrong sightings yet, but he must be here in this airport somewhere! Time to post this before battery gives out. More later I hope!

Last time I saw Neil Armstrong...

2009-11-13T12:38:00.001-08:00

The date was January 9, 1970, when Neil autographed a lunar landing stamp for me, at one of the Purdue festivities. We both look a bit different after nearly 40 years, but the stamp remains about the same, go figure!

Want RSS feed?

2009-11-13T04:01:00.000-08:00

Some of you may not know about this, so here it is! RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication, and it is an easy way to be kept aware of new blog postings, without actually going to the blog and looking. Once you set it up, you get a brief email in your mailbox that will tell you I have added another posting. You can scan the email which summarizes the post and if you wish click on SHOW MORE and it takes you to the blog to see the actual post. Some people who read this blog are doing it, as that way they will not miss anything, and they can see it just as soon as it is published. Scroll to the bottom of the blog page and you will see the message in the black box. Click on the blue font Posts (Atom), and the second box appears. A specific address for this blog will appear in the "Specify a custom feed URL." Click on ADD, which will be blue and you should be all set. The RSS will pick up your email box info from your network settings and automatically send the email about the new blog posting to you there. Check your mailbox later to see if I have posted a new item. Good luck!

Penguin sizes up a shot!

2009-11-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

This penguin turned photographer carefully composed for the greatest impact, and obviously has a good eye for quality equipment! Maybe I will have a similar experience :))

Seal of Approval?

2009-11-12T14:44:00.001-08:00

Whether these seals have your approval or not may very well depend if you are another seal or if you are some of their favorite food! Leopard seals like to eat penguins!! Here are some photos and info for three of the major kinds of seals I may see in Antarctica.
Leopard Seal...............See more photos here.

Elephant Seal..............See more photos here.

Fur Seal.....................See more photos here.

The BIGGEST Bird is in South Georgia Island !

2009-11-12T05:52:00.000-08:00

A bigger bird with the largest wingspan in the world can be seen in South Georgia Island and other areas around the Antarctic. The wandering albatross has a wing span of 12 feet! Measure that out on your floor and visualize a bird of that size gliding through the air effortlessly! You can see two videos about them here and here, and read about them here and also here! Enjoy!

My ship was at Deception Island this week...

2009-11-12T05:10:00.000-08:00

My ship, the National Geographic Explorer, visited Deception Island on November 9th, and here is a short video showing how it was. This is their first Antarctic trip for the season, prior to mine, which departs on Monday, November 16. Click here to see the web page for this short, but FUN video.

Panoramic Plethora of Prolific Penguins...

2009-11-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

Click on the penguin panorama above and it will enlarge so you can see and compare them more easily and with greater detail. Their identity is shown below:

..................................Inches........................Pounds

1 King.............................30............................20-30
2 Gentoo.........................30............................12
3 Rockhopper....................21.............................6
4 Macaroni.......................25............................11
5 Emperor........................40............................88
6 Chinstrap......................27............................13
7 Magellanic.....................27.............................9
8 Adelle..........................30............................11

These are all Antarctic penguins that I may be able to see. Stay tuned!

Neil Armstrong will be one of my shipmates!

2009-11-10T20:35:00.000-08:00

Neil Armstrong...rocket man from Wapakoneta, Ohio, Purdue graduate, NASA veteran, Apollo XI commander, national hero, first human to walk on the moon, and life long adventure seeker will be on my ship for the duration of the expedition. Neil has been to the moon and back but never to Antarctica, and he will be a guest host for the National Geographic/Lindblad incredible journey. His official NASA Apollo XI portrait is on the left, and in the center is a photo taken by me, when I met him at Purdue in January, 1970. He returned to his alma mater to receive an honorary Doctor of Engineering Degree, and as a Purdue University News Service photographer, I followed him around all day long and took photos of him and the events that he was experiencing. In this photo he is receiving his doctoral hood. The photo on the far right was taken on October 27, 2007 at the dedication of the new Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering on the Purdue campus. It will be special to meet him again and visit as opportunities arise. Of course he will not remember me, but I surely have never forgotten him!

So How Cold Is It???

2009-11-07T09:51:00.000-08:00

The weather transmitting station that is closest to the part of the Antarctic Peninsula, where I may be going is an exciting place called Deception Island. I say "may" because where we go, how long we stay, and what we do, is all dependent on weather patterns including temperatures, wind, and of course wind chill, as well as the sea and ice conditions. Quite likely if we get into this location it may be the coldest temperatures I experience, which for an Iowa farm guy will be no big deal! Here is the the current five day forecast for the period of Wednesday, November 11 through Sunday, November 15.
If you click on the weather link along the right side of the blog from time to time you can see how the weather there may be changing.

My home for 23 days...

2009-11-06T21:37:00.001-08:00

This will be my home for 23 days and for some 3500 miles in the Antarctic Seas. She is about as long as a football field, and has many very special facilities I am sure I will enjoy when I am not taking photos and going ashore. This is the second year of service since she was built in Sweden three years ago. To see more of the ship and get some factual data about it, click here and also here.

Incredible Antarctic Videos and Slide Shows

2009-11-05T20:06:00.001-08:00

The thumb images above are from a page by Lindblad Travels (my travel provider), and it shows incredibly beautiful videos and still slide shows of my ship, my journey, and many of the places, things, and critters I will see. Once you click on this link and see the above thumbs in your browser you can click on them individually and see that selection. Enjoy!! Here is the link!

Expedition Maps

2009-11-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Click on the maps above to make them larger. Follow the red arrows as they trace our journey from Santiago, Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina, to and around the Antarctic Peninsula, past Elephant Island, to South Orkney Islands, to South Georgia Island, to the Falkland Islands, back to Ushuaia, then to Santiago. The map showing the relationship of Easter Island to the rest of Chile is shown below. Easter Island is 2300 miles west of Santiago, out in the middle of no where!

Time Zone Adjustments

2009-11-05T18:44:00.000-08:00

For the time in each area listed below add the number indicated to Iowa's Central Standard Time.

Miami + 1
Santiago, Chile + 3
Ushuaia, Argentina + 3
Antarctic Peninsula + 3
South Georgia Island + 4
Falkland Islands + 3
Easter Island + 1

Itinerary

2009-11-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

Sunday, November 15: The first day of the trip is a long one, with a flight to Chicago, connecting with one for Miami, then several hours of wait time there, and going through customs to board a flight to Santiago, Chile. That is an 8 hour flight covering a distance of over 4000 miles, and arriving early Monday morning, November 16. Fortunately when we get there we will have hotel rooms waiting so those of us who have not slept on the plane can do so, or at least have a shower and relax more comfortably. During the day we will have a tour of a Pre-Columbian Museum and enjoy a panoramic overview of the city, followed by a relaxing welcome dinner. We spend the night there at the Santiago Grand Hyatt Hotel, which you can see here.

Tuesday, November 17: We board a chartered flight from Santiago to Ushuaia, Argentina where we will meet our expedition ship, the National Geographic Explorer. Before we board the ship will be treated to a lunch aboard a catamaran cruise of the Beagle Channel. Then we board our ship, find our cabins, and get our warm blue parkas we will need later.

Wednesday, November 18: We are at sea today crossing the infamous Drake Passage between the tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula. This stretch of 500 miles has a reputation for being the roughest sea in the world due to the convergence of strong ocean currents. It is on this portion of the trip that my ani-sea sick patch behind my ear may be put to good use!!

Thursday, November 19: We will have our first landfall today at one of the many islands of the Antarctic Peninsula region, taking hikes and Zodiac forays with our Naturalists.

Friday-Tuesday, November 20-24: We will have five days just off the Antarctic Peninsula to explore small islands there and the Peninsula itself. There will be nearly 24 hours of daylight at that point with plenty of time to explore and to take advantage of the unexpected. We will be on foot, cruising in zodiacs, or paddling in sea kayaks as we hear the cries of penguins in the pristine silence of Antarctica. If possible we will sail through the Lemaire Channel where we will be amazed by the size and beauty of this natural wonder.

Wednesday, November 25: At sea today as we pass by Elephant Island. This small speck of land is a legendary and unforgettable part of the Shackleton story, where the crew of the "Endurance" finally landed on April 24, 1916. From here Shackleton and five men set sail for one of the most incredible stories of survival at sea, covering 700 miles across the Southern Ocean in a 22 foot long wooden sailboat.

Thursday, November 26: At sea today...rest, laundry, and process photos!

Friday, November 27: We arrive at the South Orkney Islands, where the mountains are rugged, and the sea is never quite free of pack ice and icebergs. Every rock in sight is teeming with penguins, and leopard seals can be seen sunning themselves on the shore. Innumerable sea birds come here to nest and breed.

Saturday, November 28: At sea for about 500 miles as we head to South Georgia Island. We will see remarkable icebergs in a variety of shapes and colors as an everchanging backdrop for our time at sea. We will hear interesting talks from the staff in preparation for our exciting days ahead in South Georgia.

Sunday, November 29 through Wednesday December 2: These days will be devoted to exploring the spectacular coastine of South Georgia Island. There will be lots of opportunities for walking, hiking, kayaking and Zodiac excursions as we circumnavigate the island. We will make stops every day including the small village of Grytviken, which in addition to being an abandoned whaling station is the final resting place for Earnest Shackleton, the memorable British explorer of the Antarctic. At St. Andrews Bay we may very likely encounter more than 100,000 King Penguins.

Thursday, December 3 and Friday, December 4: At sea on a 950 mile voyage to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. Time to rest up, reflect, organize more photos, and wash out more socks!

Saturday, December 5: In Port Stanley where will view the photogenic tin-roofed Victorian style houses and the Anglican Cathedral with it organic archway of whalebones. We will also visit the Falkland Islands Museum.

Sunday, December 6: We are still exploring the Falkland Islands which is home to a stunning array of wildlife including the largest albatross colony in the world, thousands of irresistible gentoo, rockhoper, and Magellanic penguins, as well as herds of fur and elephant seals.

Monday, December 7: We are at sea today traveling the 484 miles from the Falklands back to Ushuaia, Argentina.

Tuesday, December 8: After breakfast we will disembark and say goodbye to our spectacular expedition ship, The National Geographic Explorer. We will have some time to explore the city of Ushuaia before we board our charter flight back to Santiago, Chile. Once we arrive there we will be transferred back to the Grand Hyatt Hotel where we will have dinner this evening.

Wednesday, December 9: This morning we board our LAN Airlines jet to fly the 2300 mile stretch across the Pacific, westward to Easter Island, Chile. Upon arrival we will enjoy lunch and an introduction to the island with our local hosts, and later check into our hotel, Altipianico, our base for the next three nights.

Thursday, December 10 and Friday, December 11: Today we will visit the Tahai Archaeological Complex and Museum to learn about the pre-history of the island and the Rano Kau ceremonial site magnificiently situated at the very edge of a volcanic crater. We will visit the stone quarries where the large moai statues were carved and visit Ahu Tongariki, the largest ceremonial altar in Polynesia.

Saturday, December 12: Another very long day! We depart Easter Island for the flight to Santiago, arriving there at 8:45 PM their time, then two hours later depart for Miami, arriving there at 5:10 AM on Sunday, December 13, and after a long wait, catch my flight from Miami to Dallas and onto Des Moines, arriving there at 4:25 PM, very tired, and glad to be back home in Iowa!!