Antarctica voyage. February, 2019

There was fog on the Thames this morning and I heard that flights had been cancelled at City Airport. It had cleared by 11 am so hopefully I will be able to fly from London to Amsterdam on the first part of my Antarctica adventure tomorrow.

February 24, 2019

Midday: There was no fog today. I flew from London City Airport to Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam. Four hour wait there for my flight to Buenos Aires.

February 25, 2019

The flight time was 13 hours and 20 mins. Travelling at approximately 500 miles per hour I watched the animated plane on the visual display showing where we were at any moment and how far we had to go. In suspended transition crossing over unknown borders I felt neither here nor there. Watched a couple of movies and then managed to sleep for a few hours. The flight was uneventful until just over Buenos Aires where we had to drop a few thousand feet to avoid some turbulence - I had a window seat so was able to take some spectacular photographs of the clouds and of Buenos Aires as we came into land. The temperature was similar to London about 16 deg C. The hotel was right in the centre of the older part of the city and it was possible to walk to all the main sites of interest. I managed to get lost even with a map - too busy making photos of motorbike mirrors offering me a different perspective on the city. I can hardly believe I am on my way to Antarctica.

February 26, 2019

Slept well and awoke to a beautiful Argentinian sunny day. I joined up with a couple from Germany and we took the all day hop on hop off bus tours red/blue and green that took different detours around the city. There were demonstrations protesting about the Government and so several of the streets were closed. It seemed strange viewing the city from the top of a bus. I started to be aware of my Britishness as the commentator mentioned Malvinas - the Falkland War. I took photographs of some of the many banners - one in particular with a portrait of Che Guevara. Stopped off at the port area for lunch - really touristy. Alighted from the last bus around 4 pm and went for a walk on my own. I photographed the Casa Rosa where Eva Peron gave her famous speech and videoed the large silken Argentinia flag that cast its shadow over the building.

Day 1: February 27, 2019

Early start to catch the three hour flight from Buenos Aires to the city of Ushuaia, the capital of Tierra del Fuego. Again I was able to photograph the clouds on descent and to capture a glimpse of Ushuaia as we came into land. Really strong winds on arrival. A bus ride into town - food first, a wonderful fresh fish stew for lunch. Wandered for a couple of hours - photographed the statue of Eva Peron, the only one of a woman amongst 12 male statues on the foreshore of the port. Another commemoration statue of the Falklands war!! It is the place where Robert Fitzroy, captain of the Beagle, and his dining companion Charles Darwin, came to before journeying to the Galapagos. There is an Argentinian naval base here and a warship in the harbour. The port is constantly busy with ships coming and going to the South Atlantic, on the way to and from Antarctica with base camp personnel, science ships and supply ships alongside the many cruise ships.

4 pm and time to embark on the MS Midnatsol for Antarctica. I photographed the ship’s ropes and was nearly blown into the sea as the gusts of wind were so strong. Embarked and went to collect my cabin key and was asked for my Medical Certification signed by my Doctor. I didn’t have one!! The crew explained that technically I could not be allowed to stay on board without one!! The doctor was called and I had to submit to a medical there and then before I was given the all clear and permission to stay on board. Greatly relieved I headed for Cabin 424 my home for the next two weeks. Put all my clothes away and sorted out my camera equipment ready to film the ship leaving the shore - the moment we become a perfect ‘heterotopia’. I had to wait hours as the ship didn’t leave until 8 pm. Set up my drawing book and suspended pen on the window ledge of my cabin. The tannoy is announcing the first of many meetings - this one was a welcome and safety for the duration of the voyage. Supper and my first night on board this Hurtigruten ship and their last voyage to Antarctica until next year due to the oncoming winter!!

Day 2: February 28, 2019

Awoke in the early hours of the morning with a migraine. I looked out of my cabin window into the pitch darkness and could see the ship was rolling on the swell of the waves. It was a strange surging rhythm, very different than being on board Rock where the vessel rolls and pitches from side to side, - I felt as though my body was being plunged downwards and then pulled upwards. A three part performance, the ship, my body and the sea all moving separately. I felt nauseous and took two sea sickness tablets. The first meeting of the day and they were handing out 'sick bags’ - so many passengers were feeling the affects of the Drake Passage. We were not reassured when the crew told us that this was not particularly back for what is one of the most unpredictably passage of sea. Went back to bed where I spent most of the day. Managed to eat some food and to get out on deck for some fresh air. We were issued with waterproof jackets and rubber knee length boots to wear on landing. There was a talk about the environmental sensitivity of Antarctica - lots of do’s and don’ts. Everything that people had brought with them that was not brand new, especially outer gear, had to be vacuumed!! There was a safety drill for the crew. Slept and slept and thankfully by the evening was well enough to go for dinner.

Day 3: March 1, 2019

Got up at 7 am and went up on Deck 6. The decks were really icy and there was a bitterly cold wind. I saw my first Antarctic iceberg in the distance on the portside. Too excited for breakfast. Put my polarising filter on and took photographs to be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Another first as a pod of eight whales were sighted on the starboard side. I managed to capture them on my iphone along with the sound of the captain speaking on the tannoy. I am designated to go on shore on Boat 2 ‘Chinstrap Penguins’ . Layers and layers of clothes and equipment stored in a waterproof bag I was ready to go ashore. I was dreading having to land with so many people. It was a perfect day - blue skies and sunshine. Dozens of seals greeted us as we approached to land accompanied by the sound and smell of the thousands of penguins. I was more interested in the decayed wooden boat that the crew thought was probably a water boat for the whaling ships. It was frustrating not to be able to take a closer look. Very different from the freedoms in East Greenland when I sailed on the OPAL with North Sailing where as long as we were within sight of someone with a gun we were allowed to walk freely. Here we were very much restricted about where we could walk by rows of red flags and traffic cones - I hated being so controlled and regimented. It was also difficult due to the hundreds of passengers on shore to get a shot without any of them in it! I photographed flora and fauna and some stones and a dead penguin. I posted pictures of the wooden boat and the MS Midnatsol anchored in the bay. Back on board we had to go through a boot cleaning procedure (like a car wash for boots) and then step through a disinfectant sponge. There were 1-16 allocated boats to take people ashore and this took over four hours ferrying passengers backwards and forwards. There were people of all ages and physical abilities who what they lack in physical adeptness they make up for in sheer determination to succeed. There is a Norwegian man in a wheelchair and an Australian man with one leg who went ashore - the crew are tirelessly patient and supportive in ensuring if someone who wants to do something then they will help them achieve it. Buffet supper with a couple from the UK who know a woman who has recently rowed across the Atlantic and has broken the record by one hour!

Day 4: March 2nd, 2019

It’s eighteen months ago today that Chris died - a day of reflection! I woke in the early hours of this morning with another migraine headache! I feel constantly dehydrated despite constantly drinking water. There is air conditioning everywhere and this is probably what is causing my headaches. A doctor on board said that constant headaches can be a symptom of seasickness. I am certainly not the sailor I would like to become. I was awoken at 6 am as the sound of the anchors being dropped vibrated the boat announcing our arrival in Whalers Bay, Deception Island. The weather could not be more different than yesterday. Today grey skies with occasional blizzard conditions. My cabin which is on the starboard side is facing the old whaling station and I can clearly see the three rusted tanks that were used to contain the whale oil; they look like giant Richard Serra sculptures. I can see several large out buildings and am looking forward to getting ashore to take a closer look. They have reversed the order of the boats taking us ashore today so 16-1 and they started at 7 am - I watched them set off on the ribs into the snowy landscape. My allotted time is 11.45 am. I stepped ashore onto volcanic black sand. The low cloud on the foreshore was actually steam rising from the sea. Some of the passengers went for an Antarctic swim and received a certificate for their madness. I spent over an hour recording the many interesting decaying industrial buildings of the whaling industry - several wooden outbuildings, old wooden boats, a landing stage and a small aircraft hangar. There were large mounds of whale bones, whale skulls and dead penguins that had been washed ashore. The by now ubiquitous penguins and seals and several types of sea birds. No flora here. I was really becoming adept at photographing without any human presence. Deciding to travel alone and the desired sense of isolation was important to me, not easy when there are approximately 450 passengers on board the ship.