In Fields of Ice

Maps

This is where we went. The Vernadsky vodka bar was the southernmost point of the trip.

Random Musings

By the way it seems Roberto Cavalli was looking for inspiration for his next collection. My guess is lots of white with leopard seal flourishes.

You may be wondering about the makeup of the passengers. We were definitely the only gays out in the village. There were a couple of boys who could have been and a marine who was so far immersed in "don't ask don't tell" that she was monosyllabic and scowling every time we were near. She had a few laughs with her rugby playing girlfriends though so at least she has a life.

Half the people were under 50 which is supposedly a but unusual. There were over 50 from the US, three Swedes including Roberto's partner (and she wasn't blonde, she had long dark hair and under the excessive makeup was very pretty) on Kiwi - Helen (it went by passport) about 15 Canadians, 10 Aussies, some Germans, some Dutch and two South Africans. The expedition crew was mostly form the UK with one Kiwi and a couple of South Africans. The ship's crew were Polish and Fillipino.

Here are links for Polar Star expeditions and for expedition leader Hannah Lawson's art work web site in case you are interested.

VIPs

What I neglected to mention is that we had VIPs on board the Polar Star. Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli and his beautiful Swedish "assistant" were on board. He seems best known for leopard skin and dressing the Spice Girls for thieir 2007 "comeback" tour. The story goes that he flew to Tierra Del Fuego in his private jet to join a cruise but didn't like the people so chose our ship instead. Apart from being agog at why someone with a private plane would come on what is definitely not a five star cruise, although it was a five star expedition, the whole ship was alive with gossip for a while, egged on by the fact that no- one had Internet access except via emailing family and getting them to look him up and then send back a report. Roberto and friend also had reserved seats at meals so it became a game as to who would sit with them until it became apparent that they actually welcomed the company and were very friendly and hospitable. He had numerous bottles of his own wine which he dispensed liberally. They also smoked electronic "cigarettes" as it was a no smoking boat. His special concession was that he had his own zodiac at his disposal whenever we went ashore. It must have stretched resources occasionally but we were never discommoded. The other cause of much speculation was where they slept. As we and another couple we befriended had the best two cabins, the only real suites aboard, we were all fascinated. We never did find out although there was speculation about crew being turfed out to accommodate them.

Deception island

As you can see it is a circular island with a very narrow channel at the bottom right. Whaler's Bay was the site of my heroic icy swim and Sculpture By the Antarctic Sea.

Trivia

They even stamped our passports at the bases in Antarctica! These are Polish Arctowski andUkrainian Vernadsky

and this obviously is British Port Lockroy

Orcas

They're not black and white like the northern ones. They look grubby but they're not!

And one of the many penguin photos

Leopard seal and friend

One of the hundreds of iceberg photos we have to bore you with

Home safe

We arrived home last night. The pussies were glad to see us but had been very well looked after. Tui tried to sleep with Soli but he drew the line at her licking his face while he was asleep.
We were not too buggered as we had an unexpected upgrade from premium economy to business class. thank you Qantas and especially the charming young man from then Buenos Aires check in desk who did it.

I will keep posting photos for a while as I sort through and pull out the best and also to tell you things that got forgotten in the excitement at the time.

Like arriving at Vernadsky Base early in the morning, creeping in through ice floes and bergs. Looking out the window it was like seeing Shackleton's Endurance in the ice. Or Hurley's iconic picture anyway.



It seems this is a cruise boat the Europa that should have left before we arrived. The Antarctic Tourism agreement means that there is only ever one boat in a place at a time. However the crew and passengers, who have to work their passage, partied so hard with the Vernadsky base team the night before in the vodka bar that they didn't get it together to leave before we got there. It also explains why out base tour guide kept apologising for his bad hangover alternately with apologising for his bad English. I can't vouch for his hangover but his English was great given he had only been learning it since he arrived there 8 months earlier.

70 Below

Ice for the vodka

Further south by air

We are flying home at 28,000 feet or 8,500 meters, 850 kms per hour and our flight path is to go south to 70 degrees which is further than we went by boat. But first we fly over the Strait of Magellan which is the route sailed by the square riggers until the dreaded Drake Passage was discovered. Before that it was believed that South America was connected to the mythical southern continent. You can just see the narrow passage between the two open stretches of water.

See

Stop light at the end of the world

Even in Ushuaia there are traffic lights, and of course they are always red!

Poppies and Lupins

Ushuaia has lupins everywhere. And we've never seen such big poppies.

Mate tea service

Anni on mainland Antarctica one last time

Otherwise known as Michelin woman

Helen on our last trip ashore

Not so benign Drake Passage

I tried to get some footage to show the ship movement and if I can I'll post one later.