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Our Blog from Antarctic RegionsRead news and safari highlights from Doug, Gail, and Ted Cheeseman, plus memorable experiences from our fantastic travelmates! Also, check-out our event announcements. To all our wonderful travelmates: Space permitting, we would enjoy posting your most memorable experience in the Antarctic regions, please email your paragraph and photo to us. Be sure to mention when and where your unique experience took place!
The Hapless PlungePosted September 30, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi We awoke offshore Paulet Island. Paulet is a small volcanic island, roughly circular and a mile in diameter. It is home to a large colony of Adelie penguins and Antarctic shags. It was surprising to see that the recent strong winds had blown all the icebergs that are usually found floating in the bay to some other place-there were only a few left. We went ashore in snow flurries which continued on and off all morning. The Adelie population at Paulet looked different to us who had been there before: some of the slopes had new colonies, and some areas normally thick with nesting birds were empty. The chicks were very well grown and looked healthy, so perhaps there had simply been a shifting of nest locations. There was a lot to see and enjoy: chick chases, ecstatic displays, pebble stealing, birds massing at the shore preparatory to going on the hunt for krill, birds flinging themselves ashore upon return, and lots more. Leopard Seals patrol the beach near this massive colony of Adelies looking for an easy meal - a hapless penguin that is not in-tune with the dilemma at hand - jump in to eat or jump in to be eaten. We could feel the tension in the air as the Adelie parents gathered at the edge of the water, those in back pushing the group towards the water and those in the front not wanting to be the first one to plunge into the mouth of a hidden seal. The Adelie group strained to look into the water, the view obscured by the many ice bits floating at the surface. They called to each other, seemingly asking for a volunteer to go first, but there were no takers. The hesitant group grew to over thirty as more hungry Adelies joined. Soon a critical mass was reached and the penguins in front could no longer hold back the pushing and shoving. They exploded into the water with the look of terror on their faces. We could imagine they were just waiting to feel those sharp teeth of a Leopard Seal grab them - a certain doom. But our group of Adelies was lucky today; there was no concealed Leopard Seal under the icy bits. A sense of relief filled the air as they quickly scrambled out to sea where they can easily out maneuver their predator. This relief is short-lived however, because the drama will have to be replayed many times until the chicks are grown and forced to take the same hapless plunge as their parents. Note: Witness your own group of Adelie Penguins take the plunge, perhaps your outcome will be different! Join our Antarctic expedition at the end of 2009. Return to top South Georgia, Here we are!Posted September 14, 2009 Excerpt from the voyage log by Heather McFarland
Excitment was in the air as the ship pulled into Undine Harbor early allowing us a full day for our first landing. Undine is the northern-most landing site on the island. As we approached from the south, we could see the fur seals and elephant seals which dotted the gravel beach and rising behind were tussock and scree slopes, home to a variety of animals. Snowy sheathbills congregated on the beach, intrigued by the colorful bags that were brought ashore. These funny birds pecked at the plastic and pulled at the straps of the items left on the beach. Giant petrels lounged on the gravel, but many more were found on nests in the tussock-covered hills. We had to take care while walking in the tussocks not to disturb them as we could endanger the life of the chick incubating inside the shell. We had the opportunity to walk up and over the saddle to see the spledid view of Elsehul Harbour on the other side. Some passengers scrambled down to the three trypots on the beach below. Elsehul was discovered by sealers in the late 1700s and was an ideal location for sealing operations, due to its protected beach and large amount of available fresh water. Today, the remains of two huts may be seen near the trypots that sit as reminders of the time from 1790-1820 when nearly the entire population of fur seals and a large percent of the elephant seal population in South Georgia were harvested for their oil and fur. Fortunately, these practices are long past and the populations have recovered. Once on top of the saddle between the two harbors, breeding grey-headed albatross could be spotted on the tussock-covered cliff ledges. Nests are constructed of a short column of soil and grass with a central depression in which the egg sits. Adults flew in over our heads to join their mate and to take their turn incubating the single egg, performing a greeting ceremony upon arrival. Albatross are known for nesting in windy areas, providing them with an easy take-off vantage point, and these were no different. We were mesmerized with watching these handsome birds in flightas they displayed their seven-foot wingspan. Back on the ship a celebration was in order! Not only did we have an exciting first landing, but it was Hallows Eve and after "gruel was served, some heathens celebrated in the lounge (costumes optional) until the witches flew away on their broomsticks!" Note: See amazing wildlife, including nine possible species of albatross, during our expedition to South Georgia and Falkland Islands October 15 to November 8, 2009. Return to top Boldly Painted SeabirdsPosted August 4, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi Doug awakened us a half hour early this morning because we were approaching a stunning deep blue iceberg off Coronation Island in the South Orkneys. This particular passage is known as the "iceberg graveyard" as currents tend to bunch them up in this area. The blue berg must have originated at the very bottom of a glacier since it had to have been under great pressure in order to press out all the air bubbles. Ice without bubbles reflects back only blue wavelength light, hence the deep blue color. We circled it before continuing on to our landing at Shingle Cove on Coronation Island in the South Orkneys. In addition to the Adelie colony, we enjoyed having a close-up view of nesting pintado petrels - the charming seabird splashed with bold black and white plumage and a 34-inch wingspan. This bird is also named cape petrel and cape pigeon. In Spanish pintado means spotted or painted, and we think that is the most descriptive and appealing name. The pintado is extremely common in the Southern Ocean with a population of around two million birds. Even though they are our constant companions while we are sailing, we rarely get to see them on land, so we felt especially privileged to see them nesting under the rocky overhangs. Their diet consists of crustaceans, fish and squid. Krill is their favorite crustacean, which they catch by pecking at the water surface similar to a pigeon on land, giving them the alternate name, cape pigeon. Leaving the Adelies and the pintados to their nesting duties, we headed back to the Polar Star for lunch. We soon pulled anchor and were underway toward the Antarctic Peninsula by 1:00 p.m. In the afternoon we spent about an hour following some feeding fin whales. There were four or five of them that allowed us to approach relatively closely for some good viewing. Fins are very speedy whales, and had they have chosen to leave us, they could have done so easily. The fin whale is the second largest animal on earth, second only to the blue whale. Note: See these boldy painted seabirds, plus penguins and many other captivationg birds, on one of our expeditions to the Southern Ocean at the end of 2009. Return to top Macaronis and CircumnavigationPosted July 28, 2009 By Debbie Thompson
The Ushuaia sailed to Cooper Bay, at the southern tip of South Georgia, arriving in time for a landing at 5:30 am. Steve awoke early and joined the first landing, but I was too comfortable in bed and opted for the later landing. I finally got up and headed to breakfast - pancakes! Yippee! Afterwards, I grabbed my gear and went ashore at 9 am. It was mostly sunny and a bit overcast. The zodiac-landing site consisted of a small beach covered with aggressive bull Fur Seals. They weren't shy about baring their effective weapons - those long canines! A steep snow-covered hill backed up the beach and our objective, the Macaroni Penguin colony, occupied the top. Luckily, Steve and I had our two-way radios, so I called him when I reached the beach to find out where he was. I climbed up the path the staff cut on the steep hillside and found Steve at the top videoing penguins. Macaroni Penguins, named for the long thin yellow feathers protruding from their temples (sing: "...stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni..."), like to nest in difficult-to-reach places like this - on top of cliffs or above rock strewn beaches. The Macaronis were just starting to build nests between the clumps of tussock grass using tussock blades or clumps of peaty-roots that they pulled out. We sat on tussock clump stools surrounded by penguins and snow, watching and photographing all the activities. I never tire of watching these fiesty but charming little creatures. A beautiful view of the Ushuaia anchored in scenic Cooper Bay spread below us. Now nearing noon, we reluctantly headed back down the hill and zodiaced to the ship for lunch. We were very sad to leave this beach, especially since it was our last on the island of South Georgia. During lunch Ted Cheeseman excitedly announced that our plan was to sail up the west side of South Georgia, where ships usually don't go. The weather blows in from the west battering the west coast, but the tall mountain spine creates a weather shadow on the east side of the island where we spent the last two weeks. This means it is often sunny on the east coast when it is stormy on the west coast. Luckily, the weather and seas have been abnormally calm lately, giving us a rare chance to complete a circumnavigation of South Georgia by sailing north up the west coast. The captain was very happy, since he has never sailed there before. We spent a lot of time on deck taking in the views. The west coast is more Antarctic-like - colder, more snow, many glaciers flowing out of mountains into the sea, and numerous icebergs littering the ocean. Many seabirds flew by, coming and going from nests on the cliffs. Seals and penguins porpoised past us, at home in the sea. The captain took us into Undine South Harbor for a close look at the glacier-covered mountains surrounding the bay. About midway up the west coast, we sailed close to Annenkov Island. Not allowed to land there, we could only explore this remote island in our imagination. Near the island was the treacherous Haugue reefs, some of it hidden below the water and some exposed above. After sailing the rest of the day and into the evening and taking in the scenes we reached Northern Undine Harbor, our first landing site, completing our circumnavigation. The Ushuaia turned west and we sadly bid ado to our favorite place in on earth, hoping someday that we will return. Note: Expedition leader, Ted Cheeseman, works closely with the captain and crew of the Ushuaia to squeeze every possible adventure from each Antarctic expedition. Don't miss the next exciting journey to South Georgia and Falkland Islands in October 2009. Return to top Pinch Me, Is this a Dream?Posted June 29, 2009
By Debbie Thompson The M/V Ushuaia sailed south all night to try to land at St. Andrews Bay once again. They say, "the third time's a charm" and so it was - the conditions were perfect this time! Steve and I prepared for a full day in this legendary place and took our zodiac ride ashore early. The large beach at St. Andrews Bay is backed by giant glaciers flowing out of the scenic mountains. These glaciers once covered this area but have since receded, leaving moraines that created ridges and silt that created the broad beach that the animals love so much. Several large streams flowed through the black sand draining the glaciers and dividing up the beach into sections. Numerous harems of Elephant Seals spread shoulder-to-shoulder on the beach, making it difficult for us to maneuver. However, we happily considered this one of those good problems to have! Finally past most of the harems, Steve and I started hiking toward a ridge overlooking the largest King Penguin colony on South Georgia, but the Elephant Seals soon distracted Steve and I eagarly continued on alone. I crossed several smaller snow covered ridges to the large one at the back of the wide plain. I passed many King Penguin adults molting away from the nesting colony and close to a needed fresh drinking water source - a stream or even just a patch of snow. These photogenic adults looked comical with old protruding feathers creating funny outfits. It was a sunny 40 degrees and the snow was becoming soft as I discarded some of my layers. Finally reaching the ridge, I enjoyed the improbable view of hundreds of thousands of penguins spread out below and I thought, "pinch me, is this a dream?!" There I found other shipmates with Rod Planck, one of our Professional Photography Instructors and excellent naturalist, enjoying the view also. Rod answered our questions and gave us welcomed photography hints and ecology information. We all studied the gigantic crèche of Oakum Boys, as the immature Kings are known, a product of the previous breeding season. They were mischievously killing time before their next meal arrived. These chicks were still fed by parents but will soon molt into waterproof feathers and head out to sea on their own. Luckily, Steve and I had our two-way radios so I kept in contact with him as he navigated his way to the ridge. Finally together, we enjoyed the view while we ate our bagged lunch. Ahhh, we both agreed, this has to be the best place on earth for a picnic! St. Andrews Bay is high on the list of planned landings for the next South Georgia and Falkland Islands expedition in October 2009. Return to top Air-diving RockhoppersPosted June 11, 2009
By Siegfried Matull I was photographing Black browed albatrosses, when that super-knowledgeable staff member Jim Danzenbaker fortunately asked me if I had already climbed up onto a nearby hill, where it was very easy to grab those fascinating pictures of the "air-diving" Rockhoppers. It was unbelievable, how deep those penguins had to jump to reach the ocean. We are still dreaming and talking constantly about that most wonderful trip of our lives, which we were fortunately able to experience with the Cheesemans. Return to top Zodiac Cruising is a Big Hit!Posted June 4, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi During the night our sleep was broken by the announcement that an Emperor Penguin had finally been spotted. The ship was slowed and many of us, clad in pajamas and warm jackets, stumbled out on deck. The immature emperor was resting on a small ice floe; slowly the captain brought the ship into a position where we could all get good looks at it. Sara Doty and Tim Kuehlewind were the winners of this unofficial spotting contest. After we all had our fill, we left the penguins under the midnight sun and went back to our cabins to resume our sleep. "It was the highlight so far" was one comment made later on about the morning zodiac cruise at Devil Island. When the staff took their zodiac to shore to find a landing spot for this new-to-all-of-us landing, it became very apparent that we could not land all of us on a narrow beach that also served as a very busy Adelie highway between their colony and the sea. We knew it was best to let them have their space. Since the bay was choked with icebergs and the sun was shining over a flat sea, the decision was made to switch to zodiac cruising. This turned out to be a brilliant idea; the icebergs were often illuminated with a startling aqua color, they were eroded by the water into incredible formations, and often topped by resting Adelie penguins probably very happy to be free of chick duty. Our tireless staff navigated us around the ice from 8:00 a.m. until after noon, which might have set a record for zodiac cruising, but oh, the time seemed to disappear way too fast. Join us on one of our great expeditions to the Southern Ocean. Jill Wilk, a travelmate on our 2008-09 expedition, exclaimed, "Superlatives all the way! Great variety of activities - lectures, hikes, guided walks, movies, slide shows, and especially loved zodiac cruising". Return to top Putting in Our Time in the FieldPosted May 21, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi By 7:30 a.m. we were ashore on West Point Island. Once near the bird colony at the rocky promontory called The Devil's Nose, we had close-up views of the black-browed albatrosses carrying out their daily lives: nesting, caring for their chicks, and courting. The rockhoppers were putting on a show of bathing in the little stream that runs through the grassy meadow below the rookery, and then hopping down their penguin highway to the sea. This was a place for us to just sit and enjoy the action. The wind was fierce, just the way albatross like it so they didn't mind being tossed about in the sky. Back on the ship, we ate lunch while under-weigh to Carcass Island for our next landing at Leopard Beach. The island was named for the HMS Carcass which visited in the late 18th century, not for some gruesome event. It is now the private property of Rob and Lorraine McGill. Since it has always been cat, rat, and mouse-free, it is the place to look for species of small ground-nesting birds. The McGills are very conservation-minded and have replanted much of the tussock grass over-grazed by sheep, an all important step to restoring the habitat many of the birds require. Our weather cleared again during the afternoon, although it remained windy. We enjoyed a bird walk, a plant and ecology walk, and a photo workshop. Our group spread out over the landing site, and onto the beach at the other side of the peninsula where people spotted nesting oystercatchers. It seemed to be a year for snipes, as we found several easily. Magellanic penguins were dispersed throughout the meadow, and a large number of gentoo penguins were on the fine white sand beach. Skuas, geese of several species, caracaras, vultures, meadowlarks and many small passerines were there for our enjoyment. Several southern sea lions were patrolling offshore, presumably looking for a penguin meal, and many of us puzzled over the herding behavior the penguins were showing with the seals - circling around them in packs. Some reported sightings of Commerson's dolphins. Action held our attention in every direction today! And as if paying homage to the Cheesemans' motto, "spending as much time in the field as possible", some folks didn't return to the ship until after 7:00 p.m. Return to top First Landing on South GeorgiaPosted April 28, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi There was some anxiety among the staff about the landing at Right Whale Bay, near the northeast corner of South Georgia. It is wide open to the ocean, which meant the landing could be difficult with swell and surf. But we knew how badly people wanted to start their South Georgia adventure, not to mention put their feet on solid ground again, and so hoped that circumstances would permit the landing. When we got anchored at 1:30 p.m., the staff took zodiacs to shore to scout it. There were an astounding number of fur seals on the beach, as well as giant petrels and elephant seals. Many, many more fur seal pups were there than expected. It took some time to determine a landing that would not be too challenging in terms of surf and wildlife. We located one at the right end of the beach and landed. It turned out that although the beach was chock-a-block fur seals, they were in a mellower stage of the breeding season and gave us very little trouble. We visited our first king penguin colony and observed and photographed endless numbers of fur seals and elephant seals. Ted led a hike up the valley to a nameless glacier. It was a great beginning to the South Georgia Island visit. Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris carefully evaluates the current conditions at each landing site during our Antarctica expeditions to determine if it is conducive to a visit for both our participants and the wildlife. Our long experience and flexibility in these regions allows us to explore alternate ways to safely accomplish our planned landings. Return to top Striking GoldPosted March 26, 2009 By Debbie Thompson
The morning weather was warm and sunny, allowing me to strip down to my light jacket. Gold Harbor has a very large beach of black sand backed by high peaks, some topped by the large Bertrab Glacier. As usual, the beach was covered with many harems of Elephant Seals, making it hard for us to tell where one harem ended and one began. Certainly the harem master knew! We were mesmerized by all the activity. As usual, male interlopers tried to mate with females, but were usually caught and chased away. Females were also arguing with each other over something unknown to humans, probably space. Most females had a pup - some were newborn and some were older, their plumpness telling their age. Elephant Seal milk is very rich and the pups gain weight very fast. Many Skua birds kept an eye on the harem along with us. We saw them fight over and devour a placenta after a birth, a nutritious meal for them. I also saw a Skua pecking the eyes of a pup that recently died. A gruesome sight, but nothing goes to waste in this harsh environment. Besides, Skuas will soon have chicks to feed also. We also saw five Southern Giant Petrels fight over an old seal carcass, exhibiting some interesting posturing. Giant Petrels are large scavenger birds with a six-foot wingspan, reminiscent of albatross. The usual aggressive male Fur Seals were claiming their spots on this beach also, and we gave them a wide berth. To be sure, this morning we struck gold at Gold Harbor! Return to top Uncovering Artistic TalentPosted March 16, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi What can you say about a day like today? The force was definitely with us. The backdrop of the Allardyce Mountains was revealed in splendor and there were even more King Penguins in the colony than anyone expected. Saint Andrew's is home to the largest King Penguin colony in the world, and it clearly is growing. In 1925, 1100 Kings were counted and now there may be half a million birds in the colony. Could there be a more perfect spot for those in Ed Rook's Drawing Workshop to practice their new-found talents? The young Kings, also called Okum-boys, provided engaging subjects as they performed their antics on the edge of the colony. How nice it is to sit in this one corner of paradise and record it the old-fashioned way - with pen, paper, and imagination. Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris helps you uncover your hidden artistic talent during their expedition to Antarctica. Optional drawing workshops are taught by renowned artist, Edward Rooks, during days at sea and on shore. A naturalist par excellence with an artist's eye, Edward patiently teaches drawing basics that can turn you into a proud artist. Return to top Antarctica - Second ImpressionsPosted March 4, 2009
Excerpt from a poem by Bill Page
Early in November, in 1996 Return to top Cruising the IcePosted February 24, 2009
Excerpt from the voyage log by Buff Corsi We dropped anchor in Cierva Cove at 4:00 a.m. during a lovely Antarctic sunrise full of pinks and pastels. At 5:30 a.m. Doug awakened us in preparation for our Cierva Cove zodiac tour. It was the perfect day for zodiac cruising: warm sunshine, flat water, and no wind. We put ten boats down from the hook and were underway by 7:00 a.m. By all reports it was fabulous, even "fantastic", with leopard seals in the water and on ice floes, a number of humpback whales near and far, minke whales - even breaching minke whales - and a good look at the small chinstrap colony on the barren rocks in the middle of the cove. Those rocks were also home to a colony of Antarctic terns and some kelp gulls. What is the likelihood that any other expedition offers a five hour zodiac cruise? Mambo sawa sawa indeed! Read all about the unique experiences had by all on the most recent 29-day expedition to Antarctica, South Geogia, and Falkland Islands in the voyage log (in PDF format). Return to top A Sea of PenguinsPosted February 17, 2009
By Sarah Doty When Ted Cheeseman, our expedition leader, announced we would be landing ashore at 5:30 in the morning, there was a loud cheer from the photographers followed by an equally load groan from the non-morning people. He then replied, "Not to worry! Any who wish to catch some extra ZZZ's can go ashore at 8:30 AM". Our morning at St. Andrews was crisp but clear with a light breeze blowing down off the glacier hanging in the mountains. As I climbed over the top of the ridge next to the King Penguin colony, I was completely amazed by the number of penguins! The din together with the aroma was overwhelming. Many of these penguins were incubating single eggs on top of their feet and under a flap of skin - warmly protected in a brooding patch. Sitting next to part of the colony, I watched the penguin antics and patiently waiting to witness an imminent egg exchange between a nearby couple. However, the parent seemed reluctant to give up incubation duties, so after a while I left them on their own. I walked over to "make out hill", to watch all the penguin pairs "necking" like teenagers at a drive-in movie. Continuing on my walk-about, I found the drawing class sketching in the warm sun. The students made it look so easy, so I sat down. Ed Rooks, the artist and patient instructor, taught us how to draw young King Penguins, nick-named Okum boys because they are covered in brown fuzzy fur-like feathers. Heading back towards the landing site, I walked along the beach slowly, taking pictures of elephant seals and roaming penguins. I reluctantly boarded the last zodiac back to the ship, sad to leave this wonderful place. But my sadness didn't last long, the afternoon would be equally fine with a visit to the Chinstrap colony at Gold Harbour! Cheesemans' Ecology Safaris helps you uncover your hidden artistic talent during their expedition to Antarctica. Optional drawing workshops are taught by renowned artist, Edward Rooks, during days at sea and on shore. A naturalist par excellence with an artist's eye, Edward patiently teaches drawing basics that can turn you into proud a artist. Return to top Surrounded by SeabirdsPosted February 3, 2009
By Jim Danzenbaker We woke this morning full of anticipation of our arrival on South Georgia and the avian paradise that we would explore over the next seven days. Seabirds by the thousands flew around the ship indicating the unseen nutrients below the waterline. Massive Wandering Albatrosses, their 11.5 feet wings cutting effortlessly through the air, beckoned us forward to our landing site at their breeding colony. Many Black-browed and Gray-headed Albatrosses were also on the wing, enjoying the same winds as their larger cousins. White-chinned and Southern Giant-Petrels were everywhere. Antarctic Prions and Blue Petrels joined the White-chinneds, commuting back and forth to their burrows on South Georgia. Even diminutive species were evident like the football sized Common Diving-Petrels. Even though on short stubby wings, they were still able to navigate their way above the water with agility. As the Willis Islands appeared out of the mist, we continued to study more species. Three species of storm-petrels (Wilson's, Black-bellied, and Gray-backed), fed on minute invertebrates on the surface of the water and gave all of us on the bow and bridge excellent views. As if this weren't enough, inspection of the water yielded groups of King Penguins, harbingers of the throngs of penguins that we would see in the next week. Welcome to South Georgia! Join us on one of our great expeditions to the Southern Ocean - Antarctica, Falklands, and South Georgia in December 2009 or to South Gerogia and Falkland Islands in October 2009. On a Cheesemans' expedition, you will find one or more of our ornithological wizards from our staff on watch at sea from the ship's bridge and deck to spot and identify the exciting seabirds that call this special ocean their home. Return to top
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