Heading out from our excursion to the Gentoo colony at the burned-out Brown Base, we went on a tour of the nearby cliffs that host lichen, the only vegetation that manages to grow in the Antarctic climate, albeit very slowly. A half-inchs worth of lichen can represent decades of growth! The cliffside also housed a colony of blue-eyed shags.
Before returning to the ship, we also took a turn through the small bergs that had broken off from the nearby glacier, yielding some nice shots of the ship and scenery on the truly glassy bay.
Ripples - Ripples effecting the clouds and water in this beautiful view of Antarctica.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Reflections on the Hanse - The Hanse Explorer resting in this bay in Antarctica.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Captain Martain - Captain Martin watching from just outside the bridge on his ship (and ours) the Hanse Explorer.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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The Cliffs of Shag - Cruising in our zodiac to check out a colony of blue eyed shags.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Shag on the Rocks - A colony of blue eyed shags nesting on this groove in the cliff.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Grizzled Shag - An old blue eyed shag trying to nap on the rocks. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Shag Family - Blue Eyed Shag family. Two babies and a parent nesting on the rocks. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Boat, Boat, Rock, Shag - in the background, the Hanse explorer waits as we explore the cliffs with this nesting colony of blue eyed shags.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Feed Me - Blue eyed shag family. The babies seem to think that they need to be fed NOW!! - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Observing the Beauty - One of our zodiacs enjoying the beauty of this bay in Antarctica.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Layers of Ice - Details of the iceberg ice in Antarctica. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Weddell Watch - A Weddell seal watching us rom the ice. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Antarctic Blues - All of these small icebergs are actually a single iceberg connected below. The water here is so clear you can see a good portion of tongue of this berg connection each of these bits. About 70% of this iceberg actually exists underwater.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Icee - Edge of an ice flow in Antarctica. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Shape of an Iceberg - Eroding bergy bit in Antarctica. - Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Icicle Blue - Underside of an eroding bergy bit in Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Glacier vs. Boat - The Hanse Explorer with a beautiful glacier and mountain backdrop.
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Dangers of Ice Pack - Close up of section of ice pack that builds up on a glacier. Under pressure it creaks and crevices form. Sometimes the crevices even fill in with more snow at times. Needless to say you don't want to be walking on top of this.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Glaciers Edge - This glacier edge looks to be ready to lose some more ice to become icebergs some time soon.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Rob on Ice - Rob showing off this chunk of glacier ice he pulled out of the water. His hands have to be cold.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Grains in the Ice - Bits of gravel and dirt from the ground get picked up by the glacier as it passes over it. Then when the pieces break off you can see them in the ice pieces. Rob is pointing to some here.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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The Face of Reflection - Beautiful reflections of the ice of Antarctica.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Mountain Ripples - The motor from our boat breaking the glassy reflection of these mountains!
- Photo by Kevin Fox
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Icescape - The scenery and the water reflections were just amazing!!!
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Antarctic Views - Reflective views of the Antarctica scenery.
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Double Peaks - It always amazed me how often the water was so still and so mirror like. So incredibly amazing!
- Photo by Rachel Lea Fox
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Returning to the ship, we got confirmation that this evening we are formally invited to visit Palmer Station! With a staff of only 24 people, Palmer Station is the smallest of the three U.S. Antarctic bases. Our visit would end up being one of the true highlights of an already amazing trip, but more on that next time!
Read the next chapter: Day 3: Palmer Station Visit
Table of Contents:
Introduction: Telling the Story posted Jan 10, 2009
Day 0: Positioning posted Jan 12, 2009
Leaving, on a jet plane posted Jan 12, 2009
Day 1: The Herc posted Jan 15, 2009
Day 1: Penguino posted Jan 16, 2009
Day 2: Chicken posted Jan 17, 2009
Day 2: Leopard posted Jan 19, 2009
Day 2: Snow Day posted Jan 22, 2009
Day 2: Shipwreck posted Jan 26, 2009
Day 2: Totally Tabular posted Jan 27, 2009
Day 3: Gentoo Cute posted Jan 29, 2009
» Day 3: Lichen Shag Glacier posted Feb 3, 2009
Day 3: Palmer Station Visit posted Feb 9, 2009
Day 4: Icy Penguins posted Feb 11, 2009
Day 4: Adelie Awesome posted Feb 15, 2009
Day 4: Leopard Seal Attack posted Feb 17, 2009
Day 4: Kayak posted Feb 19, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Station Visit posted Feb 23, 2009
Day 4: Vernadsky Sunset posted Feb 25, 2009
Day 5: Antarctic Circle posted Feb 27, 2009
Day 5: Polar Plunge posted Mar 5, 2009
Day 5: Mouth of The Gullet posted Mar 13, 2009
Day 5: Ice Camping posted Mar 18, 2009
Day 6: Flamingos on Ice posted Mar 20, 2009
Day 6: Mountain Climbing posted Mar 24, 2009
Day 6: Ice Textures posted Mar 26, 2009
Day 6: Antarctic New Years posted Apr 2, 2009
Day 7: Crystal Sound Icebreaker posted Apr 9, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 1 posted Apr 17, 2009
Day 7: Abandoned Antarctica: Base W - Part 2 posted Apr 21, 2009
Day 8: Bird Watching in the Fish Islands posted Apr 23, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 1 posted May 5, 2009
Day 8: Icee Day - Part 2 posted May 11, 2009
Day 9: Port Lockroy - Base A posted May 20, 2009
Bonus Chapter: Baby Penguins! posted May 21, 2009
Day 9: Antarctic Humpback Whales posted June 3, 2009
Day 9: Dallmann Butt Sliding posted June 11, 2009
Day 10: Birthday Whales posted June 23, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 1: The Birds posted July 15, 2009
Day 10: Hannah Point Part 2: Elephant Seals posted July 22, 2009
Day 10: Deception Island - Part 1: Walking on the Moon posted Dec 11, 2009
Day 10: Deception Island - Part 2: The Martian Chronicles of Oz posted Dec 15, 2009
Day 11: Emperor Penguins posted Jan 8, 2010
Day 12: Black and White and Pink All Over posted Aug 4, 2011
More chapters posted every few days...
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