They're back!

The weary travelers have made it through customs and are in Dover Plains. They should arrive on campus at about 11:30 a.m.

Antarctica's Got Talent!

This message from Jim was sent before the last one just posted :-)

Haven't e-mailed in a bit because we lost our satellite connection yesterday, but we now seem to have a good link. In my last message we had just arrived at Cuverville Island, a tiny rocky island off the Gerlache Strait. Here we saw more penguins -- adelies and gentoos -- and then had the great fun of hiking up a wide snow field to go sliding. We tramped up the steep hillside a good ways and then slid down just on our backs like one of those giant slides at a water park. It was great fun and once again felt surreal -- we were playing in the snow in the Antarctic!

From there we scooted farther down the Strait to Paradise Harbor, a wide, rocky cove jutting into the mainland. Glaciers came down to the water's edge from all sides, and you could hear them popping and cracking; they sound like thunder. We kept urging particularly precarious pieces to break off, but all remained still.

The captain then took the Prince Albert II back up the Strait a little ways to the deep and well-protected Neko Harbor for an after-dinner excursion ashore. It was cold and grey and not too many of us were all that eager to redon the heavy gear, but we did, and it was worth it! The guides led up us another steep mountain side where we had an awesome view of the iceberg-strewn bay with the ship resting in the center. More glaciers surrounded us. Then they took us to an even better sliding hill. After my high-speed ride down the hill, I walked off into the middle of a big snow field and just plopped down in the snow to listen to the glaciers. They were really active, and eventually, all sorts of slides and calving took place. One loud crack was followed by a huge chunk of ice's falling into the bay, sending out a pretty big tsunami that sent ice chunks (growlers and brash ice) bobbing. The breaking of the icy wave on the rocky shore gave out its own eerie noise. Very cool.

Today took us to the southern-most point on our trip -- Petermann Island -- at the southern end of the striking Lemaire Channel. We steamed through this narrow strip of water, which slips between jagged cliffs on both sides, early this morning. Our guides had urged us to get out of our warm bunks to appreciate the views, but what really sent everyone scrambling was the report of whales. We were treated to a wonderful display by a humpback whale family yesterday -- a mother was feeding while her very playful calf was breaching over and over. Every jump was greeted with cheers and applause from us. The ship listed to starboard as everyone stood at the rails to see the whales. Well the whale sighting this morning was orcas, and they were wonderful! They cruised just past the ship -- so smooth and powerful. One of the members of this pod was a male with a huge dorsal fin that sliced the air. It was very exciting.

We toured Petermann Island -- a quiet, rocky bit of land with lots of penguins -- then headed back up the Channel to Port Lockroy, a British outpost on Wienke Island. Back in the first half of the 20th Century, this was a busy whaling port, and the shores are strewn with massive whale skeletons and piles of bones. The base also has a little gift shop (the proceeds go to support the UK's Antarctica Heritage Trust) and a cool little museum that preserves the base's facilities as they existed in the 1950's. After the Brits set up this nice base on some good, rocky ledges, a bunch of gentoo penguins decided to move in and be neighbors. They nest just inches away from the main building's front door, and they generously share their guano with everyone!

We are all now back aboard the ship and getting ready for dinner. Tonight's entertainment centers on a talent show.

We only have a little time left in Antarctica. Tomorrow we head to the South Shetland Islands, where we will be able to explore (and swim in) the thermal waters of Deception Island. Then it's a couple days of sailing across the Screamin' Fifties of the Drake Passage to get us back to Ushuaia.

Hope all is well. Lots of love to my preps, LM's, and Shakes & the Bibes buddies!

Deception?

A Note from Jim:

We made our way last night from the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, slipping through the Neumayer Channel, and arrived this morning at Deception Island in the South Shetlands. Our passage through the channel last evening was stunning -- craggy peaks on either side and a bright sunset in our wake. The late-day light has a special glow that lasts well past 9:00 pm; indeed, it's not that dark by midnight.

Deception Island is the top of a volcano with a flooded caldera. One section of the ring of cliffs has crumbled in, opening a narrow passage from the sea into the caldera. The ship sailed through this narrow gap, called Neptune's Bellows, early this morning and anchored not far from the black sand shore. We went ashore and explored the remains of an old whaling station and then hiked one of the inner peaks for a spectacular view of the entire caldera. The ship looks like a toy boat bobbing in a bathtub made of cliffs. We also had our first encounters with chinstrap penguins. Their distinctive chin line makes them look perpetually happy.

Because of the volcanic activity, Deception Island is famous for thermal springs where you can go swimming. So we all tramped back to the beach, stripped off our warm, comfy parkas, and plunged in the water. Now we know why it's called Deception Island -- there's not a drop of water above 32 degrees anywhere! It was a breathtakingly icy plunge. Fortunately, the A & K staff was there to laugh, take pictures, and wrap us with warm towels as soon as we raced onto the beach! The zodiacs zipped us back to the ship, and we all jumped into the hot tubs!

This afternoon we head around to the northern side of this grouping of islands to a tiny spot called Aitcho Island. This will be our last landing in Antarctica. Then it's two days of crossing the Drake Passage.

This may be my last message until I call from Ushuaia. Hope all is well. Thanks for reading!

Call of the Wild

Pictures are Worth a Billion Penguins!

The pictures are rolling in! There are fur seals, penguins, and birds everywhere! Please check back often as we update our Flickr stream. If the pictures seem fuzz or if you want to see larger clips, simply click on the picture viewer to go right to the Flickr stream!

A Bright Day!

Another note from Jim!

Yesterday is going down in everyone's journals as one of the trip's great highlights. The bright sun and warm temperatures made the spectacular scenery all the more special. A major party ensued on the stern deck once everyone was back on the ship -- music, hot tubs, great food, and lots of sun screen. With much less ozone in the atmosphere down here, people can burn really easily.

Afterwards, the captain gave us a little tour of the Weddell Sea; so we steamed east, past the tip of the peninsula and did a big, sweeping loop around monstrous tabular icebergs (the big, flat-topped ones the size of Manhattan) and bergy bits on which rested little clusters of Crab Eater Seals. It was a brilliant day.

We then headed back up the Antarctic Sound, turned southwest into the Bransfield Strait, and spent the night sailing towards the Gerlache Strait, a narrow passage that separates the mainland from a group of islands. We arrived early this morning at our goal, the tiny speck of land called Cuverville Island -- really just a rounded mountain poking up from the sea. It holds a nice adelie colony. Off to the north from our anchorage is Brabant Island; to the northwest is Anvers Island (whose southern shore is the home of the US's Palmer Station); and to the east and south is the mainland.

The excitement of the morning included two whale sightings -- one of orcas briefly passing the ship, and one of humpback whales feeding just a few hundred yards away. We could see tail flukes when they dived and their long, white pectoral fins when they rolled on the surface. Hope to see them in closer range.

I'm off to our expedition on Cuverviller Island. Will tell you all about it when I am back on board. Cheers!

Brown Bluff

A New Note from Jim:

We had a change of plan yesterday as we headed from South Georgia to Elephant Island. The winds were fierce and the sea swells were big enough (5 - 6 meters) to make our progress to Elephant Island slow and rough, so it was decided to change course and head directly for the tip of the Grahamland Peninsula. This change provided for a smoother ride and happier passengers. We arrived in the Antarctic Sound earlier this morning and dropped anchor off a spectacular cliff called Brown Bluff. It is a brilliantly bright day -- blue sky, clear water, warm sun. Icebergs, bergy bits, and brash ice (all chunks of ice of varying size) floated everywhere. It was cool to watch them being pushed aside as the ship just slipped right along. The zodiac ride through the brash ice was pretty exciting -- big chunks ground against the hull, and the outboard motor sputtered as the prop chopped up the ice. All around you can hear the ice popping and grinding -- it's like being in a giant bowl of Rice Krispies!

We went ashore and hiked by two penguin colonies -- one of adeles and one of gentoos. All the usual cuteness factors applied. We also explored farther east along the shore and saw where a glacier comes right down to the shore, creating a bit of an ice shelf and several springs of run-off water that is cold enough to numb your fingers in just a few minutes. Kelp gulls and skuas swooped around above us. The whole scene was somewhat surreal -- warm sun, icebergs, the Prince Albert II riding calmly out in the bay, penguins hopping around.

On the way back to the ship, we patrolled an area of the bay full of slushy water and bergy bits -- we had heard reports from other zodiacs of a leopard seal slinking around. Sure enough, we saw this big, dark, serpentine head rise from the water. This is no cute fur seal pup! This is a big, toothy mouth attached to some flippers.

The crew is taking advantage of the warm, sunny day and setting up a BBQ lunch on the stern deck; the kids are already in the hot tubs! Hard to believe we're in Antarctica. I mean, really, what made it so tough for Shackleton? HA HA!

Concerning Penguins

I came with unrealistic expectations: I thought the penguins would have been a little more lively, a little more… curious. I thought they would have pecked at our feet, annoyed us, etc. But no, they just stood there, molting. I wonder, what goes on in their heads? But I’ve come to realize that the penguins don’t really care about us! They merely acknowledge our presence and just go about doing whatever they want. At one point on Salisbury Plain, a King penguin started walking towards me. I was so excited, elated that I was its object of curiosity. Then, it walked right by me. Behind me was the penguin colony, so obviously, it had its own ideas, and humans such as me have no significance to it. Now I see the better side: I love the fact that we are not a nuisance. I love the fact that we are not an intrusion. Life on South Georgia can go on unharmed and we can observe everything as it would usually be.

-Jonathan Lo

For "s"

Not for me the city din
     hiding behind a mask of
          city sophistication.
But raw reality,
The Snap…Snap…Snap
     of a crackling crystal berg
The ploughing gentle Gentoos
The dipping wandering albatross
The void of humanity
The silence of
     squawking sea life.

-Griffith Mark

Reflections on Fur Seals

Dear Family, Friends & Fellow Students,

Sitting in the theatre, aboard the Prince Albert II, we watched slides of fur seals flash before our eyes, and were giddy with anticipation to see our first seal in real life.
Come January 6th, we embarked on our first early morning expedition. It was our first time seeing land since departing from Ushuaia, Argentina and the wildlife was abundant. Finally, we spotted our first baby fur seal, but to our extreme shock and dismay, a satisfied giant petrel lifted its dampened, crimson head, taking a moment’s breath from its breakfast.
After several days of adventures on South Georgia Island, we quickly discovered that fur seals are not the cute, cuddly creatures we once imagined. In fact, we had several unsettling run-ins with the reign of terror they exerted over their beaches.
On January 8th, we went through the motions of the now standard on-shore excursions. We bundled up in many layers, strapped on our boots, disinfected ourselves, and boarded the black Zodiacs.
Standing ashore a South Georgian beach, preparing to recreate the last leg of Shackleton’s crossing of South Georgia, we mentally prepared ourselves for the gauntlet of fur seals we were about to traverse through.
The three of us stood idly, awaiting further directions, occupying ourselves with different tasks. Brooke impatiently strode ahead while Taylor, lost in her own world, fidgeted with her camera, and with Saraid locked in a gaze with the liquid black eyes of a menacing fur seal about four feet behind Taylor.
The angry demeanor of the treacherous fur seal was unmatched by any beast before seen by mankind. Saraid, feeling rather unsettled, suggested to Taylor that she move from the seal’s path of destruction.
Taylor brushed off Saraid’s warning and the fur seal began to charge. Moving quickly, Saraid shoved Taylor from her close proximity to the seal’s death grip, and struck a powerful Milodon pose. With a strong stance, arms high, and a fierce yell, Saraid successfully saved Taylor’s life and the seal backed down.
After that core- shaking experience, we have come to learn that seals are more like the mythical Sirens than we ever imagined. They will subdue us with their innocent puppy eyes, only to attack us moments later.

Love,

Saraid Donnely, Taylor Bolhack & Brooke Nayden

A Conclusion to Mr. Fornshell's South Georgia Chronicle

As I write this, the Prince Albert II is making preparations to leave South Georgia and begin heading to Elephant Island, Deception Island, and Antarctica. Yesterday was another cool day -- our morning excursion had us exploring a beach strewn with whale bones. There were lots of fur and elephant seals and king and gentoo penguins. We hiked up a steep hillside covered with tussock grass and had a great view of the harbor. Later in the day we dropped anchor at Grutyviken, the only inhabited site on the island. We were allowed to tour the British research station there -- only the second group ever allowed to do so. Scientists told us about their research regarding fish populations and their strict measures to prevent overfishing in South Georgia waters. Others showed us their work in studying penguin and seal populations; from these animals they can get insights into the welfare of species lower down the foodchain such as krill. We also toured the little museum there devoted to the explorers (especially Shackleton) and the whaling history of the island. They had a display of the type of clothing Shackleton wore during his journeys -- nothing like our cozy, waterproof, windproof parkas! The best he could have hoped for was that the oil is in his oilskins would not turn rancid too quickly! The two women who run the island's post office came onboard afterwards so that we could buy postcards and stamps and send them from one of the world's most remote spots. Keep an eye on the mail!

Our exploration of Grutyviken also included a peek at the little church built by the Norwegian whalers and, of course, the cemetary where Ernest Shackleton is buried. We all gathered around his grave, and our resident historian led us in a toast to the explorer.

Today dawned cold and windy; in fact, the wind was so strong this morning that we had to cancel the planned excursions to different little bays. Too bad -- Gold Harbor looked especially nice. However, the ship did slip past a whole slew of icebergs -- we're really starting to feel that we have gotten into the Antarctic -- and made its way into a very sheltered fjord at the southeastern tip of the island. Here we did a zodiac tour of the fjord. We could admire the most tortured landscape -- sharp, jagged cliffs and huge scree fields (sloping hillsides of broken, jumbled rock) -- and a dramatic glacier. Even though there were a few seals and terns around, the place was decidedly quiet -- a big change after the raucous penguin and seals colonies seen earlier.

This morning also held the coldest weather we've encountered; perhaps this is just a taste of what is to come.

Hope all is well at home!

-Jim Fornshell

More Tales from South Georgia

Today marks our last full day on this amazing island; tomorrow we start steaming southwest towards Deception Island and Antarctica. Yesterday's excursions on shore combined more incredible animal viewing with moments of poignant history. We hiked out from the long abandoned Norwegian whaling station, across swampy, open terrain to the base of a waterfall. It was this spot where Ernest Shackleton and his two companions stumbled down from the snow capped peaks and made their way to the whaling station to seek help for their comrades. We stood at the exact spot where they came over the last rise and, seeing the station in the distance on the coastal plain, knew that they had made it. Our guides also pointed out the little wooden house into which the explorer stepped and announced, "I am Shackleton!" Pretty amazing.

I also had my closest and most exciting encounter yesterday with a fur seal pup. I squatted down and just say quietly for several minutes, and finally this little guy -- looking like a ten-week old black lab puppy with really floppy feet -- came right up to my left boot. His eyes were these huge, bluish opaque disks, and big whiskers sprouted from his pointy nose. His yawn revealed a set of sharp, bright white canine teeth, but he wasn't aggressive at all. He just sort of nosed my boot and looked at me. Man, I wanted to pick him up and hug him! I know I have taken about a billion pictures of seal pups, but each one is special!

There have also been some moments of nature at her more graphic best. A whole flock of giant petrels swooped down and landed on the water near our zodiac to feed on the carcass of a king penguin. (Not sure what had killed it originally.) They were having a good tugging away at it until a fur seal slipped up from below and swam off with the whole thing. The petrels squawked and flapped their wings in protest, but the seal just leapt away, leaving bits of penguin in its wake.

We have also seen herds of reindeer galloping across the hillsides. They had been brought in by Norwegian whalers over a century ago. There is debate over what to do with them -- as a non-native species they can hurt the ecosystem and threaten other animals (they sometimes crush the nests of birds that nest in shallow burrows), but their numbers haven't gotten out of hand, and some people feel that after a hundred years, they might as well be considered part of the environment.

Later today we off to a science station and the only inhabitated spot on the island. Everyone plans on sending a postcard from the world's southern-most post office!

Cheers to everyone!

-Jim Fornshell

A Note from Jim!

Here is a note from Jim:

The big news today is that in about an hour I will go ashore on South Georgia at Fortuna Bay, the site where Shackleton and his five comrades landed after their amazing 800-mile open-ocean journey, to relive (in a simplified, more civilized manner!) their crossing of the island to get to the Norwegian whaling station at Stromness Harbor. The hike will be several kilometers long and will take us up and over an ice field. Once down on the other side, we'll have a chance to pay our respects at Shackleton's grave. The weather is mild but overcast; the sea is eerily quiet and glassy. Will report in after the hike. While on foot, I will be wondering what Sir Ernest would be thinking of all this and how different his story would have been if he had been aboard the Prince Albert II instead of the Endurance. Smelly oil-skin jackets and meals of frozen seal meat would have been replaced by warm fleeces and appetizers of king crab! All the best!

Morning at Elsehul

Close now— The cliffs, their jags and sharps—
Rich eases us into the wet of shrouded greys,
cuts the motor: ‘Listen.’

How to pick particulars? Pluck one
from the merge: warble, grunt, seawash,
a sky-high cry, another… One? I try,

but, floating too close not to notice,
a giant petrel dunks her bloody bill,
her whole damn blood-red head, dips

and lifts— all lady-like, then swims away.
It’s difficult, you know? To turn back
to all that gorgeous grey.

-Joanne Hayhurst

A Magical Day and Tribute to Ernest Shackleton

Photo Credit: Abercrombie and Kent

Many thanks to Jim Fornshell for keeping us posted about today's activities!! Here is his most recent note:

Today we had two tours of South Georgia, one by zodiac early this morning and one that had us actually landing and strolling all around a wide, flat grassy area between a glacier and the sea called the Salisbury Plain. The zodiac tour was terrific -- very close encounters with sea elephants, fur seals, macaroni and king penguins, and all sorts of sea birds (albatrosses and petrels). Many would come right up to the boats to check us out. We couldn't go ashore there because the fur seals, which are especially aggressive, even as pups, were too densely situated on the beach.

However, this afternoon was what the trip is all about. Gorgeous weather -- bright blue skies, temps in the low 40's, mild breezes-- and upclose encounters with animals of the sort we only dream about when flipping through National Geographic or watching Animal Planet! Think of the most marvelous zoo and then think about that incredible moment when you decide to climb over the fence and walk among the animals -- that's the Salisbury Plain at South Georgia! Thousands of animals scattered over a vast, green carpet dimpled with tussock grass. Fur seals "huff" as you walk past; seal pups -- looking like a litter of black lab puppies scattered over dozens of acres -- sleep away in the sunshine. Only the most supreme act of self restraint kept me from hugging them! King penguins are everywhere, cawing and flapping flippers. The immature chicks are comical -- almost as wide as they are tall and covered in brown down. When you sit quietly for a spell, curious penguins will waddle over to check you out. When you look inland, you see nothing but calm, healthy animals dotting the landscape to the foot of the mountains and ice fields; when you turn to the sea, you behold penguins and seals porpoising across the bay and the majestic Prince Albert II riding at anchor. No wonder Ernest Shackleton's wife requested he be buried here. The day was magical.

We'll soon have a card reader copy photos from people's cameras and get them onto the blog ASAP. We took only about a billion!

Lots of love to everyone!

Jim

Penguin-People, Seals, and Meals

A Note from Sam Prouty:

Hi all,

This morning, the Prince Albert II anchored off the coast of South Georgia Island, and we were all treated to our first adventure aboard the Zodiak boats. Dressed in layer after layer, we all looked and moved an awful lot like the penguins we headed out to see! We toured the coastline, heading in and out of several coves; we did not yet step on land, but that comes later today when we anchor again off the Salisbury Plain, where we will make our first Zodiak landing.

The sheer numbers of wildlife are incredible. We saw literally hundreds--perhaps thousands--of penguins and seals this morning (and a number of birds, mostly petrils and albatrosses), including many different species of all. The beaches are literally full. The giant elephant seals lounge around not doing much, and when they do muster up the energy to go somewhere, they look like "giant slugs," according to one student in my Zodiak. The fur seals, by contrast, are far more active, with adult males ruling their breeding beaches, fighting rivals, climbing bluffs, following the boats in the water, and generally monitoring their pups. The pups are adorable as they explore the water and the land, learning their surroundings and how to do what they need to do. Some of the seals come right up to the boat to give us a look--one even splashed us with his flapper! We all took far too many photos, so as a group we will have tens of thousands of seal shots for you all back home. We're braving numb fingers to get these terrific shots, so you all had better appreciate our photo journals when we come back home!

The penguins, too, are a hoot to watch as they hang out on their beaches and watch after their young. The whole place was far more noisy and odorous then you might assume from the pictures you will have seen.

We are now seeing our first icebergs, and are sure to see more and larger bergs as we continue. We're also seeing some fishing vessels which use South Georgia as their base of operations. We are told that a few other cruise ships are in the area, but we have yet to spot those.

Now that we are south of the Antarctic Convergence (where the oceans meet), the air is a full 10 degrees colder, as is the water. To be on deck or in the Zodiaks, we certainly need our many layers and our waterproof and windproof outer shells. Today started out overcast, but the sun is now shining brilliantly. It's about 37 degrees with a calm wind and calm seas. Quite a day for exploring. The seasickness which ruined life for many of us 2 days ago seems to have passed.

Back on the PAII, we continue to live in style, eating luxuriously (pizza for lunch today, with lots of other choices and innumerable chocolate options for dessert), exercising, enjoying the live piano music in the evenings, journaling, reading, and bonding with one another. One student, Alejandro Poggi, is especially pleased that he beat a certain English teacher (who shall remain unnamed) at Scrabble. A rematch is imminent, and Alejandro should not expect his win to become a winning streak.

We all miss our family and friends, and wish that we could share this experience with you all.

Love,

Sam

Patagonia Summary & Crossing the Antarctic Convergence!

Just in! Notes from Jim Fornshell!

Hi, all!

We have now spent three full days about the incredible and incredibly luxurious Prince Albert II as we steamed our way east to South Georgia -- truly wonderful. Here's a quick overview of our fist week in Patagonia, and then some descriptions of the past few days. Please know that around 4:30 am on Monday morning we crossed the famed Antarctic Convergence -- the watery boundary that marks the true chemical and zoological border between Antarctica and the rest of the world. The air temperature remained steady at a relatively mild 7 degrees (C), but the water temp dropped below 4 degrees. So now we're truly in the South Polar region!

Our first week of the Mars/Hotchkiss Expedition gave us a chance to explore the natural and cultural wonders of Patagonia. Our flight down from Santiago took us over the Andes, where we saw lots of jagged peaks and distinct volcanoes. Lots were capped in snow and ice.

We divided our time in Patagonia between the towns of Punta Arenas (Sandy Point), which is right on the Strait of Magellan, and Puerto Natales, a small city three hours northwest, which serves as the staging area for the wonderful Torres del Paines National Park. The wind was up when we arrived -- the Strait was frothy with whitecaps. We need to have Roger Rawlings consider holding the sailing team's spring training down here! You can look south across the Strait and see the north shore of Tierra del Fuego. Punta Arenas is a nice, bustling town -- a mixture of very modern, angular buildings and more traditional homes and shops. Sheepherding and cattle ranching are big businesses here, so we had a chance to visit estancias (ranches) and see sheepshearing, herding with well-trained dogs, horsemanship, and cattle herding. Grilled lamb is the food of choice here, and we had lots of it! Our visit to the impressive Olga Teresa Estancia really showcased gaucho culture.

We spent two days up in Puerto Natales, a small city which hugs the shore of Esperanza Ultima (Last Hope) Sound. From there we explored a park devoted to the excavations of a mylodon cave -- a huge cave where the world's best-preserved remains of the ancient mylodon have been found. The mylodon, a giant ground sloth about the size of a grizzly bear that ate only plants, lived at the same time as the wooly mammoths. We also toured the huge Torres del Paine National Park, Chile's version of Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Tetons all rolled into one. We saw our first iceberg there! The park borders the Paine Massif Ice Field, which sends down a series of glaciers towards the huge lakes encompassed by the park. Lago Grey's northern end has a glacier spilling into it, and occasionally, icebergs break off and drift to the southern end. We hiked to that area and saw a berg with its oddly blue hue which had run aground. The water in the lake was milky due to minerals held in suspension. The hike out involved our crossing a swinging suspension bridge that spanned a raging rapids. Our resident ornithologist spotted a torrent duck --a relatively rare sight -- which manages to live in those crazy, racing waters.

We also visted the stunning Salto Grande (Great Waterfall) -- a giant cataract from the waters of Lago Nordenskjold as they plunge into Lago Pehoe. The roar, the mists, the force were all overwhelming. The wind was intense here, and kids played around, leaping into the air, opening their parkas spread-eagle style, and getting blown away!

We also saw the park's famous peaks -- the Horns, which looked like something designed to be the evil lair of a villain in Lord of the Rings, and the Towers, huge crooked fingers of granite.

The big animal sightings including the Andean Condor and guanacos -- the wildest of the camelids (the llama family).

Our second day in Puerto Natales was filled with a boat trip up the sound to visit a hanging glacier. The cruise took us past a cliff where cormorant nested, another rocky shelf where sea lions hauled out, and a cliff where condors nested. We docked in a little cove off the sound and hiked up a path that traversed the terminal moraine of the glacier to its base. The densely compressed ice held that unique bluish hue, and streams gushed out to the lake below.

After that we returned to the harbor, boarded our buses and returned to Punta Arenas. That night we celebrated New Year's Eve in a grand old hotel that hosted an amazing New Year's dinner. A & K then directed us downstairs to our own private party room where we danced 'til 1:30! The first day of the New Year had us visiting a ranch and then introduced us to our first penguins! We toured a Magellanic Penguin colony outside of Punta Arenas. Our walk through the area took past their underground burrows and down to the shore where we saw them splashing in the surf. I know we'll see hundreds of thousands of penguins in the coming days, but we still took tons of pictures.

The next day had us flying across Tierra del Fuego to the port town of Ushuaia to meet the Prince Albert II. This incredible ship and its attentive staff have been showering us with luxuries and kindness. The weather was calm as we sailed down the Beagle Channel and began our three-day passage to South Georgia. The days were filled with lectures on geology, ornithology, marine zoology, and history. We have been followed by Wandering Albatrosses, Black-browed Albatrosses, Giant Petrels, Wilson's Storm Petrels. They glide along for hours without flapping a wing -- really mesmerizing. We have been keeping an eye out for whales, our first iceberg, seals, and penguins.

Things began to get terribly exciting yesterday as we passed super close to Shag and Black Rocks -- suddenly bird and marine life was everywhere. Seals and penguins swam next to the ship, porpoising through the waves. Blue-eyed shags, albatrosses, petrels, filled the air. People spotted whales spouts in the distance. The rocks -- really the tops of very tall underwater mountains -- just leap out of the water.

We steamed on and early this morning arrived at South Georgia. The island is home to huge colonies of fur seals, elephant seals, penguins and other birds. Our first venture was by zodiac only -- these shores are too full of aggressive seals to make a landing possible. Later this afternoon we'll go ashore near Grytviken, the old whaling station, to see other penguins and pay our respects to Ernest Shackleton, who is buried there.

We are well, we are in awe of this region, and we think of you. Can't wait to send along some photos. Hope they're making it to the blog. Cheers!

- Jim

A Day in the Life...

What will Tuesday be like for our Hotchkiss students?

After being at sea for 3 days, students will wake up at 6:30 and head on Zodiaks ("rubber speed boats" as described by Dakota) to explore South Georgia. They anticipate meeting lots of penguins, Albatross, and other native birds.

At the end of the day, students will meet up for a debriefing lecture and will have time to journal their ideas.

Dakota, Tavo, and Anna report that the trip is amazing! The food is "7 star quality" according to Dakota, and "the staff is just incredible." During free time, students are getting "to know students that [we] wouldn't normally hang out with at school." Students are "learning so much about the environment and about the history of exploration" and are "learning about animals [we've] never even heard of before."

Dakota snapped this picture of an Albatross. They have 11.5 feet wing spans. Can you imagine wearing one around your neck???

Happy Mappers!

The students have been updating the Google Map on the right.

Click on a white balloon to visit a location, and check back daily to see where the students visit.

Many thanks to Eloise Pasteur for helping us fix the images within the map!

Happy Kids!

Many thanks to Abercrombie and Kent for their daily blog and pictures! Here are two shots of our students having some fun while at sea!

Abercrombie and Kent's Wicked Cool Travel Blog!

The travel agents for the trip have a WONDERFUL blog full of awesome pictures and blurbs! There will be a main link to it at the top of this page, or you can link directly to the site here.

Embarkation!

We've finally set off for our major destination: Antarctica and South Georgia! We see below the pier in the distance disappering into the mist against the backdrop of Ushuaia, Argentina, the City at the End of the World.


Written by Dakota Szabo '10 on 1/2/09


Photo by Dakota Szabo '10

A Short Message from Mr. Hazelton

There are those sad and misfortunate moments in life when people often step back and say, “How did I get to this place?”
The Antarctica Expedition provides a positive context for such a question. Over the last two days, we have sailed to see a gloriously radiant blue glacier and observed a colony of Magellanic Penguins.
I asked myself: “How did I get here . . . to the bottom of the world with 150 great people in such an untapped, pristine, and hopeful terrain?” The answer is easy – Hotchkiss! Through the success, sacrifice and dedication of its successful and generous alumni, like Mr. Mars, Hotchkiss uncannily perpetuated opportunity. I asked, “How did we get here?” My thoughts turn to what it must have been like in Mr. Mars’ days at Hotchkiss and his teachers who taught him and guided him. I thank them because their efforts surely instilled a sense of stewardship in people like Forrest Mars.
This is a precious gift that reflects the generational sense of loyalty and commitment of so many at Hotchkiss!

- Mr. Hazelton

Written by Rick Hazelton on 1/2/09

Hotchkiss Polar Bears in Patagonia

Dear Friends,

Chile has been great. Today, in Puerto Natales, Chile, we split into three groups for three separate hotels. Earlier, in the hotel Altiplanico Sur, Jeffrey, Will, and Nicholas were enjoying themselves in the Jacuzzi, soaking in the stunning view to the Pacific Ocean. After roasting in the Jacuzzi for a half hour, a sense of adventure struck these three young men and they stumbled down the hill to the shore. After bravely overcoming many obstacles, such as ditches, sharp rocks, thorns, and crossing the road, they made it to the chilling Pacific Ocean. As the pictures indicate, the three brave souls then plunged fearlessly into the frigid depths. After fleeing from the icy oceanic waters, the young men stormed up the hill, back to the toasty confines of the hot tub. Despite many battle wounds and numb extremities, the boys were satisfied with the excursion.

Further Polar Bear outings to be posted.

We love you all,

Jeffrey, William & Nicholas






Written by Jeffrey Kontulis '10, William Burchfield '10, and Nicholas Tierney '10 on 12/29/08


Photos by Tom Woelper

Customs

The eleven hours on the red eye to Santiago did not pass easily. I kept my eyes shut tightly, hoping to sleep, but it never worked. I tried making some headway on my travel novel, but soon found myself reading the same line over and over and over again. I became too tired to read, and too uncomfortable to sleep. Fortunately, there was a decent selection of movies on demand. I fired up the little screen on the back of the headrest in front of me.

Half a day later, weary would be putting the tone of our group lightly. We were dragging. All a hundred-and-some-odd-number of us shuffled over to the reciprocity counter. Chile requires Americans to pay $100 when entering the country, a measure taken to counter-act the hefty price of U.S. visas.

I handed my passport to the Abercrombie & Kent agent. He was well dressed, wearing a jacket, khakis and a bright yellow tie. He handed the passport to the reciprocity agent, who stapled a slip of paper into my document to identify me as having paid the reciprocity. The A&K agent then handed me a passport and pointed toward customs.

With a respectful nonchalance, I walked up to the man in the glass box and placed the passport on his counter. He set it in front of him, made three quick stamps, and slid the documents right back.

After having passed through customs, I cracked open my passport to check that everything was in order. There, next to the stamped travel slip, was a photo of a wide smiling Korean – American boy. I recognized the photo as Paul, a classmate and friend.

Laughter gave way to fear. Would they take me to some dark concrete interrogation room for this? Could Paul appear to be me? I turned around and spoke Spanish to the woman in the closest glass box. At first, she yelled at me, telling me to keep moving, but when I told her that I was not Korean and showed her the photo, she opened the glass door and marched over to the man who had let me into Chile.

I tried not to listen, but she read him the riot act. From what I gathered, the offense would have been forgivable if the person in the passport photo bore a certain resemblance, but there was absolutely no mistaking Paul for me.

It was funny. Yet, I still felt badly for the man. He sits in a glass box stamping away at official documents all day. This could have been a first and only mistake and it was partly my fault for assuming that I had my passport. I was humbled by the possibility of such massive human error of a process I had always considered exacting.

But, I hold a sense of pride in being the only person I know who has successfully entered a country with someone else’s passport.

Written by Bernardo Urquieta '09 on 12/28/08

J.F.K.

As the two charter buses crammed with some 85 odd kids pulled up to our terminal, I cringed. A logistical mess seemed to be a guarantee. I could see our brave group blocking up walkways, being hassled by airport security and disgruntled travelers alike. Perhaps someone would forget his or her passport and yet another nightmare would be realized. I wondered about which Holly Golightly lower-mid would wander off to the bathroom and be left behind. And I did not want to even think about the lines, lines for checking in, lines for luggage drop off and, worst of all, the lines for the security checkpoint.

Imagine my surprise when in roughly half an hour, we had checked in, received our boarding passes, dropped our checked luggage off, and, believe it, cleared through security.

Students and faculty are now biding their time at the terminal, reading, joking, playing poker and betting their travel money.

Our voyage is off to a good start.

Written by Bernardo Urquieta '09 on 12/27/08

Mr. Prouty Uncut!

Sam Prouty, one of our finest English teachers, was kind enough to send some notes from the trip!

Well, after what seems like weeks of endless (but very exciting) travel, today is the big day; our group starts the day in Puenta Arenas, Chile and will end the day on board the Prince Albert II by way of Ushuaia, Argentina. It´s incredible to think back on all that we have seen this week, and we´re still trying to get to our "real" destination!

If anyone out there is ever hard up for something exciting to do for New Year´s, then come to Puenta Arenas ("sandy beach") Chile. We spent New Year´s at a tremendous dinner and party here at the hotel with locals and other tourists--everyone was given a mask or costume, and there was more food than you can imagine, and lots of loud music and even louder shouting in Spanish. The kids all had a ball, and we faculty danced here and there with them. I think that the students were surprised to see their teachers boogying on the dance floor--my goodness, we´re actually real people! The Chileans know how to party--everyone was dressed to the nines, and the mood of celebration was palpable.

Prior to New Year´s, we hiked to the base of South America´s 2nd largest glacier (the first being in Antarctica) and it was really something. You can see that the ice is indeed moving--it looks like the huge frozen river it is, replete with bends and waves and the like, just all frozen.

All of Patagonia has been simply incredible. The whole area is competely desolate...just sheep farms ("estancias") as far as they eyes can see through rolling hills to the sea. Almost totally uninhabited, except for the small villages. One can travel for hundreds of kilometers without passing through any inhabited spaces. The wind alone here is worth the trip, the wind in Patagonia is a steady 40-50 MPH, resulting is constantly very rough seas/fjords. Words cannot describe how otherworldly it all is. Just spectacular and breathtakingly beautiful.

Lamb is the official food of Patagonia, and we´ve had it every day for a week. The estancias all shear and slaughter their stock, and they all serve guests--restaurants scattered throughout the empty countryside. They roast the whole lamb on a spit. Some of us (certainly including yours truly) aren´t accustomed to eating like this--all meat, all the time. You try going to the bathroom on a bus going 70 MPH, winds at 50 MPH buffeting us violently from side to side, without hope of a real bathroom for hundreds of miles! I nearly died from crashing into the walls of the "bano" on the bus, not to mention from the full digestive revolt.

But, it is all worth it. Even the photos I am taking can´t possibly capture how incredible the sights are. The rough sea, tiny mountain villages, walls of snow-capped mountains in the background, sheep grazing wildly everywhere...it´s like BOTH going back in time AND traveling to a mythical land.

I could certainly get used to the light down here. I spoke with my wife last night, who reports lots of snow and single-digit temperatures in Connecticut. Meanwhile, it´s a comfy 60 degrees here, and the daylight lasts until past 11:00. I´m glad not to live here for the Chilean winter, though; the sun must barely reveal itself!

We visited a penguin colony yesterday, which was great preparation for what we´re about to witness in Antarctica, I´m sure. Here´s wishing everyone well; much more to come from the group once we´re braving the open sea!

Some Notes from Dakota

Dakota Skyped two days ago, and had some really great stories to tell!

He explained that the students were very busy and had, that day, gone to a national park to see icebergs. What was most amazing was how cold it was near the icebergs and then how warm it was when they were just a short distance away; he reports that it was "amazing" and "breathtaking."

The sun goes down at 11:30 PM and rises at about 3 PM. The weather in South America is warmer than CT. He reports that the food is "amazing...just amazing" and that students were housed in 4 different hotels after learning that their original hotel had burned down two days before Christmas. Dakota says that everyone is having a "really great time" because "there is so much to see."

The students will be getting on the ship today or tomorrow and, hopefully, our daily "live" reports will begin!

Thanks for the update, Dakota!

Tom Woelper Checks in!

Our Dean of Studies, Tom Woelper, sent along some fantastic pictures. These can be viewed on the side panel of the blog. Here is a little blurb from his email:

Greetings from Patagonia! We have had a whirlwind couple of days and finally now, on the morning of the new year, have I found the time (and internet connection) to upload some of the pictures taken so far. We have been in Patagonia in Puerto Natales visiting the National Park Torres del Paine, the National Monument Cueva del Milodon and the National Park Los Glaciiares (home to the second largest ice field in the Southern hemisphere -- Antarctica has the largest). We board our ship tomorrow. Cheers, Tom