Antarctic expedition Dec. '22 - Jan. '23. Part 12

176.
Kayakers, Port Lockroy, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

177.
Kayak exploration of Port Lockroy, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

178.
Gentoo penguin nests, research station, Goudier Island, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

179. A short zodiac ride across to Jougla Point, site of a large Gentoo rookery.
Whale bones and penguins, Jougla Point, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

180.
Whale bones, Jougla Point, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

181.
Gentoo colony, Jougla Point, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

182. Whale spine protruding through the snow, with surprisingly small yachts moored in the harbour. I'd think they must have sailed through challenging conditions to have reached here.
Leisure craft at anchor, Port Lorry, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

183. Penguin highways in the snow.
Gentoo penguin pathways in the snow, Jougla Point, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

184.
Gentoo colony, Jougla Point, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

185.
Gentoo penguin highway, Jougla Point by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

186.
Whale spine in the snow, Jougla Point, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

187.
Neumayer Channel, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

188.
Mountains and glaciers, leaving Port Lockroy, Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

189. Last sighting of Antarctica.
Farewell to Antarctica by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

190. A re-post of the journey's route for reference.
The Aurora Expedition route, 27 December 2022 to 15 January 2023 by Joe Lewit, on Flickr

The original itinerary had us heading further south to cross the Antarctic Circle and explore other landing sites, but a day and a half before the end, the expedition leader called everyone to the conference room to announce a passenger had become ill and needed emergency transfer to a hospital. No details other than to say it wasn't Covid related. The medical team had stabilised things, and the captain had explored sailing to a nearby Chilean Antarctic station with a shaved ice airstrip for air evacuation, but because they didn't have instrument landing, they could not risk a plane being sent there only to find it was fogged in and it couldn't land. So the decision was taken that the ship would power straight back to Ushuaia, which it did with everyone's full support. Once we arrived the passenger was transferred from the dock by ambulance to the local hospital, was assessed and treated, and we were told the following day an air transfer was arranged back to a hospital in the USA.

In compensation for the shortened itinerary, Aurora arranged for us to go on a half day exploratory cruise on the Beagle Passage, the subject of my next and final chapter instalment of this series.




Edited by Jozioau - 24 March 2023 at 05:18

Paul, photo 72 in Part 6 gives a very good view of Gentoo feet. If you click on the image and transfer to the Flickr original you can enlarge it to full size for a better view.
For another clear view, photo 123 in Part 9 shows the feet of a Gentoo penguin chick.
Yes, they really need the pronounced claws to get a purchase on ice as well as mud, sand, gravel, bare rocks and snow.





Edited by Jozioau - 17 March 2023 at 08:42