As a wildlife photographer some places in the world are simply transcendent experiences – Winter in Yellowstone, the Okavango Delta, the Serengeti, the Pantanal, the Katmai Peninsula and the Galapagos Archipelago to name but a few.  However, this Fall – or Spring if you are upside down – an opportunity arrived out of the blue… Continue reading Adventure at the Bottom of the World – Antarctica Entry 1

I don’t believe in luck.  If I wish someone luck on a test, what I am really saying is “I hope you prepared for it in advance and studied hard”.  Luck is not why people are lucky, the luckiest people are the ones who are willing to put in the hard work and are committed… Continue reading Preparing for the Bottom of the World – Antarctica Entry 3

On Friday afternoon, after nearly 50 hours of travel, and a few hours earlier than planned, we finally embarked on the National Geographic Endurance.  Departing Ushuaia, the Southernmost port in the world, our Captain wanted as early a start as possible for the crossing of the Drake Passage on our way to Antarctica.  For the… Continue reading Where Three Oceans Collide ~ Crossing the Infamous Drake Passage – Antarctica Entry 4

We are now in truly Antarctic waters, well south of the 60th parallel, and at the South Shetland Islands.  Discovered by William Smith in February 1819, they are rich in wildlife which was exploited by dozens of American and British sealing vessels harvesting the large fur seal population that bred here.  Within two years the… Continue reading Expedition at Barrientos Island – ANTARCTICA ENTRY 5

Awaking this morning we were confronted with huge icebergs, ice fields and craggy mountains ~ an immense, overwhelming and almost unbelievable landscape.  Blue skies and calm winds combined for the best conditions we could have hoped for in Antarctica, but it is still early in the season so there was too much ice for the… Continue reading Icebergs, Ice Fields and Mountains – Antarctica Entry 6

What an incredible day!  We sailed through the Antarctic Sound with all around us tabular icebergs larger than the ship – icebergs with vertical sides and flat tops that have recently broken off an ice shelf.   Once in Kinnes Cove, just off Joinville Island, Fran and I jumped into a Kayak and paddled around… Continue reading TRIFECTA ON THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA – Antarctica Entry 7

Today, we are in the Weddell Sea, part of the Southern Ocean named after the Scottish sailor James Weddell who entered the sea in 1823 and got as far South as 74° S.  He originally named it after King George IV, but it was renamed in Weddell’s honor in 1900. We were awoken at 3:00… Continue reading The Weddell Sea – Antarctica Entry 8

Off the coast of Antarctica lies Elephant Island, ice-covered and mountainous.  At the North end there is a small narrow low-lying sand and gravel point, which rises to a small rock outcrop; sheer tidewater glaciers and cliffs fringe the point.  The location exposes it to the full force of Antarctica’s ferocious weather. It was here… Continue reading A Journey to Elephant Island – Point Wild – Antarctica Entry 9

For the next several days, by land and by zodiac, I will be exploring the islands of South Georgia, set in the Southern Ocean approximately 350km South of the Antarctic Convergence.   This unique island, with its breathtaking scenery and an overwhelming abundance of penguins, petrels and seals, is home to one of the most… Continue reading Southern Elephant Seals on South Georgia – Antarctica Entry 10

The sight, sound and smell of over 500,000 King Penguins on the beach by the glacial rivers at St. Andrews Bay are an overwhelming and emotional experience, never to be forgotten.  Walking amongst the penguins as they strut about with aristocratic curiosity is as good as it gets! The King Penguin’s breeding cycle is unique,… Continue reading The King Penguins of St. Andrews Bay – Antarctica Entry 11

After an amazing morning amidst the 500,000 King Penguins crowding the beach at St. Andrews Bay, we steamed toward Grytviken, South Georgia for our afternoon expedition.  Located in Cumberland Bay, Grytviken was established as a permanent whaling station by C.A. Larson in 1904-05.  On a good day, 30 or so fin whales each about 60’ long… Continue reading Grytviken, Fortuna & Stromness Bay – The Shackleton Hike – Antarctica Entry 12

Avian Masters of the Sea & the Wind. The gliding of the Albatross is remarkable, perfectly created for the permanently wind-swept Southern Ocean.  They are the elite of avian gliders.  With long narrow wings, and a special tendon in the shoulder that allows the spread wings to lock in position, they can glide for long  periods using very little… Continue reading “I now belong to a higher cult of mortals for I have seen the albatross.” Robert Cushman Murphy, 1912 – Antarctica Entry 13

Map credit to Lindblad Expeditions