A Quieter Week

How is it September 1st? It seems that the last time I looked it was June and I still had half a year to go till I was home, now I am about 2 ½ months from it and it just doesn’t feel real at all.

This week began with a Bank Holiday which was very nice. I took Jo out to two vessels from transhipping and at the same time the RIB went out with Sue and Erny aboard to take them to Sorling for a holiday. Once we had done the transhipping we followed the RIB to Sorling to deliver the other half of their baggage. I don’t think I have ever seen two people take as much luggage as those two did for just three days. Once we had dropped them off we did a tour of the Nordenskold glacier and watched as a rather large chunk calved and were reminded yet again of why we need to stay a fair distance away from the face of glaciers. The wave caused by the calving would have caused us some problems but luckily we were all safely away.

On our return Hazel and I went out to go round Brown Mountain. This time Hazel took pity on me and walked in snowshoes rather than skiing so I didn’t have to run quite as fast down the hills after her. Actually, as I have said before, I am just as fast as her on the flat and uphill, it is only downhill that she has to wait for me and it balances out when she has to take off her skins and then put them back on again. It was yet another perfect day with the sun shining strongly on the snow and requiring suncream to be applied up the nostrils as well as everywhere else. Take my word for it, sunburnt nostrils are NOT pleasant. I am not sure how much it is common knowledge but the hole in the ozone (discovered by a BAS scientist) expands and contracts and moves around. At the moment it is hanging around over South Georgia meaning we have to take a lot more care with sun protection than normal. I stood on the shoulder of Brown Mountain looking up at the flawless blue and suddenly realised that between me and outer space were the fewest obstacles I, on earth, would ever experience. Space suddenly seemed a lot closer; it was rather a vertiginous feeling but also wonderful. 

Ascent of Brown Mountain    (photo: H. Woodland)

 Going round the back of Brown Mountain brings one to the Hestesletten Flats and Penguin River. It lived up to its name on Monday. We saw two King Penguins and a whole load of Gentoos. Some were high on the flanks of the mountain at a height I have never seen them before but there were also groups hanging around on the beach waiting for others of their number to exit the water and join them. It was lovely sitting there and watching them on their commute to God knows where. Walking back along the beach we also came across some big male Elephant seals who are beginning to set up their areas on the shore ready to become beach masters and control their harems. During the winter we have seen a few every so often but usually they were small males or females and only now have the big nosed chaps started to return. Soon the beaches will be filled with fighting bulls and cows trying to stay out of the way. 

Penguin stalking

Well hello, nose   (photo: H. Woodland)

Bank Holiday evening

On Tuesday Hazel, Rod, Jo and I were going to take a day in lieu and go off to Glacier Col, mainly so the skiers could ski and for a day out. We got up and found the day overcast and dull, meaning the visibility for the skiers would be poor. We therefore scrapped that idea and got on with some work. By lunchtime however the sky had cleared and it was a glorious day. We ate quickly and by 1400 Rod, Hazel, Jo, Nik and I were en route to Brown Mountain. We all went as high as we could on our respective footwear and then took them off and cached the skis and snowshoes till we came back down. The view from the top was incredible as ever.

On the way back down Hazel, who had brought her skis higher than Rod and Nik, decided to ski down a gully. It was a very impressive display of skill and the grin that I encountered at the bottom paid testament to the enjoyment it produced. Jo in her normal fearless fashion went the same way on a sled and also greatly enjoyed it.

The rest of the week was pretty quiet except that on Thursday we collected Sue and Erny from Sorling. This required dealing with the two types of ice we have here: the slushy sheets of ice that we have to break through and the chunks of ice that we have to negotiate to get through. Also Daniel returned home from a month of observing on a Toothfish trawler. He was very happy to have seen so many albatross and whales but I think he was equally happy to be back on dry land. He said that several times the ship had been surrounded by Orcas and Sperm whales which greatly annoy the fishermen since they take their catch but was wonderful to watch. Apparently you can tell which whales are targeting your lines by what the leave behind. Orca leave only the head on the hooks since they bite them off but Sperm whales leave only the lips. They suck the fish off and only the lips remain. A rather strange image.

First type of ice

Second type of ice

Icy stream   (photo: H. Woodland)

Mackerel sky   (photo: H. Woodland)

Pretty perfect photo   (H. Woodland)

On Saturday Jo, Hazel, Rod and I returned to Echo Pass. The skiing conditions weren’t as good apparently but it was still just as much fun. In the evening we were then treated to a Caribbean feast prepared by Nik who is half Swedish and half Haitian. On Sunday the weather clagged in so I spent most of the time in the carpenters’ workshop, mainly making a mess but enjoying myself greatly at the same time.