Departing Palmer Station on December 24th, 2020.

After 8 1/2 months of travel, quarantining, and working at Palmer Station it is time to go home.

My last view of Palmer.

I have wintered the last 6 of 8 winters at all three stations with the last 4 in a row. I will be taking next winter off.

The other side of Mt. William.

Another side of Mt. William.

A humpback whale and her calf.

Entering the Neumayer Channel.

People spend $20,000 and up for this cruise through the Antarctic Peninsula.

A waterfall of ice,

Entering the Gerlache Straight.

I love living on and working on boats.

A penguin flag on the focsle of the Lawrence M. Gould.

Navigation chart on the bridge.

Beautiful Antarctica.

Penguins on an iceberg.

 

Visited Humble Island with the Birders - Bird Scientists

 The winter crew will depart for Punta Arenas, Chile on Christmas Eve. We will be in the infamous Drake Passage, Southern Ocean on Christmas Day. I wonder if King Neptune will give us a Drake Lake or stormy passage. 

Penguin egg that a skua bird stole and ate.

Elephant seals and nesting penguins.

A giant petrel that I scooted my hand under to reach its tag and copy the number. Very docile.

A pair of giant petrels.

I slowly slid my hand under this one to check for eggs. They do nip at your hand in a friendly way.

Elephant seals and penguins.

A one or two-day old chick.

This one is ready to hatch.

I have moved onboard the Lawrence M. Gould.

A very nice cabin to myself.

Crossing to the station one morning this crabeater seal was snoring.

Thousands of years old bar ice. We use it in the bar for drinks.

I am the popcorn king on the station. 

The Lawrence M. Gould has Arrived with the Summer Crew

A well-worn path back to the station (upper center).

A large iceberg drifted into Hero Inlet the day before the Lawrence M. Gould arrived.

A fine bow line handling team.

It was a tight fit between the pier and the iceberg.

Freshies after months of isolation.

Another hike over the glacier to watch Antarctic life.

A chinstrap penguin.

A blizzard was blowing during my hike.