Friday, December 25, 2020

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.



 

Sunday, December 20, 2020

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. 

Saturday, December 12, 2020

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.