Life Trove: Antarctica+wild birds

Tanya's Diary

We had an interesting day on the 18th, with the weather deciding most of the day’s activities! The initial plan was to go ashore at Penguin Island, the giant stratovolcano that looms above the surface of the ocean. This volcano was estimated to be last active about 300 years ago. On the east side of the island is ‘Petrel Crater’, estimated to have erupted in or around 1905. Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions – large swells and winds up to 48 knots – we weren’t able to get close enough while maintaining safety for all involved. A heavy mist was rolling in as well, affecting our viewing abilities.

So instead, we decided to take care of the South Georgia biosecurity requirements. These are in place to ensure the safety of the flora and fauna in South Georgia, to protect the ecosystem of the area, and for other general biosecurity reasons. To ensure we are compliant with the protocols, we spend the morning carefully checking our exterior clothing, our gloves, our hiking gear, and anything that would be touching the South Georgian ground. In the lead up to our first landing at South Georgia, in a few days, we will continue to have the occasional biosecurity parties, as we’ve been calling them, to ensure we meet the strict requirements of the area.

We spend the afternoon attending some interesting lectures – Bia speaks on the life of a humpback whale with a talk titled ‘From tropics to ice and back again, and Jeff gives us a history of polar exploration and ‘Shackleton’s Endurance’. As the ship cruises past Elephant Island, we are lucky enough to have a brief window of sun shine down around us – the sky clears up just enough for us to catch a sight of Elephant Island.

We head east across the Scotia Sea and as we travel, fin whales cruise alongside us, seemingly guiding us onwards, in what can only be described as a magical experience. We say our goodbyes to Antarctica and look ahead towards South Georgia.

The 19th and 20th of March were spent crossing the Scotia Sea and as such we made use of our time on board to listen to lectures and record educational content for Upschool. Jeff delivered a lecture on Otto van Nordenskjold’s Swedish Antarctic expedition, Pat delivered one on Antarctic weather, the cyclonic storms of the area and how the weather in the Antarctic region influences the climate of the whole planet. The Upschool team met up with Pat, the marine biologist, to discuss recording the video on wild weather as they anticipated a large storm heading into the Scotia Sea on the 20th March.

The morning of the 20th March took us further across the Scotia Sea towards South Georgia. We enjoy another day of fascinating history and knowledge with a lecture about the seals of the Southern Ocean by Hannah, our naturalist and wildlife specialist on board, and one on whaling and its effects by Bia, a marine biologist. The afternoon brought on the snow storms we were hoping for and we quickly utilised the weather to create the educational lesson with Pat.

As the seas calmed and the winds settled, it was time to get ready for South Georgia and the beauty that we would behold.

My Account

Passing Elephant Island

Elephant Island is is where Shackleton's crew were stranded for several months while he and few others navigated in a tiny vessel to South Georgia to get help during their ill fated 1914 - 1917 expedition to Antarctica. I was struck by how barren, stark and icy it looked. Not the kind of place you'd choose to stay for a long stay unless you really had to!

Wandering albatross off the ship

It was truly wonderful to see the wandering albatrosses glide gracefully close to our ship in the Scotia Sea. These magnificent birds are the epitome of beauty and endurance and are the undisputed masters of The Southern Ocean.

Here are some fascinating facts about wandering albatrosses that make them even more awe-inspiring:

Wandering albatrosses have the largest wingspan of any bird in the world, which can reach up to 3.5 meters. This allows them to soar effortlessly over vast ocean expanses with minimal energy expenditure.
These birds are known for their extraordinary long-distance flights. They can travel thousands of miles across oceans without needing to land, and are known to circumnavigate the Southern Ocean three times in a single year, covering over 120,000 kilometers.
Wandering albatrosses have an impressively long lifespan for a bird, with some individuals living over 50 years. They mate for life and typically lay one egg every other year, taking turns to incubate it and protect it from predators.
Wandering albatrosses feed on squid, fish, and other marine life. They are known to dive as deep as 5 meters to catch prey, and they can even snatch food from the water's surface while in flight.
Wandering albatrosses have a complex and intriguing courtship display that includes a variety of vocalizations, bill-clapping, and synchronized movements. These displays help to strengthen the bond between mates and can last for several hours.
Unfortunately, wandering albatrosses are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, mainly due to threats from longline fishing and plastic pollution. Conservation efforts are underway to help protect these amazing birds and their habitats.

Grey headed albatross

I was thrilled to see the grey-headed albatross for the first time. This species is known for its stunning appearance, with a distinctive grey head, black bill, and a white body with contrasting dark wings. The sight of these beautiful birds in their natural environment was truly mesmerizing.

Here are some interesting facts about grey-headed albatrosses:

Grey-headed albatrosses breed on remote subantarctic islands, such as South Georgia, Kerguelen, and Crozet Islands. They build their nests on steep, tussock-covered slopes to protect their eggs and chicks from predators.
These albatrosses primarily feed on squid, fish, and krill. They are known to travel vast distances in search of food, sometimes covering more than10,000 kilometers in a single foraging trip.
Like other albatross species, grey-headed albatrosses are excellent long-distance fliers. They utilize dynamic soaring techniques to conserve energy and can travel at speeds of up to 68 miles (110 kilometers) per hour.
Grey-headed albatrosses form long-term monogamous pairs and share the responsibilities of incubating their single egg and raising their chick. The birds return to the same nesting site each breeding season, which occurs every two years.
Grey-headed albatrosses reach sexual maturity at around ten years of age. Once they reach maturity, they begin their search for a mate and establish their own breeding territory.
The grey-headed albatross is also classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List. The primary threats to this species include longline fishing, climate change, and habitat degradation. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect these beautiful birds and their habitats.

Sooty albatross

Another new species for me, the Sooty albatross is a medium-sized albatross species that primarily inhabits the sub-Antarctic and cool temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Distinguished by its dark, sooty-brown plumage and a wingspan that can reach up to 2 meters, this seabird is well-adapted for long-distance flight. The sooty albatross feeds primarily on squid, fish, and krill, using its sharp beak to snatch prey from the ocean surface. It breeds on remote islands, constructing nests on steep cliffs and slopes to avoid predation. With a low reproductive rate and long-lived life expectancy of up to 40 years, sooty albatross populations are vulnerable to threats such as longline fishing, climate change, and habitat degradation.

Passing icebergs in the ocean

Extreme video lessons

A lesson in the midst of a snow storm

Matt going above and beyond to get the right angle in turbulent seas. What a legend!

Gavin telling the ship about Upschool

Gavin did his magic and got everyone super excited about Upschool and the importance of using nature in education.

Fascinating lectures from expedition experts

Fun on deck

Original, single photos

Original, single photos

Tanya's Diary

Each day we awaken early to a new adventure awaiting us and a wonder within us, as we await the day’s activities. Today, planned for us, is a visit to Port Lockroy, Jougla Point and Orne Harbour.

First up, we head to the mudroom to suit up for our first outing on the Zodiac boats to cruise around the calm waters of Port Lockroy. Within the port is Goudier Island, and we make a landing there to check out the colony of penguins that live there, and some buildings and structures known as Base A.

Base A was set up in 1944 by the British, as part of an operation to survey German activities on the peninsula. Scientific staff took over the base in 1948, until 1962 when it was decommissioned and maintained as a museum, operated by the Antarctic Heritage Trust.

On Goudier Island is also Bransfield House, one of the Base A buildings, filled with relics from times past – including old food stores, ancient sealer memorabilia & paintings of early 20th century explorers.

Outside, with the backdrop of the buildings, the Gentoo penguin colony pottered around – the perfect backdrop for our next Young Art USA recording. Matt Iuliano directed Gavin McCormack and Jordan C Brun into position to begin recording as Graeme Myburgh snapped pictures from the sidelines. The penguins in the background were very cooperative in demonstrating the techniques we were attempting to convey through art – how to create caricatures from the animals around us, that they will then incorporate into later lessons on fictionalising these characters into stories. We also learned about how baby penguins shed their feathers before entering the ocean for the first time.

A little further around the corner, past the penguins, we ran across juvenile blue whale skeleton bones – remnants of the 1900s whaling past of the area, when whalers used to haul the whales onto the land to strip them of their blubber, which was used as oil for lanterns, grease for machinery, and even wax for candles. Bia, the marine biologist on board with Aurora Expeditions, showed us the eye cavity, and we filmed a lesson on the history of whaling.

And now… the time has finally arrived… it’s the polar plunge!! All through the morning, we had been buzzing with excitement and anticipation. Would it be colder than the Arctic waters of July 2022?! Yesterday we passed through many a cloud, the snow and hail softly falling on the decks, picking up with the wind. But today we’ve got beautiful, clear skies, the sun occasionally peeking through the clouds.

Over the tannoy, we get the call. Polar plunge time. We rush to ‘suit up’ in our swimwear and head down to the lower deck. Team Frosty Five cautiously step onto the mat and approach the edge, where the water laps, lining up to take the plunge together. Above us, from the sidelines of the ship, we’re cheered on, camera’s at the ready. We countdown…three…two…one…JUMP!

It’s all over in a matter of seconds and we’re scrambling back onto the mat! The shock of the cold doesn’t really register till we’re half-running towards the sauna, to thaw out our frozen toes! Antarctic plunge, done and dusted!

The afternoon’s activity took us to Orne Harbour, where we were given the opportunity to make a real continental landing! We approached the icy continent and as the Zodiac pulled up, the Upschool team felt an extreme moment of elation as we realised how fortunate we were to have this opportunity to deliver lessons across the world from one of the most remote locations on the planet. We stepped out onto the land – one of only about 400,000 people to do so.

In Orne Harbour cruising around we did a lesson on how warm and cool colours are incorporated in art, under a cliff filled with shags – the birds that help guide sailors towards land, because they are never more than 50km from shore. We also recorded a lesson with Jeff, the historian, on bubble net feeding techniques of humpback whales.

When we got back to the ship, we were greeted with the smell of a delicious BBQ, enticing us up onto the level 8 deck, where we enjoyed a beautiful evening of food, fun and festivities. Beautiful moments surrounded us as we enjoyed our BBQ, with humpback whales joining us alongside the ship to enjoy their own feed; we witnessed the beauty and magic of the bubble net feeding technique, that we had just learned from Jeff! It was such an amazing sight to behold and we can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will bring.