6.30m sunrise brightly shouting, not shining, in sun(flower)yellow, into my cabin window (iss a window, not a porthole). Up and through the Lemaire Channel, the famous.
Morning landing at the Ukrainean station Vernadsky, formerly the British Station Faraday. When the Brits wanted to close it down they sold it to the Uk´s for 1GBP. And the new owners had to keep some traditions. Like the nice old wooden bar, the bra-against-vodka deal and the pool table. Although I think the V. tradition is of newer times. We received the always very well done and informative tour through the station, where they do a lot of meteorolical studies and in former (UK) times the Ozone hole of the world was discovered.
From there we were driven around a few rocks, a few little islands of the Argentine Islands, where we had the chance to see Wordie Hut (new for me). An impressive little hut full with history, mainly used during “Operation Tabarin” and closed down some 50 years ago, it was still as left behind. Nothing has been changed and it is locked so noone can take “souvenirs” without being noticed at least. Cool stuff in there ;), my favourite place of course was the workspace. Interesting to see which books they were reading those days, interesting old machinery and electrical toys, white woollen clothes and a shelf full of old “Schellack” discs.
On our return path through the Lemaire Channel whales here, leopard seals there, no time for a nap, eyes and cameras wanted to watch and click.
In the afternoon we called at Port Lockroy, where I could say hello to the BAS Manager for the place on tiny Goudier Island (in front of Wiencke Island, in the Neumayer Channel) a former British Base, nowadays “only” a museum and THE Post Office of Antarctica with the best souvenir shop of the area. It indeed had improved a lot, I was impressed. All kinds of gadgets (make a proposal and if that proposal comes in often during the season you may find the souvenir in the shop the following season), clothes and specially maps and books material) and it has been enlarged since I had been there last. As the things are not cheap but worth their price (keep in mind where you are, everything has to be shipped there from GB), I am very selective with what I buy. This time two fantastic new maps of the Antarctic area. By now they accept even credit cards, but I had forgotten that my Argie Pesos are not accepted.
The Post Office takes your Antarctic mail, with a beautiful stamp and cachet, then ships it to the Falklands with the next vessel that goes there and takes it, from there it goes to GB and from there to its destination. It may take a while but it surely gets there!
The museum is the rest of the hut itself, minus the kitchen that also works as bedroom for all 4 that stay there all summer to work for the tourists, without modern bathroom facilities, no washing machine and a nice oven to warm them in that one room. It is larger than Wordie Hut and many things have been brought here to put this very interesting collection about the early explorer days together, plus there are explanation boards with historical background details. Such it is different, as manmade to be this nice museum, while Wordie Hut is a historic site as original as when people were living and working there.
Upon departure I was anxiously waiting for the next ship to call Port Lockroy, as it was from the shipping company I had worked for during the past 6 Antarctic seasons and its always nice to meet friends. So I went outside when we passed by each other and waved my arms out of my body and same did many other people on the opposite site of the channel, on board the incoming passenger cruise vessel. Of course incl. curious passengers on both sides, as you hardly meet any other of the approx. 30 vessels operating presently in the area, because it is avoided on purpose.
The evening was enlightened by a little zodiac tour to Neko Harbour, while we could not disembark as there were Gentoo penguins spread out everywhere. Besides, the 50 year old Rescue Hut Capitan Fleiss (Argentina) had been destroyed 2 nights ago in a heavy storm (the time we came into Antarctica) and pieces where scattered allover the landing site incl the water. We enjoyed the scenery of the nearby glaciers and admired the lightning and dawning, as we ventured back to our floating home and another fantastic dinner on board by our Chef.
