Grandidier & Lemaire Channels
Take an overcast, matted day in Grandidier Channel, turn down the wind to but a whisper, and cue a diverse array of floating ice and you have only begun to summarize today’s excursion. While steaming northbound this morning our progress was highlighted by a calm, ink-black sea, tempered by the presence of heavy pack-ice. With a seemingly endless array of white, geometric forms floating on the waters surface, and a peppering of hauled out marine mammals atop those (mostly Weddell, Crab eater and Leopard seals), there was much to photograph while in search of suitable kayaking waters.
With so much ice before lunch our chances of getting in our inflatable fleet seemed slim. It was not long, however, until broad gaps of glassy water began to appear on the horizon and soon the National Geographic Explorer was slicing through the seamless liquid towards a perfect sea-ice platform in which to launch the days activities. If the tranquil, overcast conditions were not enough, the sun even decided to make an appearance during our paddle near Larrouy Island and simply drenched every person, penguin and ice chunk in sight. Surrounded by the looming, snow-caked peaks of the Antarctic Peninsula proper the conditions could not have been better and much credit must go to the foresight of our fearless Expedition Leader, Matt Drennan. Many thanks, Matt!
After gathering up all of our sun soaked kayakers we continued north towards Petermann Island and the neighboring Lemaire Channel. With hopes of finally setting foot on terra firma we were slowed by our most dense array of pack-ice yet. With a grey, matted finish this was unlike any ice encountered on the trip so far.
To confirm the crew’s suspicions we radioed the bridge for a water temperature reading and received a reply of “-1.6 degrees Celsius.” Only .2 degrees C away from the freezing point of sea water but enough to start the formation of the “grease” ice that was clearly beginning to bind the various ice-floes together. Though slowed enough by this ice “soup” so as not to make a landing, our resulting compromise (of cruising leisurely through the Lemaire Channel), was nothing less than a perfect ending to a heart stopping day. May our luck continue and the scenery shine on!
Take an overcast, matted day in Grandidier Channel, turn down the wind to but a whisper, and cue a diverse array of floating ice and you have only begun to summarize today’s excursion. While steaming northbound this morning our progress was highlighted by a calm, ink-black sea, tempered by the presence of heavy pack-ice. With a seemingly endless array of white, geometric forms floating on the waters surface, and a peppering of hauled out marine mammals atop those (mostly Weddell, Crab eater and Leopard seals), there was much to photograph while in search of suitable kayaking waters.
With so much ice before lunch our chances of getting in our inflatable fleet seemed slim. It was not long, however, until broad gaps of glassy water began to appear on the horizon and soon the National Geographic Explorer was slicing through the seamless liquid towards a perfect sea-ice platform in which to launch the days activities. If the tranquil, overcast conditions were not enough, the sun even decided to make an appearance during our paddle near Larrouy Island and simply drenched every person, penguin and ice chunk in sight. Surrounded by the looming, snow-caked peaks of the Antarctic Peninsula proper the conditions could not have been better and much credit must go to the foresight of our fearless Expedition Leader, Matt Drennan. Many thanks, Matt!
After gathering up all of our sun soaked kayakers we continued north towards Petermann Island and the neighboring Lemaire Channel. With hopes of finally setting foot on terra firma we were slowed by our most dense array of pack-ice yet. With a grey, matted finish this was unlike any ice encountered on the trip so far.
To confirm the crew’s suspicions we radioed the bridge for a water temperature reading and received a reply of “-1.6 degrees Celsius.” Only .2 degrees C away from the freezing point of sea water but enough to start the formation of the “grease” ice that was clearly beginning to bind the various ice-floes together. Though slowed enough by this ice “soup” so as not to make a landing, our resulting compromise (of cruising leisurely through the Lemaire Channel), was nothing less than a perfect ending to a heart stopping day. May our luck continue and the scenery shine on!
