Antarctic Sound

We talked about the Antarctic weather changes, we talked about sudden wind bursts seemingly blowing out of nowhere, we talk about flat seas becoming a fierce boiling pot of swells and waves, we talked too about drift ice moving around and closing up areas that showed open waters. But we haven’t experienced yet all of that, until today when we had a little taste of the meaning of these words. 

Another night of slow motoring and drifting on the icy waters of the Antarctic Sound. From the depths of the Fridjorf Sound our goal was to arrive to the west coast of Joinville Island early this morning. With the first daylight Captain manoeuvres to get us there at breakfast time. A first coffee of the day that gets interrupted on a couple of occasions by close sightings of Humpback whales. But soon we make it to the West Coast of Joinville Island, where we are welcomed with fantastic weather, great visibility, calm seas and just a gentle breeze blowing. 

There, at this island which was discovered as soon as 1838 by the French expedition under Captain Jules Dumont d'Urville, we set foot at the rocky coast under the high Madder Cliffs. 

The shoreline doesn’t look very welcoming, but a long and narrow channel hidden between rocks offers a good landingsite. 

The place is home for two rookeries, Gentoo and Adele penguins nest here. From the first ones many still hang around, while the Adelies are practically all gone by now. 

In the calm pools amongst rocks the Gentoo youngsters practice and develop their swimming skills, while many adults are moulting sheltering behind ridges and valleys up the hills. 

Soon, when Antarctica gets colder and the sea surface freeze they all will leave the rookeries empty. 

Over the nesting grounds, the slopes lead to the top of the cliffs that name this site, a viewpoint over the central area of the Antarctic Sound, Joinville and Bransfield Islands ice-caps. Down below the cliffs, the amphitheatre shaped Kinnes Cove, surrounded by glacier fronts. 

From up the hills and cliffs it was starting to be obvious that something was going on with the wind and weather. A wall of low clouds was the only we could see when looking westwards into the Bransfield Strait. Even though for the moment the remaining scenery reminded sunny, it all was about to change. 

Down at the coastline the swell increased and the waves quickly grew with the wind.  

By the time the ship turns around and leave, strong winds blow on her nose and some of the swells wash the main deck on some of her rolls. Two engines push us across the Antarctic Sound. Bands of ice dampen the swell here and there, a queue of several large tabular icebergs offer shelter from the strongest gusts. An afternoon with a taste of the Antarctic roars when the weather decides to unleash some of its winds. A look at the sky also tell us about these intense blows. Large lenticular clouds, typical when coming across these conditions at those latitudes, extend over the seas and icebergs. 

A windy and icy Antarctic Sound lead to a Bransfield with better conditions. Before the sun goes down and it becomes dark, the ship starts heading to the southern area of King George Island, in the south Shetlands. A change of course, less bergy bits and ice floes, a slightly decreasing wind, all making for setting some canvas. Lower Staysails help the engine from then on.