Lemaire Channel & Argentine Islands

The impressive peaks of Cape Renard come into sight by early morning. The frame of the entrance at the eastern side of the famed and beautiful Lemaire Channel. One of the most impressive and scenic waterways on the Western Coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. At our Portside, the high mountains of Booth Island. A stretched low dark cloud seems to hang over the channel, quite a strong wind against blow as the Europa begins this passage. Luckily, the blows abate, and the cloud recedes as we proceed along such an amazing waterway.

Often filled up with icebergs, bergy bits, growlers, and even sheets of sea ice, today its waters are free of them, and just a few large icebergs have made their way all the way here.

A morning for many of us to climb aloft. And as the sunny weather wins over the cloudy early morning, from up the masts and yards we could enjoy a high, great perspective over the view, while others prefer the bowsprit or enjoy a more quiet view from our decks.

Making her way through, the ship encounters several Humpback whales lingering around the area, even one of them splashes for a long while with its long pectoral fins once and again.

Once we enter more open waters, it is not all over yet, still a few miles to go to reach the Archipelago of the Argentine Islands, separated from the mainland by the so called Penola Strait. Here, even larger icebergs drift or lie aground in the shallows close to the coasts. At view are the rocks and islets Fanfare, Irizar, Uruguay, Forge, Grotto, Corner, Galindez, Winter, Shelter, Skua, Leopard, Black, Three Little Pigs, and The Barchans islands.

The access that Europa normally uses to get in between them and drop anchor for the planned visit ashore is today blocked by monumental icebergs, and the spot where she often can drop anchor sees the same sort of situation.

Not a big deal today, as other channels between the slate are navigable too. Just a bit of a nuisance to have to keep the ship drifting and slowly manoeuvring for the whole afternoon and evening as well.

But all was well and ready to launch the zodiacs after lunch for our afternoon plans. First visit to Winter Island, then a shuttle to Galindez Island.

Winter Island is home to an important historical site on the exploration and the beginning of the British scientific work in this part of Antarctica, “Wordie House”. The first hut built here dated from the Graham Land Expedition (1934-37), but virtually nothing is left of it after being washed away by a large wave that grew over these shallow waters after a large calving of the surrounding glaciers. But in 1947, a new Base was set up in the same place, named after James Wordie, who travelled to Antarctica with Shackleton on the famous  “Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition”. The British were taking meteorological measurements here until 1954, when the Station was moved to a more convenient and accessible location, right on the next island and renamed “Faraday”.

to the original station we head first after a short crossing of Winter Island. Once there, we take turns to visit its rooms, storage shed, and the large number of original artifacts still filling up shelves and furniture. Radio and some scientific equipment of the time give us an idea of how work and life were here.

The atmospheric research started by the British is still an ongoing project conducted now by Ukraine in the former “Faraday,  nowadays renamed as Vernadsky Station.  

All their observations greatly contributed to the findings related to the depletion of the Ozone layer.

It was in 1996 when the UK reduced their budget to finance scientific work in Antarctica and let go of this Base. Ukraine had the expertise and the willingness to conduct long-term and all-year-round research in Antarctica, but couldn’t afford to build a new station from scratch. A suitable solution for both countries was to transfer the compound after selling it for a symbolic amount of one pound.  

With this agreement, the series of data and measurements would neither end nor suffer from a great discontinuity.

To the great amusement of all of us, a visit to the station had been arranged. The station is still well manned and up and running. The zodiacs shuttle from Winter Island to Vernadsky, and we could all have a guided tour on their premises.

Maintaining and working in an old Base like this always requires lots of maintenance, improving and catching up with some modernities. It all allows for better communication systems and to expand their range of activity to further away areas.

A couple of seasons ago, their Antarctic logistics got better since Ukraine added the British Icebreaker James Clark Ross to their fleet.  

The friendly researchers and station logistics walked us through laboratories, showed us their scientific instrumentation, a large and new generators plant, fuel tanks, a galley, dining room, fitness room, some basic medical facilities, storage space for all the expedition gear, sauna to end up in their famous bar. A sort of proper Antarctic Pub, kept from the days when it was built by the British.

Time flies, and soon the zodiacs bring us back on board, where the crew has been preparing a surprise dinner. A dinner on deck, taking advantage of the perfect weather conditions and the calm seas. But still the day was not over yet, as the Ukrainian compliment visits us afterwards. We welcome them on board and, as they did ashore, tours around the ship are offered for them, including a visit to our own bar.