Emperors and Kings 2009

16 Dec 2009

Emperors in the Weddell Sea

By Blog.Admin

Harish Singhal is a regular Quark traveler. I met Harish and his lovely wife Hilda when traveling to the North Pole in 2008. We talked of traveling together again, as people do, but never imagined we would. Our luck held and we met in Ushuaia in November for the Emperors and Kings expedition.

7 Dec 2009

A Taste of Chile

By Blog.Admin

The Colchagua Valley, 2 hours by the Pan American highway, south of Santiago is one of Chile's wine regions. The capital of the region is Santa Cruz, a quaint village with a shaded square and a benefactor who has invested heavily in a museum, hotel, and winery.

4 Dec 2009

Emperors and Kings at last

By Blog.Admin

We went ashore on Saunders Island in the Falklands (Malvinas) this morning. The surf was high and the beach sandy. Commerson's Dolphins played about the Zodiacs.

3 Dec 2009

New Island, New Point of View

By Blog.Admin

The last landing yesterday was on an island, once privately owned. The residents welcomed us to the wee museum above the beach where we landed. The beach was the first sandy beach we've seen on this expedition.

3 Dec 2009

Rockhoppers and Tussock

By Blog.Admin

I saw for the first time in my life today a Rockhopper Penguin - the mad scientist of the penguin world. I was surprised at their size - tiny in comparison to Gentoos and Adelies. I did not see them rock hopping, rather they were standing upright or lying prone among Black-browed albatross nest.

2 Dec 2009

Caracara and Albatross

By Blog.Admin

We reached Steeple Jason in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) at 2 PM yesterday. The spring sunshine was intense and the wind strong. Great weather for watching Black-browed Albatross glide and dive-bombing caracara.

1 Dec 2009

Steeple Jason

By Blog.Admin

Yesterday, our day at sea ended with a showing of sing-along Mamma Mia, served with popcorn. The popcorn was a clever trick to encourage reluctant singers like me to attend.

30 Nov 2009

In the Drake Passage

By Blog.Admin

Our landings - and those of nearly every other ship sailing the eastern end of the South Shetlands - were cancelled today. The winds are blowing at 40 knots and the sea swells are 3 meters.

29 Nov 2009

Deviation and Discovery

By Blog.Admin

About 11 AM this morning, November 28th, Captain released the icebreaker from the fast ice of the Weddell Sea. The Expedition Team had stowed the helicopter blades earlier, while the polar plunge unfolded.

28 Nov 2009

White Out!

By Blog.Admin

Garaged in the ice, the wind howled all night. I looked out on a grey landscape, with the details obscured.

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