EXPEDITION UPDATE
Saturday, December 23

Antarctic Peninsula!
Posted 11:26 am EST by SOI HQ

We just received some student journals from the ship! The Polar Star ship is currently re-positioning for its afternoon continent landing at Brown Bluff.



(The rocky and inhospitable Elephant Island)


Student Journals

Posted by
Andrew Naab, Student

To Everyone Back Home!

We are having a blast!!! With weather permitting we may make a Zodiac Cruise to Elephant. The famous island where Shackleton’s men stayed, when Shackleton himself and a couple of other men made an eight-hundred mile journey to South Georgia Island Whaling Station for help!! Right now we are about five miles from Elephant Island! The view outside is beautiful! Even though it is overcast and cold and a little snowy! The Petrels, a local sea-bird, are our guides! They have been flying along side our ship, The Polar Star, for about 4 hours or longer, and there are at least twenty of them. Elephant Island is home to about three to four thousand Chin-strap Penguins too! Also, there are seals, and other birds and wildlife! It should be a blast! Everyone is great! All the scientists are very informative and really know what they are talking about! Why can’t all teachers be like that?

This morning we woke up at about 7:30 AM , with breakfast at eight. The food is absolutely scrumptious! Anyway, after breakfast, Santiago, a bird studier, I guess you could call him, gave us a lecture about penguins and about all the different types of penguins--what they eat, and how they act! It was really cool! After that, we had some more time to ourselves. At about 11am, Bill, a scientist on board taught people techniques about photography and some hints to help you get great shots. You could have also had the chance to listen to literature and journals written by Ernest Shackleton himself! Scobie, I think that’s how you spell his name, taught that! Or you could have listened to recordings of whales and other animals! Following that we had lunch! After lunch, a bunch of people got dressed up in their winter gear, including me, and played hide-in-go-seek out on decks of the boat! It was a very quick game! We really ended up taking pictures of each other and of the birds! After this, we had a lecture by Geoff Green, the head-honcho on the boat besides the captain, on Antarctic Safety and Zodiac Safety and rules! This leads us up to now, where we are just relaxing in the lounge and out on deck or anywhere else viewing the animals and keeping our eyes out for Elephant Island and other animals!

I hope everyone is having a great time back home, wherever home is for you! We are having a great time here. People have gotten seasick, luckily not me! I think everyone has their sea-legs now, which helps! Everyone have a Merry Christmas or Holiday, whichever you celebrate! I would like to wish a Merry Christmas to my family, Tim and Pam Naab, and the Heck, and the rest of the Naab family! Holiday greetings from Antarctica!

Happy Holidays Everyone! And WhoDey, WhoDey, WhoDey think can beat dem Bengals! Go Bengals! Super Bowl Champions of 2007!!

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Posted by
Daniel Collins, Student

Hey again!

Today, we arrived at Elephant Island. We took an amazing Zodiac cruise around the island, and I got many amazing pictures. We also saw our first icebergs. Let me tell you, they are humongous! They also appear to have streaks of blue, and the water around them is so blue. The sights we saw were awe-inspiring and can’t properly be described in words or captured in pictures. The only true way to understand the magnitude is to see it for yourself, but our words, memories, and pictures are a good start. Two of my friends, Paul and Shannon, are very nice and funny. We try to hang out as much as possible, and wherever we are is full of laughter and fun. I can’t wait to make our first landing so I can get better pictures of the ice, land, and wildlife. Oh, I’m now also part of the Daily “Ice Cap,” which is the newsletter, and I’m in charge of asking people about the trip and quoting responses to various questions.

Well, until next time, this is Ace “Ice Cap” Reporter, Daniel Collins, signing off. See ya later!

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Posted by
Georgia Squyres

Today, we are experiencing some real Antarctic weather. When we woke up this morning, the deck outside of our window was covered with snow and ice. We crossed the convergence last night… if we needed any proof that we were officially in Antarctic waters, the weather should be more than enough. It’s quite cold outside and snowing. A strong wind blows the snow into the face of anyone foolish enough to stand on the wrong side of the ship.

A flock of pintado (painted) petrels has been following our ship for the past few hours. After our bird lecture we had yesterday, we were easily able to identify them. They are very distinctive. They have the white stomach and black wings common to many Antarctic birds, but their wings have two white splotches on them, like dabs of paint. I presume this is where they got their name. I found an Antarctic bird book on the bridge which says they like to follow boats. This is certainly true in our case. Early in the morning there were only about 5 birds to be seen, but more and more birds have been arriving all morning, and as I write this (at about 12:10) there are at least thirty. They are difficult to count, since they soar on the same winds that keep us inside. Actually, I did venture outside to get a few good pictures of the birds, but I didn’t stay out for too long.

We had a penguin lecture today. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen any penguins yet, but in addition to petrels, I’ve seen 2 types of albatross. If and when I do see a penguin, I’ll surely be able to identify it. We’re visiting Elephant Island soon, and we should see penguins there, weather permitting. I’m looking forward to getting off the boat, although I am getting my sea legs. I haven’t been seasick, fortunately, and I am no longer staggering about the ship as badly as I used to be. After the penguin lecture, we got to choose a workshop to attend. I went to the workshop on citation vocalization (the speech of dolphins and whales). The teacher, Ollie, had a recording of whale songs that he played for us. Apparently, whales and dolphins are able to communicate very complex ideas.

I’ve been exploring the ship as well. They let us up into the bridge, and I’ve already been there once. I plan to go again after I write this journal, unless it’s time for lunch (it’s quesadilla day!)Hopefully I’ll be able to spot more wildlife afterwards.

It has started to sink in that I’m really in Antarctica. The bottom of the world… it’s such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  To my family: I miss you all, and wish you were here. Quinn, I’ve been thinking of you. In case I don’t get the chance to write another journal until then, Merry Christmas!

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Posted by
Jessica Keffer, Chaperone

Since I’m sure many families are worried now (mine especially) after reading yesterday about some of our sea-sick woes, I’m writing to tell everyone that most expedition members have finally found their “sea legs”!  Everyone’s very happy about this, especially the cleaning staff! What a crazy 40 hours it’s been!

We officially arrived at the Antarctic Convergence last night around 10 PM. Right now, it’s quite cold, windy, and snowing, and we’re due to dock on Elephant Island at approximately 4:00 PM this afternoon. So… depending on weather, we MAY be able to get off the boat. That will be very nice!

It’s quite amazing to think where we are right now, and I’m sure that before we know it, the trip will be over. However, we will all have many phenomenal stories to tell our families and friends.

I want to let my husband know that I love him and miss him a lot.

Talk to you soon Honey! xoxo
PS – I love and miss my parents and my sister too!

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Ian Hurley, Student

mazing! Spectacular! Immaculate! You soon run out of superlatives for the sights we have seen in the recent days. Today, we have seen more penguins than I can count! Early this morning we arrived in the Danger Islands, and the weather was right so we were able to make a landing on the zodiacs. The island we landed on was named Heroine Island and was home to the largest rookery of Adelie Penguins on Earth! There were over 750,000 penguins in this small island. Penguins spread as far as the eye can see. Up and down the cliffs spanned an enormous group of penguins feeding their chicks and tending their nests. The penguins could not have been less nervous around humans considering we came within mere feet of them, and they did not move. According to one of our great educational leaders, Olle from Sweden, they do not move because they have not been harmed by humans enough to have the feeling of nervousness when we surround them. They were perfect for taking pictures, and they definitely could not be described as camera shy. The penguins were also joined by three Weddell seals, two adult seals and one young seal. They lay on the beach much like an old fat man watching football.  They were scratching themselves and only moving to find a more comfortable spot. They became excellent partners in picture taking and created many memories for all of us. That was merely the start of the day.

Soon we arrived back to the ship on the zodiacs, which by the way, is an event every time. It becomes almost an art form getting on off the zodiacs in the swelling water. You must grab the man on the ship with the sailor’s grip, which is grabbing each other’s wrist so if one lets go, the other can still hold on.  After that he helps pull you up on to the ship, you must climb the steep gangway and back on to the ship. When arriving back on the ship after a landing, you must wash your boots and have them scrubbed and washed down so as to not bring anything foreign from one island to another.

After arriving back we listened to another great informative lecture, this time about geology, from Eric our resident “jack of all trades” on those subjects. After the lecture we looked out the windows of the lounge and found we had arrived into a long line of immaculately sculpted and geometric icebergs. We then had lunch, and after lunch another lecture was scheduled. This lecture was Olle’s captivating story about the Swedish research team who came to Antarctica in 1901 and stayed until 1903. During this time they faced numerous hardships. These hardships included their ship getting stuck in ice and sinking, the entire group getting separated, and then eventually the group reuniting and heading back to Argentina and then to Sweden. 

Immediately after this lecture we boarded the Zodiacs again and headed to the spot where these events occurred, Paulet Island. The island is inhabited by another substantial colony of Adelie Penguins and blue eyed shags. This, again, was an amazing sight, and the penguins came within two or three feet of me! It was so exciting. I’ve been to six out of the seven continents and seen some of the greatest man made wonders in the world, but I believe this is the most glorious sight I’ve ever seen for a completely different reason. This place is amazing because of the lack of man-made wonders.  This place is exactly as nature intended it to appear, animals walking freely, the breathtaking wonders of nature and the lack of other non natural elements. Wonderful!! 

Jessica Young-Keffer, Chaperone

It’s approximately 10am in the Antarctic and we’re currently anchored in the Danger Islands, surrounded by magnificent iceburgs.  We took the Zodiacs to one of the islands already, and stood in the middle of thousands and thousands of penguins nesting their eggs.  What a sight…  As well, there were a dozen seals basking on shore, not too concerned about the fact that a non-native species (humans) had just entered their territory (Aside – to my sister and my dad – I shot some fantastic pictures – you’ll love them). 

We woke up this morning to calm waters, cloudy skies, and massive tabular iceburgs. Extremely hard to describe in words; Pictures may not even do Antarctica justice.  One definitely has to see this with their own eyes to understand, comprehend, and truly appreciate.

It’s now 6pm on Saturday, December 23, 2006…

We just finished our second landing of the day.  Paulet Island was quite extraordinary.  What a history…  Amazing that it’s still an active volcano!  The lake in the middle of the crater was awesome.  Surrounding the lake were thousands and thousands of penguins keeping their young chicks warm and somehow successfully communicating with one another.  You can only imagine the sights and sounds of this spectacle.  Captivating…

Even though I’m experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, my thoughts are never too far away from my family, especially my husband (Kyle) serving in Afghanistan.  At this time of year in particular, I want my family to know that you are first and foremost in my thoughts; without you, I never would’ve been able to do this.  With distance comes true appreciation of what family is and means.  I love you all!  Xoxo

(A Blued Eyed Shag)

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Ryan Kits - Student

As I sit here I feel the pitch and roll of the ship, every once in a while I catch a whiff of penguin guano, which reminds me of a pig farm back home. The only difference is that I am anchored about a hundred yards off of the biggest Adelie penguin rookery in the world. There are more than 1,000,000 birds on an island about two miles long by half a mile wide at the widest point. It is a lonely outcropping of rugged rock thrust out in the midst of towering icebergs, some brilliant blue and others a dazzling white. Whichever way I look around me, I see a small island or an iceberg, and in between these places I see penguins diving and pintado petrels wandering around, always searching for a bite to eat. As I approached the island this morning, I felt a massive thrill, and I imagine how Shackleton and his men must have felt the first time they saw this mass of little black dots that materialize into living creatures as you draw nearer. The island was speckled with black, and when I looked through my binoculars, I saw penguins covering every available space, save for a few Weddell seals lounging about by the shore and skuas patrolling the skies. The skuas and sheathbills are always looking for a scrap, and sometimes they would venture too near to a penguin protecting an egg.  Then the penguin would rear up and let out a grating cry and lunge at the other, more intimidating bird.

I wanted to be alone for a while, away from everybody yelling and laughing, so I climbed one of the cliff faces and sat at the water’s edge on the seaward side of the island. Within a few minutes I was surrounded by curious little birds cooing and grating at me in a peculiar, head bobbing fashion. As you can imagine, I was loving it!!  One of these guys even came up to within a couple inches of me and just looked me straight in the eye  After about ten seconds went, “Coo-aa??” as if to say, who are you, and why are you here with me? I just looked back and said, “Hey little buddy.”  But them my attention was drawn towards the water, where I could see these little black and white torpedos darting around just under the surface. Then in the deeper water they would start to jump and flip around, just having a good time. Unfortunately, my time was up so I headed back to the zodiac and started back for our ship, The Polar Star.  I have to tell you, it looks pretty rugged perched in between a massive iceberg and a long, low island. But the day is young--it’s only 10:40 AM so I will probably enter another journal entry later tonight. I see more penguins so I’m going to go out on the bow and “check em’ out.”  I’m out all right!!  

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Blondie Rogers, Student

Today ended up being up a lot of fun. We had to get up pretty early, but it was worth it! We were able to do two zodiac landings, and it was so cool. We saw so many penguins and also saw some seals that were just lying around the place. The penguins were so cool because we were able to see some of the mothers feed the babies and try to keep them warm. The pictures that everyone took were so beautiful! For the first landing it was smooth water and very easy. We got to see so much on the Danger Islands. After that we got back on the boat, and we were on our way to Paulet Island. We got there in good time after Olle gave us a story, which was very interesting. We could tell that we were getting closer to the islands because of the smell of penguin poop. It is not the thing you want to smell. We were able to go to the Paulet Islands, and it was fun but hard to walk around on the rocks. We saw penguins, seals and lots of blue eyes shags. Everything was so much fun, and I am hoping that we will be able to do more landings some time soon and also be able to see more animals! We were just told that there was a whale.  I saw it, but it did not stay on the bridge for very long so we did not get any pictures. We are hoping that it comes back up soon! I am having so much fun and every day I keep meeting more and more people.  I just wanted to say hi to everyone back home and a Merry Christmas! See everyone soon!

Love ya lots!! Blondie

(Weddell Seal relaxing on a beach)

Stay tuned for more!