January 1st - Antarctic Youth Expedition 2012

Students On Ice Antarctic 2011 — 2012

Sunday, January 1, 2012

To view newly uploaded photos taken yesterday, go to the December 31 page of the Daily Journey Updates.

Scroll down the page to read today's journals and view photos!

Expedition Update -10:00pm EST

The team just finished an invigorating Zodiac cruise at Point Wild, Elephant Island. There was a good swell, wind and snow, but it was a good taste of the elements, and they got everyone out to see the place where Sir Ernest Shackleton´s men lived for 4 months in 1915 during their expedition on the Endurance. These men were stranded at the desolate Point Wild while Shackleton and others sailed across the Drake Passage in essentially what was a converted life boat. Upon landing at South Georgia, Shackleton and his men hiked and mountaineered their way across mountains and icy cravasses to search for help in the permanent whaling camps on the other side of the island. He then eventually returned to Point Wild to rescue his men who had now been there for 4 months. If you would like to learn more about this story and the heroic courage and perseverance of Shackleton's men, pick up a copy of ´Endurance´ by Alfred Lansing or 'South' by Ernest Shackleton.

During the Zodiac cruise, the group saw and smelled many Chinstrap penguins. They were also able to hear and watch the glacier nearby calving into the ocean, creating huge cracks and rumbles in the process. Now all are back on the ship and memories of any seasickness are sliding away with the excitement of a landing at such an important historic site.

Tonight the team will enjoy a later dinner and an evening recap and briefing to reflect and consider their day. Then it's anchor up to head south to the Weddell Sea for tomorrow morning and into iceberg country.

Overnight, they will sail to Heroina Island, a part of the Danger Island chain, where they expect to see even more penguins and will have a chance to set foot on land!

Everyone is smiling. Stay tuned, family, friends and supporters at home...the expedition is just getting started!

Expedition Update - 4:00pm EST

We just received the following message from expedition leader, Geoff Green:

We have just arrived at Elephant Island!!! Two humpback whales greeted our arrival. Lots of Chinstrap penguins swimming around the ship. We are proceeding slowing toward Point Wild where we hope to get out in the Zodiacs if conditions allow. Everyone is ready and excited!

Geoff

Expedition Update - 10:30am EST

Earlier this morning we posted an update from Geoff Green and we just heard from the ship about the plan for the Education Program. Here is a New Year's note from the ship and today's schedule below:

Happy New Year!!! Yesterday we continued our southward journey braving what the Drake Passage offered us and engaging in presentations by Santiago (Sea Birds), Olle (Who are they? How do they fit in? - Questions & Answers about the ecology of Antarctica), Grant (The Global and Southern Ocean - Oceanography at the bottom of the World), and Sonja (Antarctic Marine Mammals).

We also kicked off our ship-based workshop program with a series of workshops that will repeat themselves again today and met in our Pods for the second time. At 5:15pm we crossed the Antarctic Convergence! The sun was shining all day and many of us spotted Wandering, Royal and Black-browed Albatross, Skuas, and Giant, Wilson's Storm and Pintado Petrels. During our evening program we enjoyed ringing in 2012 with a celebration that included Captain Jorge, Father Time and the New Year's Baby!

Our day looks like this:

0730 - Yoga (Clare & Danièle)

0800 - Wake-Up!

0830 - Breakfast

0930 - Presentation: Shackleton (David)

1030 - Workshops:
           1. TED talk creation & tips for presentations back home (Elin & Selin)
           2. How to create a powerful photo story (Mike)
           3. Musicology (Tony)
           4. Visual Art (Pablo)
           5. Wildlife Surveys (Garry, Santiago & Sonja)
           6. The Global Positioning System (Jeff & Grant)
           7. On the bridge: Ship Navigation (David)

1200 - Presentation: The Art of Seeing (Mike)

1300 - Lunch

1430 - Presentations:

1. IAATO & Zodiac Safety Briefings (Geoff)
2. Dressing properly for the Antarctic (Paulie, Captain Preparo & Special

Guests)

1600 - Snack

1630 - Getting outside to the observation decks!

1730 - Arrival to Point Wild and Elephant Island. Zodiac cruise and potential first

landing of the expedition!

2000 - Dinner

2100 - Evening Recap & Briefing

*****

Expedition Update - 8:30am EST

Happy New Year! Best wishes from Students on Ice and theAntarctic Youth Expedition 2011 Expedition Team!

Happy New Year to everyone from the Drake Passage!! We had a great night
last night of 2011! The students really rallied and put on a great New Years
celebration of skits and songs, poems and stories. It was a lot of fun. Emily and Laurissa MCed the evening, and there were also songs and presentations by David Fletcher, Tony Dekker, and Tim Straka. The Captain joined us for a toast just before New Years, and Mike Beedell and Garry Donaldson dressed up as Old Man Time and the New Years Baby. Out with the old and in with the new.

We all agreed that 2012 is going to be a great year, and one of positive change for all of us and the Planet. Certainly we could not ask for a better way to start 2012, then with this expedition. Particularly, later this afternoon we expect to arrive to Elephant Island! This morning David Fletcher will tell the story of Ernest Shackleton´s Trans-Antarctic Expedition on the ship Endurance, and then we will literally see with our own two eyes where part of this incredible true story unfolded. Sea conditions are better today, and everyone is looking and feeling much better. In about one hour we will pass 60 degrees south, officially entering the Antarctic!

In the expedition spirit,

Geoff Green

Expedition Leader

*****

Student Journals - January 1st

MICHAEL PETAGUMSKUM

Jan 01/2012

This morning at 8:30am we had a great breakfast of eggs and bacon. We started our day with a presentation around 9:30am about the explorations of Mr. Shackleton. He was a great sailor and a great captain. The presenter was David Fletcher; an experienced Antarctic adventurer who has been here more than one hundred times. After the presentation I went to a workshop on navigation on the bridge of the ship. Around 10:30 am we saw a few humpback whales and a lot of chinstrap penguins. They are called ‘chinstrap’ penguins because they have a little back line at the bottom of their chins.

*****

Darius Carter

Cordova, Tennessee, USA

The Journey Thus Far

The Students on Ice Expedition has been amazing.

From Miami to Tierra del Fuego, land of raising.

However the big goal is still ahead.

And we pace our way slowly on M/V Ushuaia’s bed.

With endless ice gleaming,

And so much life teeming,

It is sure to be a sight to behold.

Showing beauty more robust than silver and gold.

And though familiar with our friend, the white bag,

I’m sure the event before it would rather not be had.

All in all this voyage’s goal has been true.

Giving us all a chance not many get to do.

Meeting great people and learning so much as well,

Surely this expedition will be a great tale.

*****

Stephanie Shimabuku

Astoria, New York, USA

Today was the official day I stepped foot in Antarctica. We landed on Elephant Island . We went on the zodiacs which are like little boats. The waves were a bit strong, it was a bumpy ride. I finally saw penguins! These kind are called Chinstraps. Also, I touched a glacier and tasted it , it was salty. It was snowing heavily. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm ready.

Much love to KY and familiy-xoxoxo

*****

Amanda Perry

Bronx, New York, USA

Elephant Island, Point Wild - Today was so awesome. Riding on the zodiacs around Elephant Island gave me a chance to experience the true beauty of nature. It's interesting how nature finds a way of telling it's own story so that it's surroundings can understand. The ability to understand nature is a gift. I feel more than lucky to be among expert interpreters of nature's history, present, and future.

*****

Camille Slack

Elora, Ontario, Canada

Weddell Sea - After two days of sea-sickness and mild headaches, it is incredibly rewarding to look out the cabin window, see the ocean, and the frost covered peeks of Elephant Island and think: "Yes ! We made it through the Drake!"

Today was a day of firsts. We had our first sighting of humpback whales and several colonies of penguins. We also took our first cruise in the zodiacs today. We skirted the coast of Elephant Island with its ice shelves and its rocky shores lined with penguin rookeries. It was great to get off the ship after having been cooped up for so long.

*****

Emilie Welles

New York City, New York, USA

Land Ho! Today we finished our crossing of the Drake Passage. At around 4pm we spotted land from the bow of the M/V Ushuaia. A bunch of us ran to the front of the boat and were greeted by a big snow storm. But even while large pieces of snow were going down our shirts and freezing in our hair, we still kept watch from the deck. After a few minutes we heard the much awaited cry: "Penguins!". They began jumping out of the water like dolphins and we watched every one that we could. It was the most fun I have had so far. The sea sickness is over and the waves have calmed. Five of us stood on the platform in front of the bow with our tongues to the sky. We reached out for penguins that we would never catch, and called to the Albatrosses flying circles around our ship. It was pure magic today. We have officially reached Antarctica, brought in the New Year, and met the cutest animals in Antarctica ... PENGUINS!!!.

*****

Juliana Zaloom

Staten Island, New York, USA

Elephant Island, Point Wild - Guess what I saw today? Penguins!!! They are one of the most adorable things that I have ever seen and they're so curious. The type that we saw were called Chinstrap Penguins because they have a white belly and face except for a thin black line under their chins, just like the Staten Island guidos (minus the orange skin and face). The penguins were gliding through the water so fast that it was difficult to see them and they kept some distance from the Zodiacs. While we were finishing out the rest of Drake Passage this morning (thank God) we entered Antarctic territory at about 10:30 and saw several humpback whales a few hours later. I got an awesome video but unfortunately no pictures because I did not take my camera outdoors due to the heavy snowfall. Also, I am feeling soooo much better; I think I just needed a good night's rest.

During David Fletcher's presentation about Ernest Shackleton today, I realized just how lucky I am to be in Antarctica today with not so many struggles. In case you didn't know, Shackleton led a group of 27 men in an attempt to reach the South Pole. The Weddell Sea, however, was full of ice, and their ship broke apart and eventually sank. Shackleton led 5 of those men to South Georgia to find help, meanwhile the remaining 22 men survived at Point Wild for 4 months until Shackleton returned to rescue them. All I had to do was suffer from seasickness.

Tomorrow we are going to make a landing at Danger Island. Sounds safe right? I am hoping that we will be able to see more whales and maybe even a couple of seals. Until next time...

*****

Laurissa Christie

Tara, Ontario, Canada

What an amazing day! I could not have imagined a better New Year's Day than setting my eyes on this amazing continent for the first time. I think it was 8 years ago when I saw the film "Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure" in Imax. I recall being fascinated with the film and, thinking back now, I realize that that was one of my first encounters with the beauty of the Polar Regions. It was extra special for me that my first glimpse of ANTARCTICA was the same first glimpse that Shackleton and his men would have seen. I now realize the endurance these men would have faced spending the winter at Point Wild. We faced snow, sleet, and rain to get to Antarctica which was an adventure in itself. We travelled for almost a week by plane, car, bus, and ship to get here and are continuing south. The glaciers are massive, and the water pounds against the rocky shoreline which is guarded by penguins. I am having a great time and am looking forward to all that lies ahead. I hope you all had a good New Years! I miss you lots and cannot wait to show you all my pictures when I come home.

*****

Leah Davidson

Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

Elephant Island - Today we crossed the Antarctic Convergence and stopped at Elephant Island, where Ernest Shackleton's 22 men camped for four months. To imagine these explorers surviving on penguins and seals, not knowing if Shackleton would return, is truly astounding. As we boarded the Zodiac boats and set out on the wave-ridden waters, snow hit our faces and melted into miniature pools of water on our jackets and pants. The sky was a pure white and because of the fog it was nearly impossible to distinguish the mountain peaks. All around us, we could hear chinstrap penguins crying, eager to welcome visitors to their desolate habitat. Although we never set foot on the island, it was beyond satisfying to watch the adorable black-and-white birds dive off the cliffs and leap through the water like a pod of dolphins or a team of lithe synchronized swimmers. The glaciers added a tint of blue to the stark landscape. A few students even saw snow falling off a glacier into the sea and heard the thunderous sound seconds later. As a whole, my first memory of Antarctica reminded me of one of my favourite quotes: "Life is not about the number of breaths you take, but rather about the moments that take your breath away." Here's to a breathtaking 2012!

*****

Malaika Vaz

Goa, India

What an amazing way to begin the new year-2012!! After leaving behind the tumultuous Drake Passage and the bilious feelings generally experienced there, we finally reached the 60 degree mark signifying our entry into the great white world of Antarctica. We began the morning with a very interesting lecture by David Fletcher about the trials and tribulations experienced by Ernest Shackleton and his comrades. Their story is one of immense strength, perseverance and faith, which succeeded in inspiring all of us. One of the momentous occasions was definitely spotting our first iceberg, although it was in the far distance. It made us realize that we were truly in the southernmost ocean in the world. Later in the afternoon we went onto the deck, where we saw a couple of Humpback Whales. Penguins ricocheted out of the water. It was a truly breathtaking sight which left me completely spellbound. However spotting Elephant Island was the highlight of my day. We were as elated and ecstatic as Sir Ernest Shackleton when he first set sight on this very island decades ago. While Shackleton and his men saw the island as a safe haven away from the harsh waters and temperature, we were extremely eager to observe the penguin rookeries on the island. We saw an entire rookery of chinstrap penguins, the second smallest penguins after the Adelie penguins while we were in our Zodiac boats. These little flightless birds never failed to amaze us with their funny antics and endearing expressions. The smell of guano permeated everything. We were immensely happy to spot a colossal glacier and even see it in the process of calving. The penguin rookery and the pristine beauty of Antarctica was mesmerizing. It also made me realize how little we seem in comparison to the surrounding vast landscape and yet how much our little actions affect this fragile polar ecosystem, making it surrender to global warming. It is wonderful to begin another year heading toward the Antarctic Peninsula.

*****

Milan Ray

Farmington Hills, Michigan, USA

Yesterday almost everybody was seasick, luckily I was not. I almost got seasick, and was going to throw up, but then I ran outside because I knew that if I ran I would feel better, so that is what I did and after that 0% seasickness! We had a very magnificent presentation by Mr. Fletcher about Ernest Shackleton and one by Mr. Beedell about photography. After we finished the presentations, many people saw humpback whales, but sadly it wasn't in my luck. But what was my luck was to see: Antarctica! So when we got there Geoff announced on the PA: " We have now entered Antarctica and the Gentoos (the group is divided in two groups, Gentoos and Chinstraps, for Zodiac cruises) need to get ready, and since Antarctica was in my luck, I was a member of the Gentoo Zodiac group! Then as quickly as I could, I got all my gear ready. Then I put it all on in flash, all 7 layers, and then I ran down to the gangway and got my boots cleaned and was about to go on the zodiac, then I remembered NO! I forgot my camera's battery so ran up to my room and got the battery, and then I ran back down. Finally! I made it on to the last Zodiac. There were only 7 people counting me, our driver was Santiago, and then we were off!!

*****

Selin Jessa

Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

We are officially in Antarctica!!! Around 10:00 this morning we crossed the 60 degree South parallel, signifying our entrance into Antarctic territory. After hearing about Shackleton's story from David, a man who has been in and out of the Antarctic for the past 40 years, I'm amazed at the explorer's story - the months spent camping on ice in the Weddell Sea, the bravery it took to sail to South Georgia for rescue, the faith and willpower of 22 of Shackleton's men stuck on Elephant Island. An unbelievable story.

Today, we had a chance to visit the area where all this history took place almost a hundred years ago. After the captain of our ship opened up the bow, many of us rushed to the front of the ship to take in the view, keeping one eye on the water for whales and penguins and the other on the horizon, scanning for land or ice. We were not disappointed on either front - we spotted a couple Humpback Whales, awed at their enormity. A couple of the girls screamed with excitement, pointing out the small groups of penguins jumping in and out of the ocean, dancing under the surface. And I think we all felt a rush when the first calls of "Land-ho!" were heard around the ship. The craggy cliffs of Elephant Island loomed out of the fog in front of us, strange and mysterious shapes. The land disappeared for a bit behind a foggy veil and it was only once we were within a mile of the island that its cliffs reappeared. They towered over our ship, growing as we neared. We were seeing Antarctica for the first time, and it had a jagged and powerful sort of beauty. In a little bay surrounded by land masses of Elephant Island, the ship dropped her anchor and we bundled up in layers, ready to meet the Zodiacs. The Zodiacs are small, versatile, engine-steered boats that allow us to disembark from the ship and explore the area with more flexibility. It was exhilarating - the rain had turned to snow, the cold was biting at our cheeks, and we could hear the calling of the Chinstrap penguins, the occasional thunder of calving ice and the rush of the swells of water. Sonja was the driver of my zodiac and she took us within a couple hundred meters of the massive glacier stretched out between two mountains. She explained how the first time she was in this area 11 years ago, the ice reached up to the very spot where our boat was stopped, and over the last decade it had receded. Seeing the magnitude of the ice was absolutely astounding - its sheer size surprised us but the craziest part was that we had been told that the ice we would see further South was even more vast. Finding a scale to anchor oneself to in measurement is difficult here - we're using words like huge and immense and enormous and I'm still wrapping my head around these incredible structures. Sonja said we could taste some of the brash ice (small pieces floating in the water, broken off from the glacier). So we scooped some out of the water. The ice's surface was salty but the inside was air bubbles trapped in freshwater, perhaps 10,000 years old. As the ice calves, it releases the air trapped inside of it back into the open air, so the breaths we took in the area could have been many thousands of years old. At tonight's briefing, Olle talked about being entranced by the ice and he said, "We give life to something as cold and dead as the ice. But it's alive, it calves - it gives birth."

Then we sailed around to Point Wild, where Frank Wild displayed incredible leadership in keeping up the morale of the men stranded on the Island on the Endurance expedition. Taking a step back and realizing that Shackleton and his crew had almost none of the equipment we have now, and yet they still dedicated their lives to such a journey, opened our eyes to his true heroism, and that of many other polar explorers around the turn of the 19th century. The lust for exploration truly drives humans to incredible lengths. Being able to share this life-changing experience with so many others my age is so powerful, and I think that having finally reached our destination has brought us all closer. The group dynamic changes day by day as we become more like a family and less like a group of kids from the four corners of the globe. I'm thrilled and excited that we're finally here! What a way to spend the first day of 2012! Love and miss you all, and I can't wait to tell you a bout everything we've seen!

*****

Jayden Rae journaling in the sun on an outer deck (Drake Passage)

Elephant Island, Antarctica

Captain Preparo (Niki Trudeau) and Paulie (Grant Redvers)

before their presentation "Dressing properly for the Antarctic"

Pam Stevenson prepares to go on her first Zodiac cruise of the expedition

Zodiac cruising past a glacier coming off Elephant Island

Olle Carlsson driving students back to the ship after a cruise around Elephant Island

Zodiac cruise around Elephant Island (Point Wild)