Cruising the Ross Sea — a journey to the ‘other side’ of Antarctica

by Larry Flinner, Cincinnati, OH

Compared to other destinations, Antarctica is visited by relatively few travelers. Those who do visit usually depart from South America and perhaps visit the Falklands, South Georgia or the Antarctic Peninsula, areas with spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife. In February ’04 I visited the other side of Antarctica, the Ross Sea.

A rough introduction

We flew Air New Zealand from LAX to Auckland, a 12-hour flight, connecting via Christchurch to Invercargill at the southern tip of New Zealand. After an overnight at the Kelvin Hotel, we visited the Southland Museum, where we saw a rare tuatara lizard. We then traveled by bus to the port of Bluff and boarded what would be our home for the next four weeks, the Akademik Shokalskiy, a refitted research vessel.

With great enthusiasm, we looked forward to our first scheduled stop at Snares Island the next day. However, once the ship left the sheltered bay, we hit heavy waves and the ship began to roll dramatically. An unwelcome stowaway made his appearance (Mr. C. Sickness), and many passengers skipped dinner and breakfast the next morning. The Zodiac cruising at Snares was canceled due to heavy swells, so we continued on to Enderby Island, part of the Auckland Islands group.

Enderby Island

We awoke to cool, rainy weather and temperatures in the 50s. After the mandatory briefing, we bundled up in our rain gear, rode the Zodiacs to shore and began to explore. Enderby is a bird-watcher’s paradise and home to the reclusive yellow-eyed penguin. Luckily, a number of the penguins were on the beach to greet our arrival.

Some of our group explored the beach area and enjoyed the myriad birds. Others chose to cross the island and circle back to the beach.

During the day, the winds increased and the Shokalskiy was forced to move farther out to sea. It was a very rough ride on the Zodiacs back to the ship.

For the next two days we battled a Class 6 gale. Sleep was difficult, for as the ship rolled so did the sleepers, back and forth in their bunks. Optional cooked breakfasts were canceled, and many passengers chose to remain in bed. Our Russian crew did everything possible to make us comfortable, but the weather won this round!

Curious penguins

Arriving at Macquarie Island, Australia’s prized subantarctic island, we expected bad weather since it rains over 300 days a year there. The wind was blowing, but we had one day of sun.

We spent our first day at Sandy Bay, observing thousands of king and royal penguins. At the time of year we were there, most of the chicks had fledged and were ready to go to sea.

If we sat quietly on the black-sand beach, the curious penguins would approach to investigate. Some even pecked at our boots. Then they would waddle off to their respective colonies to provide food for their chicks.

The royals, with their black and gold head feathers, were fascinating to watch. When they left the ocean, the feathers would stick to their heads. As the feathers dried, they would stand straight up. Talk about your “bad hair” day!

On to the Ross Sea

The following day we anchored at Lusitania Bay, home to over 100,000 breeding pairs of king penguins. Since it is illegal to land there, we Zodiac-cruised along the beach. Soon each Zodiac was surrounded by hundreds of inquisitive kings. They circled our Zodiac in perfect unison and then, suddenly, switched directions. The water was so clear, we could see them “flying” underwater.

We spent the next four days cruising toward Antarctica and the Ross Sea. We crossed the Antarctic Circle and celebrated with a champagne toast on the rear deck.

The time at sea was filled with lectures on photography and on the wildlife, history and geology of Antarctica. We also had the opportunity to watch videos on Antarctica. However, the weather grew worse, the ship began to roll severely and all lectures were canceled as we hunkered down once more!

Antarctic arrival

Finally arriving at Cape Adare, home of the largest Adélie rookery, we made our first landing on the Antarctic continent. Temperatures were in the teens, with a steady wind of 20+ mph. Only a few late-hatching Adélie chicks greeted us, as most had already fledged and gone to sea.

Cape Adare is also home to Borchgrevink’s Hut. Carsten Borchgrevink led the British-sponsored Southern Cross expedition (1898-1900) and, as the team prepared to strike inland in search of the South Magnetic Pole, the hut was built for protection from winds and weather. The mission never materialized, yet many of their artifacts remain.

Only four people at a time were allowed in the dimly lit tiny hut, and before entering, boots and pants had to be scrubbed clean to protect the wooden floor. As if stepping back in time, it was difficult to imagine the hardships these early explorers met with such courage!

The following day, we cruised by Cape Wilson, home of the world’s largest emperor penguin rookery. Emperors, the largest of the penguins, breed during the winter. Once the ice breaks, they head to sea to feed and do not return until the ice begins to form again.

As we passed through lanes of pancake ice, we scanned for emperors but to no avail. Navigating through the pack ice, the skies cleared and gave us a spectacular view of the golden sun shining on the blue seas and the glistening ice. While we watched, the sun descended on the horizon, rested there and then slowly rose again. It was well worth staying up until 2 a.m.!

The next afternoon we arrived at the Italian station at Terra Nova. The researchers were in the process of closing down the station for the season, but they gave us an in-depth tour of the facilities.

At the mercy of the ice

Up the next day at 5 a.m., we cruised the entire morning along the northern tip of B-15, an enormous iceberg (180x25 miles) that broke off the Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000. It was very impressive!

During the day we encountered an increasing number of bergs and had to cancel two scheduled landings. Over time, B-15 has calved off bergs, designated as B-15a, B-15b, etc. In the evening, we found that B-15g had moved, blocking the ice-free lane to McMurdo Station opened in the spring by U.S. Navy icebreakers. We went to bed not knowing if we could continue into McMurdo Sound.

Overnight, the crew maneuvered the Shokalskiy around and through the ice and we awoke with the ship nudged up to the pack ice at Cape Royd. With Mt. Erebus (an active volcano) in the distance, we walked a mile across the ice to visit Ernest Shackleton’s historic hut. Shackleton led the British Nimrod Expedition (1907-09) and established winter quarters here.

Again, boots and pants were scrubbed clean before we entered the hut. It was like stepping into the past — food cans, sealskin sleeping bags, a picture of the King and Queen of England and even socks still hanging to dry are some of the artifacts found here. Behind the bunks is a box, signed by Shackleton, that was supposed to be sent back to England but remained.

In the afternoon, we attempted to visit Commander Robert Scott’s Terra Nova Hut (1910-12 expedition) at Cape Evans but were prevented by thick ice. Proceeding through the open lane, we spotted our first emperor penguins along the edge of the ice.

McMurdo Research Station

Overnight, the Shokalskiy arrived at the McMurdo Research Station. The ship’s gangway was lowered and we walked the half mile across the ice to shore. There, we were divided into groups and given an extensive tour of the facilities. We visited the gym, the store (lots of good souvenirs), the chapel, the weather station, the bar (good snacks) and the science building.

Many of the researchers had already departed; those remaining were preparing to overwinter at the station. The Kiwis of the nearby New Zealand research base invited us to visit in the afternoon, even though they had finished closing the base for the winter that morning.

Later, they drove us to Robert Scott’s Discovery Hut, built for the National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04. It was the least interesting of the historic huts, for many of the artifacts have disappeared over the years. Still, it staggers the imagination to think of spending an Antarctic winter in a wooden shack!

Photo ops

Upon our return to the ship, the Russian crew was very anxious to get under way. What had been open water behind us was now frozen. Since the Shokalskiy was not an icebreaker, it was time to go! The crew jockeyed the boat back and forth to break the ice. Suddenly, a huge crack appeared and we left McMurdo.

Just as dinner was called, we encountered a large group of emperor penguins along the edge of the ice. The ship stopped and lowered the gangway, and many passengers opted to skip dinner to photograph these magnificent birds.

Farther along, large pods of orcas swam around the ship and gave us a show of spyhopping (lunging vertically) through holes in the ice. It was hard to leave!

Tossed about

For the next five days we cruised northward in very heavy weather. For two days a hurricane battered the ship with sustained winds of 70 mph, creating 40-foot waves. One morning we were advised that breakfast was canceled and we should stay in bed. Again, the crew did a remarkable job and maneuvered the ship out of the worst of the storm.

Finally arriving at Campbell Island, it was a huge relief to get on solid ground. An hour’s walk along the boardwalk brought us to Col Lyall Ridge, home of numerous nesting southern royal albatross. It was fascinating to watch these magnificent birds interact with their chicks, walk through the tussock grass and take off from ridges to soar overhead.

Summing up

After another full day at sea and a return stop at Snares Island, we made port at Bluff, then transferred to the airport for the long flight home. It had been a long trip with many days at sea, but we saw incredible things and visited many unique and memorable places.

Our trip was booked through Cheesemans’ Ecology Safaris (Saratoga, CA; phone 800/527-5330 or visit www.cheesemans.com), who chartered the trip through Heritage Expeditions of New Zealand.