First day of life in the Antarctic

Sunday 20 March

 

Again we get up early. Just as we are having breakfast we have our first sightings of rocks towering over the water and smaller islands. We get outside and see a group of penguins on starboard. Everyone is excited and you can feel the vibration moving through the ship. After the cold takes over we get back in and get a presentation on climate science. Most of this is known to me but some new facts are presented or refreshed. After only a short break we get our gear inspected and cleaned to avoid any biodiversity hazards. The Antarctic area we are in now is getting a bit warmer, estimated to be about 3.5 degrees of Celsius over the last fifty years. Every pocket in our outer layers and camera bags are vacuum cleaned to avoid bring non native seeds to the islands. Waterproof boots are handed out and we get fifteen minutes to prepare for our first landing. Four of the ten Zodiacs the ship is carrying are brought down in the water. After swiping our cards to let the ship’s computer know we are getting on shore, we have to get through a basin of chemicals to clean our boots and board the Zodiacs. We have anchored close to Half Moon Island and set out to get on shore to see a penguin colony and seals which live there. It is cloud covered, a bit hazy and snowing. With calm seas in the bay the landing is smooth and Robert Swan is already on shore to welcome everyone personally. It is an inspiring moment to be welcomed by him the place he devoted his life to. The penguins are funny and a little smaller than I expected. A seal is resting next to an old, wooden and half gone rowing boat on the dark pebble beach. We hike around the area and see lot’s of penguins and stunning views of glaciers hitting the waterfront just across a small canal. An old whale bone rests on the shore. You can clearly smell the penguin’s guano and it is a good thing you don’t bring that home with you in your pictures. We have the option of hanging around the penguin colony and discover the area on our own or take a group hike along the bay where not much wildlife is to be expected. With a two other expedition members we split off and wonder off on our own. This appears to be a good choice as you can clearer hear the natural sounds you have in this area. While we are quiet and just absorbing the environment in it’s beauty and it’s cruelty (some dead and half eaten penguins lie around) we apparently make an interesting target for one nosy penguin that approaches me and gets really close. There is no fear, just curiosity. It is a wonderful experience. After wondering around, taking our pictures we set off back to the beach where we came on shore. We clean our boots as good as we can in the surf and board a Zodiac to take us back to the ship. My first Antarctic landing is a fact.

 

Peter Byck is on board as well. He is a movie maker and his latest movie is Carbon Nation. Particularly to US citizens it has recognizable characters in the movie, like people from Texas or Alaska. The movie sounds a positive energy and is centered around solutions rather than challenges. Solutions that make people happy and that are profitable. This is the most effective way to move people in the US. Another theme in the movie is the father to son relation. Once it is available, I would recommend to watch it. If you like it and would like to spread the word, let me know. Peter Byck owns the movie rights and he said the answers is always yes to the question whether one could show it.

 

After some snacks we have the debriefing of the day and get an overview of tomorrows program, which will turn out to be an awesome day.

 

I have dinner together with Robert Swan and we discuss reaching out to other investors with his message and mission. He embraces the idea of getting to Paris in September when there will be a big investor gathering around the annual conferences of ICGN (on which Roderick is confirmed to speak) and UNPRI. One of the participants on the expedition is Scott, in his free time an opera singer. This evening he performs one of the highlights from the opera Tosca. It is moving to see him perform with such dedication and ability to put emotion in his act. Two ladies, both from Dubai give us notice that tonight it is also Persian new year, which we lightly celebrate.