Saturday, February 5, 2022 – Photo of the Day – Yankee Harbor, Antarctica Peninsula

ANTARCTIC PENINSULA-YANKEE HARBOUR Arrival: 7:00 AM All Aboard: 12:30 PM Departure: 1:00 PM

TODAY’S WEATHER Cloudy High: 37°F 3°C Low: 34°F 1°C

DRESS CODE: CASUAL

For Ladies: DRESSES OR BLOUSES AND PANTS
For Gentlemen: SPORT SHIRTS AND SLACKS
No shorts or flip-flop-type footwear after 6:00 PM in indoor venues

Before landing, we had two briefings from the Expedition Crew to prepare us for Antarctica.

ANTARCTIC TREATY GENERAL GUIDELINES
Be prepared for severe and changeable weather. Ensure that your equipment and
clothing meet Antarctic standards. Remember that the Antarctic environment is
inhospitable, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous. Know your capabilities, the
dangers posed by the Antarctic environment, and act accordingly. Mind safety at all
times. Keep a safe distance from dangerous wildlife like fur seals, both on land and sea.
Do not take souvenirs, whether man-made, biological, or geological items, including
feathers, bones, eggs, vegetation, soil, rocks, meteorites, or fossils.
WHY BIOSECURITY?
Invasive animal and plant species pose a very real threat to Antarctica’s vulnerable
environment. By complying with simple measures you will personally be making a real
and valuable contribution to the conservation of Antarctica. The biosecurity measures
implemented are intended to protect Antarctica by preventing the introduction or transfer
between sites of any organic material including animals, plants, seeds, soil, and diseases.

Photos from Yankee Harbor, Antarctica.

We were so excited to be standing on our seventh continent – Antarctica! At Yankee Harbor on Greenwich Island in the South Shetland Islands.  

We had endured the suspense of the COVID Go Ashore/Can’t Go Ashore roller coaster.  Then there were many Antarctica Treaty, IAATO, and biosecurity briefings, and getting our Expedition boots, pants, and parkas.  Finally, we were cleared to go as if it were a military invasion.

The excitement was building waking up at 4 AM, turning restlessly until the 5:30 AM alarm.  We struggled to put on our many layers of Antarctic gear (much worse than ski gear), then went to the Showroom to fitted for life jackets and awaited our call to board the Zodiac military-grade pontoon boat.  By this time, we were hot, sweaty, and exhausted.  We had practiced our “Seaman’s Double Handshake Grip” and needed it as we stepped cautiously off our ship onto the Zodiac bobbing in 3-foot sea swells.

Once in the Zodiac, we looked out at the ice shelves, floating pieces of sea-ice, 3-foot waves, freezing temperatures, and overcast skies and felt like our adventure had finally begun.  Our Zodiac was a 5-chamber military-grade rigid inflatable boat with black lifelines to hold on to, and equipped with a 90 HP outboard motor.  Everyone had a death grip on those lines as we sped thru the bumpy and spraying waves for 15 minutes. The sea and harbor were mostly clear of floating ice this morning.  Once ashore, we had to maneuver our legs over the inflatable chambers and step into a foot of water on an uneven surface.  Fortunately, the Expedition Crew Members were there to help stabilize us and walk us ashore and give us walking sticks for stability on the pebbled beach.

Our landing was on a barren black stone beach on an isolated narrow spit of land leading to soaring mountains and thick glacier ice fields.  The beach had a barren “End of the World” feel to it with no snow, no shrubs, and the carcasses of seals and penguins scattered about.  As we scanned the land, there were about 30 small Gentoo Penguins standing at attention and a dozen seals scatted over a one-half mile beach.

We spent an hour exploring the half-mile rocky beach.  Penguins would pose for still photos then waddle away giving us an opportunity to make a movie.  The seals would lumber around, bark, pose and lay down for a nap to digest the morning meal they had caught that morning.  We stumbled onto two tufts of Antarctica Hair Grass as the only vegetation we found. 

By the end of the hour, we noticed ice beginning to pile up on one shoreline driven by the wind.  As we returned to catch the Zodiac back to our ship, the original landing site was filled with large chunks of ice crush so our new departure site was several hundred yards away where there was less ice.   Seeing our ship about a mile away, we were delighted to board the Zodiac.  The trip back was more difficult because maneuvering around the large chunks of ice crush and higher seas.

As we approached our ship, expedition crew members greeted our Zodiac, lashed us to the embarkation deck, and assisted us aboard.  As part of the biosecurity procedures our boots and pants were sprayed to remove any material from shore, and we stepped into a disinfectant tray for our boots before ascending the stairs to our preparation room.  We checked back onto the ship with our ID cards, removed our life vests, sat down to remove our boots for the crew to further disinfect, clean, and deliver to our room.  The final treat was a warm washcloth and a glass of warm mull wine.

Reflecting on our expedition, we celebrated our 7^th continent visit and were delighted to see the wildlife and views. We now have an appreciation for all the briefings about the fast-changing environment and the need for biosecurity to keep Antarctica pristine.

Today’s Schedule

7:00 Antarctic Peninsula – Yankee Harbor Tours
12:30 ALL ABOARD! THE LAST ZODIAC LEAVES SHORESIDE.
3:00 Enrichment Lecture with Chris Harbard (Ornithology) The Show Lounge (6)
Today’s Topic: “Penguins”, one of the world’s strangest and most fascinating bird families
9:45 Cabaret Show: “Oh What A Beautiful Evening!” with Rhiannon from the Voices of Silversea Panorama Lounge (8)
Join Welsh Classical Soprano Rhiannon for an evening dedicated to the Golden Era of Musical Theatre.
Relax and reminisce to the beautiful music of West Side Story, My Fair Lady, The King and I, The Sound of Music.