Danzenbaker Tour Journal: Another Day at Sea

Jan 5: Across the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence)
 
Today started much like yesterday with me peering out my cabin window to find a scene full of seabirds. Since glare on the bow was extreme, we spent the morning birding from the stern of the ship. Clouds of Slender-billed and Antarctic Prions (80%-20%) followed the Polar Star. We found that photographs were very helpful in keying out the identification of each species. Joining the prions were White-chinned Petrels, Greater and Sooty Shearwaters and the first Northern Giant Petrel of the trip.  Diminutive Black-bellied Storm-Petrels joined Wilson’s stormies coursing across the wake. The adult Northern Giant Petrel eventually passed so close to the ship that our passengers could clearly see all of its field marks.

Wandering Albatrosses regularly follow the ship. This species can be aged by the amount of white on the dorsal side of the wing – based on the white diamonds on the upper wing, this individual is probably about five years old.

 
Lectures were again the order of the day, with the only interruption being the completion of the bio-security project. I'm glad to be done with that until after we leave South Georgia! Two Sperm Whales were sighted while I was vacuuming bags – oh well, it happens.
 
This afternoon, I gave my talk about King Penguin breeding biology and egg exchange. It was well-attended, which was good to see. Anything having to do with King Penguins usually draws a crowd. Following my program, attendees enthusiastically asked lots of questions, which is always appreciated by any lecturer. I'm now done with speaking engagement until we leave South Georgia, freeing me up to concentrate on landings and showing people egg exchanges. Today's talk was cut short by two minutes when whales were sighted from the bow. No worries, even the speaker would rather look at whales than listen to the sound of his own voice. As the group scrambled up on deck, a pod of about 15 Fin Whales passed within 100 feet of the ship. We were disappointed that they didn’t stick around long enough for optimal viewing. By day’s end, we had seen about 20 whales.

Tonight we gathered to view a selection of photos taken by staff and participants during our days at Tierra del Fuego National Park and in the Falklands. These collective images served to remind us of all great experiences we've already shared. And to think, we're a mere seven days into a 26-day tour.  
 

Here is profile shot of the Polar Star, our home away from home for nearly a month. It is surely a curiosity to the Magellanic Penguins in the foreground.

I have been extremely pleased with my cabin on this trip. Cabin 504 (note to self for future Antarctic expeditions!) is ideally positioned so that I'm less than a 20-second walk away from those parts of the ship that I visit most often. The design of  the Polar Star gives it the appearance of having two "towers," a forward tower and an aft tower. My cabin is on the 5th level of the forward tower. From here it is just a short walk to observation lounge on the 5th level of the aft tower. This lounge serves as the unofficial social gathering place on the ship, where all lectures, briefings, and afternoon snacks are held. It is lined with large windows so that outside of lecture times (shades are drawn during lectures), we can relax in comfy chairs as we watch for seabirds or just enjoy the scenery going by. To the rear of the lounge is an outside observation deck where crowds gather to watch for wildlife during good weather conditions. It is also a convenient escape from the relative warmth of the observation lounge. This deck is a favorite hangout for photographers, particularly on those mornings when we are sailing eastward.

The Polar Star was apparently designed with shutterbugs in mind as there are many places on board that provide ideal perches for photographers.

 
Two flights up from my cabin is the bridge. As one of the naturalists on board, I spend lots of time up there or on the wings that extend out on each side the bridge. These wings offer a commanding view ahead and to the sides of the ship, thus they are superb vantage points for spotting birds and whales. The Polar Star has an “open bridge” policy, allowing us access to an area that would be off limits to passengers on most vessels. As long as we’re not too loud and stay out of the way of the captain and other official types, they welcome our presence. There are occasions, especially when anchoring or traveling through more difficult areas, when we have to give them a bit more space.

Also in close proximity to my cabin is the library, which has two computers for passenger use (e-mails). Immediately below the library is the Polar Bar where staff meetings are held (yes, all work, nothing else!). One level down from the bar is the dining room where people have their fill of delicious fare three times daily. Adjacent to the dining room there is the bulletin board where sign-up sheets, wildlife sightings summaries, and newspaper headlines are posted. Several days ago, we posted the sign-up sheet for the first iceberg “pool” – you guess the date and time for the spotting of the first iceberg and, if you are closest to the actual date and time, you win a bottle of wine.

Beyond the bulletin board is the reception area and the ship’s office where essentials such as a copier, the lost and found, and the ship’s store are located. Deck three also houses the mud room where more than 100 pairs of boots and our life jackets are stored. This is the last room we pass through before loading into the zodiacs on landing days.

All photos by Jim Danzenbaker