Antarctic Adventures: through endurance we conquer.
In February 2024, I took a long-awaited and anticipated trip to Antarctica; earlier renditions having been cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travelling from Aotearoa to Ushuaia, Argentina, involved some arduous long-haul flights, but my 70kg of equipment and I arrived safely and intact, with the biggest ‘discussion’ around my dive battery taking place with the gentlemen at Wellington airport security.The punters convened in Ushuaia, a port town nestled between snow-capped mountains and the Beagle channel.
Ushuaia describes itself as ‘the end of the world’. I dived in the Beagle Channel with the laid back team from Ushuaia divers. The kelp forests are home to a rich ecosystem, and I rapidly became fascinated by the jittery squat lobsters, the giant Southern King Crabs climbing the kelp and the numerous nudibranchs & shrimps in the 8° water.
However, the purpose of this trip was visits to the Antarctic peninsula, South Georgia & the Falkland Islands aboard the Oceanwide vessel "Hondius", travelling with American company BlueGreen Expeditions.
It was quickly pointed out to us that this was an expedition, not a cruise, and to reinforce this point our itinerary was reversed on account of the inclement weather forecast. Antarctica was to be our first point of call and we departed through the Beagle Channel, and into the wide expanses of Drake Channel.
Tales of the misery of the treacherous Drake Passage crossing abound, with the ‘Drake Shake’ having reached legendary status. A member of Shackleton’s 1916 expedition described it as ‘the most dreaded bit of ocean on the globe – and rightly so’. Soaring albatrosses and spouting whales accompanied us on our passage south, as our eyes were peeled for wildlife and subsequently icebergs.
Our first Antarctic Peninsula day commenced with a sunrise cruise along the Gerlache channel, with the sky’s orange hues and snow-covered landscape reflected in the millpond calm water. The volatility of the weather in these harsh regions became apparent when 8 hours later, the same sheltered passage of water was assaulted by screeching 130 knots winds, horizontal snow and minimal visibility.
I completed 5 dives in Antarctica where the water temperature varied between -1 and +1°. A common question was ‘what did you wear’ and the many layers of thermal protection meant it was a slow, laborious task getting ready for a dive, requiring the assistance of a buddy. Timing was also a challenge as if you got dressed too early, you were inevitably sweltering hot while waiting. I wore:- Merino underwear (no cotton anywhere)
- Merino long johns and long sleeved top.
- Heated vest and gloves (getting dressed included ‘wiring myself up’)
- Halo A°R undersuit
- Sharkskin socks and thick woollen socks
- DUI expedition drysuit
- 11mm hood
- Dry gloves
In terms of equipment configuration, the cylinders had a ‘U valve’ configuration and our regs had 2 first stages so that a shut-down could be performed if we had a free-flow, which can occur in extreme cold-water diving. Environmentally-sealed regulators were essential and a weight harness made the excess weights easier to manage than a weight belt. All diving was single tank to a maximum depth of 18m with absolutely no decompression diving. It was emphasised that we were diving in an extremely remote area with help many days away.
""The diving was physically demanding… getting dressed was a battle and the heavy weights added to the load."
Icebergs were fascinating to dive along-side, some with intricate tessellated patterns and stones trapped within, forming into arches and shelves and others varying shades of glassy blue and white. The seafloor appeared silty and barren at first look, but by slowing down (and with good buoyancy control) you could find large sea-spiders, bizarrely-shaped isopods and giant tunicates.
In Foyn harbour we dived the wreck of the Governoren, a Norwegian whaling factory ship that caught fire in 1915. Its hull was encrusted with Antarctic anemones, ascidians and nudibranchs, with Antarctic cod rumoured to live inside.
""Thawing out was agony as sensation sluggishly returned to my frozen extremities."
The conditions made photography demanding. Movement felt clumsy in all my layers and my dry gloves with thick under-gloves reduced dexterity. Sediment in the water added to the challenges. My dive times were generally 30-40 minutes. On one occasion, stubbornness and sheer bloody-mindedness overcame any vestiges of common sense as I delayed ascending because the diving was just too interesting. I paid the price on the surface when I discovered my fingers ignored any commands from my brain and talking was onerous… Thawing out was agony as sensation sluggishly returned to my frozen extremities.
The wonders continued above water.
The Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins were gorgeous as they waddled along their ‘penguin highways’, watching penguin whanau interactions was an ongoing soap opera. We learned that small icebergs are called ‘growlers’ and ‘bergy bits’…
We were given briefings when available for dives, but we may have been the first to dive the isolated Duroch Islands. We were rewarded with bizarre amphipods and an Antarctic cod snuggled in the weed.
Departing from Antarctica, we detoured to King George Island, for a medical evacuation of an unlucky guide who had developed appendicitis, before our next point of call at Elephant Island. Elephant Island is famously where Ernest Shackleton’s men spent 4 ½ months awaiting rescue. Point Wild, the site of their wretched camp, was bleak and desolate and it was incomprehensible how they survived here against the jagged and exposed cliffs. Conditions were too rough for us to land or dive.
We continued northwards and encountered the giant A23a tabular iceberg. The largest floating mass of ice in the world, it originated from the Ronne Ice Shelf, and measured 88 by 80km and apparently weighed over 1000 billion tonnes. The malevolent sea had carved caves from its walls as the waves crashed menacingly against it.
The following day we reached the South Orkney Islands. Inhospitable, gloomy and frigid are adjectives that come to mind. Unfortunately weather conditions prevented us from diving, but a ship’s cruise allowed us to admire the stark landscape and numerous icebergs.
South Georgia was a highlight of this trip. From stunning icebergs, including green ‘Jade Bergs’, the historic Grytviken whalers’ settlement, penguin colonies to unique diving, South Georgia excelled. The water temperature had increased to a mighty 3 degrees – it’s amazing what a difference this makes – and the 3 dives were a treat oftangled kelp forests, home to numerous creepy sea spiders, delicate anemones and luminescent gastropods.
Fortuna Bay with its colony of King penguins and boisterous seal pups kept the photographers overwhelmed, the wildlife enthusiasts spellbound, and the expedition guides busy fending off the exuberant seal pups.
The disputed Falkland Islands ( Islas Malvinas) were our final stop. The capital of Stanley, with its brightly coloured houses and numerous war memorials, gave us a taste of civilisation. We dived at Carcass Island and West Point Island, with the “tropical” 10 degree water permitting longer dive times. Rich kelp forests were home to mating isopods, gorgeous nudibranchs and graceful rock cod.
At Westpoint Island we trekked to a black-browed albatross colony where we were treated to up close encounters with adorable fluffy albatross chicks, carefully watched over by glaring rockhopper penguins.
We arrived safely back in Ushuaia enriched with memories, with hard drives overflowing with photos, and an ongoing thirst for more polar adventures.
