Yankee Harbour to Hannah Point

so beautiful

Date: 09-02-07

Aitcho islands, Barrientos island

06:00 Position        62˚24’7.S        059˚44’4.W on anchor by Aitcho Islands

19:00 Position        62˚31’7.S        059˚47’0.W on anchor Yankee Harbour

Weather:

Bleu sky calm morning later cloudier

Wind:                SW2        afternoon SW6           

temperature:     2     

 

Back on board its time for lunch while going anchor up to set sail to Edinburgh hill.

  This volcanic cone consists of Basalt columns that ones formed the core of a volcano. Now the sides have eroded away and the hard core is exposed. On our way from Edinburgh rock to Yankee Harbor we spot our first 2 Antarctic Minke Whale. On the icebergs we also spot 2 crabeater seals. Crabeaters don’t eat crab but Krill. They have special teeth that act as a sieve to filter the Krill from the water.

 

Mike colours up the geological side of the story white an entertaining talk in the deckhouse.

some people enjoy there dinner with beautiful views outside whilst on the hook in Yankee. After dinner we celebrate 2 birthdays with Rensje’s and Anna’s Apple pie. 

What a splendid day!

 

Date: 10-02-07

From: Yankee Harbour To: Hannah Point

13:30 Position        62˚38’99.

Edinburgh hill

  S        060˚37’28.W Hannah Point

Weather:

Wet snow

Wind:var 3 wind later SW 5                

Temperature: 4

Its another early rise lifting the hook at  7 o’ clock the caterpillars below taking us to Hannah point today.

Outside its snowy inside the deckhouse fills up for a lecture by Mike about Geology of Antarctica.

On arrival of Hannah Point we are called on the VHF radio by “Hannah Point campiamiento” to welcome us. 3 Chilean scientist camping here doing research, ashore Mike explains about the Jasper dyke and rock formations, Bart about the birds, Tjalling about the place expelled stomach-linings by chinstraps, Antarctic flora and Foyns exploding harpoon head we find ashore.

Hannah Point is a real microcosm of Antarctic wildlife. We see not only hundreds of Gentoo penguins and Chinstrap Penguins, but also two Macaroni penguins. Really strange to think about Macaroni penguins are the most abundant of penguins, with an estimated population of about 18 million. Gentoo penguins are one of the least abundant species. Nonetheless the Macaroni penguin is a really beautiful penguin with it’s long yellow feathers above it’s eyes.

We further see some Southern Giant Petrels learning to fly. They fly from a rocky outcrop to a lower lying place. After that they slowly walk back over the crumbly volcanic slope to their original take-off spot to try again. On the beach there are two male Southern Elephants fighting. They grunt and grawl and attack one another by standing in an half-upright position against each other and slamming their teeth in to each other. Next we see our first Weddell Seal lying peacefully on the beach.

Later we see two plant species on the vulcanic ashes: Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus quitensis. Both are small bleak plants, the only two higher flowering plant species occurring on Antarctica on the edge of life.

At the end of our walk the Chilean Geologists explain about there research and show us many fossils

2 guest from the station come on board to enjoy dinner with

Chocolate mouse for desert.

During dinner Wind picks up quite a lot for the crew and the 2 guest its very wet ride back.