2023 - Antarctica Bound

Above: Salt Lake City International Airport, A Concourse. 08 January 2023.

Antarctica bound. Trip, a French owned, Ponant Cruise Line expedition trip to Antarctica, was first conceived two- and one-half years ago and scheduled for last year at this time. Espresso, my forty five-year friend, who lives in Washington, D.C., was trip instigator, organizer and travel companion. We opted out of last year's scheduled trip due to onerous Ponant protocols for coronavirus. So here I am, one year later, on my way. TIMDT was not interested in the trip and encouraged my accompanying Espresso Up to this point I have been ambivalent about traveling to Antarctica. I haven't travelled internationally since 2019. I kinda (sic) lost interest in international travel and replaced the wandering yen with domestic travel in the Sprinter and the new second home in Ivins, UT. TIMDT and Espresso have carried me along in the planning process, handling cruise booking, airline reservations, travel and evac insurance etc. But, today, here I am at SLC International, on my own, fending for myself. I had better check my long-neglected travel documents before I board the aircraft. Has my passport expired? American Airlines. Salt Lake City to Buenos Aires with connection in Dallas. Next day, 10th, fly to Argentina's southernmost city, a port, Ushuaia, to board L'Austral. Two days sailing the Drake passage. Six days plying the inlets of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. Two days sailing back to Ushuaia on the Drake Passage, arriving 20 January 2023.

Above: Andes Mountains. 09 January 2023.

From American Airlines, Boeing 777 aircraft, origin Dallas destination Buenos Aires. Near tri-border of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Its summer in the southern hemisphere. Sixteen thousand foot plus mountain peaks carry snow throughout the year!

Above: Plaza de la Republica. Buenos Aires, Argentina. 09 January 2023.

Two weeks ago, this plaza teemed with over 5 million people celebrating Argentina's victory in the World Cup.

Espresso, whose flight arrived from Miami just before mine, met me at the airport. We shared a hired car which took us to the cruise sponsored Sofitel Hotel. This is not my first trip to BA. After finishing a motorcycle trip in Patagonia in 2013, I flew from Ushuaia to meet TIMDT in BA where we embarked on a Regent cruise from BA to Valparaiso, Chile.

Above: Happiness Restaurant. Buenos Aires, Argentina. 09January 2023.

When in Argentina, follow the practice of Espresso, Bishop and Ed. Eat beef. Here, pictured, entrana (skirt steak). Ed, an Argentine, and Espresso were work mates on Citibank's international inspection team back in the 70's. I met Expresso, in 1973 when his Citibank inspection team did a review of Citibank Calcutta, where I was operations manager. This Antarctica trip kind of squares the circle for Espresso and me. Expresso and I started our relationship with an adventure trip following the bank inspection. Together we rode elephants into the high grasses of Kaziranga National Park in Assam where we saw the rare, endangered Indian white rhinoceros.

Here at lunch Ed gave us a comprehensive rundown on life in Argentina today. Argentina, a country of great bounty and unfulfilled promise.

Above: Aerolineas Argentinas Boeing 737. Buenos Aires, Argentina. 10 January 2023.

Ushuaia bound.

Above: Lamb barbeque. Las Cotorras Restaurant, Ushuaia, Argentina. 10 January 2023.

Cruise sponsored lunch to help kill time between 10:00 AM arrival in Ushuaia and 4:00 PM boarding of Ponant's expedition vessel, L'Austral.

I rarely go out of my way to eat lamb, but the crispy, barbequed lamb cuts, served to pluck from a large basket, were terrific.

Above: Ushuaia, Argentina port. 10 January 2023.

Ponant's L'Austral is the grey ship at left. L'Austral is a luxury expedition vessel. L'Austral is small enough to negotiate Antarctician bays and inlets, but large enough to have luxury staterooms and top, level French cuisine food, and entertainment. The vessel was designed for polar cruising with a reinforced hull to negotiate iceberg strewn waters. Most of our cruises, to date, have been on Regent, Silver Sea, or Seaborn 500 passenger cruise ships. L'Austral has space for 200 passengers and 150 crew. While many larger cruise vessels cross the Drake Passage and explore the Antarctic coastline, as governed by the Antarctic Treaty, only vessels the size of L'Austral or smaller are allowed to deploy passengers ashore.

Above: Tricolor and Espresso on stern sixth level deck of L'Austral. 10 January 2023.

Welcome cocktail party on departure. Sailing east bound on the Beagle Channel. Hoping to resurrect a bit of my long dormant French language ability, I look forward to the French flavor of life on L'Austral over the next ten days. Captain Marchesseau gave a welcome address to the passengers alternating ably between English and French.

Above: Cabin, deck six, L'Austral. 10 January 2023.

My little house for the next ten days.

Above: Aboard L'Austral. Drake Passage. 11 January 2023

We are informed by the captain that Drake seas, with up to 8 feet swells are a benign "2" of "10" when it comes to potential Drake restiveness. Captain Marchesseau, who makes periodic announcements on sea conditions over the PA system, says this is good news. Still, this small boat rocks a bit. I have to grab the railings in the corridors to remain in balance.

Five hundred miles separate Ushuaia, at the tip of South America, with landfall in the South Shetland Islands, which are just north of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Above: After dinner entertainment in the aft 3rd Deck Lounge. L'Austral. 11 January 2023.

Five dancers and one female vocalist make up the entertainment. Music is canned, but the sound is robust. All off the entertainers are talented. The performance is well done... entertaining. The boat is rocking a bit. I take my hat off to them for staying upright.

Above: Nelson Island, South Shetland Islands. 12 January 2023.

Sighted mid-morning. There is something a bit moving about sighting land that few in the world will ever see (or have seen). The captain announces that after lunch we are going to do an unplanned shore expedition at Half Moon Bay on Livingstone Island, South Shetland Islands.

Above: L'Austral Expedition Staff. Half Moon Bay, Livingston Island. 12 January 2023.

Each shore expedition is prepped. The area is checked for safety, for wildlife within reach etc. Red flags are placed at intervals where expedition goers are expected to walk. Bi-lingual (French, English) yellow jacketed expedition staff will be standing at intervals along the pre-planned route.

Above: Espresso poses at Half Moon Bay, Livingstone Island. 12 January 2023.

L'Austral is in the background.

When we arrive in Antarctica proper, we will be walking mostly on snow. I'm guessing the expedition staff thought it would be a good idea to have the first excursion on real land as a preparation for the more difficult to navigate and oft slippery, at pitch, snow coming in later shore excursions.

Above: Chinstrap Penguin. Half Moon Bay, Livingstone Island, South Shetland Islands. 12 January 2023.

This penguin didn't seem to be bothered by my presence. They're funny looking things. I have to remember that their seeming clumsiness on land is not representative of their agility in the water when they are looking for food.

L'Austral naturalists inform us that we will see three species of penguins on this trip: Chinstrap, Gentoo, and Adelie. Note the black line - chin strap - on the penguin's neck.

Addendum:

What a wonderful trip you had! I enjoyed seeing the photos. Be sure and catch the current movie out Argentina:1985. It is the story of the civil trial of the 9 generals who took over the country in 1976 and reigned for 7 years with kidnapping, torture and disappearing of over 10,000 citizens. Really well done. I think I watched it on Prime or was it Netflix?

Sara,
Provo, UT.

Looks great Steve. I did a similar trip 6 or 7 years ago on a similarly small ship of which I was a part owner (Antarctic Dream). I am now in southern Chile (Talca) checking out our vineyards.

Saludos

Dick,
NY, NY

An exciting new adventure—enjoy!

The Monk,
Salina, UT

Thanks Steve, for "taking us along" on your amazing adventures!

Drummer J,
Lehi, UT.

A long way to go to ogle snow, ice, rocks, penguins and seals.. Did I miss something? What else is there down there? Was this Sir Edmund Hillary redux? You went because it was there?

Tork,
Sandy, UT

Had other PC friends do similar trip & they loved it!
Have great time.

Kilimanjaro,
Jackson, WY

Steve.. Thanks for a terrific write-up and pictures. I am copying Liana so she can participate in our experiences.

Espresso,
Washington, DC

Fascinating! Thank you!

Gordon,
Salt Lake City, UT

Does Argentina still have Peugeot as a preferred car? Third slide.
Nissan was not yet there when I lived in BA. Ford Falcons and one other make were being assembled in 1970. Fun trip,

Panama,
Los Angeles, CA

Thanks very much for the travelogue here and on FB. All very fascinating.

Nathans,
Massapequa, NY

Above: Antarctic Mainland! 13 January 2022.

View from my cabin at 7:00 AM. Antarctica. No longer an abstraction. No longer a white blotch on the bottom of my office globe. Seeing this land spurred a lump in throat moment. My erstwhile ambivalence about coming on this trip is beginning to fade.

Above: L'Austral enters Neko Bay. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Neko Harbour (64°50′S 62°33′WCoordinates: 64°50′S 62°33′W) is an inlet of the Antarctic Peninsula on Andvord Bay, situated on the west coast of Graham Land.
Neko Harbour was discovered by Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache during the early 20th century. It was named for a Scottish whaling boat, the Neko, which operated in the area between 1911 and 1924.

Above: Neko Bay Images from L'Austral. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Above: Kayaks. Neko Bay, Antarctica. 23 January 2023.

Kayakers are wearing wet suits.

Above: Bishop and Captain Marchesseau. Aboard zodiac. Neko Bay, Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

I readily agreed when Captain Marchesseau asked to have his image taken with me. As bothersome as such requests can be, it is important for me to make myself available to people wanting to be photographed with me. I mean, why be a jerk?

Above: Espresso. Neko Bay. Antarctica. 23 January 2023.

Just after this image was captured, we heard a large cracking sound to Espresso's right. A calving had occurred. We could see the new berg emerge, bobbing and rolling in the water.

The red expedition parkas are provided by the ship. They are issued brand new, and we get to take them home. We wear rubber boots provided by the ship. Before exiting the ship to board the zodiacs, we swish/clean our boots in special brush lined receptacles containing fresh water placed on the deck.

Above: Neko Bay, Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Expedition goers with L'Austral in the background. Our first walk on the mainland. Using periodically placed red flags, the expedition staff had marked out a path in the snow climbing to a 300-foot elevation promontory. A three-hundred-foot elevation clime on a dirt trail would be strenuous enough for an average age sixty-five cohort. A 300-foot climb in the snow ain't (sic) nuthin' (sic). The walk was tricky as snow tamped down by previous walkers was still a bit unstable. Periodically my foot would sink an additional six inches into snow that I thought was firm. A majority of hikers had walking sticks with baskets. I brought walking sticks, but they had no baskets. I had never used walking sticks when hiking or walking, so I opted to leave mine on the ship. As I negotiated the unstable and slippery (at pitch) snow, I resolved to bring one stick on the next snow walk, if only for placebo effect. I considered truncating my walk, but decided to put one foot in front of the other until I reached the promontory. After all, I had traveled 9000 miles to get here. I didn't want to live with the regret of not going the full distance. The descent was, in ways, more difficult than the ascent. At points along the way, the pitch was steep, and the snow was slippery. Forcing the heel of my boot into the snow as I descended seemed to work, but it was slow going.

Above: Gentoo Penguins. Neko Bay. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

These penguins, oblivious to any seeming risk from us humans being around, descend a penguin highway. Expeditioners were advised not to walk on penguin highways... we had our own trails blazed by the expedition staff... and to give penguins the right of way when at an intersection. To say the least, this encounter up close with the penguins was an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Above: Gentoo Penguin colony. Neko Bay. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Unlike an image of a spectacular landscape, this image is one of a kind. In a matter of days, ice calving will change the contour of the ice cliff. Ice versus stone. Geology accelerated.

Above: Bishop 'n penguins. Neko Bay, Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Above: Rendezvous with L'Austral sister ship, Le Commandant Charcot, Neko Bay, Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Le Commandant Charcot is one of two new Ponant ships. Where L'Austral has a reinforced hull for iceberg laden harbors like Niko, Le Commandant Charcot has actual ice breaking capability. As it is summer in Antarctica, harbors and inlets such as Niko have lots of floating ice chunks and larger bergs, but no surface ice.

Addendum

Looking forward to this series!

Mack,
Bountiful, UT!

Did you see any passengers wearing the little patch on the neck behind the ear to prevent sea sickness. I understand it works great.

Nathans,
Massapequa, NY

Yes.

Argentina: 1985. It is the story of the civil trial of the 9 generals who took over the country in 1976 and reigned for 7 years with kidnapping, torture, and disappearance of over 10,000 citizens. On Prime.

Argentina: 1985

Panama,
Los Angeles, CA

Very nice Diary Steve!

Trinh,
Orange County, CA

Above: Leopard Seal. Paradise Bay. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Paradise Harbor, also known as Paradise Bay, is a wide embayment behind Lemaire and Bryde Islands in Antarctica, indenting the west coast of Graham Land between Duthiers and Leniz Points. The name was first applied by whalers operating in the vicinity and was in use by 1920.

The pictured leopard seal was sighted on a zodiac cruise. Typically, each day, expedition goers do an onshore expedition and a zodiac cruise, one in the AM and the other in the PM. Expedition goers are assigned color codes which denote the time of each expedition. Eight zodiacs are used to accomplish the expeditions. Each outing lasts one hour and a half.

The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), also referred to as the sea leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic (after the southern elephant seal). Its only natural predator is the orca. It feeds on a wide range of prey including cephalopods, other pinnipeds, krill, fish, and birds, particularly penguins. It is the only species in the genus Hydrurga. Its closest relatives are the Ross seal, the crabeater seal and the Weddell seal, which together are known as the tribe of Lobodontini seals. The name hydrurga means "water worker" and leptonyx is the Greek for "thin-clawed".

Our zodiac operator/naturalist informed us that the pictured leopard seal encounter was a rare sighting.

Above: Cormorant wrestles prey. Paradise Bay. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

Our female Russian naturalist/zodiac operator stopped the zodiac, retrieved her camera and began taking images of this unique "law of the jungle" happening. While taking the photographs, the woman's attention was not on the zodiac or its ten passengers. I didn't say anything, but I felt that considering her charge to look after us helpless geezers in this inherently risky situation she dropped the ball.

There have been two reported zodiac incidents this cruise season in Antarctica which have resulted in death.

Three weeks ago, on a Viking Antarctica cruise, a male senior citizen broke a leg, falling while exiting a zodiac. The injury was severe enough that the ship's captain decided to truncate the cruise and return immediately to Ushuaia. Seas were rough on the ship's return across the Drake Passage and a freak wave, coming from starboard, knocked out three cabin windows. One woman was killed.

Two people died during a shore excursion on a Quark Expeditions cruise after a zodiac boat capsized. According to a statement from Quark, the accident occurred during a zodiac excursion from the ship World Explorer, chartered by the company, near Cape Lookout, Elephant Island in the Antarctic on 15 November 2022.

Above: Bishop 'n Espresso. Paradise Bay zodiac excursion. Antarctica. 13 January 2023.

My grumpy look in the above image may have something to do with the fact that our zodiac operator/naturalist again failed in her duties. She maneuvered the zodiac into a small, placid inlet very near a glacial cliff edge (see image). She broke out a bottle of champaign and poured a glass for each of the ten zodiac expedition goers. It was a nice thought. Buit, my first reaction was that we were too close to the ice cliff. Again, as was the case when her photographic attention was directed at the cormorant which was securing is prey, I didn't say anything. At about fifty yards away from the ice cliff we were not in danger of being hit by calving ice, but a wave resulting from a calving could have upended our zodiac. Lo and behold, two or three minutes into our Antarctic champaign celebration, the expedition leader's zodiac raced up to us. The zodiac expedition leader told our zodiac operator to move out another hundred yards. I'm just sayin'. In the early aughts I was organizer of some motorcycle events in remote areas of the western United States. We had to chopper out one crash victim. I have experience in organizing events having more than ordinary levels of risk. Likely today's incidents were one off. By and large, the zodiac operations of L'Austral are adeptly managed. I was glad to see the rapid, back up, supervisory attention given to our situation.

Above: Reflections. Paradise Bay. Antarctica, 13 January 2023.

Above: Adelie penguins. Yalour Islands. Antarctica, 14 January 2023.

The Adélie penguin ( Pygoscelis adeliae) is a species of penguin common along the entire coast of the Antarctic continent, which is its only habitat. It is the most widely spread penguin species, as well as the most southerly distributed of all penguins, along with the emperor penguin.

Zodiac cruise in and around the Yalour Islands.

The third variety of penguins we have seen on this voyage. Before, Gentoo and Chinstrap.

Yalour Islands, also known as the Jalour Islands, is a group of islands and rocks 2.8 kilometers in extent in the south part of the Wilhelm Archipelago. The group lies 1.9 kilometers northwest of Cape Tuxen, Graham Land. Discovered and named by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903–05, under J.B. Charcot.

Above: Crabeater Seals. Yalour Islands. Antarctica. 14 January 2023.

The crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophaga), also known as the krill-eater seal, is a true seal with a circumpolar distribution around the coast of Antarctica. They are medium- to large-sized (over 2 m in length), relatively slender and pale-colored, found primarily on the free-floating pack ice that extends seasonally out from the Antarctic coast, which they use as a platform for resting, mating, social aggregation and accessing their prey. They are by far the most abundant seal species in the world. While population estimates are uncertain, there are at least 7 million and possibly as many as 75 million individuals. This success of this species is due to its specialized predation on the abundant Antarctic krill of the Southern Ocean, for which it has uniquely adapted, sieve-like tooth structure. Indeed, its scientific name, translated as "lobe-toothed (lobodon) crab eater (carcinophaga)", refers specifically to the finely lobed teeth adapted to filtering their small crustacean prey.[3] Despite its name, crabeater seals do not eat crabs. As well as being an important krill predator, the crabeater seal's pups are an important component of the diet of leopard seals (H. leptonyx). They are the only member of the genus Lobodon. (Wikepedia).

Above: Icebergs. Yalour Islands, Antarctica. 14 January 2023.

Photographed from zodiac.

Above: Zodiac. L'Austral. Antarctica. 14 January 2023.

Prudently, the expedition zodiac operations are cancelled when the seas are rough. So far, being in inlets and bays, protected from winds, all planned zodiac excursions have taken place. Our zodiac excursions have been comfortable. One or two times the trip from the ship to the protected inlets have been a bit rocky. I never felt at risk on these bouncy rides but did grab hold of the safety rope behind me and leaned an extra bit forward. This is my first experience in this amazing little watercraft. Zodiacs were powered by a 60 hp outboard engine. Passengers are seated and the operator stands at rear. Expedition staff take great care in boarding us geezer passengers. Two able seamen, one in the zodiac and one on the zodiac, grip your arms and ease you in and out of the zodiac. The passenger sits on the pontoon on either side and swings his leg out and over the pontoon to board and get off the zodiac. We are not allowed to stand in the zodiac. If we are seated at the far end, we slide on the pontoon on our rear ends to get to our appointed "seats."

Addendum

Welcome back from Antarctica. As usual, I have enjoyed your picto diary.

Hoops,
Pelham, NY

Looks very cold, but great red coats!

Isetta,
Chicago, IL

Above: Gentoo penguin. Cuverville Island. Antarctica. 15 January 2023.

Leopard seal lunch.

Cuverville Island or Île de Cavelier de Cuverville is a dark, rocky island lying in Errera Channel between Arctowski Peninsula and the northern part of Rongé Island, off the west coast of Graham Land in Antarctica. Cuverville Island was discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (1897–1899) under Adrien de Gerlache, who named it for Jules de Cuverville (1834–1912), a vice admiral of the French Navy.

The island has been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding colony of about 6500 pairs of gentoo penguins, the largest for this species on the Antarctic Peninsula. Other birds nesting at the site include southern giant petrels and Antarctic shags.

Above: Red Penguins. Cuverville Island. Antarctica. 15 January 2023.

Iceberg garden.

Above: Gouvernoren shipwreck. Enterprise Bay. Antarctica. 15 January 2023.

Enterprise Island or Isla Lientur or Isla Nansen Norte or North Nansen Island is an island that is 2.8 kilometers long and lies at the northeast end of Nansen Island in Wilhelmina Bay, off the west coast of Graham Land. Today, a visit to Enterprise Island is often part of Antarctic cruises.

Shipwreck. Governoren. Once a cattle carrier, the Norwegian ship eventually functioned as one of the largest whaling factory ships of her time. On January 27, 1915, the Governoren was at sea, performing her duties as a floating factory. A fire inadvertently started... a sailor knocked over a lantern?... and the ship was set afire. With thousands of gallons of whale oil on board there was never any hope of saving the ship.

Although resulting in the terrible loss of whale oil and of a historic ship, the captain set Governoren aground and the entire crew of eighty-five were able to escape, only to watch the blazing ship burn to ruin. None of the crew members were injured by the fire; all were rescued by another whaling vessel.

Above: Dinner with Sony and Trinh. Le Coromandel Restaurant abord L'Austral. Antarctica. 15 January 2023.

Fellow cruise goers seemed to be mostly upper middle class or above high achievers with an abundance of travel experience. Getting to know some of our fellow cruise goers was an important part of the Austral experience in Antarctica.

Sony, of Vietnam origin, studied in France before immigrating to the US. He holds both US and French citizenship. Sony met Trinh, a "boat person" immigrant to the US, in Orange County, California where they married and raised a family. They own and manage residential real estate and run a twenty-acre avocado farm in Orange County. They are skiers and among many other topics discussed we talked about making a Park City ski rendezvous happen this year or next.

Other cruise goer acquaintances made on L'Austral:

Mike and Kathy. Bismark, ND car dealer.

Antoine and Julia. Paris, France (16). He: Seven tech start-ups. She: General Counsel for a Paris based NGO.

Fred and Shelly. Washington, D.C. He: Retired, senior US government epidemiologist. She: Negotiator for NLRB.

Tim. Sydney, Australia. Retired contractor.

Addendum:

Snow... ice... rocks...seals... penguins...

Tork,
Salt Lake City, UT

Thanks for keeping us posted—wish I were there!

The Monk,
Salina, UT

Above: Portal Point. Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

Portal Point (64°30′S 61°46′WCoordinates: 64°30′S 61°46′W) is a narrow point in the northeast part of Reclus Peninsula, on the west coast of Graham Land. In 1956, a Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey (FIDS) hut was established on the point, from which a route to the plateau was established. So named by the United Kingdom Antarctic Place-Names Committee (UK-APC) in 1960 because the point is the "gateway" of the route.

To humans, landscapes seem immutable. "Ice-scapes" are ever changing. No human will capture this same image again.

Above: The Weddell seal. Portal Point. Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

The Weddel seal is a relatively large and abundant true seal with a circumpolar distribution surrounding Antarctica. The Weddell seal was discovered and named in the 1820s during expeditions led by British sealing captain James Weddell to the area of the Southern Ocean now known as the Weddell Sea. The life history of this species is well documented since it occupies fast ice environments close to the Antarctic continent and often adjacent to Antarctic bases. It is the only species in the genus Leptonychotes.

Above: Expedition goers on Portal Point. Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

Image from L'Austral.

Above: Le Rodriguez Restaurant, 6th deck, outdoor section. L'Austral. Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

Buffet only restaurant had no available tables indoors, so we went outside. Forty degrees. Eat in a hurry. Rare sunlight, at least, gave the illusion of warmth.

At the 65th parallel south latitude, Ponant combines five-star French cuisine dining with the unforgettable experience of well-organized land-based adventure.

Above: Humpback whales. Charlotte Bay. Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus Megaptera. Adults range in length from 14–17 m (46–56 ft) and weigh up to 40 metric tons (44 short tons). The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers. Males produce a complex song typically lasting 4 to 33 minutes.

Found in oceans and seas around the world, humpback whales typically migrate up to 16,000 km (9,900 mi) each year. They feed in polar waters and migrate to tropical or subtropical waters to breed and give birth. Their diet consists mostly of krill and small fish, and they use bubbles to catch prey. They are promiscuous breeders, with both sexes having multiple partners. Orcas are the main natural predators of humpback whales.

Like other large whales, the humpback was a target for the whaling industry. Humans once hunted the species to the brink of extinction; its population fell to around 5,000 by the 1960s. Numbers have partially recovered to some 135,000 animals worldwide, while entanglement in fishing gear, collisions with ships, and noise pollution continue to affect the species.

Espresso reported his fascination with Captain Marchesseau's working the joystick ship control as he stood outside on L'Austral bridge maneuvering the ship to follow the pictured whales. These whales were cruising Charlotte Bay feeding on krill.

Interesting factoid relayed in one of the shipboard naturalist presentations: Weigh all the krill in the earth's oceans. Then weigh all of humanity on the earth today. The krill would weigh one and a half times as much as humanity.

Above: Humpback whale. Charlotte Bay, Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

Image one, the "humpback," image two, the fluke.

Above: Iceberg. Charlotte Bay, Antarctica. 16 January 2023.

Icebergs are like snowflakes. No two icebergs are identical.

Above: Dinner with ship's #2 engineer (Henri) and assistant, (Pierre). Le Coromandel Restaurant, L'Austral. Antarctica.

Also at table, Helen and Jean Charles, from Paris. Jean Charles is a retired banker who spent a career at Banque du Pays Bas. Jean Charles and Helen were assigned to Chicago for four years.

Espresso did a fabulous job at keeping the two of us engaged with the goings on of the cruise. Cruise goers could sign up for dinners with various of the ship's officers. Apparently, dinner with Captain Marchesseau was taken. It behooved me, however, to cede my attempt to dine with him to others since I had already met him a couple of times, including the time when he asked to be in an image with me.

The conversation was in both French and English, with each of us alternating speaking the two languages. I have a tour, arranged by Espresso, of the engine room coming up tomorrow.

Above: Whaler's Bay. Deception Island, South Shetland Islands, 17 January 2023.
Whalers Bay is a small bay entered between Fildes Point and Penfold Point at the east side of Port Foster, Deception Island, in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica. The bay was so named by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1908–10, under Charcot, because of its use at that time by whalers. Deception Island is a caldera. Last eruptions at Deception Island were small ones on the hill sides, occurring in 1960's. Best guess for next full caldera blow is within the next 1000 years. Projected result (Ponant lecturer): ash cloud causing three-degree (F) reduction of average global temperatures over a year or more. Name "Deception" derives from early whaling ships not seeing the entry channel (see image) and thinking the island was a monolithic block with no bay inside.

I passed on visiting the shore of Deception Island at Whaler's Bay and instead went on a tour of L'Austral engine room led by the chief engineer. The first image, above, is mine taken from the ship. Other images are file images and one image from the Deception Island presentation on L'Austral.

Above: Post engine room tour by L'Austral Chief Engineer. L'Astral (file image). Antarctica. 17 January 2023.

L’Austral is the second of two super-luxury cruise ships built by Fincantieri for French-based cruise-line operator Compagnie du Ponant. The ship is also called a mega-yacht due to its size and sophisticated decor.

The ship has an overall length of 142m, a molded breadth of 18m and a draught of 4.7m. The vessel’s gross tonnage is 10,700t. The cruise ship can accommodate over 264 guests in 132 staterooms.

The outer structure features large arched windows. L’Austral is smaller than other cruise ships, so it will reach ports and destinations that are inaccessible to larger vessels. It is equipped with a dynamic positioning system and a fleet of zodiacs. The cruise ship uses modern technologies to reduce environmental impact. It has achieved a Green Ship label for its advanced wastewater treatment, fuel economy and less exhaust emissions.

The cruise ship has 132 sea view cabins and suites, with 94% of the rooms boasting a private balcony. Room categories offered are prestige, deluxe, superior, owner’s suite, prestige suites and deluxe suites.

The cruise ship has two dining facilities: Gastronomic Restaurant and Grill Restaurant. The Gastronomic Restaurant situated on Le Liberté deck serves French and international cuisines and beverages including fine wines. It has seating for 268 guests. The Grill offers takeaways as well as a buffet lunch and themed dinners.

L’Austral features a range of lounges and entertainment areas for the guests on-board. The main lounge offers afternoon tea and live music, a dance floor and cocktail bar. It can accommodate 110 guests inside and 30 outside.

The panoramic lounge features a library, internet desk and cocktail bar, and also hosts live entertainment on selected evenings.

The open-air bar on pool deck provides seating for 50 people. The theatre, equipped with state-of-the-art audio and video technology, features a main show room for conferences and live entertainment. Relaxation facilities include a fitness and body corner. The fitness room has kinesis equipment, running machines and bicycles. The beauty corner Carita includes two massage rooms, balneo room, hammam and relaxation room. The cruise ship also offers a games area with Wii consoles, special menus for children and a baby-sitting service.

The ship is equipped with a satellite weather system, underwater detection system and global maritime distress safety system. The weather system gathers real-time pictures of weather conditions and ice shapes, while the underwater detection system avoids collision with whales or ice floes. The ship also has an emergency communication system.

The ship is equipped with an electric propulsion system consisting of two diesel engines. Each engine provides a power output of 2,300kW. These diesel engines use a lighter biofuel to achieve more economical benefits and fewer emissions. The propulsion system provides maximum speed of 16kt.

Above: L'Austral bridge. L'Austral. Antarctica. 17 January 2023.

Bishop 'n (sic) Espresso on the L'Austral bridge.

The Austral bridge was open 24 hours a day to passengers. As a technophobe, I didn't understand much about all the tech stuff on the bridge. I'm embarrassed to admit that the most interesting revelation I saw during our bridge visit was that the officers were all wearing blue, Sperry boat shoes. I thought boat shoes were a fashion item. I didn't know they were the real deal! The spotter at the front window is looking for whales.

Above: Antarctica topographical map. Lecture. L'Austral. 17 January 2023.

Slide is from geological presentation abord L'Austral. Red line is intersection of two continental plates now pulling apart by inches a year. Yellow dots on map are volcanos such as are found adjacent to most continental rifts. There WILL BE an Antarctic continental separation, and as has happened in previous such events, it won’t be pretty...likely an extinction event due to severe, widespread and prolonged volcanic activity. A similar continental rift on the way to separation, with the same ominous potential consequences, is east Africa's Grand Rift Valley. Just up the road from Park City, UT, the Yellowstone caldera is expected to blow... tomorrow, or fifty thousand years from now. The plates on US west coast are pushing against one another, not separating. As such the US Pacific plate will be the source of significant volcanic and earthquake events but will likely not pose the same extinction risk as the continental rifts that are pulling apart. Celebrate Elon Musk seeking to hedge humanity extinction bets by populating a nearby planet.

Above: South Pole expeditions of Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, 18 January 1912. Final diary entry (lecture on board L'Austral).

"We took risks, we knew we took them; things have come out against us, and therefore we have no cause for complaint, but bow to the will of Providence. We shall stick it out to the end, but we are getting weaker, of course, and the end cannot be far. It seems a pity, but I do not think I can write more.” Robert Falcon Scott. 29 March 1912.

The first ever expedition to reach the Geographic South Pole was led by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. He and four others arrived at the pole on 14 December 1911, five weeks ahead of a British party led by Robert Falcon Scott as part of the Terra Nova Expedition. Amundsen and his team returned safely to their base, and later heard that Scott and his four companions had died on their return journey.

Above: Dinner with Naturalists and Brest friends. Le Coromandel Restaurant. L'Austral. 17 January 2023.

Annette, Gaspard, and Camile are mutual friends from Brittany. Naturalists are Louis and Phillipe.

Speaking French, I addressed the table. "Today, during a tour of the engine room, the chief engineer noted that French passengers typically consume more fresh water abord L'Austral than American passengers." Adele, the sixty something woman at the center of the image, replied, "well, that's not what he told us. He said it was just the opposite. Americans consume more of the ship's water than do the French." The whole table broke out in laughter leading to a splendid ambiance throughout the remainder of the dinner. I spoke mostly English with my naturalist table mate Phillipe (on my right in image) but all of the inter-table conversation was in French.

Phillipe was from Aix-les-Bans in the French Alps. He was a skier. I gave him my contact info should he ever come to Park City to ski. Phillipe was a passionate naturalist/adventure type. One question I posed to him at dinner (in English): Why have we heard nothing about fish in the Southern Ocean? Answer. "There are tooth fish in The Southern Ocean," he replied.

The Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) is a large, black or brown fish found in very cold (subzero) waters of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. It is the largest fish in the Southern Ocean, feeding on shrimp and smaller fish, and preyed on by whales, orcas, and seals.

Above: Antarctic toothfish. (File image)

Ugly buggers are fished by trawling under rules of the Antarctic Treaty and are marketed as Chilean Sea Bass. Understandable name change. What diner would order this ugly fish marketed as "toothfish?"

Addendum:

Such a fascinating trip Steve! Thanks for sharing the experience!
Drummer J,
Lehi, UT

Great pictures!!!
Bridge,
Palm Beach, FL

Spectacular shots…thanks
Mickey,
Chicago, IL

Steve:

Fascinating pictures! Thanks for sharing.

Bling,
Albuquerque, NM

Thank you, Steve, for taking us to Antarctica with you. I do like those penguins.
Hoops,
Pelham, NY

Fascinating Steve!

Tom,
Albuquerque, NM

Above: Patch on expedition parka provided to each L'Austral Antarctica expedition goer. Antarctica. 18 January 2023.

I decided not to make a big deal wearing a patch carrying the flags of anti-democratic tyrannies China and Canada. It was a very cool jacket which served well its purpose. I wore it with pride! Sometimes you just have to make compromises.

Above: Sixth Deck Lounge. L'Austral. Drake Passage. 18 January 2023.

L'Austral regular cocktail lounge mate, was a top US government agency epidemiologist, now retired. He attributes current high national death rates to being a byproduct of many Americans unable to receive necessary medical care during coronavirus period. More. The current highlighting of young, active men suddenly dying at putative disproportionate rates, and for which many blame mRNA vaccines, misleads, he says. Myocarditis and heart failure are known side effects of many vaccines including smallpox vaccine. He doesn't doubt the occurrence of mRNA vax side effects, but says the phenomenon is within range for "normal, acceptable" side effect expectation.

Above: Can can performance. L'Austral. Drake Passage. 18 January 2023.

De rigueur for a French expedition ship.

Despite the rolling ship (fifteen-foot swells) the dancers executed the high kicks perfectly!

Above: Drake Passage. 19 January 2023.

Forty-foot swells. Captain Marchesseau says this sea condition in the Drake passage is 5 on a scale of 10. This sea on return to Ushuaia is certainly more restive than the sea on the way down (2 of 10). The upper deck, buffet restaurant, Le Rodriguez was closed. No dancing in the aft third deck lounge. As long as I was looking at my surroundings, I did not get seasick. Bile started welling up when I searched under my bed for my dropped phone. I found the phone and immediately laid down and fought back the bile surges in my gullet. I slept normally, but my trips to the WC were tricky as I groped for support while walking or standing. Three or four days of these types of seas is the cost you have to pay crossing the Drake to see Antarctica.

Above: Cape Horn, Chile. 19 January 2023. (Espresso image).

Not my first sighting. In 2013 TIMDT and Mwah (sic) did a Regent cruise from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso. The seas, then, were as calm as they appear to be in the above image today. The closer we were to the South American continent, the Drake was less agitated.

Above: Deck Party honoring L'Austral crew. Beagle Passage, Argentina. 19 January 2023.

Above: Ushuaia, Argentina. L'Austral. 19 January 2023.

Antarctic circuit complete!

Above: Monkey Puzzle Tree. Ushuaia, Argentina. 20 January 2023.

The Monkey Puzzle tree is indigenous to Patagonia.

We debarked L'Austral about 8:30 AM. L'Espresso went off on his own having booked three days of touring in and around Ushuaia. Since our flight to Buenos Aires wasn't leaving until around 5:00 PM, Ponant bussed us to the city center where we were on our own for a couple of hours before hosting us at lunch at a quay side restaurant. Before lunch, I got in a good walk in Ushuaia's downtown and bought a few gifts and souvenirs. After lunch we were bussed to the airport.

Above: Wall mural. Ciudad Evita, Argentina. 21 January 2023.

Socialists Juan and Evita Peron are still adulated in Argentina (kinda [sic] like Koba is in Russia). Two kinds of populism. The Peron/Biden model: Vote Socialism, tax the producers, redistribute the taxes to a surfeit of crony, unproductive government workers and the abundant poor. The Trump model: Restore individual liberty as US priority. Undo the creeping Peronist-like Socialism advancing rapidly in the US. Uphill climb for DJT and his followers as it appears that a majority of Americans prefer the Peron/Biden populist model.

I didn't expect to be in Buenos Aires (BA) today. I missed my AA connection to Dallas yesterday. My incoming Aerolineas Argentinas flight from Ushuaia was on time. I was in the first third of those receiving my baggage. I raced the three hundred yards from the domestic to the international terminal and I had no wait at the business class check in. I blame Ponant. I should have been put on an earlier flight or notified of the transfer impossibility. A really sharp, pretty (I can say that at seventy-seven), American Airlines ticket agent found an economy, middle seat on a later flight to Miami, but I just couldn't see ten hours flying squeezed in sardine style. The AA agent found a Miami business class connection for the next evening with onward direct service to Salt Lake City. I wasn't sure whether to book the proposed next day reservation (the only seat left) as I was uncertain about getting into an airport hotel. She voluntarily, sans me asking, handled that problem by calling the Airport Holiday Inn Express and securing a reservation for me. This AA ticket agent was totally on top of the situation. I was so impressed. The next day at the Holiday Inn Express in Evita, Argentina was actually a welcome wind down from the high activity Antarctic experience. I slept in late, caught up on some correspondence and took two one-hour long walks. There was a great Argentina steak house restaurant at the hotel, too. I raised the problem of the missed connection with my travel agent. She checked with Ponant. Ponant was unwilling to admit their error. Ponant claimed their job was to get me back to BA, and not ensure that a connection was made. I didn't want to make a big deal of it. My extra day in BA was a good experience.

Above: Playground. Barrio Democracia. Ciudad Evita, Argentina. 21 January 2023.

Barrio playground. Coupla (sic) reused oil barrels and basic, local workshop-crafted swing and slide. Do the kids of the capitalist US have more fun on the expensive, and supposedly safer space age equipment and protective rubber flooring seen in US municipal parks and playgrounds? Or are pampered US kids insulated a from the "hard knocks" (as exemplified, say, by the riskier Barrio Democracia playgrounds of Socialist Argentina) required to turn them into strong self-sufficient adults?

Above: Roy. 21 January 2023.

Glasses! Image by Mom.

Above: LDS Temple, Evita, Argentina. 21 January 2022. (Inadvertently omitted from yesterday's picto diary).

PM Walk. Barrio Democracia. I assume the LDS presence in Argentina is strong. I know at least a dozen relatives, friends and acquaintances who have served LDS missions in Argentina. Some of them have returned to Argentina frequently over the years. I have on occasion, been critical of seeming LDS leadership passiveness towards what I believe to be US government drift away from protecting principles of individual agency. In my youth, LDS leaders hammered hard on the essential principal of free agency and how the US Constitution was a divinely inspired document that guaranteed same. Now, not so much, or so it seems...the source of my concern. However, it must be acknowledged that there is a big difference in the LDS Church today, as compared sixty years ago. The Church membership has trebled in size since then. And LDS membership outside of the US, now, not sixty years ago, exceeds US membership. Seeing a strong LDS symbol overseas, such as this temple, helps me appreciate that LDS leaders have more to consider than just the US when dealing with government policy controversies.

Above: Woman in "disease prevention" mask. File image... not the woman I met on the aircraft. 22 January 2022.

American Airlines Miami to Salt Lake City. A masked sixty something woman in the adjacent seat asked me if she could put her small dog in the space under the seat in front of me! She had another bag that she wanted to put under the seat directly in front of her. L'audace, toujours l'audace!!!

Above: Roof Leak Response. 22 January 2023.

I found the roof was leaking on my return to the house in Park City. You can see the warping on the wood floor. TiMDT was in Ivins. The above picture shows my highly opportunistic, and creative impulses in solving the problem with a sophisticated work of art. I've decided to have my creation put in the Dia Beacon Museum next to Robert Smithson's great Glass Shards creation (scroll).

Above: Glass Shards. Robert Smithson. Dia Beacon Museum, on the Hudson, New York State.

Addendum:

As to economics it may not have been so much as the message but the messenger??!!😉
Montage, Marina del Rey, CA

Certainly, it appears to be so in the minds of many. For me, Socialism is a high price to pay just because you don't like the person successfully advocating for individual liberty.