Picto Diary - 17 January 2023 - Antarctic Continental Rift

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