Monday, January 17, 2011

Penola Strait and Booth Island, Antarctic Peninsula

Ship's Coordinates:  -65.17S, -64.10W
Air Temp: 0.8C
Sea Temp: 0C

After touching the southernmost point, we started our trip back North.  During the night, we sailed up the Penola Strait, still in very calm waters being in a strait.  The skies are a bit gloomy and the temperatures a bit colder.  The morning will be spent on the computers, in the afternoon, we will anchor and land at Booth Island.  Booth Island was first chartered and claimed by Charcot, a French explorer, in 1904.  He liked it so much here, that he decided to come back with another expedition in 1911.  He left a small stone tower on top of the ridge that we hiked to.


Dopo aver toccato il punto piu' a sud, abbiamo iniziato il nostro viaggio di ritorno verso il nord.  Durante la notte abbiamo percorso lo stretto di Penola in acque calmissime.  Il cielo e' plumbeo e la temperatura e' piu' fredda di ieri.  Trascorreremo la mattinata ai computer, nel pomeriggio la nave ancorera' e visiteremo Booth Island.  Quest'isolotto fu scoperto nel 1904 dal francese Charcot - dove erano gli italiani?  Non sento altro che nome stranieri qui sotto.

Penola Strait
Penola Strait

Gentoo penguin with 2 chicks at rookery on Booth Island

Chinstrap penguin with grown chick at same rookery

The World anchored at Booth Island

Views from the ridge of Booth Island
Reached the top - got a bit warm


Is it a bird?  No, it's a small iceberg!

Did the Egyptians build pyramids in Antarctica?

Crab eater seal on icebrg

Yes,  I managed to get a speeding ticket in Antarctica too!

Local "Police" - carrying tea and hot chocolate!



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