This morning, we are sailing north east towards Elephant Island. We left Paradise Bay yesterday evening and will sail via the Gerlache and Branfield Strait, the South Shetland Islands:
and King George Island
to Elephant Island, so named because it is shaped like an elephant’s head. (No elephants in the Antarctic or that its waters contain elephant seals ?)
Elephant Island is one of a group of islands. Its claim to fame was that it acted as a refuge for twenty eight seamen of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole in 1914 -1917. En route, WW1 broke out and Shackleton contacted Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty to worry if the expedition should turn back - the reply was a one worded message ‘Proceed’.
His ship, the Endurance was wrecked by sea ice. His men rode the ice floes with what they could salvage from the wrecked ship and reached Elephant Island. They established their camp at Point Wild. Realizing they could not survive there, Shackleton and five of his men went in search of a rescue ship. Four months later, and on the fourth attempt, a Chilean Navy tugboat succeeded in reaching the men. All had survived including Irishman James Crean. This was Shackletons second expedition - the first turned back in 9th January 1909 at 88 degrees 23 seconds but what Shackleton’s expedition discovered pointed the way for Amundsen to reach the South Pole.
Returning to Ireland, James Crean retired and opened a pub aptly named The South Pole Inn in Annascaul, Co. Kerry. Crean was never given due recognition in Ireland as he was a member of the British navy. During the expedition, WW1 broke out and the resultant political events in Ireland denied him his due recognition. He died of appendicitis in Kerry Hospital.
As we sail, the sea is very calm and the sun is shining - another exceptional day in Antartica. The scenery is breathtaking - no camera can do justice to its grandeur. The ship docked for two hours to enable us to appreciate - numerous glaciers including the largest Endurance glacier:
and mutiple other glaciers:
corries, arretes and pyramidal peaks
moraines together with a few sea faring icebergs!
The above iceberg looked blue in the distance but later it sported white attire
Unlike yesterday, wildlife was sparse - whales were unwillingly to show themselves, though they teased us with a blow out or showing a fin here and there. As for the penguins, they’re obviously holidaying elsewhere! Birds too !
At 16:00, the captain sailed out of Elephant Bay:
set sail for the Falklands/Malvinas a distance of c.608 nautical miles. We don’t reach the Island until Tuesday so we will be sailing all day tomorrow! The weather forecast is ominous:
high winds and high seas are forecast!!! Weve been advised, if necessary, to take sea sickness medication! We can’t complain. We have had perfect days at Cape Horn, Paradise Bay and Elephant Island, Better than any of the crew can recall - sunshine, clear skies and a calm sea. At least now we might appreciate a little the hardship of the early explorers as we face high seas and rocking boat - but we have stabilizers, plenty of delicious food and great entertainment as we ride the choppy seas!
Tonight it’s a show and dinner. We missed last night’s show as we preferred to sit in the sun on our verandah and watch the captain sail out of Paradise Bay avoiding the numerous icebergs which at times came perilously close to the ship.- 10% above water level , 90% below!!
No such excitement on the waters tonight that is until the swell develops!!
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