West Point Island is a privately owned island located off the northwest tip of West Falkland. It is approximately 6 square miles and features dramatic sandstone cliffs and rolling green terrain. It is famous for hosting large, mixed-breeding colonies of Black-browed Albatrosses and Southern Rockhopper Penguins. It was our second shore excursion of the day, and we climbed to Devil’s Nose to observe the bird life there.
Saunders Island is the fourth-largest island in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), located northwest of West Falkland. It spans approximately 50 square miles and operates primarily as a family-owned sheep farm. It is home to 4 species of penguins and was the first shore expedition of our Antarctica voyage.
The Gentoo Penguin
The King Penguin and adolescents.
The Rockhopper Penguin.
The final species is the Magellanic Penguin. I chose not to spend my time photographing these fellows because I already have an extensive collection from my trip with Kyle to Isla Magdalena.
Our expedition will make four open-ocean crossings during our journey. Chile to the Falkland Islands, to the South Georgia Islands, to the Antarctic Peninsula, and finally to Argentina. Today is generally one of the calmest but not so for us. Currents and winds have conspired to create absolutely miserable conditions aboard this ship, with it gyrating on every axis in 15-foot swells. Despite taking seasickness pills, I have made urgent visits to the nearest bathroom six times today and have been miserable all day. Jeanine, by contrast, seems to be among 10% of the passengers who do not seem to be suffering any ill effects.
I did manage to spend some time on the fan tail where I photographed a couple of Southern Giant Petrols. Not too shabby given I was barfing before and after.
Eighteen months in the planning, we set sail for Antarctica this afternoon. We will sail first to the Falkland Islands, a nation that has been fought over by the UK, France, Spain, and Argentina. The first order of business was a safety briefing and an abandon ship drill. Safety is clearly the number one priority on this ship.
We visited the bridge to observe the crew in action as we navigated out into the Strait of Magellan. The ship was launched in 2019, designed specifically for polar expeditions, making it one of the newest in the fleet, and it is fitted with the latest navigation tech. We are 92 passengers with a crew of 60.
Our home for the next 20 days is a small but luxurious cabin with a king-size bed, a small desk area, a relatively large bathroom, and a well-stocked refrigerator. We also have a lovely balcony from which I was able to photograph a dolphin, a cormorant, and a seal without leaving the cabin.
Not a bad start to our adventure.
We arrived in Punta Arenas this afternoon with our friends Tom and Karen after more than 20 hours of continuous travel. We found the crisp air invigorating as we did a little exploring on foot. Pictured above is the Palacio Sara Braun, one of the more architecturally interesting buildings adjacent to the Plaza Muñoz Gamero. Below is the interior of the Sacred Heart Cathedral of Punta Arenas located on a different corner of the square.
We decided to visit the nearby Explorers House, the rally point of our Chilean cruise operator Antarctica21. It is a dedicated facility built from a converted 100-year-old wool and sheepskin warehouse, with an area of over 21,500 sq ft on two floors. Here, guests can prepare for their expedition by attending briefings, reviewing checklists, trying on expedition gear, and learning how to board a Zodiac. Having arrived a day ahead of our scheduled departure, we simply enjoyed beverages while relaxing in the very tranquil setting. In the foreground, there is a scale model of the Magellan Explorer, the ship we will be sailing on.
One of the most memorable parts of the day was our ride from the airport to our hotel. When approached by a taxi driver offering to take us, I asked if her car was big enough to take all four of us and our considerable amount of luggage. She said it would be no problem. When we arrived at her car in the parking lot, it was immediately apparent that we were not going to fit. This became more undeniable when she opened the trunk to reveal an enormous natural gas tank that fueled the vehicle. At this time, she said she could call for a second cab, and it would be the same amount. In other words, our current fare times two. At this point, I suggested we simply find a larger taxi. Realizing she was about to lose the fare, she asked if we would mind putting some of the luggage on our laps. The photo, taken by Karen, provides the ending to the story.
Jeanine and I began our southern hemisphere adventure this afternoon. We flew to Miami, where we rendezvoused with Tom Metzold (my high school wrestling partner and friend) and his wife, Karen Manor, before boarding a flight to Santiago, Chile, where we will make a final connection to Punta Arenas.
Nico dropped us at the airport and took this photo. The yellow backpack on my chest is a new addition to my kit. It is totally waterproof and will protect my cameras from sea spray and rain, conditions we are likely to encounter frequently.
With our 5-1 win over Medfield this morning, my soccer team has secured enough points to win our division, even with two regulation games remaining in the season. Jeanine and I leave for our Antarctica cruise on Monday, which will cause me to miss both of those games, as well as the semi-finals the following week. I will return in time for the finals, should my team make it through.
In our match today, I scored a very pretty goal. To most observers, it appeared as though I deftly dribbled past four defenders to unleash a ground-level rocket that just kissed the inside of the right post. In reality, I made a poor first touch on a pass to me, guiding the ball directly towards a defender. In order to maintain possession, I made a full-tilt sprint to just barely toe-poke it away from him. This set up an equally desperate play to evade the next defender. Repeating this lack of finesse two more times, I found myself at the top of the box with a good line of sight on the right post. The shot itself was really well taken, and I knew it would find the net the moment it left my foot. The thrill of scoring even one goal like this in a season is what keeps me coming back to the sport year after year.
On the drive home after our aprés celebration, I came across a house with a Halloween pumpkin display like none I have ever seen before.
UPDATE: The match report from today’s game features an even better description of my goal than the one above.
Early in the second half Carl makes it 3-0, he runs along the top of the box avoiding the defenders by giving the impression he’s about to fall over, he finally shoots and falls over, the ball ends up inside the posts.
Today, the first American Coot of the season showed up on our stretch of the river. I only had access to my iPhone and took the image above using the longest telephoto setting. Although there is very little detail in the subject, I love the overall feel of this photograph and it may well be one of my favorites of the season.
Maya and her flatmates are hosting a Clue-themed party this weekend. She utilized ChatGPT to design the illustration above for the back of the playing cards to be used in the game. It includes, from left to right, Fiona, Ben, Maya, Luke, and Brog (Maya’s name for her boyfriend Brennan), as well as the cats Wally and Kurt. Judging from the card design alone, it looks like it is going to be one hell of a party.
This evening, Jeanine said she was in the mood for pizza and suggested we go out for dinner. I love pizza and can’t remember the last time we had some. Jeanine chose a restaurant in Hudson, MA, about a 30-minute drive from our house based on excellent reviews. We arrived ahead of our reservation time, so I put the drone up for an aerial view of the downtown area just as the sun was setting. When we entered the restaurant, my excitement grew as I noticed the wood-fired oven and the aroma of freshly baked bread. It was not until I studied the menu that I realized Jeanine had pulled a fast one on me. Her definition of pizza seems to extend to flatbread “pizza,” which is completely different in ways that can be appreciated even by non-Italians. I was left with no choice but to order a beet salad while she ordered a steak and onion flatbread, utter sacrilege. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. My beet salad was delicious, the best salad I have ever had at a restaurant and close to some of Jeanine’s best creations. Suffice it to say, the next time a hankering for pizza surfaces, I will be the one picking the restaurant.
We were saddened to learn that Damon Goga, one of Nicolai’s teammates, passed away yesterday after a nine-year battle with the disease that took his leg. He was loved and admired by all who knew him, and the entire amputee soccer community mourns with his family and friends. He was a fighter to the end, and his memory inspires all of us to live our lives to the fullest and without regrets.
Every evening when the sun sets on the river, we get golden light on the far shore with the near shore in shadow. At this time of year, that contrast is accentuated by the fall foliage and its reflection in the water. I took the photo above with my iPhone, pausing while mowing the lawn to catch the moment rather than running inside for my good camera and possibly losing the light.
Jeanine and I both spent time today packing for our upcoming trip to Antarctica. If I am able to post from our ship while at sea, you will see a completely different color palette this time next week.
Jeanine and I visited the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill today. This month, featured exhibits include Glass in Flight, a collection of 30 larger-than-life stained-glass and steel sculptures by artist Alex Heveri. Fairy Hollow features +20 intricately designed and crafted fairy houses. Of course, the gardens themselves are always worth the visit. We also managed to score some freshly baked cider doughnuts during a brief stop at a farmer’s market, a treat not to be missed at this time of year.
After most clear nights in October and November, we wake up to fog on the river. It is totally mesmerizing to watch as it flows over the top of the water. It gradually burns off with the rising sun, but makes for a very relaxing way to start the day.