To the Bottom of the World

To the Bottom of the World

On Wednesday December 28, 2011, we continued on our journey to Palmer Station, Antarctica.  Only 800 miles away, we needed to cross the Southern Ocean to reach our final destination.  Can you find Punta Arenas and Palmer Station on the map? Which mode of transportation do you think we need (airplane, ship, car, etc?) to get there?

Map provided by www.frozenfly.edublog.org

Here I am standing in front of the LMG.

The Icebreaker Ship

Since there is no place to land an airplane at Palmer Station, ships play a critical role to support scientific research in and near the Antarctic peninsula.  The Laurence M. Gould (LMG) is a 230 foot research vessel that is designed to transport personnel, scientists, and cargo from Punta Arenas to Palmer Station.  

The LMG has been in operation since 1997, and it is named after renowned geology professor and Antarctic expedition leader Dr. Laurence Gould.  The ship is constructed to withstand year-round ice conditions to support science operations on the vessel and at Palmer Station.  Scientists working on the ship study the geology, geophysics, biology, and chemistry of the peninsula.  

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Ship Talk

I had never been on a ship before, so I had a lot to learn for my voyage.  The following are some ship terms that were commonly used by the crew and passengers.    See if you can match them up with the picture!  


portside                   deck                           smokestack

anchor                      superstructure            propeller

bow                          stern                          bulbous bow

The answers are available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship. 
 

Leaving the Bay

As we sailed through the Chilean Bay, I stood on the bow of the ship and watched the beautiful blue water around me.  Then some playful animals swam alongside the ship wishing us a bon voyage!  These are Commerson's dolphins.  They have a distinct black and white pattern to them, making them exceptionally beautiful and easy to spot in the water.  But, their quick agility does not make them easy to photograph!  Check out my photos below!

The Drake Passage

The most challenging part of the voyage was crossing the Drake Passage.  Here, several ocean currents merge and create the roughest waters in the world.  Fortunately, we had a somewhat smooth crossing with only... 22 foot waves!  I pretty much stayed in bed to avoid being sea sick.  Watch my video for some highlights.

After discussing the Drake Passage with the ship's captain, I learned that he has experienced 30-40 foot waves during stormy weather when navigating through the Drake Passage on the LMG.  Below is a video that demonstrates a difficult crossing for a Russian ship back in 2006.  I never though that I'd be thankful for 22 foot waves!

Ringing in the New Year

It took about two days to cross the 500 mile wide Drake Passage.  Luckily, the seas had calmed down just in time for a New Year's Eve celebration. 

The Antarctic Peninsula

As we approached the Antarctic peninsula, the scenery changed drastically.  The fog gave way to majestic snow capped mountains, icebergs glowing in the water, and mysterious sea life below.  

On board our ship, there were many different kinds of scientists.  Some planned to stay on the ship to conduct research, and some were heading to Palmer Station like me.  One of these scientists staying onboard is Dr. Ari Friedlaender.  He studies the Antarctic marine life, with a special focus on whales.  During the ship ride I often helped Ari search for whales in the waters around us from the ship's bow.   Once we arrived in the Antarctic, he and his research team launched a zodiac boat into the icy sea to search for whales.  

You can learn more about Dr. Friedlaender's research by watching his t.v. interview below.