Brilliant start to the day. I got up early and went out on deck. We saw two hourglass dolphins were playing in the bow. Also asw wandering albatross and antarctic pewter.
Megan gave a lecture on seals, it was very intersting and we learnt alot about how they track the seals for research. They can map where they travel and the results were amazing, they go pretty far.
Gary gave a talk on Shackleton which was brilliant. He was an amazing man and i would loved to have been part og his team, i will have to be content with reading the book, South.
During the lectures they just kept bringing out food. Chocolate brownies, cookies, it is all getting to much. There is a gym on board but we are on day 5 and i am yet to find it but there is still time!! Played scrabble with Chris but she is sick, the sea is rough but i am feeling fine, i am not convinced about the sickness though as i was way ahead!
Rudi is a Swiss guide, hosting 20 Swiss Germans on the trip. They were due to on a Russian vessel but they had engine faliure and were able to transfer onto the Pola Star. He has made many documentaries and we watched one today on the albatross. After that it was life in the freezer part 2, Retreating Ice, again very very good.
Back to the bar, we are definately regulars. Played cards with Joel and Julie. There are definate groups forming now, mine will always be in the bar between 2100hrs and beyond. Really enjoying the expedition, only day 5 and it is the nest trip of my life.
Up early and here is the benefit, a beautiful sunrise over the South Atlantic
Hourglass dolphins. They stayed with the boat for a little while. Jill an i were hanging off the bow to see them.
Rough seas. There were a few empty seats at meal times that day.
A perfect end to the day, sunset.MV POLAR STAR SHIPS LOG
Saturday 8th November - At Sea, South Atlantic sailing to South Georgia
Time: 12:00
Latitude: 532° 20.8' S
Longitude: 51°49.5' W
Wind: Force 6 North
Sea Conditions: Very Rough (wave height 4 – 6m)
Pressure: 998 mb
Temperature: 7ºC
Our day at sea began with the customary wakeup call from Ian. The sea conditions were very
rough with a near gale blowing in from the North. Those who were keen enough to be out on deck before 07:30 heard Christian Gabathuler, one of our Swiss passengers, alerting people to a group of hourglass dolphins swimming alongside the ship. Breakfast was a leisurely affair after which Gary presented his lecture Rivers of Ice, which explained the unique properties of ice, the
formation and movement of glaciers and ice sheets and the physical features and deposits they
leave behind. After a short break Megan continued the mornings lecture programme with her talk, Seals and Seal Research which gave us key information on the species of seals we will be seeing in South Georgia and around the Antarctic Peninsula. The session finished with some engaging accounts of Megan’s first hand experience collecting data from seals; including the best way to anesthetise a 4 tonne elephant seal, and some examples of the knowledge that such research has developed.
After lunch John Harrison gave his first presentation of the voyage, Shackleton, a moving account of the 1917 transpolar expedition that resulted in the loss of the ship Endurance and Sir Ernest Shackleton’s heroic battle to save the lives of his men in the Antarctic wilderness. At 16:00 the German speakers amongst us were treated to a fascinating guest lecture, ‘Albatrosses – Masters of the Skies and Open Seas’ given by Rudi Abbuehi, the Polar News tour leader.
Time: 12:00
Latitude: 532° 20.8' S
Longitude: 51°49.5' W
Wind: Force 6 North
Sea Conditions: Very Rough (wave height 4 – 6m)
Pressure: 998 mb
Temperature: 7ºC
Our day at sea began with the customary wakeup call from Ian. The sea conditions were very
rough with a near gale blowing in from the North. Those who were keen enough to be out on deck before 07:30 heard Christian Gabathuler, one of our Swiss passengers, alerting people to a group of hourglass dolphins swimming alongside the ship. Breakfast was a leisurely affair after which Gary presented his lecture Rivers of Ice, which explained the unique properties of ice, the
formation and movement of glaciers and ice sheets and the physical features and deposits they
leave behind. After a short break Megan continued the mornings lecture programme with her talk, Seals and Seal Research which gave us key information on the species of seals we will be seeing in South Georgia and around the Antarctic Peninsula. The session finished with some engaging accounts of Megan’s first hand experience collecting data from seals; including the best way to anesthetise a 4 tonne elephant seal, and some examples of the knowledge that such research has developed.
After lunch John Harrison gave his first presentation of the voyage, Shackleton, a moving account of the 1917 transpolar expedition that resulted in the loss of the ship Endurance and Sir Ernest Shackleton’s heroic battle to save the lives of his men in the Antarctic wilderness. At 16:00 the German speakers amongst us were treated to a fascinating guest lecture, ‘Albatrosses – Masters of the Skies and Open Seas’ given by Rudi Abbuehi, the Polar News tour leader.
After a long day of learning, many of us took advantage of the ship’s Happy Hour and relaxed
together in the observation lounge. Throughout the afternoon the sea conditions had worsened and as recap and briefing got underway the roll of the ship was causing some problems for those
manoeuvring around the lounge. John Sparks performed his well rehearsed ‘rope trick’ to illustrate the wingspan of a fully grown Albatross, Gary gave us an interesting insight into the evolution of ‘the cruise ship’ and Megan explained why the fog we were seeing around the ship was closely linked to the Antarctic Convergence. The heightened roll of the ship guaranteed a lively dinner, we soon realised that it was wise to leave a hand close to our red wine while eating in these conditions. At 20:30, the observation lounge was once again transformed into a cinema to watch The Ice Retreats, another episode from the BBC series Life in the Freezer. The film follows the arrival of spring in Antarctica and the antics of various ocean travellers that return at this time to breed.
together in the observation lounge. Throughout the afternoon the sea conditions had worsened and as recap and briefing got underway the roll of the ship was causing some problems for those
manoeuvring around the lounge. John Sparks performed his well rehearsed ‘rope trick’ to illustrate the wingspan of a fully grown Albatross, Gary gave us an interesting insight into the evolution of ‘the cruise ship’ and Megan explained why the fog we were seeing around the ship was closely linked to the Antarctic Convergence. The heightened roll of the ship guaranteed a lively dinner, we soon realised that it was wise to leave a hand close to our red wine while eating in these conditions. At 20:30, the observation lounge was once again transformed into a cinema to watch The Ice Retreats, another episode from the BBC series Life in the Freezer. The film follows the arrival of spring in Antarctica and the antics of various ocean travellers that return at this time to breed.
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