Antarctica Day 4

Four days doesn’t seem to be enough time to spend in Antarctica, yet here we were on our last day and the expedition team began teasing us with the prospects of visiting South Georgia Island in two days time.  I awoke to another glorious morning outside, and early!  It was just past 5:00 AM when the sights below came into view from my balcony.  I managed to get up and dressed, etc. and made it up to the top deck forward to capture some of these views digitally.

I caught a glacier calving, below

If memory serves, this is the Brazilian station in Admiralty Bay on King George Island

In the afternoon, we made a circle around Elephant Island.  There was also another very large iceberg - about one mile wide.

These are some close up shots of the Brazilian Station

The lichen is quite prevalent here.  All part of the important ecosystem in the Antarctica

This is the back side, above, of the mile-long iceberg we approached and circled, below

This shot, above, is off to the side of this big iceberg.  The weather changes in an instant here

I love love love my Antarctica hat!!

This is a close-up shot of that big berg

Turning the corner on the berg

During our days spent here in Antarctica, our expedition team gave numerous lectures all about this wonderful part of the world.  We learned about the ecosystem and the important role it plays in world weather, economies, biology ----  basically every aspect of our lives.  We learned about the effects of the ozone hole and climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem, and the Antarctic Treaty.  Noel Miller also gave us more artistic impressions of Antarctica. 

We also learned about the intrepid explorers beginning with Cook in the late 1700's, Douglas Mawson, Ernest Shackleton, the photographer Frank Hurley, Robert Scott and Roald Amundsen.

These four days have absolutely exceeded my expectations.  I was lucky enough to see Antarctica the first time in 2016, I've seen it again now, and will, God-willing, see it yet one more time next year.  I can't wait.

Travel quote:  "Travel makes one modest.  You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world"  -- Gustauve Flaubert

Stay tuned for more Pig Tales!!