It has taken me more than 2 months to complete this retrospective travelogue thread about the 17-day voyage I went on in Jan-Feb to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa.
Quoting the first post here to make it easy for anyone interested to start from the beginning.
#BusmansHoliday
Two crew members out on the ship's bowsprit, unfurling the staysails.
Pre-dawn view looking aft to where two members of the voyage crew at the helm are silhouetted against the sky as they concentrate on maintaining a steady heading.
Looking up at the full set of five square sails on Bark Europa's foremast, with the staysail billowing in the top left of the photo.
A rainbow rising from the horizon into dark clouds, viewed from the foredeck of Bark Europa, which is temporarily bathed in sunshine.
Days 12-14 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: sailng back north across Drake Passage.
1. Unfurling the staysails
2. Members of voyage crew at the helm shortly before dawn
3. Sails on the foremast
4. A majestic rainbow after a squall had passed
#BusmansHoliday
Chinstrap penguins and chicks on the crest of a narrow ridge that is mostly covered in their red-brown guano. In the background is a glacier on the far side of the fjord, with a steep rock slope to its right.
The narrow ridge on which there is a chinstrap penguin rookery. One penguin can be seen on the crest of the ridge and another, with two chicks, can be seen on a ledge on the left of the photo. A snow patch is present on the right side of the peak in the background in the centre of the photo.
A chinstrap penguin and chick viewed against a background of grey rocks.
A chinstrap penguin climbing up a steep ice slope to bring food to its chicks.
Day 11 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): our final landing, at Orne Harbour on the mainland of the Peninsula. We climbed up a snow slope to a narrow ridge on which there was a chinstrap #penguin rookery.
#BusmansHoliday
About two dozen gentoo penguins and their chicks in a penguin rookery on a rocky slope above a fjord.
A gentoo penguin standing on a stony beach and facing the camera
A gentoo penguin with a large chick in the penguin rookery
A gentoo penguin withe two chicks, seen against a snowy slope in the background
Day 11 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): Gentoo #penguins on Danco Island.
#BusmansHoliday
The bow of Bark Europa seen through a hole in a blueish-white iceberg, against a backdrop of a steep rocky slope with snow patches.
The concrete plinth that is the only remaining evidence of the former Base O, with a whale bone leaning against it.
The information plaque on the concrete plinth, which relates a brief history of Base O.
With Niall Larter on the snowy summit of Danco Island
Day 11 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: landing on Danco Island, the location of former British Base O, occupied 1956-1959, demolished and removed 2004.
#BusmansHoliday
View of Port Lockroy from Jougla Point in driving rain. Part of the dark-panelled hut with red window frames and eaves can be seen over a rocky bluff. To the right of it flags are stretched out in the wind and a few penguins and one person can be seen. In the foreground a couple of small snow patches remain.
The kitchen stove in the hut.
Stores on the shelves and worktop in the hut kitchen.
The washroom in the hut.
Day 10 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): visit to the historic Port Lockroy base, established in 1944 and now maintained by @antarcticheritage.bsky.social
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Gentoo penguin chick with its back to the camera, demanding to be fed by its parent. Both are standing among grey rocks.
Gentoo penguin chick, facing to the left, among guano-splattered grey rocks.
A pair of gentoo penguin chicks looking rather bedraggled in persistent rain, standing on a grey rock in front of an area that is mostly covered in guano.
A giant petrel feasting on the carcass of a penguin, which it had probably recently killed.
Day 10 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): gentoo penguin, penguin chicks and a giant petrel feasting on its prey at Jougla Point.
#BusmansHoliday
A solitary gentoo penguin in the centre of the foreground walking around some whale bones. Some ice cliffs can be seen in the background.
A nearly intact whale skeleton lying on a rocky surface, with a few gentoo penguins in the lower right of the image. Some ice cliffs can be seen in the background.
Some whale vertebrae, beyond which Bark Europa can be seen in the background, in front of some ice cliffs.
Remains of barrels left on a beach by whalers, with a few gentoo penguins close to am inlet of the sea in the background. An ice can be seen in the distance.
Day 10 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: landing on Jougla Point, a location formerly used by Whalers and literally a stone's throw away from the island where the former British base of Port Lockroy is located.
#BusmansHoliday
Gentoo penguin standing on a pebbly beach, facing to the right
Gentoo penguin climbing up to the rookery along a guano-splattered ridge on a snowbank
Close up photo showing head and chest of a Gentoo penguin, facing to the right
Shell of gentoo penguin egg that had been lunch for a skua a few minutes earlier, on a gravelly-pebbly beach
Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): Gentoo penguins at Neko Harbour, and a penguin egg that had recently been plundered by a skua.
#BusmansHoliday
View of the nearby crevassed glacier front from the hill behind the landing site at Neko Harbour. In front of the glacier is a glassy smooth marine inlet in which the glacier is reflected. A few gentoo penguins can be seen on the rocky knoll in the foreground on the left.
View of a gentoo penguin rookery on a rocky knoll that has acquired a reddish brown hue due to the coating of penguin guano. A crevassed glacier front forms the backdrop.
Man standing on a rocky knoll overlooking a crevassed glacier front near the Neko Harbour glacier front. Any similarity you may notice to Caspar David's Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is entirely intentional.
Bark Europa in calm water that shows reflections of its masts and hull, viewed from the hill behind the Neko Harbour landing site. A glacier terminating in the bay can be seen in the background and a few gentoo penguins can be seen on the rocky slope on the right in the foreground.
Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): second landing of the day on the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula, at Neko Harbour.
#BusmansHoliday
A Weddell seal lying on its side on a pebbly beach, head to the left of the picture, looking towards the camera
A Weddell seal lying of its side on a pebbly beach, head to the left of the picture, with eyes closed
A Weddell seal lying on its side on a pebbly beach, head to the left of the picture, mouth wide open
Close up of the head of a Weddell seal lying on a pebbly beach, eyes half open and looking towards the camera
Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): the varied expressions of a Weddell seal resting on the beach at Stony Point.
#BusmansHoliday
A lone gentoo penguin on the rocky shoreline.
An Antarctic shag perched on a rock with icebergs in Paradise Harbour in the background.
A leopard seal resting on ice in Paradise Harbour.
Two gentoo penguins on the beach at Stony Point, seemingly trying to decide what to do about the Weddell seal that is in their way (front centre of photo)
Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): a selection of wildlife photos taken at Stony Point.
#BusmansHoliday
A large piece of ice on the pebbly beach at Stony Point, shaped like a sculpture that might have been the work of Henry Moore or Barbara Hepworth. Behind it and to the left an area of calm water in Paradise Harbour can be seen. To the right of this there are more pieces of ice.
Ice cliffs viewed from Stony Point, with part of the rocky shore seen in the foreground on the left.
View over Paradise Harbour from the summit of the snow dome above Stony Point. Ice cliffs are seen on the left, with calm water in Paradise Harbour to their right.
Bark Europa in Paradise Harbour, viewed from the summit of the snow dome above Stony Point. Two small icebergs are seen in the foreground and steep, snow covered slopes form the backdrop.
Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: first landing on the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula, at Stony Point, Paradise Harbour.
#BusmansHoliday
An Adelie penguin with its head turned a little sideways looking towards the camera.
An Adelie penguin climbing up a rocky slope, heading from right to left.
An Adelie penguin with its head turned sideways, the eye towards the camera half open, and holding one flipper out.
Two adult Adelie penguins, one standing and one lying down with its tail towards the camera, with two chicks. The chicks still have grey, downy plumage. One chick is extending its beak towards the parent's beak, seeking to be fed.
Day 8 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): a few photos of Adelie penguins on the Yalour Islands.
#BusmansHoliday
The masts and rigging on Bark Europa, with several members of the voyage crew receiving climbing instruction from permanent crew members. In the distance steep cliffs can be seen to either side as the vessel approaches the Lemaire Channel.
Looking forwards over the top of the Bark Europa wheelhouse towards the Lemaire Channel. The vessel's masts and yards dominate the right side of the photo.
A cluster of Adelie peguins on the crest of a rocky knoll on the Yalour Islands, where their guano covers the rock with a reddish coating.
Bark Europa (right) with mountains and glaciers on Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula in the background, viewed from the Yalour Islands, where a lone Adelie penguin can be seen in the foreground towards the left side of the photo.
Day 8 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: instruction on climbing on the higher sections of the masts and the yards, then passage through Lemaire Channel, followed by a landing on the Yalour Islands, which host a large Adelie peguin rookery.
#BusmansHoliday
View along ice-choked channel between Spert Island (left) and Trinity Island (right), with sheer cliffs of dark, volcanic rocks on either side.
Two small boats with members of voyage crew on board weaving between growlers and brash ice in the narrow channel between Spert Island and Trinity Island. The dark ciff in the background is on Trinity Island.
A cluster of icebergs in the mouth of the channel between Spert and Trinity islands contasts strongly with a dark sky.
View looking back to Bark Europa (centre right of image) from one of the zodiac boats, with mountains on the mainland of Graham Land, Antarctic Peninsula in the distance.
Day 7 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: an exploration of a narrow channel between Spert and Trinity islands in small boats, weaving between numerous icebergs and growlers.
#BusmansHoliday
🇺🇦 #NowPlaying on #BBC6Music's #TheMorningAfterMix
Busman's Holiday:
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▶️ 🪄 Automagic 🔊 show 📻 playlist on Spotify
▶️ Song on #Spotify:
Part of the low-lying, ice-free Half Moon Island stretches across the middle of the photo with ice-coverered mountains on Livingston Island rising behind it.
Part of Half Moon Island stretches across the middle of the photo with ice-covered mountains on Livingston Island behind it on the left side. Buildings on the flat surface of Half Moon Island on the right are part of the Argentinian Camara station.
View of the Argentinian Camara station (orange buildings) on Half Moon Island.
View of Edinburgh Hill, a Quaternary volcanic plug on a Livingston Island headland exhibiting spectacular columnar jointing.
Day 6 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: a close approach to Half Moon Island in McFarlane Strait, South Shetland Islands, but strong winds precluded a landing. Subsequently we approached close to Edinburgh Hill on Livingston Island.
#BusmansHoliday
A glacial meltwater stream flowing down to Whalers' Bay in Port Foster, Deception Island. Bark Europa can be seen in Whalers' Bay. The dark, partly snow covered ridge beyond it is the far side of Port Foster, the flooded caldera. Apart from along the Antarctic Peninsula, meltwater streams are rare in Antarctica. Most of the ice sheet surface is too cold, even in summer, for substantial surface melting to occur. Despite this, parts of the ice sheet are now losing significant amounts of ice as a result of changes in ocean circulation that have brought increased amounts of relatively warm water into contact with the ice where it flows into the ocean on a bed that is far below sea level.
Two members of the voyage crew point towards the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula at the vantage point on the Deception Island caldera rim from which Nathaniel B Palmer first sighted it in 1820. There must have been much better visibility on that day, as we could barely see anything more than a couple of kilometres away.
View of Neptune's Bellows, the narrow entrance to the Port Foster flooded caldera, from the "window" on the caldera rim from which Nathaniel B Palmer first sighted the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula. A sea stack in the upper central part of the photo guards the eastern side of the entrance.
Members of the voyage crew descending along the valley down to Whalers' Bay. Bark Europa can just be seen in the mist in Whalers' Bay.
Day 5 (continued) of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: second landing, at Whalers' Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands. From the landing site we walked up a valley to a depression in the caldera rim.
#BusmansHoliday
A pair of chinstrap penguins on the black sand and gravel beach at Telefon Bay, Deception Island.
A pair of chinstrap penguins on the black sand and gravel beach at Telefon Bay, Deception Island.
A skua on the black sand and gravel beach at Telefon Bay, Deception Island.
A skua on the black sand and gravel beach at Telefon Bay, Deception Island.
Day 5 (continued) of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: first close encounters with some of the local inhabitants at Telefon Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.
#BusmansHoliday
Looking down from the summit of Cross Hill across the phreatic eruption crater at Telefon Bay. Sand and silt washed down from the flanks of the crater have infilled a former lake in its centre which can now be distinguished by the light shade of the sediments. Beyond this, Bark Europa and a Bulgarian research vessel can be seen in the flooded caldera of Deception Island, Port Foster, and a dark, partly snow covered ridge that is part of the caldera rim is seen in the background.
Walking along the summit ridge of Cross Hill. Part of the flooded caldera of Deception Island is seen in the upper left part of the image, and the partly snow covered hills in the distance form part of the caldera rim.
View looking across Port Foster, the flooded caldera of Deception Island, towards Neptune's Bellows (the gap between the two headlands in the top centre of the photo) from the summit of Cross Hill.
The bow of Bark Europa emerging from behind a rocky bluff (right) at Telefon Bay. The partly snow covered slope seen behind the ship is part of the caldera rim.
Day 5 (continued) of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: first landing, at Telefon Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Is. From the landing site we walked to the summit of Cross Hill and around the phreatic eruption crater it stands on one side of.
#BusmansHoliday
View of Neptune's Bellows, the gap between two rocky headlands in the centre of the image, across the foredeck of Bark Europa. The yellow bowsprit of the vessel is seen on the left, partly obscuring one of the headlands.
Looking through Neptune's Bellows (gap between two rocky headlands in the centre of the photo), a line of low hills can be seen on the horizon. These are on the far side of the Deception Island caldera.
View of the rocky headland forming the eastern side of Neptune's Bellows, part of which is seen on the far left of the photo. The low point in the headland is often referred to as Neptune's Window, from which Nathaniel B Palmer first sighted the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula in 1820. In reality, the "window" he looked through was probably a higher one further east along the ridge.
Close up view through Neptune's Bellows, showing the strong red colour of the rocks forming the western side of this narrow seaway. The low hills seen in the distance through the Bellows are on the far side of the Deception Island caldera.
Day 5 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: approaching Neptune's Bellows, the narrow entrance to the 7 km wide flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.
#BusmansHoliday
Ah the Six Nations, that time as an Edinburgh Rugby fan where you get a well-earned break from watching an eternally frustrating team for a few weeks.... #AsOne #BusmansHoliday
Days 2-4 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: crossing #DrakePassage until we sighted Smith Island, South Shetland Islands. As expected, there were some rough seas, but I didn't feel well enough to take photos in the worst conditions.
#BusmansHoliday
Looking back to the port of Ushuaia, nestled beneath snow-capped hills with calm water in the foreground
Looking astern across the poop deck of Bark Europa with a line of hills in the distance beyond the calm waters of the Beagle Channel
Looking forward from the poop deck of Bark Europa as the ship travels through calm water in the Beagle Channel. On the right of the image there are the ship's masts, rigging and furled sails. In the upper left a line of hills in Tierra del Fuego are seen lining the north side of the Beagle Channel.
Looking out towards the mouth of the Beagle Channel with the bowsprit of Bark Europa in the foreground
Day 1 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: departing from #Ushuaia and sailing east along the Beagle Channel.
#BusmansHoliday
A river, a hill, sheep, country air… it’s Ambridge North. How much is this jaunt costing? #busmansholiday #thearchers
Spent part of today's lunch break scanning a QR code in Morrisons for an older lady who wanted a loyalty card #BusmansHoliday
We had a little train trip out to Manchester this afternoon, a different route each way - because you know, why not? Got a glimpse of a #GBRf #Class69 Travelled on #MerseyRail #class777 #Northern #Class331 & #Class195 #TPE #Class185 not a bad mix! #OffDutyTrainDriver #BusmansHoliday #TravelByTrain
