Palmer Station, Anvers Island, Torgersen Island
We ran out of superlatives days ago. How are we going to describe the scores of penguins waxing and waning in moon phase fashion to and from the sea? Will a picture of ancient moss beds wedged in the protection of rocky crevices portray their tenacity in this frigid environment? Ted Barnaby and Brenda Johnston put their collective heads together and came up with a few new Antarctic inspired words of description. Antarctastic, Awesomearctic, Snowalicious, Penguissimo and Antarctacular may soon be in the vernacular for those inclined to go polar. Many of us have friends and family that could not understand why we would willingly travel someplace cold, icy and snowy. It's doubtful we could explain the feeling of the vast landscape, the clarity of the sky, the solitude that can be found amongst a colony of a few thousand hormone infused penguins. Maybe the new vocabulary will help out.
While observing the Adelie colony on Torgersen Island the day seemed quite balmy, it was 41 degrees Fahrenheit and we were starting to sweat. Our points of reference for comfort have changed, and perhaps some of our perspectives in other matters as well. Shared with you are writings and inspirations from some of our younger explorer's perspective.
I am big
I am small
I am flat
I am tall
I am smooth
I am rough
I am upside down
I am right side up
I am trapped
I am free
Krill feed under me
Birds rest on me
I am white
I am blue
I am very old
But I am new
I am an iceberg.
-Dane Printz, Age 10
We've seen so much already
From icebergs whales and seals
But don't forget those penguins
Every Adelie, Chinstrap and Gentoo
We can't wait to see
Even that one lucky Emperor
It has been such a blast
But now we're near the end
And it has been a time to remember.
-Maxwell Shand, Age 12
Iceberg
The iceberg is old
Its beards of icicles grow
It came from a glacier cold
The winds pile upon it ice and snow
A small crack inches its way up the side
Soon it grows extremely wide
Penguins jump up to sit
The krill underneath it eat algae bit by bit
The snow falls and creates a blanket tightly knit
Soon a wind comes roaring past
A wooden ship goes by with towering masts
The iceberg's beards have touched the sea
Hiding a cool blue light in a treasury
The ice underwater makes a lumpy skin
While a ship full of drunk sailors sail past drinking gin
The iceberg has seen a good many years
And the Endeavour has passed by it, very near
And divers have gone under it, with all of their gear
It floats in the ocean, does it melt? Never!
In Antarctica it lives forever and ever.
-Damon Printz, Age 11
