Port Lockroy & Paradise Bay
During the night, the National Geographic Explorer anchored in the protected harbor of Port Lockroy, a site of great historic interest and natural splendor. It was first discovered in 1904 by the famous French explorer, Jean-Baptiste Charcot and soon became a favored location by the area’s early shore-based whalers.
Jougla Point, on the eastern edge of the small bay still has a formidable pile of whale bones dating back to that unfortunate and wasteful era. Around those bones and up the surrounding bare granitic rocks exists an extensive gentoo penguin colony and a small number of nesting blue-eyed shags (cormorants).
In the middle of the bay there is a small island, Charcot named Goudier. During World War II, the British established “Base A” there as a part of “Operation Tabarin” to monitor enemy ship movements in the southern latitudes. Following the war it became a scientific station for The British Antarctic Survey until it was finally shut down in 1963. With the recent dramatic increase in Antarctic tourism the station has been reopened as a museum, post office, and gift shop by the Antarctic Heritage Trust.
We divided the morning’s activities between the two locations after station manager Rick Atkinson came onboard and gave a brief presentation on the history of and daily life on, Goudier Island. Many of us returned from shore after purchasing maps, stamps, t-shirts, and hats to remind us of our visit.
During our lunch we sailed north around Wiencke Island toward Andvord Bay, but 60 knot winds in the Gerlache Strait altered our plan for the afternoon and the National Geographic Explorer ducked into Paradise Bay for protection.
We made our continental landing at Argentina’s “Base Brown” where many of us climbed to the top of a very steep hill to get a panoramic view of this glorious place. The landing was followed by zodiac excursions with close encounters with snoozing leopard seals, sculptured ice bergs and, for some, minke whales.
A fabulous sunset and an asado dinner capped a perfect day.
During the night, the National Geographic Explorer anchored in the protected harbor of Port Lockroy, a site of great historic interest and natural splendor. It was first discovered in 1904 by the famous French explorer, Jean-Baptiste Charcot and soon became a favored location by the area’s early shore-based whalers.
Jougla Point, on the eastern edge of the small bay still has a formidable pile of whale bones dating back to that unfortunate and wasteful era. Around those bones and up the surrounding bare granitic rocks exists an extensive gentoo penguin colony and a small number of nesting blue-eyed shags (cormorants).
In the middle of the bay there is a small island, Charcot named Goudier. During World War II, the British established “Base A” there as a part of “Operation Tabarin” to monitor enemy ship movements in the southern latitudes. Following the war it became a scientific station for The British Antarctic Survey until it was finally shut down in 1963. With the recent dramatic increase in Antarctic tourism the station has been reopened as a museum, post office, and gift shop by the Antarctic Heritage Trust.
We divided the morning’s activities between the two locations after station manager Rick Atkinson came onboard and gave a brief presentation on the history of and daily life on, Goudier Island. Many of us returned from shore after purchasing maps, stamps, t-shirts, and hats to remind us of our visit.
During our lunch we sailed north around Wiencke Island toward Andvord Bay, but 60 knot winds in the Gerlache Strait altered our plan for the afternoon and the National Geographic Explorer ducked into Paradise Bay for protection.
We made our continental landing at Argentina’s “Base Brown” where many of us climbed to the top of a very steep hill to get a panoramic view of this glorious place. The landing was followed by zodiac excursions with close encounters with snoozing leopard seals, sculptured ice bergs and, for some, minke whales.
A fabulous sunset and an asado dinner capped a perfect day.
