I still have a year of the School of Education left to experience but the further in to the program I get and the more time I spend wishing I was still abroad, the more I think I should teach abroad for a while after graduation. I'm young and wild and free...go for it!
http://www.highexistence.com/6-reasons-why-you-should-consider-teaching-english-abroad-how-to-do-it/
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Pictures to Compliment my Journals III
One of my best friends, Evan and I on our very last hike in Antarctica
Gentoo penguin
Gentoo penguin
Gentoo on its nest
Minke Whale next to our zodiac; mi amor!
Minke Whales breaching!
Leopard Seal on an ice flow
Paradise Bay
Favorite place on Earth
Pictures to Compliment my Journals II
Hiking up a peak in Paradise Bay, Antarctica
Me outside Palmer Station, one of the US Research Bases in Antarctica
A few Chinstrap Penguins scurrying about on their "Penguin Highways" on Cuverville Island.
Baby Elephant seal scratching off his molting fur.
Weddell Seal
A Weddell Seal jumped on to shore and sent all the penguins sprinting off the shore of the ocean, except for this one brave, curious gentoo penguin. Our ship, The Ushuaiais in the background.
Gentoo Penguin chick
Adult Gentoo Penguin
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Pictures to Compliment my Journals
Lonely Adelie Penguin
Adelie Penguins on an iceberg off the shore of our first landing.
Taken standing in the bridge of the ship once we finally reached open waters.
Antarctic Sunset: This picture was taken around 1 am...the sun never fully goes down during their summers.
Albatross hovering behind our ship in the middle of the Drake Passage
More to come when this starts working better! :)
Antarctica Journals
So even though I didn't follow through with posting during my trip, I have a few journal entries from my time spent on the Ushuaia to share with you!
The Adventure Continues
01.09.12
After spending the night in Buenos Aires, we flew out early the next morning to Ushuaia and landed around 10 am in temperatures much cooler. Many of us felt more at home because it was more similar to the Pacific Northwest climate. Because we landed so early, many of us took advantage of our “free day” to catch up on the minimal sleep we’ve been getting while others decided to explore our second stop of the trip.
Later that evening, the group went out for dinner at a chic restaurant for Nick’s 21st birthday. The food was great but the company was even better. One of the most entertaining aspects of this trip so far is overcoming the language barrier and this is definitely something that was apparent at dinner. There are a few of us that have a Spanish speaking background and are able to help out but many of us stutter through conversations and it is amazing and entertaining to be immersed in a completely different culture.
To continue celebrating Nick’s birthday we innocently wandered down to a nightclub we saw when initially coming in to Ushuaia, little to our knowledge it ended up being the Southern most gay bar in the world. Our entire group made up the population of this nightclub and as the night went on, we began to pick up the signs that maybe we were not in a regular nightclub. Nonetheless, we made the most of that experience and continued to dance the night away!
Early the next morning we woke up and went to the Tierra del Fuego National Park that was absolutely gorgeous! We went on a couple short hikes around the coast of the Beagle Channel and stopped for lunch at a nearby river. The boys and Alexis were brave enough to jump in for a swim in the chilly water. This led to many laughs and several memorable quotes. After the swim, we continued on to el Lago Roca (Roca Lake) which was another cold body of water that stands between Chile and Argentina. The site was absolutely breath taking, just like everything else here!
After a day of hiking, we had more free time to explore downtown Ushuaia and many of us decided to go to museums, shops or restaurants. It was nice to have a relaxed evening however it ended with many of us catching up on our readings and homework for class the next day.
This morning we checked out of the hotel and spent our last hours in Tierra del Fuego walking around and getting ready to board our ship to Antarctica, the Ushuaia. We are all so excited to embark on this adventure and do not know what to expect, other than pure awesomeness. It is all still so surreal!!
Abrazos de Argentina!
Drake Lake or Drake Shake: Our Boat Ride Through the Antarctic Region
01.10.12
Today is our second day on the boat and so far I haven’t been feeling any seasickness! I think the nausea patches are working like a charm! We hit the open waters around 11 pm last night and since we’ve been in the middle of the ocean for several hours now and it is amazing at the number of albatrosses that have been following our ship. I know Dr. Bergman would have a heart attack if I described them as oversized seagulls, but that is what they look like. They glide above and around the boat and don’t flap their wings because the high winds just carry them along. These birds rarely touch ground and fly around 15,000 miles with ships to the Antarctic Peninsula. These are creatures that have completely opened up my eyes not only because they are beautiful but because of their dedication to the ocean.
Last night as it was getting dark a few of us spotted some dolphins and penguins right as we were entering Drake’s Passage. I’ve been told that Drake’s passage is either called “Drake Lake” or “Drake Shake” for obvious reason. So far, Drake’s Passage has been a combination of both and there is supposed to be a storm tonight so I’m curious to find out if we will be experiencing the “real” Drake’s Passage. It is known as the most dangerous, violent open waters in the world because of all the other ocean’s currents that circle the continent.
Speaking of ocean’s currents, we entered the Antarctic Convergence around 9 pm today. You can’t really feel when you enter it when you’re on the ship, but it is when the cold waters from the Southern Ocean meets with the warmer waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and you can feel the air and water get significantly colder. Looks like I’m definitely getting close to The End of the World! We’re expecting to see our first icebergs later tonight! Another sign that Antarctica is FINALLY near!
The ship we are on is called the Ushuaia and let me tell you, when we walked up to the dock, all the other ships there could eat ours for a snack. We’re on a 300 foot long boat with our group of 20 and about 60 other people out here mainly for vacations. Zach, Evan and I have met a lot of great people already. There are quite a few Americans here, a few Germans and a few Australians. Last night our new Australian friend, Stev, talked our ear off while trying to finish our homework and he is one of the most interesting men I have ever met. He is truly following his passions in life through traveling and changing careers to something he is extremely dedicated to. Speaking of people with passions for travelling, there is an elderly woman on our ship from Germany who has been to EVERY country in the world and Antarctica is her last! I am excited to talk to her about it more and listen to her experiences and how she went about getting to every country! It is absolutely amazing.
The further we get into the open oceans, the bigger the waves get and it gets funnier with every wave we hit how people try to walk around the ship. It is like watching 50 drunks stumbling around all at the same time. Hopefully the waves don’t get any worse in the storm we’re supposed to go through tonight because I’m not sure I’d be able to walk around the boat anymore.
Journal #6: Albatross Sightings
01.10.12
"Not all who wander are lost." -T.S. Eliot
After finally being out in the open waters through the Southern Ocean heading towards Antarctica, I woke up to many albatrosses hovering above and behind our boat. Albatrosses are extremely beautiful birds that blew me away. Before seeing one in person, I would have described them as an oversized seagull. However, after observing them on the deck for majority of the afternoon, they do not even compare to the seagull! They are constantly travelling hundreds and hundreds of miles across the ocean where there is no land in sight. When they are flying, they do not even flap their wings; they simply glide in the wind and can travel upwards of 30 miles per hour.
Albatrosses scan the open seas to feed off the fish and krill in the deep waters and the conversation our class had today really got me thinking about a human’s direct impact on animals even in the Southern Hemisphere, where much of it is untouched by humans. When we decide to eat thousands of pounds of fish, we are taking away the food an albatross needs to survive the flight across an ocean.
The albatross is a large sea bird and after observing a few different species this afternoon, I have begun to tell the differences between some of them. The biggest albatross I’ve seen and the one that blows me away the most is the Wandering Albatross. Its wingspan can be from 8 to 11 feet long and it has a white body with darker wings. Another species I observed was the Black-Browed Albatross and it looks very similar to the Wandering Albatross except it is darker around its eyes and has a dark “stripe” across its middle back as if it is connecting the two wings together. The wings are the largest part on an albatross that kind of remind me of a hang glider; they do not move much but take you a long ways in a decently short amount of time. Their beaks and feet are a brighter orange and easily stand out compared to the rest of their more natural colored bodies.
I was able to identify these albatrosses through a couple different ways. One way is that I knew they were going to be among the first species we would encounter on the ship and since they look similar to seagulls, I was able to point them out. However, I got better at recognizing the specific species after standing on the deck and photographing them with Dr. Bergman, as well as hearing other students on the trip describe the subtle differences between the albatrosses.
After reading observing dozens of albatrosses and reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I can better relate to the poem and better visualize what the Mariner is going through. In the poem, there is an albatross that is hovering over the Mariner’s boat and can be seen as a good omen but eventually could end up symbolizing a burden that he carries and ends up killing the albatross. The albatross in the poem has many similar characteristics that the albatrosses today have even though Coleridge wrote this poem about two hundred years ago. I thought it was an interesting parable of humans’ state of being as well as contributing a sense of moral behavior between all of God’s creatures, especially man and bird. This is best shown in the last few stanzas of the poem:
“Farewell, farewell! But this I tell
To thee, though Wedding-Guest!
He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.
He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.”
A few students and I had talked about these last few stanzas and thought it was extremely important the relationship between man and bird even in today’s society. It explains the love that God has for everything he created yet we live in a culture where humans are the ones destroying nature and the animals in it just as the Mariner killed the albatross in the story.
Drake Shake
01.11.12
Last night, a few of us decided not to get sleep but to play games and hang out on the deck instead in search for the first iceberg that is bigger than our ship. Unfortunately for us, we weren’t the first to see it. It is a challenge among our group because Dr. Bergman has made bets with us. For example, the first to spot an iceberg or an albatross gets a drink of choice on him. The first to spot an Emperor Penguin, Sperm Whale or Snowy Petrel receives an A for the course!
Anyway, after getting about 1 hour of sleep, we went to the ship’s kitchen at 8 am and let me tell you, we have definitely entered Drake Shake. The waves are continuously rolling and are absolutely massive. Chairs are sliding around, drawers are opening and closing and nothing else will stay in place long. Crossing my fingers that I can get to Antarctica without feeling nauseous. We should get to the islands around the peninsula around 2 pm and the waves should die down because we’ll be in protected waters. We most likely will not get off the boat today but will early tomorrow morning instead!
After a day full of intense pitching from side to side, we reached the island!! I saw my first iceberg around 5 pm and finally saw land again at 7 pm. And by land I mean we had finally reached the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. We entered the Weddell Sea around midnight and the sun still has not set. The sunsets here last for hours. It is so breath taking and beautiful to watch the enormous icebergs float by you with the sunset in the background. Sometimes if you’re lucky they will be loaded with penguins. So far the only penguins I’ve seen on icebergs are the Adelie Penguins. Even though we’re “on” the continent we won’t get off until morning and are docking between a few islands scattered outside Antarctica. We’ll have most of the day to walk around on land and I absolutely cannot wait to observe and interact with, what I think are, the most anthropomorphic animals on Earth.
I still cannot believe I’m here. This is something I have only dreamed of doing before after watching countless documentaries and learning about this desolate continent in school. I feel so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and can’t wait to share it with the ones I love back home.
Countdown to the penguin cuddling begins…
Pinguinos y Fiestas
01.12.12
Today was our first day to go on land and we made two stops. The first stop we made was at Paulette Island. This island is home to thousands and thousands of penguins. The biologist on board estimated that there were around 60,000 pairs of Adelie penguins meaning that with chicks and all, there were about 150,000 penguins in the colony we stopped at. We walked around the colony all morning and were able to observe and take pictures of them. Since there were almost 200,000 of them, penguin guano was literally everywhere. The smell took a few minutes of getting used to but it was so worth it to watch these animals.
We took the Zodiacs back to the ship right before lunch and embarked for our second landing of the day. This was our first “actual” continental landing and it was called Brown’s Bluff. It was absolutely stunning there with colonies of Adelie and Gentoo penguins, icebergs, a Snow Petrel and some chicks. The sun was out and it was about 30 degrees so it hardly felt like we were in Antarctica at all. After hanging out with the penguins for a few hours, we put our swimsuits on and ran in to the Southern Ocean! It easily may have been the coldest waters I have ever encountered and we survived!
That night we met for dinner and had a short class, as usual, and were hanging out in the common room when the ship’s bartender came to us and asked if we were busy. Hesitantly, we told him that we were just working on some reading for the next day and he invited us to a Crew party on the ship. Since there are only 80 people on this ship and 20 of them are in our group, we were all a little confused. So, we decided to take a break from our studies and walked down past the conference room that we were familiar with because of procedural meetings earlier this week. We opened up the door in the back of the room and we saw strobe lights, neon lights and loud American party music along with many crew members on this ship. Some drive the Zodiacs, some are the cooks that prepare our meals and we even saw the Captain down there as well! It was one of their birthdays and the “party” ended early when they brought out the birthday cake and it ended up on the floor, ceilings and my clothes. Estamos chicas buenas!
If Fargo Won’t Give Me Snow, Antarctica Will
01.13.12
After a long, unexpected, extremely entertaining night with our new friends on board, we woke up early for two more continental landings. The first stop was Hydruga Island and it was supposed to be the sighting of many leopard seals. However, we did not find any leopard seals but instead saw a few Weddell Seals, a fur seal and a baby Elephant Seal known as a wiener. They were so fascinating to watch because of their enormous size and their limited ability to move. They scoot three times or so and decide to take a nap. The life of a seal seems to be the best. There was also a colony of Chinstrap Penguins at this island and they were interesting to watch as they hopped around on rocks. They tend to jump around more than the Adelies or Gentoos and their ecstasy calls sound like flocks of geese.
The second landing of the day was at Cuverville and when we got on land it really felt like we were in Antarctica. It was a little chillier than the morning temperatures and it was dumping snow. Ashore there was another colony of Gentoo Penguins and they had beautiful nests made of pebbles and feathers along with dozens and dozens of brand new baby chicks. Augustine, a crew member, said those penguin chicks were no more than a week old.
Today was my favorite day of our trip so far. We have been in Antarctica a few days now and I have seen three species of penguins, three types of seals and numerous species of skuas and albatrosses. I have just begun to scratch the surface on everything we have been experiencing and talking about. I find myself speechless day after day and moment after moment. I love finding a rock to sit on in the middle of a colony and take in everything around me in this pristine, untouched place. I really don’t think words or pictures can do this continent justice. I am usually awful with my words and tend to express them some other way but I don’t even think any type of expensive camera equipment could express my experiences here so far. Speechless.
Bases and Science
01.14.12
Today was an earlier day because our first landing was Palmer Station, the United States Antarctic Research Station. We got a tour of the station and a jist of the things they do when stationed in Antarctica. Our second landing was at Port Lockeroy, which is a British Base, and there we had the opportunity to watch a colony of Gentoo penguins and we found a full whale skeleton. Absolutely breathtaking.
Speechless
1.15.12
We woke up early again today and our first stop was Paradise Bay and after taking in everything it had to offer, I realized there is not a more perfect name for this place. When the zodiacs first dropped us off, I decided to hike up one of the mountains and take everything in for a bit. I passed a colony of Gentoo Penguins and witnessed numerous glaciers caving on my hike. After being up there for a while, a few of us went on a zodiac tour around Paradise Bay. We spotted a cormorant rookery as well as a leopard seal floating on an iceberg. We sat and watched it for a while because a penguin hopped up onto the iceberg next to it. If you didn’t know, leopard seals can be seen as some of the most vicious predators in the ocean. It was absolutely amazing!
Each experience I have here tops the previous one and each time I don’t think it can get any better. For example, after hiking this morning then watching a leopard seal and a Gentoo together but not even an hour later I came across an extremely powerful once in a lifetime experience. We were driving around Paradise Bay in zodiacs and just as we were about to head back to the ship, we saw two Minke whales in the distance. We went over to the middle of the bay and sat there in complete silence because this was a moment everyone had been waiting for; to see whales in the wild. I took in everything around me; I took in the glaciers and mountains surrounding the bay, the scent of the sea air, the Antarctic summer temperatures and I was speechless. The guide of the zodiac began to tap a beat on the side of the boat that sounded much like a heartbeat. We sat there patiently and we began to see their blowholes come to the surface of the water. I couldn’t help but gasp and begin to shake from the adrenaline running through my body. The longer we sat there and the more patient we were, the closer they came to our boat. They would graze the surface so their eye would peer at us and they would swim belly up and twirl right under us as if they were showing off. Then they would swim away from our boat a bit only to jump straight up in the air, called spy hopping, in order to take in their surroundings. Their eyes, blowholes and dorsal fins repeatedly broke the ocean’s surface and no matter how many times this happened, I was more impressed each time it happened. As we brought our zodiac back to the ship, two of them followed us in, swimming and twirling under and in front of us. When we got on to our ship, the two swam off in to the distance and breeched themselves numerous times as if they were performing a grand final display for us. Absolutely unreal. I really do not think pictures or words can do this experience justice and I don’t know how I can explain this to people back home. After reading about how intelligent whales are and gaining a lot of appreciation for them, seeing this first hand experience was something I can’t even begin to explain. It was easily the most powerful experience I have seen in a long time; as long as I can remember. Once again, at the end of the day, I am speechless.
I also have been loving being disconnected from the world. However, I hope the Pack won today, as I have no idea what’s going on at home...I have to wait 4 more days to see the recap of the game. Go Pack Go!
Some of the random thoughts and questions I've been thinking about since these experiences:
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” –Shakespeare
How long did everyone stay genuinely happy after seeing those Minke whales in Paradise Bay?
These are the moments when it seems as though the world has revealed a secret to you and the animals reveal themselves to you in a way that will impact you. What do you make of it?
Experiences are what drive people.
Love? Love something for more than yourself, but for its presence in this world.
Never have I seen a creature just as interested in me as I have been in it. Gorgeous.
Nos Vemos Antarctica
01.16.12
Today was our last day of continental landings in Antarctica. The first landing was at a place called Deception Island, and that’s exactly what it was. When we got off our zodiac, the island was so desolate and brown. It didn’t even seem as though we were in Antarctica because there was so little snow and ice. The temperature definitely felt like the Antarctic though. On Deception Island, there is a huge crater and we walked in a volcano! The glacier there looked almost like a mountain of dirt because it was a black glacier. Our guide told us this landing allowed us to tell people we’ve A. stood in a volcano and B. touched a black glacier. Two things off my bucket list?
After lunch and another much needed nap, we had our second landing of the day and final one of the trip to Half Moon Island, named for obvious reasons. When we got on shore, there was a rookery of chinstrap penguins and because it was my last on land experience, I decided to go on a hike and totally take in all my surroundings. We walked along the coast of the island and up a mountain to see some of the most beautiful landscapes of the trip. There were about 8 skuas nesting up there and it was breath taking to watch them soar in the high winds. I sat up there for hours and looked down at the bay and with patience, 5 whales began to blow below me. Everything that surrounded me was so pure and gorgeous. The themes I have encountered time and time again in Antarctica is that nature continues to reveal itself to you, sometimes in subtle ways, but with being attentive and patient, you continue to be absolutely astounded with what will present itself.
We embarked the ship for the last time and started heading back to Ushuaia. Drake Passage is already making itself present and has been affecting many of the people on the ship. Hopefully the way back up to civilization shows itself as Drake Lake.
Journal #5: Nature and Vocation
01.15.12
On our fourth day of expeditions in Antarctica, I dropped back from the group and found a rock to sit on at our first landing, Brown’s Base. Like right now, I have found myself feeling as though there is no other place on Earth I need to be right now. There isn’t anything but nature and me. There aren’t any car horns, sirens or flashing signs within hundreds of miles of me. This land is basically untouched. As I listen to the sounds that surround me, I am in complete awe. In the distance, there are penguins doing ecstasy calls, skuas calling to each other, glaciers caving, water splashing against the shoreline and a small avalanche roaring down a mountainside. Since I am so high up on the mountain, the wind is blowing steadily, drowning out most of the human conversations in front of me.
The scents around me aren’t as pungent as they have been at previous rookeries and bases. Instead of smelling guano, I smell the fresh sea air and the sunscreen that keeps my North Dakotan skin from burning. However, above all other senses it is the things I see that continue to take my breath away. As I open my eyes, glaciers, icebergs, snow and the ocean that has many unique shades of blue and white surround me. My favorite part about being above the shoreline is being able to see the parts of icebergs under the water’s surface. The ocean goes from being a dark blue to a bright, cerulean blue under the icebergs. I was also attracted to this spot because it is untouched; everything is pure.
Being placed in an environment such as this, there is absolutely nothing to complain about. Although I am a little tired from the continuous lack of sleep, I am completely content and would not want to be anywhere else. I feel so extremely blessed to have the opportunity to travel to such a pristine, and somewhat mysterious, continent. It just feels right and I don’t have any other cares in the world. I am so disconnected from life at home and in Tacoma but I am more than okay with it. The family, school or relationship burdens I came on the trip with were quickly left on the plane in Buenos Aires. I love the feeling of not having to worry about much and being completely surrounded by nature in such a desolate place. I haven’t been on a trip like this since high school when I would go on numerous trips to the Boundary Waters where all you have is nature and the company that surrounds you. I could spend hours starting at a sleeping elephant seal pup or waiting for the side of a glacier to drop in to the ocean. It is during these times when I feel so connected to nature that there is no reason to worry about communicating on electronics and social networks. Throughout this trip, those feelings of contentment have been confirmed time and time again.
Sitting on a rock on the top of an Antarctic mountain still seems so surreal to me. I have been here for almost a week and each day continues to top the last. The images, experiences and interactions I have encountered leave me speechless. No matter how hard I try, words or pictures cannot do these experiences justice. They can only capture a fraction of the beauty and emotion I feel here. The summer sun beats down on me and I’m overlooking a glittering ocean surrounded by glaciers and I realize how truly small I am in this world. It causes me to take a step back and remember the truly important things in life. It causes me to reflect upon my priorities and to be true to my passions and myself, something I have been really working on during this trip. College can be a scary time in life knowing that in less than two years, I’m supposed to be an elementary school teacher. Yes, I’ve had my doubts and the people closest to me have tried to change my mind but this trip has reminded me to be fearless and to follow my passions. After two and a half years, I am so certain teaching is my calling and I can’t wait to make an impact on future students as well as being completely content with my career choice. I don’t’ have to follow my mom’s career nor my dad’s. If anything, traveling to the end of the world has taught me to be fearless when pursuing my passions and to be passionate about something that is worth going the last ten feet for.
Journal #14: What is something that you perhaps still can’t explain about this trip and/or yourself?
01.17.12
On January 15, our first landing of the day was at a place called Paradise Bay. When we got there, I quickly realized that there could not be a more perfect name for this place. I hiked up a mountain and took in the untouched scenery around me; the glaciers and icebergs surrounded me and I was speechless. I was in complete awe at the colors and shapes the ice formed, the perfection of the snow and the actions of the skuas and cormorants that surrounded me. However, after climbing up part of the mountain and sitting on a rock for an hour or so, it was time to get back on the zodiac to get a tour of Paradise Bay and I had no idea what I was about to experience. The scenery and the personal reflections I had on the mountain were already leaving me speechless. We were slowly breaking through chunks of ice with our zodiac and we entered the bay area and I saw the water was completely calm. Nothing broke the surface and suddenly the ice wasn’t floating around. The mountains and glaciers were perfectly reflected in the water and looking back through my pictures, it is hard to tell where the horizon is. Yet again, something so untouched and perfect left me speechless. We sat in the bay for a while to see if we could attract a whale, as the group before us had seen a Minke Whale in the area. As we patiently waited, no one said a word. The loudest sound was an occasional shutter of a camera lens. Finally our expedition leader told us it was time to head back to the ship and we were all a little bummed we hadn’t seen a whale.
As we got closer to the Ushuaia, our leader was told that a zodiac had seen a whale near the ship. Our ears all perked up a little and we sped over to the spot where two other zodiacs were sitting and, again we sat patiently and again, no one said a word. This time the only sound was a drum beat on the side of the zodiac in order to attract the whales. After a few minutes of patiently waiting, a whale broke the surface of the water. And another. And another. I couldn’t even move my body. I couldn’t even bring myself to take a picture of anything. I had goose bumps on my arms and legs and found myself getting choked up. The reaction I had to these whales completely took me by surprise and I couldn’t really understand why I was feeling the way I was. I’ve read about whales and seen whales before just as I’ve done with penguins and seals and I for some reason, my emotions were taking over me and I didn’t know why. I still don’t know why. It was so powerful to watch the Minke Whales repeatedly coming up and blowing water out of their blow holes and the longer we sat there, the closer they came to us. They began to twirl directly beneath our zodiac and peak their heads up to look at us not five feet from me. They would also spy hop and jump out of the water to look at us. We were so small compared to these creatures and they were completely surrounding us. They were easily three or four times the length of our zodiac and could easily capsize us if they wanted but looking eye to eye with such an enormous, timid and curious creature left me completely speechless. I wish I could relive this experience as well as explain it so everyone I talked to could feel the way I do but I just can’t and that bothers me. Telling friends and family that I saw three Minke Whales, looked at one eye to eye and got choked up about it sounds so silly but it was easily one of the most powerful, mind blowing experiences I have ever had and probably ever will.
The Adventure Continues
01.09.12
After spending the night in Buenos Aires, we flew out early the next morning to Ushuaia and landed around 10 am in temperatures much cooler. Many of us felt more at home because it was more similar to the Pacific Northwest climate. Because we landed so early, many of us took advantage of our “free day” to catch up on the minimal sleep we’ve been getting while others decided to explore our second stop of the trip.
Later that evening, the group went out for dinner at a chic restaurant for Nick’s 21st birthday. The food was great but the company was even better. One of the most entertaining aspects of this trip so far is overcoming the language barrier and this is definitely something that was apparent at dinner. There are a few of us that have a Spanish speaking background and are able to help out but many of us stutter through conversations and it is amazing and entertaining to be immersed in a completely different culture.
To continue celebrating Nick’s birthday we innocently wandered down to a nightclub we saw when initially coming in to Ushuaia, little to our knowledge it ended up being the Southern most gay bar in the world. Our entire group made up the population of this nightclub and as the night went on, we began to pick up the signs that maybe we were not in a regular nightclub. Nonetheless, we made the most of that experience and continued to dance the night away!
Early the next morning we woke up and went to the Tierra del Fuego National Park that was absolutely gorgeous! We went on a couple short hikes around the coast of the Beagle Channel and stopped for lunch at a nearby river. The boys and Alexis were brave enough to jump in for a swim in the chilly water. This led to many laughs and several memorable quotes. After the swim, we continued on to el Lago Roca (Roca Lake) which was another cold body of water that stands between Chile and Argentina. The site was absolutely breath taking, just like everything else here!
After a day of hiking, we had more free time to explore downtown Ushuaia and many of us decided to go to museums, shops or restaurants. It was nice to have a relaxed evening however it ended with many of us catching up on our readings and homework for class the next day.
This morning we checked out of the hotel and spent our last hours in Tierra del Fuego walking around and getting ready to board our ship to Antarctica, the Ushuaia. We are all so excited to embark on this adventure and do not know what to expect, other than pure awesomeness. It is all still so surreal!!
Abrazos de Argentina!
Drake Lake or Drake Shake: Our Boat Ride Through the Antarctic Region
01.10.12
Today is our second day on the boat and so far I haven’t been feeling any seasickness! I think the nausea patches are working like a charm! We hit the open waters around 11 pm last night and since we’ve been in the middle of the ocean for several hours now and it is amazing at the number of albatrosses that have been following our ship. I know Dr. Bergman would have a heart attack if I described them as oversized seagulls, but that is what they look like. They glide above and around the boat and don’t flap their wings because the high winds just carry them along. These birds rarely touch ground and fly around 15,000 miles with ships to the Antarctic Peninsula. These are creatures that have completely opened up my eyes not only because they are beautiful but because of their dedication to the ocean.
Last night as it was getting dark a few of us spotted some dolphins and penguins right as we were entering Drake’s Passage. I’ve been told that Drake’s passage is either called “Drake Lake” or “Drake Shake” for obvious reason. So far, Drake’s Passage has been a combination of both and there is supposed to be a storm tonight so I’m curious to find out if we will be experiencing the “real” Drake’s Passage. It is known as the most dangerous, violent open waters in the world because of all the other ocean’s currents that circle the continent.
Speaking of ocean’s currents, we entered the Antarctic Convergence around 9 pm today. You can’t really feel when you enter it when you’re on the ship, but it is when the cold waters from the Southern Ocean meets with the warmer waters of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and you can feel the air and water get significantly colder. Looks like I’m definitely getting close to The End of the World! We’re expecting to see our first icebergs later tonight! Another sign that Antarctica is FINALLY near!
The ship we are on is called the Ushuaia and let me tell you, when we walked up to the dock, all the other ships there could eat ours for a snack. We’re on a 300 foot long boat with our group of 20 and about 60 other people out here mainly for vacations. Zach, Evan and I have met a lot of great people already. There are quite a few Americans here, a few Germans and a few Australians. Last night our new Australian friend, Stev, talked our ear off while trying to finish our homework and he is one of the most interesting men I have ever met. He is truly following his passions in life through traveling and changing careers to something he is extremely dedicated to. Speaking of people with passions for travelling, there is an elderly woman on our ship from Germany who has been to EVERY country in the world and Antarctica is her last! I am excited to talk to her about it more and listen to her experiences and how she went about getting to every country! It is absolutely amazing.
The further we get into the open oceans, the bigger the waves get and it gets funnier with every wave we hit how people try to walk around the ship. It is like watching 50 drunks stumbling around all at the same time. Hopefully the waves don’t get any worse in the storm we’re supposed to go through tonight because I’m not sure I’d be able to walk around the boat anymore.
Journal #6: Albatross Sightings
01.10.12
"Not all who wander are lost." -T.S. Eliot
After finally being out in the open waters through the Southern Ocean heading towards Antarctica, I woke up to many albatrosses hovering above and behind our boat. Albatrosses are extremely beautiful birds that blew me away. Before seeing one in person, I would have described them as an oversized seagull. However, after observing them on the deck for majority of the afternoon, they do not even compare to the seagull! They are constantly travelling hundreds and hundreds of miles across the ocean where there is no land in sight. When they are flying, they do not even flap their wings; they simply glide in the wind and can travel upwards of 30 miles per hour.
Albatrosses scan the open seas to feed off the fish and krill in the deep waters and the conversation our class had today really got me thinking about a human’s direct impact on animals even in the Southern Hemisphere, where much of it is untouched by humans. When we decide to eat thousands of pounds of fish, we are taking away the food an albatross needs to survive the flight across an ocean.
The albatross is a large sea bird and after observing a few different species this afternoon, I have begun to tell the differences between some of them. The biggest albatross I’ve seen and the one that blows me away the most is the Wandering Albatross. Its wingspan can be from 8 to 11 feet long and it has a white body with darker wings. Another species I observed was the Black-Browed Albatross and it looks very similar to the Wandering Albatross except it is darker around its eyes and has a dark “stripe” across its middle back as if it is connecting the two wings together. The wings are the largest part on an albatross that kind of remind me of a hang glider; they do not move much but take you a long ways in a decently short amount of time. Their beaks and feet are a brighter orange and easily stand out compared to the rest of their more natural colored bodies.
I was able to identify these albatrosses through a couple different ways. One way is that I knew they were going to be among the first species we would encounter on the ship and since they look similar to seagulls, I was able to point them out. However, I got better at recognizing the specific species after standing on the deck and photographing them with Dr. Bergman, as well as hearing other students on the trip describe the subtle differences between the albatrosses.
After reading observing dozens of albatrosses and reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, I can better relate to the poem and better visualize what the Mariner is going through. In the poem, there is an albatross that is hovering over the Mariner’s boat and can be seen as a good omen but eventually could end up symbolizing a burden that he carries and ends up killing the albatross. The albatross in the poem has many similar characteristics that the albatrosses today have even though Coleridge wrote this poem about two hundred years ago. I thought it was an interesting parable of humans’ state of being as well as contributing a sense of moral behavior between all of God’s creatures, especially man and bird. This is best shown in the last few stanzas of the poem:
“Farewell, farewell! But this I tell
To thee, though Wedding-Guest!
He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.
He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.”
A few students and I had talked about these last few stanzas and thought it was extremely important the relationship between man and bird even in today’s society. It explains the love that God has for everything he created yet we live in a culture where humans are the ones destroying nature and the animals in it just as the Mariner killed the albatross in the story.
Drake Shake
01.11.12
Last night, a few of us decided not to get sleep but to play games and hang out on the deck instead in search for the first iceberg that is bigger than our ship. Unfortunately for us, we weren’t the first to see it. It is a challenge among our group because Dr. Bergman has made bets with us. For example, the first to spot an iceberg or an albatross gets a drink of choice on him. The first to spot an Emperor Penguin, Sperm Whale or Snowy Petrel receives an A for the course!
Anyway, after getting about 1 hour of sleep, we went to the ship’s kitchen at 8 am and let me tell you, we have definitely entered Drake Shake. The waves are continuously rolling and are absolutely massive. Chairs are sliding around, drawers are opening and closing and nothing else will stay in place long. Crossing my fingers that I can get to Antarctica without feeling nauseous. We should get to the islands around the peninsula around 2 pm and the waves should die down because we’ll be in protected waters. We most likely will not get off the boat today but will early tomorrow morning instead!
After a day full of intense pitching from side to side, we reached the island!! I saw my first iceberg around 5 pm and finally saw land again at 7 pm. And by land I mean we had finally reached the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. We entered the Weddell Sea around midnight and the sun still has not set. The sunsets here last for hours. It is so breath taking and beautiful to watch the enormous icebergs float by you with the sunset in the background. Sometimes if you’re lucky they will be loaded with penguins. So far the only penguins I’ve seen on icebergs are the Adelie Penguins. Even though we’re “on” the continent we won’t get off until morning and are docking between a few islands scattered outside Antarctica. We’ll have most of the day to walk around on land and I absolutely cannot wait to observe and interact with, what I think are, the most anthropomorphic animals on Earth.
I still cannot believe I’m here. This is something I have only dreamed of doing before after watching countless documentaries and learning about this desolate continent in school. I feel so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and can’t wait to share it with the ones I love back home.
Countdown to the penguin cuddling begins…
Pinguinos y Fiestas
01.12.12
Today was our first day to go on land and we made two stops. The first stop we made was at Paulette Island. This island is home to thousands and thousands of penguins. The biologist on board estimated that there were around 60,000 pairs of Adelie penguins meaning that with chicks and all, there were about 150,000 penguins in the colony we stopped at. We walked around the colony all morning and were able to observe and take pictures of them. Since there were almost 200,000 of them, penguin guano was literally everywhere. The smell took a few minutes of getting used to but it was so worth it to watch these animals.
We took the Zodiacs back to the ship right before lunch and embarked for our second landing of the day. This was our first “actual” continental landing and it was called Brown’s Bluff. It was absolutely stunning there with colonies of Adelie and Gentoo penguins, icebergs, a Snow Petrel and some chicks. The sun was out and it was about 30 degrees so it hardly felt like we were in Antarctica at all. After hanging out with the penguins for a few hours, we put our swimsuits on and ran in to the Southern Ocean! It easily may have been the coldest waters I have ever encountered and we survived!
That night we met for dinner and had a short class, as usual, and were hanging out in the common room when the ship’s bartender came to us and asked if we were busy. Hesitantly, we told him that we were just working on some reading for the next day and he invited us to a Crew party on the ship. Since there are only 80 people on this ship and 20 of them are in our group, we were all a little confused. So, we decided to take a break from our studies and walked down past the conference room that we were familiar with because of procedural meetings earlier this week. We opened up the door in the back of the room and we saw strobe lights, neon lights and loud American party music along with many crew members on this ship. Some drive the Zodiacs, some are the cooks that prepare our meals and we even saw the Captain down there as well! It was one of their birthdays and the “party” ended early when they brought out the birthday cake and it ended up on the floor, ceilings and my clothes. Estamos chicas buenas!
If Fargo Won’t Give Me Snow, Antarctica Will
01.13.12
After a long, unexpected, extremely entertaining night with our new friends on board, we woke up early for two more continental landings. The first stop was Hydruga Island and it was supposed to be the sighting of many leopard seals. However, we did not find any leopard seals but instead saw a few Weddell Seals, a fur seal and a baby Elephant Seal known as a wiener. They were so fascinating to watch because of their enormous size and their limited ability to move. They scoot three times or so and decide to take a nap. The life of a seal seems to be the best. There was also a colony of Chinstrap Penguins at this island and they were interesting to watch as they hopped around on rocks. They tend to jump around more than the Adelies or Gentoos and their ecstasy calls sound like flocks of geese.
The second landing of the day was at Cuverville and when we got on land it really felt like we were in Antarctica. It was a little chillier than the morning temperatures and it was dumping snow. Ashore there was another colony of Gentoo Penguins and they had beautiful nests made of pebbles and feathers along with dozens and dozens of brand new baby chicks. Augustine, a crew member, said those penguin chicks were no more than a week old.
Today was my favorite day of our trip so far. We have been in Antarctica a few days now and I have seen three species of penguins, three types of seals and numerous species of skuas and albatrosses. I have just begun to scratch the surface on everything we have been experiencing and talking about. I find myself speechless day after day and moment after moment. I love finding a rock to sit on in the middle of a colony and take in everything around me in this pristine, untouched place. I really don’t think words or pictures can do this continent justice. I am usually awful with my words and tend to express them some other way but I don’t even think any type of expensive camera equipment could express my experiences here so far. Speechless.
Bases and Science
01.14.12
Today was an earlier day because our first landing was Palmer Station, the United States Antarctic Research Station. We got a tour of the station and a jist of the things they do when stationed in Antarctica. Our second landing was at Port Lockeroy, which is a British Base, and there we had the opportunity to watch a colony of Gentoo penguins and we found a full whale skeleton. Absolutely breathtaking.
Speechless
1.15.12
We woke up early again today and our first stop was Paradise Bay and after taking in everything it had to offer, I realized there is not a more perfect name for this place. When the zodiacs first dropped us off, I decided to hike up one of the mountains and take everything in for a bit. I passed a colony of Gentoo Penguins and witnessed numerous glaciers caving on my hike. After being up there for a while, a few of us went on a zodiac tour around Paradise Bay. We spotted a cormorant rookery as well as a leopard seal floating on an iceberg. We sat and watched it for a while because a penguin hopped up onto the iceberg next to it. If you didn’t know, leopard seals can be seen as some of the most vicious predators in the ocean. It was absolutely amazing!
Each experience I have here tops the previous one and each time I don’t think it can get any better. For example, after hiking this morning then watching a leopard seal and a Gentoo together but not even an hour later I came across an extremely powerful once in a lifetime experience. We were driving around Paradise Bay in zodiacs and just as we were about to head back to the ship, we saw two Minke whales in the distance. We went over to the middle of the bay and sat there in complete silence because this was a moment everyone had been waiting for; to see whales in the wild. I took in everything around me; I took in the glaciers and mountains surrounding the bay, the scent of the sea air, the Antarctic summer temperatures and I was speechless. The guide of the zodiac began to tap a beat on the side of the boat that sounded much like a heartbeat. We sat there patiently and we began to see their blowholes come to the surface of the water. I couldn’t help but gasp and begin to shake from the adrenaline running through my body. The longer we sat there and the more patient we were, the closer they came to our boat. They would graze the surface so their eye would peer at us and they would swim belly up and twirl right under us as if they were showing off. Then they would swim away from our boat a bit only to jump straight up in the air, called spy hopping, in order to take in their surroundings. Their eyes, blowholes and dorsal fins repeatedly broke the ocean’s surface and no matter how many times this happened, I was more impressed each time it happened. As we brought our zodiac back to the ship, two of them followed us in, swimming and twirling under and in front of us. When we got on to our ship, the two swam off in to the distance and breeched themselves numerous times as if they were performing a grand final display for us. Absolutely unreal. I really do not think pictures or words can do this experience justice and I don’t know how I can explain this to people back home. After reading about how intelligent whales are and gaining a lot of appreciation for them, seeing this first hand experience was something I can’t even begin to explain. It was easily the most powerful experience I have seen in a long time; as long as I can remember. Once again, at the end of the day, I am speechless.
I also have been loving being disconnected from the world. However, I hope the Pack won today, as I have no idea what’s going on at home...I have to wait 4 more days to see the recap of the game. Go Pack Go!
Some of the random thoughts and questions I've been thinking about since these experiences:
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” –Shakespeare
How long did everyone stay genuinely happy after seeing those Minke whales in Paradise Bay?
These are the moments when it seems as though the world has revealed a secret to you and the animals reveal themselves to you in a way that will impact you. What do you make of it?
Experiences are what drive people.
Love? Love something for more than yourself, but for its presence in this world.
Never have I seen a creature just as interested in me as I have been in it. Gorgeous.
Nos Vemos Antarctica
01.16.12
Today was our last day of continental landings in Antarctica. The first landing was at a place called Deception Island, and that’s exactly what it was. When we got off our zodiac, the island was so desolate and brown. It didn’t even seem as though we were in Antarctica because there was so little snow and ice. The temperature definitely felt like the Antarctic though. On Deception Island, there is a huge crater and we walked in a volcano! The glacier there looked almost like a mountain of dirt because it was a black glacier. Our guide told us this landing allowed us to tell people we’ve A. stood in a volcano and B. touched a black glacier. Two things off my bucket list?
After lunch and another much needed nap, we had our second landing of the day and final one of the trip to Half Moon Island, named for obvious reasons. When we got on shore, there was a rookery of chinstrap penguins and because it was my last on land experience, I decided to go on a hike and totally take in all my surroundings. We walked along the coast of the island and up a mountain to see some of the most beautiful landscapes of the trip. There were about 8 skuas nesting up there and it was breath taking to watch them soar in the high winds. I sat up there for hours and looked down at the bay and with patience, 5 whales began to blow below me. Everything that surrounded me was so pure and gorgeous. The themes I have encountered time and time again in Antarctica is that nature continues to reveal itself to you, sometimes in subtle ways, but with being attentive and patient, you continue to be absolutely astounded with what will present itself.
We embarked the ship for the last time and started heading back to Ushuaia. Drake Passage is already making itself present and has been affecting many of the people on the ship. Hopefully the way back up to civilization shows itself as Drake Lake.
Journal #5: Nature and Vocation
01.15.12
On our fourth day of expeditions in Antarctica, I dropped back from the group and found a rock to sit on at our first landing, Brown’s Base. Like right now, I have found myself feeling as though there is no other place on Earth I need to be right now. There isn’t anything but nature and me. There aren’t any car horns, sirens or flashing signs within hundreds of miles of me. This land is basically untouched. As I listen to the sounds that surround me, I am in complete awe. In the distance, there are penguins doing ecstasy calls, skuas calling to each other, glaciers caving, water splashing against the shoreline and a small avalanche roaring down a mountainside. Since I am so high up on the mountain, the wind is blowing steadily, drowning out most of the human conversations in front of me.
The scents around me aren’t as pungent as they have been at previous rookeries and bases. Instead of smelling guano, I smell the fresh sea air and the sunscreen that keeps my North Dakotan skin from burning. However, above all other senses it is the things I see that continue to take my breath away. As I open my eyes, glaciers, icebergs, snow and the ocean that has many unique shades of blue and white surround me. My favorite part about being above the shoreline is being able to see the parts of icebergs under the water’s surface. The ocean goes from being a dark blue to a bright, cerulean blue under the icebergs. I was also attracted to this spot because it is untouched; everything is pure.
Being placed in an environment such as this, there is absolutely nothing to complain about. Although I am a little tired from the continuous lack of sleep, I am completely content and would not want to be anywhere else. I feel so extremely blessed to have the opportunity to travel to such a pristine, and somewhat mysterious, continent. It just feels right and I don’t have any other cares in the world. I am so disconnected from life at home and in Tacoma but I am more than okay with it. The family, school or relationship burdens I came on the trip with were quickly left on the plane in Buenos Aires. I love the feeling of not having to worry about much and being completely surrounded by nature in such a desolate place. I haven’t been on a trip like this since high school when I would go on numerous trips to the Boundary Waters where all you have is nature and the company that surrounds you. I could spend hours starting at a sleeping elephant seal pup or waiting for the side of a glacier to drop in to the ocean. It is during these times when I feel so connected to nature that there is no reason to worry about communicating on electronics and social networks. Throughout this trip, those feelings of contentment have been confirmed time and time again.
Sitting on a rock on the top of an Antarctic mountain still seems so surreal to me. I have been here for almost a week and each day continues to top the last. The images, experiences and interactions I have encountered leave me speechless. No matter how hard I try, words or pictures cannot do these experiences justice. They can only capture a fraction of the beauty and emotion I feel here. The summer sun beats down on me and I’m overlooking a glittering ocean surrounded by glaciers and I realize how truly small I am in this world. It causes me to take a step back and remember the truly important things in life. It causes me to reflect upon my priorities and to be true to my passions and myself, something I have been really working on during this trip. College can be a scary time in life knowing that in less than two years, I’m supposed to be an elementary school teacher. Yes, I’ve had my doubts and the people closest to me have tried to change my mind but this trip has reminded me to be fearless and to follow my passions. After two and a half years, I am so certain teaching is my calling and I can’t wait to make an impact on future students as well as being completely content with my career choice. I don’t’ have to follow my mom’s career nor my dad’s. If anything, traveling to the end of the world has taught me to be fearless when pursuing my passions and to be passionate about something that is worth going the last ten feet for.
Journal #14: What is something that you perhaps still can’t explain about this trip and/or yourself?
01.17.12
On January 15, our first landing of the day was at a place called Paradise Bay. When we got there, I quickly realized that there could not be a more perfect name for this place. I hiked up a mountain and took in the untouched scenery around me; the glaciers and icebergs surrounded me and I was speechless. I was in complete awe at the colors and shapes the ice formed, the perfection of the snow and the actions of the skuas and cormorants that surrounded me. However, after climbing up part of the mountain and sitting on a rock for an hour or so, it was time to get back on the zodiac to get a tour of Paradise Bay and I had no idea what I was about to experience. The scenery and the personal reflections I had on the mountain were already leaving me speechless. We were slowly breaking through chunks of ice with our zodiac and we entered the bay area and I saw the water was completely calm. Nothing broke the surface and suddenly the ice wasn’t floating around. The mountains and glaciers were perfectly reflected in the water and looking back through my pictures, it is hard to tell where the horizon is. Yet again, something so untouched and perfect left me speechless. We sat in the bay for a while to see if we could attract a whale, as the group before us had seen a Minke Whale in the area. As we patiently waited, no one said a word. The loudest sound was an occasional shutter of a camera lens. Finally our expedition leader told us it was time to head back to the ship and we were all a little bummed we hadn’t seen a whale.
As we got closer to the Ushuaia, our leader was told that a zodiac had seen a whale near the ship. Our ears all perked up a little and we sped over to the spot where two other zodiacs were sitting and, again we sat patiently and again, no one said a word. This time the only sound was a drum beat on the side of the zodiac in order to attract the whales. After a few minutes of patiently waiting, a whale broke the surface of the water. And another. And another. I couldn’t even move my body. I couldn’t even bring myself to take a picture of anything. I had goose bumps on my arms and legs and found myself getting choked up. The reaction I had to these whales completely took me by surprise and I couldn’t really understand why I was feeling the way I was. I’ve read about whales and seen whales before just as I’ve done with penguins and seals and I for some reason, my emotions were taking over me and I didn’t know why. I still don’t know why. It was so powerful to watch the Minke Whales repeatedly coming up and blowing water out of their blow holes and the longer we sat there, the closer they came to us. They began to twirl directly beneath our zodiac and peak their heads up to look at us not five feet from me. They would also spy hop and jump out of the water to look at us. We were so small compared to these creatures and they were completely surrounding us. They were easily three or four times the length of our zodiac and could easily capsize us if they wanted but looking eye to eye with such an enormous, timid and curious creature left me completely speechless. I wish I could relive this experience as well as explain it so everyone I talked to could feel the way I do but I just can’t and that bothers me. Telling friends and family that I saw three Minke Whales, looked at one eye to eye and got choked up about it sounds so silly but it was easily one of the most powerful, mind blowing experiences I have ever had and probably ever will.
Monday, January 9, 2012
More Antarctica blogging...
Our whole trip is contributing to a blog through PLU and I just posted an entry on it. You can read it and keep posted on our trip here:
http://plu-antarctica-2012.blogspot.com/
We're about to embark on our ship, the Ushuaia, in less than two hours!! Hasta luego y abrazos y besos de Argentina!
http://plu-antarctica-2012.blogspot.com/
We're about to embark on our ship, the Ushuaia, in less than two hours!! Hasta luego y abrazos y besos de Argentina!
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