16. Antarctica Part 4. Neko Harbour, Port Lockroy, Jougla Point.

So often in life some days seem to have gone on forever. Twenty four hours of daylight also helps.
The day of Christmas Eve 2019 was one such day, with this post dedicated to that one day.

Neko Harbour is an inlet at 64.5 South on the western side of the Antarctic peninsula backed by towering peaks, surrounded by glaciers and named after a Scottish whaling ship which operated in the area between 1911 and 1924

Our visits to date around the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.
The orange boats are not to scale. 

Fortunately we did not have to experience time in these orange boats,
but it was reassuring to know they were there.

A spa and oversize communications golf ball. 

Soon after anchoring, it was surprising how quickly ice built up against the side of the hull.
This large block scraped down the side with incredible force, but not removing any paint. 

Brash ice artwork

The large chunk trying to find a way into the ship as it slid down the side. 

The ice being encouraged to move along. 

Our landing beach back-dropped by impressive peaks and glaciers.

Cruising around the bay we witnessed a Weddell Seal making efforts to lift itself onto a small iceberg.
It tried several times, and was exhausted when it finally made it out the water.

Head bobbing to ensure the landing area was suitable. 

Like a three metre, five hundred kilogram giant slug rising out of the icy depths.

Considerable thrashing for propulsion.

Exhaustion and rest. 

Rocks and seal 

Weddell Seals can dive to 2,000 feet and feed on ice, fish crustaceans and krill.
Penguins are not on the menu.

Summer seems to be a time to relax and sun-bake.
Weddell Seals are on the menu of Leopard Seals and Killer Whales,
hence spend time under fast ice where they don't frequent so much. 

 A good stable platform is essential for photography, especially when zooming in. Tripods were not used in the zodiacs, and rarely on shore.

Keeping still in the zodiac to avoid unnecessary rocking was essential.
A good zoom and steady hand was also a necessity.
Two seals can be seen on the ice. 

We cruised around the bay waiting for the kayakers to leave the land and take the numbers down to the maximum of 100 on shore at any time. Since we had only 123 passengers, this was never a problem.
Larger cruise ships either didn't stop for shore excursions, or had such short times on shore they wouldn't have had time to absorb all around them.

So much to see.
Penguin colony on the higher rocks, penguin highways leading up, drums for life-jackets,
solitary penguin on march,  kayakers yacking before returning to the kayaks.

Kayakers waiting for the perfect wave to surf into shore.
Today was not their day!

Expedition leader John gives us a safety briefing on the area, as was the case at every shore landing.
Doing so greatly reduced the possibility of the need to extract someone from a crevice. 

The Weddell Seals seemed to blend in with the rocks, and we wondered if this is to avoid
 Skuas seeing, and swooping down to carry off these placid 500kg giants. 

Great care was required to ensure the rocks were actually rocks when used to steady photography.
The photographer to the right appears to be showing his puppetry skills. 

Even more care required when sitting on them.

Apparently half asleep as noted by breathing through just one nostril?

Calisthenics is essential for penguins ensuring the flexibility, speed and strength to avoid predators.
A good old scratch behind the ear helps.

The ever present Skua on patrol. 

Some passengers with a need for speed decided to try out some slopes, without skis or toboggans, but relying on gravity.

The slope was far steeper than appeared, leading to incredible speeds and possible breaking the sound barrier as well as some tendons on one gent.

The grades of slope were fast, faster and frantic.

Using the penguin example of steering with wings. 

Rule No 1 being broken.
Never turn your back on a Skua. 

Whale bone offering shelter for nests. 

Penguin habitats always seem to outlast anything man-made.
A slab from a former hut can be seen, but not used for nesting. 

Penguin feathers blown between rocks. 

Another incredible example of a glacier emptying into the bay. 

A great study in aerodynamics. 

Just chilling and taking it all in!

Penguin highway

Rather than racing down slopes uncontrollably, sitting quietly and watching
 the passing parade gave immense pleasure.
Study the walk on the little fellow. 

The ability of these Gentoo penguins ascending and descending steep, slippery,
 rocky slopes was inspirational regarding problem solving with limited movement
and nothing more on offer than pure determination. 

The Greg Mortimer can be seen beyond the iceberg as we pick through ice. 

Our landing beach contrasts to all the other colours in the area. 

Some icebergs weigh several hundred thousand tonnes.
We are not sure about this one, however, it was gigantic. 

Zoomed in to show wave action at work on the ice cave. 

Port Lockroy is the only mail dominated enterprise in the Antarctica, being a British Post Office offering a service of sending letters post marked Antarctica, which have to await a supply ship, then are channelled through England before being forwarded onto the designated address.
We sent mail home which took about 8 weeks to arrive.

The site was originally a British Research Station built in 1944, before being closed in 1962.  It is now a living museum.

Parking restrictions apply outside many post offices.  This was no exception.  

Prior to entry, "God save the Queen" and "Rule Britannia" were sung whilst saluting the Union Jack. 

Wheel chair accessible ramp, although getting the wheel chair here would pose difficulties.

We couldn't see what was funny about the area, before realising
 it was a historical and not an hysterical site. 

Sixteen people were allowed in the shop at any one time. 

The decor hasn't changed since 1962, when it was male dominated and not mail dominated. 

Mailing back home as the jacket shows the effects of wearing six layers
(or was it the result of shop lifting?)

 The small museum attached to the Post Office, has almost all the relics still in tact.

Communications room

Luxury!

Modern kitchen facilities, with a coal bunker out of shot to the right
 supplying coal for the stove and heating. 

Living quarters for the Post Office team of five; which is selected by a heavily sought after application and ballot for the four month summer season.
After our visit to shore, our boat lay at anchor and waited for the post office to close, before taking the PO team on board for dinner and warm shower.  A welcome treat no doubt and incentive to head south, rather than the usual baked beans, and the task of generating their own hot water.

Accommodation quarters, or two thirds for the PO team.
Note the addition of the solar panels. 

The bay freezes over during winter. 

The spade is in readiness to clear both snow and penguin poop away from the door. 

Snowy Sheathbills are the only Antarctic birds without webbed feet.
They spend much time grooming due to their diet of among of other things faeces,
carrion, seal afterbirth and still born seal pups. 

 Forerunner to the posty bike, probably discarded due to impracticality 

Large chains from bygone days now mooring the island in position. 

We were surprised to see a yacht anchored at Jougla Point near the Port Lockroy Post Office.  Sailing down here is definitely not for everyone, however, the Belgium flagged 23m schooner operating out of South America for the summer season seemed well suited for the environment.

This is a serious cruising yacht needing to take all aspects of sailing seriously. 

Solid dodger, buoys for deflecting ice, and hopefully a good heating system. 

Cutter rigged with furling sails to avoid time on the fore-deck. 

Landing on Jougla Point, we were serenaded by a melodious deep sound resonating throughout the area.  We all virtually rushed past the whale bones to find a Crabeater seal curled up for maximum sound emission, playing such an eerie tuneful song.
Many who had been in the Antarctic for years had never heard such a wondrous sound.

All food left in the freezer too long eventually deteriorates. 

The melodious 2m Crabeater Seal playing a melodious, eerie song at quite a volume.
The closest other sound we could associate with would be a deep slow Currawong bird tune. 

Taking a breath between songs.
Crabeaters diet is predominantly krill using sieve like teeth that filter krill
 in a manner similar to baleen whales.

Once more as in every day life, there is so often one doing the work as others watch on.
For half an hour that we watched, the penguin on the right kept transporting rocks
to a new nest on top of the rise to the right. 

Feeding time. 

Wanting more!

Communicating with the sibling. 

But wait, there's more. 

Finding out who the favourite is. 

Dad moved in to ensure fair play. 

Feeling down has a more uplifting and reassuring meaning for penguins than for humans.

Kelp Gulls, or Dominican Gulls have a breeding colony on the island.
They have a wing span of 106-142cm and scavenge on fish, crustaceans, and even their own young.

Unlike the Silver Gull which we are most familiar with,
fish and chips from newspaper are not included in their diet. 

Kelp Gulls breed on in the cliffs surrounding the bay. 

Note the three downy chicks. 

It was back on board for our Christmas Eve meal in readiness for a big Christmas Day. 

Carrol can be seen in her formal warm socks at the dinner table. Under the chair is a turnbuckle to bolt the chair down in rough weather. 

Dressed for the occasion.  Comfort, style and warmth.
The turnbuckles to hold the seat in position were not required on our trip.

Even a modest cupcake can be dressed up for the occasion. 

Christmas Eve and the heavens displayed its magnificence. 

'Twas the night before Christmas, as we looked over the rail,
not a creature was stirring, not even a whale.
Until Christmas morn; And then what a tale!!

In our next chilling post:

• Did it dawn a white Christmas with falling snow?
• Did we see whales at very close quarters?
• Did Don take the polar plunge?

Stay tuned to find out!!

A belated Merry Christmas to all!!

Ho Ho. Don and Carrol.