Antarctica Penguin Tourists

19th November 2009

From Paul Goldstein, Exodus Guide

Kapitan Khlebnikov Radio Room, 23.48 GMT, 18 November 2009

A day of reflection, a Wednesday, but still a day of rest and a day of wonder as hard drives, laptops and memory mainframes are filled to capacity with the extraordinary polar alchemy of the last few days. Everyone has their own special cameo but perhaps the series of re-unions between itinerant mothers and chicks were the most touching of all. Memories like this are well beyond the maxims of megapixels and celluloid and as someone put it at recap this evening, after describing a precious, priceless, perfect penguin vignette: 'the best moment in my whole life'.

The bow is tortured by the sea ice but it tussles on. Pressure ridges slam into the hull like prop forwards or linebackers thumping into opponents. The huge icy slabs groan in protest before being disdainfully discarded. The Khlebnikov is just beginning to warm up. Unprecedented sea ice, the worst for many years, bring it on...

Paul Goldstein comments:

Thanks to the passengers attitude and the magnificent back up of the whole Quark team on board, the rewards have been reaped in spades. Today every vantage point was taken on the icebreaker's superstructure as the bow made punishing progress through very adult sea ice in brilliant sunshine. The white wall fractured again and again under the hull only to reform menacingly astern, but finally after countless false dawns a dozen Adelie penguins and two emperors slipped off the last shelf and we were free. At that very moment the late polar sunshine turned the surrounding tabular bergs, many the size of housing estates, orange. A perfect evening, frankly, a perfect holiday adventure. These are not clinical cosseted cruises, anyone who embarked was aware of that but this was a voyage none could have expected and none will tire of talking of. It has been a privilege working alongside our sister company's polished, peerless and experienced team, I am also delighted that Exodus had such a large party on board with me as their diligence has been massively rewarded.

A Scott, a Shackleton, a BBC Frozen Planet team, 101 delirious adventurers, hundreds of monstrous icebergs, thousands of beautiful Emperors and a million mega pixels. Priceless.

The polar Rubicon may be crossed but there is still the formidable Drake Passage to contend with, but after a week of such high drama and adventure, even this sinister stretch of water will surely be tamed.

Paul Goldstein Bransfield Strait - Heading  .... North !

Upon Paul's return he will be presenting his latest images and talking about the experience in his rescheduled presentation in London.
Please reserve your place for the 2nd December: Polar Journey's Evening Presentation

Previous cable from the Kapitan Khlebnikov Radio Room

Kapitan Khlebnikov Radio Room, 02.30 GMT, 18 November 2009

THE ICE HAS IT…

'If every trip delay is like this one, sign me up.'  Pavina McKenzie, Hong Kong

There is movement, slow agonizing movement but movement all the same. The re-enforced bow worries the ice sheet relentlessly, sending jagged fissures haemorrhaging to infinity. It may only be a couple of nautical miles but it is progress and as my fingers fuse with the keyboard, the ship's heartbeat throbs and our neighbourly berg of the last few days slips quietly into another postal district. Milk may turn quicker than this lusty leviathan but frankly who cares. There is a triumphant feeling pervading all decks. Triumph is a dish best taken cold, on ice, but the most triumphant a la carte meal is one taken after an hors d'oeuvre of adversity.

The maritime portcullis has opened its grille to welcome the great exploratory vessel the Kapitan Khlebnikov. It is now docking alongside fabled ships like the Caird, Aurora and the Terra Nova. The emperors delivered again magnificently, three days in a row and memory cards are all currently in convalescence. The bar is full and crackling with polar pilgrims eager to tell of their own champagne penguin moments. We are moving, as discussed, albeit slowly, but we must keep some polar powder dry as we may be bisecting the ice, but we have not crossed the Rubicon yet.

I started with a client quote, I will end with one:

'Our greatest wish for the next passengers on the KK is they meet the same fate we did.'  Richard Weiss, Canada

Kapitan Khlebnikov Radio Room, 16.00 GMT, 17 November 2009

At 6.15am this morning the sun arced across the stern Heli-deck and the experienced Russian pilot began his primary flight checks. With him were the Frozen Planet team led by seasoned wildlife director Mark Linfield, veteran of countless groundbreaking shows including Planet Earth. The chopper flew with the BBC team on a quick sortie well above the Emperor rookery at Snow Hill Island, the major quarry for all on board. The view from above, from an elevation that would not scare the birds was inspirational and in 18 months, when this seminal series is shown, this particular footage will be a major highlight.

Currently we are ice breaking in thick pack ice blown in by eight days of snow and strong south westerlies. This is unprecedented weather, but this is an unprecedented part of the world and only this remarkable class C icebreaker can access it. The BBC are not the only luminaries on board: the wildlife legend Jonathan Scott is also here, for the sixth time with Exodus. He has just taken off for the rookery along with another team of Emperor disciples. Astonishingly, after six days of white out, we have had three days of weather more akin to the Adriatic than Antarctica and yet again a full compliment of passengers have joined Jonathan and the peerless Quark team on the ice, marching towards the fabled colony.

Scott is a name easily associated with Antarctica, as is Shackleton and the great man's cousin Jonathan is on board also, and has provided fantastic insights into how his relative endured this part of the Weddell Sea. The greatest explorer of them all Ernest Henry Shackleton would have no doubt scorned the comforts on board this magnificent vessel, but thankfully his pioneering spirit is alive and well on board. It is frustrating to have travel and home arrangements put in limbo like this, but as an adventure it will have few peers. It is my privilege to work with Expedition Leader Shane Evoy. He states 'The Khlebnikov is currently doing what icebreakers do, break ice, it is exhilarating and challenging, but I am delighted to have a ship's company that have embraced this. It is great to have one big happy nautical family on board.' This is a man with fifteen years of experience down here.

Ian Duffy, veteran of many Exodus trips climbed off one of the last choppers out of the rookery yesterday, his face burnished and his eyes ablaze. As I handed him his rucksack he remarked that 'this was the best day I can ever remember' - let's leave it there.