Author: Peter Meggyesy

BA is the most European of South American cities. First settled by Europeans in 1536 it was almost 200 years before it was declared by Spain to be the capitol of the territory of the Rio del la Plata, the river that separates Argentina from Uruguay. It was to be another 100 years later in the 19^th century that BA became an affluent thriving city on the back of agricultural exports. Wealthy European settlers built European style mansions and established green leafy boulevards.

Today mismanagement by successive dictators and elected leaders has run the economy into the ground. For a western traveller this means great exchange rates and a cheap holiday. Nonetheless the old world grandeur of this city remains along with a vibrant cultural and food and wine scene. This is a truly desirable tourist destination.

The once seedy La Boca district down south near the wharves has now been transformed into a bright and colourful tourist precinct with shops, outdoor cafes and tango dancers on the street.

San Telmo district is more genteel with tree lined streets and old mansions.

The Catedral Metropolitana opposite the Casa Rosada is the main cathedral of BA and is famous as the parish church of our pontiff Pope Francis. It also houses the mausoleum of General San Martin, national hero who led Argentina to independence.

The floralis generica is in massive area of parkland surrounding the art gallery. It was designed and paid for by Argentine architect Eduardo Catalano. The aluminium petals open during the day and close at night.

Our tour de force for our last night in BA is seeing Verdi’s Rigoletto at the magnificent opera house, Teatro Colon. Opened in 1908 it is considered to be one of the 10 best opera houses in the world. Seven stories high it dazzles with gold paint inside. We secure seats just 3 rows from the front for a fraction of the cost of a ticket back home.

It is with sadness that we don all of our thermal layers and venture out looking like “teletubbies”. The gloom and the steady snow has thinned out the numbers going out which is disappointing. This island gets us up close to chinstrap penguins and as an unexpected treat we see a row of juvenile elephant seals.

The reverse crossing of Drake’s passage back to Ushuaia is rough and more reflective of its normal state right up until we round Cape Horn.

Dawn on our last day in Antarctica sees me on the bow of our ship at our arrival at Deception Island. I have 3 layers of clothing on but the wind chill as we approach Neptune’s Bellows has me cursing inwardly that I didn’t don my parka. I am not alone and many of us drop down to the deck to allow the ship’s railings to provide some protection from the wind chill.

Deception Island is the remnant of a collapsed volcano. A breach in the crater walls allows acces into the submerged caldera and this is the evocatively named Neptune’s Bellows. To the right there is a large gap in the volcano’s wall named Neptune’s window. As we pass through the Bellows a vast sea “lake” opens up and low snow capped hills surround us, the land around is like a moonscape. Through the dark overcast gloom we make out the various abandoned buildings on the volcanic “black sand” beach, all in a state of disarray courtesy of eruptions in 1966 and 1969. The latter eruption resulting in the abandonment of all human habitation here. Despite the icy waters and the snow all around this is still very much an active volcano and one that could erupt again at any time.

Deception island is near the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. As such it is the de facto gateway to Antarctica and it is a microcosm of man’s involvement in Antarctica. Initially it was a whaling station and as we come to a halt here I close my eyes eyes and imagine those days. Whalers harvested the blubber from the whales and cast off the rest of the carcass. The pebbly black sand beaches must have run red with whale blood, the surrounding waters a foul “soup” of decomposing whale. The stench must have been revolting! Ashore there are rusting massive fuel tanks and smaller rusting vats used to boil and purify the blubber. The whalers left in 1931 and the British arrived here in 1944 to establish Base B.

Deception Island was a safe and sheltered harbour. In 1928 South Australian explorer and adventurer Hubert Wilkins sailed down here with 2 aircraft with a mission to be the first to fly over the South Pole and across Antarctica. The plan to use sea ice was thwarted by a warm season so a hanger was constructed on the beach as well as an airstrip 2300 feet long and 40 feet wide with a couple of 20 degree bends all rolled out with a basic primitive roller. From here he conducted the first flights over Antarctica but failed to fly over the South Pole or over the continent.

Today on whaler’s beach all is deserted and be buildings that remain lean precariously and are crumpled as a result of the volcanic eruptions. It was the last eruption that forced the evacuation of the British research station in 1969.

Before returning to our ship we were offered the option of undertaking the polar plunge, braving the icy Antarctic waters. Unsurprisingly I took up the option and stripped down to bathers. At the request of a bikini clad respiratory physician we buddied up and ran into the frigid water. People have asked me if it was exhilarating and my response is more prosaic, it was freezing!

So far we have only sighted gentoo penguins. This afternoon’s zodiac cruise through Cierva Cove promises sightings of chinstrap penguins.

A petrel walks on water

Primavera is yet another Argentine station. This one is occupied over summer.

Leopard seal

Our final patch of sunshine in Antarctica and some interesting sunset effects

At this stage of the trip we have mastered the art of dressing and undressing for our trips ashore. Gone is the stress of getting ready and out onto the zodiacs. This morning’s trip has us on Trinity Island the site of whaling operations from last century. Once again Antarctic conditions preserve everything and the wooden boat and whale bones on the beach are particularly atmospheric.

A quick trudge over the hill through the snow there is a small unoccupied typically bright orange Argentine hut overlooking the bay. Just outside is a little freshwater pool which the local gentoos are using as a “fun park”.

Whimsical Weddell seal

Fur seal

The rest of our time off the ship was spent zipping around in our zodiac. With sunshine and relatively clear skies a wonderland of mountains, icebergs and glaciers was revealed.

Not to mention wildlife. Such as leopard seals.

And crabeater seals

More leopard seal

Back on the ship the view from the upper deck was no less spectacular.

Finally a sunset.

Ooops!

I have just found a cache of unprocessed pictures that belong to the post before last. It also happens to be probably the best of the weather we had in Antarctica and the photos sparkle as a consequence. I have decided to split these into two posts. This one is on the island and the next one is cruising around in our zodiac around the island.

Firstly we encountered the most sociable of the gentoo penguins here and at times they were downright cheeky!

Then some lazy fur seals.

And so the weather turns and we have drizzle and even snow but this turns out to be a very special afternoon and we spend hours in our zodiac cruising around chasing humpback and minke whales with some amazing and very close sightings. This remains one of my more memorable excursions.

 

Fur seals

Humpback whale breaching

More humpbacks

Crabeater seal

Yet more humpbacks

 

This little island was one of the few times we caught a bit of sunshine and the photos sparkle as a result. It was most notable for the up close and personal interactions with the sociable little gentoo penguins.

Juvenile gentoo being fed by its parent.

Landing at Almirante Brown station is our first landing on Antarctic mainland. This, incredibly, is an Argentine station named after the first Admiral of the Argentine navy, an Irishman called William Brown. Go figure! The Argentinians have built a whole series of huts along the Antarctic Peninsula to keep a foothold and a claim on the continent. Unlike most, this one is actually manned. Built in 1951 it has an interesting history. On 12 April 1984 it was burnt down by the station’s doctor after he was ordered to stay for another winter. The station personnel was rescued by the USS Hero but he was left to stay there for another year as punishment.

The surrounding seas are known as Paradise Bay. A short zodiac ride around the corner is the beautiful and massive Suarez glacier.