Back in the Beagle Channel
 |
|
 |
Report 20 February - Team B on board Pelagic safely back in the Beagle Channel
Sat 20th feb 20.00Flopsy was here to welcome us and so were all the others. At least fifty dolphins seemed to celebrate our safe return from the Drake into the Beagle Channel, jumping around Pelagic and swimming along at high speed. We were a lucky team again, approaching Cape Horn in calm weather with bright sunlight. Normally the cape rocks are hidden in the fog. At 14.00 gmt we heard a stirring yell from deck 'land ahoy'. It was an overjoyed Adrian who saw a first glimpse of land. 'We did it again', he congratulated Troy who was standing next to him, 'we were on watch together when we left Cape Horn, we were the first to see the Antarctic, we were on watch when we left there and now we are the first to see Cape Horn again. We bagged the lot.
'But consistent with our whole voyage it involved everyone at different times. Our passage back from Antarctica was much rougher than our outward journey with 3 days of winds in excess of 30 knots peaking at 40 during Kate and Jerry's watch yesterday. Pelagic seemed to enjoy herself - reaching at 10.4 knots and crashing through, over and, on the odd occasion, under the waves. With what Hamish described as 'mountainous' swell looming at us from the dark and menacing north west, everyone suffered at times. Everyone that is except Eric and Jerry who seemed impervious to this, able to eat everything in sight without so much as a hiccup and helming and filming on deck when our world seemed about to turn upside down. They could be our own 'Berserk' boys. Kate deserves a special mention, always bright, smiling and concerned for others she kept spirits up and reassured when doubt crept in. Over the coming days we will add short personal notes to the end of these reports with our reflections and thoughts of Antarctica.
Troy Humphreys. I came on this expedition without too many preconceived ideas. I wanted to make up my own mind about this place without any excess baggage. My over riding belief is that the treaty in existence should be extended for all time, so leaving this unspoilt land for future generations. A place where wildlife can live without being constantly threatened by human intervention. Tourism and science can and should live side by side giving all the opportunity to see the wonders we have witnessed by having a brief encounter in comparison to the many thousands of years that Antarctica has existed. My one ever lasting memory above all others will be the scene where we saw 3 penguins being cornered by two seals on an iceberg which in turn was being circled by 2 Humpback whales. This immense shot sums up Antarctica for me. A natural living wildlife park.