Brown Station and Paradise Bay

14 November 2022

I used to collect my paper copy of the “current” next day’s schedule from Reception on my way to the 18:30 “Information for Tomorrow” briefing. It’s usually available around 18:00. Even though the issue with the app has been resolved, I preferred to have a hardcopy to make notes on during the briefing and personal notes on the day.

These “retroactive” blog posts are a combination of info from these printouts, photographs taken with my camera and iphone and facebook posts during the voyage. Sometimes Luis’ video.

My notes on the planned activities:
Brown Station – Continental Landing (#2).
Argentine station not currently manned [Later I would learn that when there are scientists at the station guest landings are not allowed – Manu was there during my February 2023 trip – Hi Manu!]
Expect Gentoos, Blue Eyed Shags/Imperial Shags/Antarctic Cormorants, Snow Petrel and Skua. [They forgot the ever present Snowy Sheathbills, or maybe they’re a given?]

Woke up this morning to this stunning view.

Game of the day: Crossword.

Brown station landing schedule – Weddell Seals from 10am. So spent the morning after breakfast looking out over Paradise Bay from the bow of the ship – Deck 7. But…

Then “Zoom envy” stepped in… it’s a thing and for the first time in this journey I was frustrated with my little Sony’s 30x Zoom.There is a colony of Blue Eyed Shags that nest next on the cliffs just left of Brown Station. They fly to and through ferrying nesting material the entire duration of our stay. I just cannot get a decent picture of nests or flying birds.

Getting a picture of that blue ring around the eye becomes an obsession and will stay with me long after my flight has touched down in Cape Town.

Confession – prior to this trip my knowlegde of birds can pretty much be summed up as follows:

Then Antarctica and Lancy (and in a way Fritz too) happened and now I notice birds. Not so that I would describe myself as a birder, but I notice them and even start to recognise some. Later in the trip I would even try to photograph some on the Drake Passage.

The actual landing process take longer than anticipated. The expedition team had to excavate an steep impromtu staircase from the docking area up to the base and support ropes have been set up to assist acending the stairs – together with team members stationed along the stairs as additional support.

This also means that going up/down the stairs is pretty much a ‘single file/one way’ affair. Severe bottle neck restricting movement between the landing site and the ship. Much circling of zodiacs.

Various options regarding pathways and viewpoints. I take the easy way out – pretty much straight to the Gentoos.

From there joining the queue waiting to return to the ship. Trying in vain to photograph the parade of Blue Eyed Shags ferrying nesting material to the cliff.

I do get some pictures of a Brown Skua and a pair of Snowy Sheathbills. No Snow Petrals tough.

Thank heaven for heated bathroom floors…

And the “Information for Tomorrow” lecture held even more surprises - after Brown Station we were scheduled to visit another Brown.. Brown Bluff – Continental landing #3 and extra special for me, as it is a site with incredible geology created by subglacial vulcano eruptions.

Another opportunity to see Adelie (!) and more Gentoo penguins… and if you look up – there’s a possiblity of sighting the nesting Snow Petrels… WOW!