Doing the "Drake Shake" Again Saturday January 7, 2012

Saturday, January 7, 2012
http://www.studentsonice.com/antarctic2011/day12.html

Expedition Update - 10:45am EST
Yesterday was our final day landing in Antarctica and today we will once again cross over 60°S, leaving the Antarctic Treaty Area. Yesterday, before breakfast the Captain navigated the ship through Neptune's Bellows en route to Whalers Bay, Deception Island. There we explored the small harbour located in the southeast portion of the island, wandering the volcanic ash beach stretching from Penfold Point to Cathedral Crags and its collapse: Neptunes Window. We saw how the island's most recent volcanic eruption in 1969 left its mark! We also learned from Olle and Dave that the buildings, structures and other artifacts on the shore of Whalers Bay date from 1906-1931 and represent the most significant whaling remains in the Antarctic. Other buildings, structures and artifacts of the British "Base B" represent an important aspect of the scientific history of the area (1944-1969). Tony, Becky, Pam and Serena sang and played music in one of the empty whale oil containers. Before boarding the ship for lunch we dug a geothermal pool, jumped in the Southern Ocean and scrambled to get in the hot tub! Some of us saw that beach temperatures where we swam reached 48ºC/118ºF.


In the afternoon a lively (albeit friendly) competition unfolded as Alex Trebek (aka Garry) hosted a game show of Antarctic Treaty Jeopardy. Later, Elin spoke to us and invited us to consider our emotions in relation to the environment, to find examples that give us cause for hope and consider how we might support meaningful change in our homes, communities and beyond. By late afternoon our eight pods met for the fourth time and considered several reflective questions. Before dinner the Captain anchored the ship beside Barrientos Island (in the Aitcho Islands). There, surrounded by steep cliffs, we said goodbye to Antarctica one last time under a blanket of fog, rain, sleet and snow similar to the one that greeted us when we arrived to Point Wild a week ago.


As we headed into evening recap and briefing the sun was shining and the seas calmed. Throughout the day we saw Kelp Gulls, Wilson's Storm Petrels, Skuas, Antarctic Terns, Cape Petrels, Blue-Eyed Shags, Snowy Sheathbills, Gentoo penguins, Chinstrap penguins, Antarctic moss and lichen.


The Education Program for today while sailing across the Drake Passage:
0800 - Yoga (Clare & Danièle)
0800 - Wake-Up!
0830 - Breakfast
0930 - Expedition Café: Expedition experiences & agency (Elin)
1015 - Workshops:
1. Goal setting & achievement (Arnold W.)
2. Initiating an action project: From idea to implementation (Elin)
3. Earth in mind: Thinking & acting as if tomorrow matters. Practical solutions
to environmental challenges (Howie)
4. Community led projects in the North and beyond (Becky & Barrie)
5. Climate change advocacy & action (Lacia)
6. Art & activism (Tony, Mike, Pablo & Pascale)
7. Telling your Antarctic expedition story (Niki)
1200 - Presentation: Big science on small boats (Grant)
1300 - Lunch
1430 - Workshops:
1. Social entrepreneurship (Arnold W.)
2. Initiating an action project: From idea to implementation (Elin)
3. A carbon-neutral Antarctica (Howie)
4. Community led projects in the North and beyond (Becky & Barrie)
5. Climate change advocacy & action (Lacia)
6. Art & activism (Tony, Mike, Pablo & Pascale)
7. Telling your Antarctic expedition story (Niki)
1600 - Snack
1630 - Presentation: Dog driving in polar regions (David)
1830 - Presentation: Biodiversity - The only thing that matters (Garry)
1930 - Dinner