Antarctic Field Course - Study Abroad
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Dustin's Journal
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Please use the links below to view a specific date further down the page.
December - 2003
January - 2004 |
Photos credited to Dustin. Click an image to enlarge, hover over an image for a description.
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Day 1 December 13th/14th 2003
Travels began with the entire group meeting at Detroit Metro airport at 8am. Photos were taken, pre-departure talks given and big smiles on every face. The first leg of the travel was from Detroit to Miami, total airtime was about two and a half hours. Once we landed in Miami we had to wait with our baggage for two hours before we could check bags. The entire crew was starving and ready for a lunch. After lunch we were able to check bags, for the first time in my life I did not have to have my luggage searched. After checking all our bags we all went to a restaurant in the airport and watched the Michigan State vs. Kentucky basketball game. After a disappointing loss we left for our departure gate.
As we were walking to the gate we heard an incredible high-pitched rumble. As we turned the corner we saw over a hundred and fifty thirteen year old Argentine girls. The girls had just spent vacation in Disney world and had learned many cheers and chants. The entire crew immediately began to sweat, in fear of the upcoming nine-hour flight to Buenos Aires. Our fears were not in vain, almost the entire plane ride was the stage for a junior high playground. Girls were jumping on the seats, chanting, clapping, signing, etc. After spending five hours in the air the time was nearing 1:00am, the girls were tiring, but the rest only lasted for about two hours. Breakfast was served around 3:00am and the meal provided enough energy to awake the little monsters. When the terror finally ended we had no time to rejoice, for we had only one hour to get through customs, collect our baggage and recheck our bags for the flight to Ushuaia. The group worked as an efficient team, and we managed to board our flight in the nick of time.
The flight to Ushuaia was cake compared to the previous flight. When we finally landed there was a feeling of relief throughout the group, the last twenty-four hours had been so long, and to finally be at our destination lifted a large weight off of our chests. We immediately got settled into our hotel, received a cultural talk then hit the streets to explore. The sights, sounds are similar to any other town only twisted a bit. The biggest challenge in Ushuaia is the language barrier. The people here do not speak English as well as I would have thought. I try to carry a large smile followed by many gracias.
Dinner in Hispanic nations is not until 9 or 10:00 pm. A small group of us found a small café and ate a mozzarella and garlic pizza. After dinner we left and had coffee and dessert at another café.
By the time we got back to the room it was near 1:00 am, we had very little sleep in the past 36 hours and we immediately crashed. The trip to Ushuaia was very long and somewhat unpleasant, but it was worth every minute.
Day 2: December15th 2003
After sleeping like a rock, I woke up around 8:00 am. Breakfast in most Hispanic countries is not a large meal by American standards. The hotel provides croissants, toast, juice and coffee. The coffee here is better than any cup I have ever had in the states. The crew had not woken up yet, most of them had late nights as well and needed the extra sleep. After breakfast the crew broke up and visited two different museums. The first museum concentrated on paleo-history, the creation of the continents, as we know it. Pangea was the first whole land mass on earth, 570 million years ago pangea split into two super continents: Gondwana and Eurasia. Gondwana was comprised of South America, Africa, Antarctica and Australia. At this point in time the landmass that is now Antarctica was not covered in ice, but was ruled by bushes and grasses with some Nothofagus trees. With time the continents separated, the last continent Antarctica, was attached to South America. When Antarctica finally separated from South America and the Drake Passage was formed it allowed the ocean currents to circulate creating a "polar vortex." It was this oceanic current that isolated Antarctica blocking out any warming fronts.
Along with paleo-history, the museum focused on the Yamana people. This indigineous group of people was the first to settle in Tierra del Fuego. They were nomadic people living in huts made of tree branches, grass, and animal skins. The Yamana lived off of seal, penguin, eggs, and llama like creatures. The second museum we visited focused on the exploration of Tierra del Fuego, by European explorers. After we had gotten back from the museums one of the lectures gave a review for the exam we will take tomorrow. The exam will concentrate on geography, marine wildlife, ozone and climate change in the Antarctic. We have two different collections of reading, one handout from the expedition tour, and a collage of published journal articles. I have read through the reading and am confident I will do well tomorrow.
Day 3-December 16th, 2003
Today started with breakfast at 7:30 am, croissant and café con leche. I read over the readings for an hour or so to finalize preparations for the exam. The exam was a power point that scrolled through as we wrote answers down on paper. The exam was everything that I expected from the review. I was the first to finish, which is usually never good, but after having one of the lectures review my finished exam, I expect to get good marks. After the exam we were given a lecture on system science. System science is a holistic approach to viewing a scientific problem. Lecture lasted an hour though it seemed to pass quickly. After lecture we moved to the hotel owned by the Quark expedition company, it is nicer then Cap Pollino, more like a hotel room in the states.
After moving into the hotel we quickly took off to get supplies for our trip at the mercado, grocery store. We received some stares at the store, and there was some confusion at the register, but thanks to an English-speaking woman behind me, the venture was a success. From the grocery store we went looking for a café to get some lunch. When we did find a pizzeria we noticed that we were receiving some odd stares when we entered. We later figured out that they were just closing for siesta, which is taken approximately from 3-5pm. Due to some language dilemmas we ended up getting only one small empanada each, our entire bill with drinks came to less then two U.S. dollars per person. After lunch we visited the last of three museums in town.
The museum was an old prison, which is now located within the navy enclosure. While the museum did have some interesting exhibits about past inmates, prison life and local marine animals, the feeling throughout the group was of exhaustion. The weather was beautiful compared to the previous two days, high fifties and sunny. We snapped a few pictures then hurried back to the hotel for a talk on our group presentations. My individual project is on terrestrial ecology of the Antarctic Peninsula, while the group will encompass terrestrial adaptations and management. We plan to establish transect lines across disturbed pathways and from coastlines inland. Individual species will be recorded along transect lines along with an independent sampling of percent cover from sampling quadrants.
Day 4-December 17th, 2003
This morning was a rough start, due to a few litres of Quilmes at the Dublin Bar in Ushuaia. The Albatross Hotel had a wonderful Argentine breakfast for the crew; I as usual had my café con leche and croissant. After breakfast we packed up and placed our gear in a pile so that the expedition staff could place it in our cabins on the ship. From the Albatross we walked back to the Cap Pollino for a lecture in the basement. The talk was Antarctic System Science. Important sub-headings were the continental shifts of Gondwana, plate tectonics, paleo-history, and interactions between continental shifts and marine wildlife. From the lecture a group of us went out looking for secret Santa gifts, which we will exchange on Christmas while aboard the ship. After shopping around we all had lunch at one of the cafés.
By late afternoon we headed back to the hotel to await boarding instructions. At 4:00pm we walked down the wharf and boarded our vessel. Our room on the ship is much nicer than I had expected. We each have a single bed, a washroom we share with our roommates and lots of storage space. The expedition crew, a hodgepodge of naturalists mainly from the states and Australia, gave us a warm introduction. Everyone aboard was given time to unpack and get settled. A muster call was then given in which required us to grab a life preserver and rush to our lifeboat. Muster calls are required before leaving the port to practice incase of a real emergency. After the muster call we were all invited to the main sitting room for champagne. It was nice meeting many new people from all over the world.
Then we went to dinner. The entire crew was blown away from the amount of effort put into just one meal. The starting appetizer was a smoked halibut with avocado and apple. A selection of fruits, breads and cheeses were laid out incase the halibut could not tie us over till our entrées were served. For the main coarse we could choose between red snapper, top sirloin, vegetable curry and many more delectable dishes. After the main coarse coffee and dessert were served while a waitress walked around with a plate of assorted chocolates. Who knows if all meals will have this much detail, but we were all very amazed by this meal. Shortly after dinner we left port, intentions were to leave much sooner, but the operations engineer had a delayed flight, so the ship was waiting upon him. At 9:00 we took off, within a half hour we were seeing Albatross, Cormorants, and even a fur seal. After an hour or so of sitting on deck the crew headed in. The staff always has coffee, tea and biscuits out to snack on. We played rubrics kube in a reading room, talked and really had an enjoyable evening. The ship's captain expects rough waters around 2:00 am tonight, so most people are on some type of medication. A good day overall, besides having two members of the crew fall ill, most are very excited.
Day 5-December 18th, 2003
The day started with an alarming crack in the middle of the night as our door crashed open against the wall. We had rough swells and gale force winds and the ship began to toss and turn. The bouncing and turning had little affect on me at 3:00am I simply shut the door and fell back asleep. In the morning I attempted to ascend the stairs and make my way to the dinning room. This task is easier said then done when the ship is experiencing tremendous swells. By the time I reached the dinning area I could not even fathom putting anything in my stomach for fear it will quickly return.
I tried sitting down in the lounge area, but felt dizzy. The only comfort was to retreat to my cabin and lie down in bed. Later in the afternoon I attempted a second ascent up to the dinning area, but again had to quickly retreat for fear of vomiting. Three quarters of the day was spent lying in bed sleeping.
Finally, by dinnertime the swells had lessened and it was comfortable to sit down upstairs. Apparently most people had spent the days in their cabins as well, all lectures were cancelled. At dinner everyone was telling their stories of being sea sick, and the misery of spending the entire day in bed. After a wonderful dinner we all went out on the bow to watch the albatross circle the ship. In the evening we sat in the lounge playing board games and sipping from hot drinks. We were told by the ship's crew that the swells we had experienced earlier in the day were the biggest they had seen this season, and that was by far the worse we would have to endure. A day I will surely remember.
Day 6-December 19th, 2003
Today was the second day at sea. The day started with the crossing of the Antarctic convergence in early morning. The Antarctic convergence is where warmer ocean waters meet with the colder Antarctic waters. This zone of convergence offers a haven for marine life, due to the converging waters. The zone of convergence is not as noticeable in the Drake Passage as in other parts of the ocean because of its turbulent waters. The first lecture of the day was on ice and its formation in the Antarctic.
The second lecture was on Sea Birds of the Antarctic. Some of the birds mentioned hang around the ship daily, such as: the cape petrel, the wandering albatross and the giant petrel. Other birds that we will see once we reach the Antarctic islands are gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins, skuas, and the Wilson storm petrel. The third lecture of the day was on marine food webs. A holistic scientist sees the marine ecosystem as a web and not a chain, where species are dependent on many other different species. The keystone species of the entire web is krill. A fun fact about krill is that the biomass of krill weighs more than the entire biomass of humans. After the last lecture we went out on the deck and looked for icebergs, by 11:00pm the first one was spotted. Late in the night the boat started to become surrounded in icebergs. It was nice to see that were would soon be arriving to Antarctica. The icebergs brought on much delight, fore we would be in Antarctica by morning.
Day 7-December 20th, 2003
Today when we woke the ship was stopped and we were at our first of many destinations. After a filling breakfast the expedition crew lowered the zodiac boats into the water and scouted a landing. When the crew was ready we lined up and began to fill a series of zodiacs. The zodiac weaved through pancake ice and circled around into a bay, when we turned the corner a pungent odor hit everyone in the boat, we reached Aitcho Island. As we came closer we could see hundreds of penguins waddling around in every direction. The zodiacs rammed the shoreline and we stepped out onto the beach. As much as I hate to take pictures I could not help but to begin snapping away. After taking hundreds of pictures of chinstrap and gentoo penguins we trekked across the island.
When we got to the other side of the island we came upon wallows of elephant seals. The elephant seals released gas out of both ends of their bodies as they lay upon each other. In a wallow all by himself laid a gigantic mature bull elephant seal, he was three times the size of any other seal on the beach. Further down on the beach was a lone weddell seal. Penguin rookeries ruled the island and where ever we were penguins surrounded us. One main note from this visit was that there is still much snow upon the ground. Our vegetation project requires us to do vegetation indexes, which cannot be done until the snow melts. The plan is to check out the second island today and make a decision whether to switch our project or not. After a quick couple hours we left the island back for the ship.
Later in the afternoon we set out in the zodiacs for Yankee Harbor. As soon as we beached the zodiacs we were within thirty yards of a mature weddell seal. Much like Aitcho Island penguins were everywhere. In one of the gentoo rookeries we saw a lone Macaroni penguin standing with a very confused look on his face. In addition to many penguins Yankee Harbor had just as much snow as Aitcho Island, which meant we needed to change our project. Due to other students changing projects there was no longer a seal study, so those of us planning to study vegetation were now going to study seals.
Our first goal was to look for penguin carcasses that had been torn in a fashion it was apparent they were killed by leopard seals. Leopard seals will wait off the coast lines for groups of penguins to swim out to feed. So many times after a leopard seal has killed a penguin the carcass will wash back upon shore. We will use number of carcasses to indicate the amount of leopard seal activity. After completing our observations and having a bit of a wonder around the island we headed back to the ship for dinner. After dinner we set out for our last outing of the night, Half Moon Island. More penguins covered Half Moon Island like most Antarctic islands. Our seal group searched for seals and penguin carcasses by climbing over bounders along the coastline. The time flew by and before I knew it we had to head back to the zodiacs. The first day on Antarctic Islands was truly an amazing experience, seeing knew animals, new smells, new sounds, just a sensory overload.
Day 8-December 21st, 2003
Today we went on two excursions, but were two different parts of Deception Island. After an early breakfast we started to don our big rubber boots, Gortex pants, and lots of polar fleece. We loaded into the zodiacs and took off for Baily Harbor, an outer coastline of Deception Island. The seas were much more rough then yesterday so the landing was a little trickier. As soon as we set foot on shore we gathered up our research groups and reiterated that we will be looking for penguin carcasses and any injured penguins along with any beached seals. This part of Deception Island housed the largest colony of chinstrap penguins in all of Antarctica, around 500,000 individuals. Between the crashing waves and the screams of a half million penguins it was quite loud. We looked along the coast and found two penguin carcasses that were easily identified as leopard seal kills.
After doing our observations for a half hour we left to explore more inland. The chinstraps had actually formed a small highway of travel from their rookeries inland to the coast, paved with guano. Deception Island had some beautiful foothills with lots of snowmelt-rivers. We climbed to the top of one of the largest hills on the island to have a look. As we got to the very top we noticed that chinstraps were even using these peaks for their rookeries as well, there was no escaping them. The view from the top was breathtaking, you could see other islands in the area, a half million penguins waddling around, and a majestic landscape. We climbed back down hopped into a zodiac raced back to the boat to prepare for our second excursion.
The second trip was to Neptune bay, a small bay inside of Deception Island. Neptune bay housed the processing of the whale blubber back in the early 20th century. Even though it has been decades since any whaler processed blubber here the huge caldrons remain. In addition to whaling, Neptune Bay is home to a lot of Antarctic research. We walked along the shoreline looking into old research stations and whaling structures. One of the British Antarctic Survey planes lies along the coast of Neptune Bay, rusted and mangled.
After snapping a few photos we walked to the other side of the coast and climbed a small rocky hill. From the top we could see outside of the bay to the rougher waves. When we climbed back down from the hill we saw the expedition crew digging a pit in the sand to make a hot tub. Deception Island has many active volcanoes and if you dig a few feet down into the volcanic shoreline hot water will emerge. A group of us had anticipated this Antarctic treat and disrobed into our bathing suits. We ran into the frigid Southern Ocean dunked under than ran back to jump into the newly formed hot tub. Everyone had a wonderful time, lots of laughing and playful screams. Today was a wonderful day; it will be hard to beat.
Day 9-December 22nd, 2003
Our morning started with a talk from British researchers who had come aboard to shower, shave, and grab a hot meal. The researchers worked at Port Lockroy, our first destination that morning. Port Lockroy was tucked away in a small bay sounded by gigantic snow covered mountains. The British researchers had restored an old British research station not only to house their own research but also to generate revenue to fund their research. The research station had been restored as if researchers from the early 20th century still worked there. The station also had small gift shop, probably one of the only gift shops in Antarctica. The profits from the gift shop went towards upkeep and research.
fter having a look around and photographing more penguins I ended up having a seat on a boulder and just looking around. Port Lockroy was a beautiful place, it was very peaceful to sit down and just look and listen. Soon enough we had to board the zodiac to cruise back to the ship. Our second trip today was Petermann Island, an island that was home to adelie rookeries. On our way to the island we found a leopard seal laying on a piece of ice. Leopard seals feed mainly on penguins, so it is natural to see leopard seals waiting near penguin rookeries. The leopard seal had a very serpentine like body, with large incisors. We snapped our pictures of the seal then made haste toward the island.
While on the island we observed adelie behavior in comparison and contrast to the gentoo and chinstraps that we had seen before. Of all three species of penguin, the adelie as by far my favorite. The adelie seemed to have more of a known pecking order, there was not nearly as much fighting and yelling as the chinstrap and gentoos. It seems that no matter what island we are on we are constantly surround by beauty, it is hard to describe in words other then pure amazement and awe.
Day 10-December 23rd, 2003
Today was an early morning, being the last day of our excursions, the expedition crew wanted to be on our way to the Drake by nightfall. So after a brief breakfast we got on our gear, jumped in a zodiac and headed for Paradise Bay. The bay use to house Argentine Researchers, today the research has vanished, but the buildings remain. After having a look around the entire group started to climb up a small snowy foothill. The view from the top was breathtaking. We took some photos, talked a bit then started to head down. However, we did not walk down instead we sat on our butts and slid down. The slide down was hilarious, people falling over, crashing into others, and loosing items along the way.
When we got down to the bottom we had a little bit of time left, so I went and sat down away from the group. It was nice to just take in all of the scenery. Being our last day I tried to burn the picture of Antarctica in my memory. Of all our excursions this one was special in the sense that we were on the actual peninsula, not an island. Finally the zodiacs arrived and we pilled in. To our surprise we did not head back to the ship, but were taken on a zodiac tour of the area. Right away we spotted a minky whale. Our zodiac driver put us right next to the whale. The minky whale ended up swimming right along side the boat then circled around and swam underneath the boat. Everyone in our zodiac was silent; we all realized that the chance to be within two meters of a baleen whale in the middle of the Southern Ocean is a once in a lifetime experience. After watching the whale for a few more minutes we decided to leave it alone and continue on our zodiac tour. We motored along huge calving glaciers, ice formations and icebergs. We came upon an iceberg and our driver asked us if we have ever walked onto an iceberg, immediately everyone's eyes lit up. He pulled the zodiac along side the huge iceberg. We ran around the iceberg taking photos and making observations of its slow destruction. After playing around for a few minutes we boarded the zodiac and headed back for the ship.
Once everyone was back on board the ship we met for a group meeting. In the middle of the meeting we heard the words: "HUMPBACK WHALES." We all immediately bolted for the deck. Once we were on deck we saw a female humpback and her calf swimming not far from the bow of the boat. The whales ended up coming right along side our 90-meter ship, which is quite rare. The whole time both mother and calf were breaching the water. We stood on deck for about a half hour watching both mother and calf play. At one point the calf did a full breach of the water, everyone was amazed. Finally, the mother and calf decided they did not want any more pictures taken and swam off.
The ship then took off for our last destination of the cruise, Cuverville. Cuverville is a small island that houses one of the largest gentoo rookeries. We combed the shores for peguin carcasses, looked for injured penguins, and kept a look out for any beached seals. After making observations I found a comfortable rock and sat down. I wanted my last half hour in Antarctica to be quiet and peaceful. I watched small groups of gentoo penguins entering and exiting the water. I watched the waves crash upon the shore pushing algae and kelp along the beach. Looking over the water, the mountains and the ice, I know this is a place I would love to come back too.
Eventually I was waved back over to the zodiacs, we loaded and headed back to the ship. As soon as everyone and the zodiacs were aboard, the ship took off for our last stop, Ushuaia.
Day11-December 24th, 2003
Today was the first full day back at sea. In the middle of the night the swells became extremely rough, and everyone started to recall the trip down. When I woke I came up top to get some breakfast, but after spending a few minutes on the higher floor I decided against the meal. Like the trip down I spent the majority of the afternoon in my bunk sleeping.
I broke my rest around 10:00am to hear a lecture about seals in the Antarctic. The lecture gave a brief overview of the five main seal species and lasted nearly an hour. This gave me hope that I could confidently give a talk myself for ten minutes on seals when we return to Ushuaia. After the lecture I went back to my bunk to take another nap. Seas were still a bit choppy and I had no intention of making the second lecture, instead I stayed in bed organizing pictures I had taken.
When lunch came I still did not feel well enough to put any food in my stomach. Late in the afternoon Charles gave a talk on one of his many expeditions to the Antarctic. Charles had caught a ride to Antarctica on a whaling vessel and had video taped the experience. After the lecture dinner was served, the dinner was superb as usual. Once dinner was finished Olle gave a talk on the Swedish expedition of 1901. After the talk everyone gathered out on the deck for drinks and music. The skies were clear and the sun was brilliant, everyone had a good night.
Day 12-December 25th, 2003
Today was our second straight day at sea, returning to Argentina. We have been much more fortunate coming through the Drake this time around. Everyone was up for a nice breakfast then lecture. Charles Swithinbank gave the lecture on his first expedition in 1949. Charles and fifteen other men came to Antarctica, made their own makeshift camp in which they stayed in for two years. In the two years the men took ice cores as much as 100 meters deep, a record at the time. They made better, more accurate maps of the continent and studied glaciers.
During the stay three men fell in a crevasse while on a weasel and died. From the photos and wonderful narration I have a tremendous amount of respect for Charles and all other early explores of Antarctica. The second lecture of the day was about seals. With my Antarctic project focusing on seals I found the talk invaluable. The naturalist did a good job describing the different species of Antarctic seals and their unique niche to the marine ecosystem. For dinner we had a fabolous holiday meal with six different courses. Later in the night we had a blind gift exchange, everyone had an awesome time, lots of laughs. This was our last night on the ship and everyone was living it up.
Day 13-December 26th, 2003
This morning was fairly rough with everyone partying it up last night. The expedition leader gave a wake up call at six in the morning. The plan was to get breakfast at 7:30am but our Russian housekeeper was knocking on our door every five minutes starting at 7:00, so we got up much sooner then planned. After a few cups of coffee, we packed the last of our belongings and disembarked the ship setting foot in Ushuaia.
Once our group was assembled we had a brief meeting then we took off in different directions with plans to meet at the Cap Pollino at 10:00am. By afternoon we had settled into our hotel room, unpacked necessities and set out for the town. We bought some groceries for lunch for the next few days, which will be spent up in the foothills. The rest of the day was spent in the Internet café checking e-mail, researching group projects and typing our journals. Everyone misses Antarctica already, but there is excitement about doing some alpine hiking.
Day 14-December 27th, 2003
After a relaxing night's sleep we all woke up to our usual Cap Pollino breakfast of croissants, coffee and juice. I sat in the window like I did before leaving for the boat to watch people pass along their way. After breakfast we put on our hiking clothes and met in the lobby. Today we were helping two of the students collect data for their senior thesis. We all jumped into a few taxis and raced up to the base of one of the ski mountains.
While in the parking lot of the lodge we were taught to estimate tree height, take diameter at breast height, and figure basal area. Finally we were ready to take some measurements, so we jumped on to the ski lift and headed towards the top. Once at the top we were given some brief talks on alpine ecosystems, saw a very small glacier and then took off for our group sites. The group that I was in was going to the tree line at 700 meters then drop down to 600 meters and measure those trees as well. We hiked for a good while before reaching 700 meters, but once we got there the view made it all worthwhile. We set up quadrants and started measuring dbh. The trees were clumped so thick that it made our job very tough, but eventually we finished.
Immediately after finishing the quadrant at 700 meters we dropped down to do another at 600 meters. At 600 meters the trees were twice as large, twice the diameter and very easy to walk through. We took the needed measurements then hiked down to the rest of the group. When we met up with everyone else we hadn't realized that it was quite late, we had spent the whole day up on the mountain. We jumped back into our taxis and went home to the hotel to shower and eat. It was a fun day, something new, and we all had an awesome time.
Day 15-December 28th, 2003
Today started with a morning lecture by one faculty member on the Antarctic Marine System. The lecture talked of ocean currents and how it affects both ambient and water temperatures throughout the world. These currents dictate the amount of biodiversity through primary production and oxygen contents. The lecture described all the marine animals that we have seen throughout the trip as well as many oceanic algae, which we are not so familiar with.
After the first lecture finished we were given a short break then another faculty member gave a second lecture on harmful pollutants in the great lakes. This lecture was more abstract, but could be applied to pollutants in the Antarctic marine ecosystem. The lecture highlighted the specific pollutants, their effects on fauna and how humans can contract the pollutants. There were examples given in arctic systems of native people having high pcb counts in their blood due to their dependence on arctic fish.
The faculty gave us an hour break for lunch, which I spent working on the various projects we have to do for this trip. After our break we reconvened with a guest lecturer talking about the Antarctic Treaty and how policy is created in the Antarctic. The talk was a nice break from the regular faculty lecture, and highlighted how science and politics combine in the Antarctic. When our guest lecturer finished it was time for dinner, the rest of the night I spent working on projects for the trip.
Day 16-December 29th, 2003
Today started with morning lecture as usual. One of the faculties gave a slide show presentation on Macquarie Island, which he did his graduate work at. Macquarie is a sub-Antarctic island that is home to over a million penguins, hundreds of elephant and fur seals. The island is located halfway between Australia and the Antarctic continent. The island has thick tussock grasses in lower valleys and small nonvascular plants in the hills.
Researchers of every discipline work on Macquarie, including: wildlife biologists, geologists, botanists and physicists. It was a good comparison between Macquarie and many of the Antarctic islands we visited last week. After the lecture we had the rest of the afternoon to work on presentations, papers and posters. We reconvened at six-o´ clock to review for the final exam, which is in two days. The rest of the night I spent studying for the exam and writing the term paper.
Day 17-December 30th, 2003
Today we met at 8:30 am to take off for the National Park only a few kilometers away. With everyone still a bit tired we piled into a large bus and took off. When we got to the national park it was raining and cloudy. We all put on our waterproof jackets, hats and gators then started on our hike. The purpose of coming to the park was to get a better lesson in alpine sciences. As we walked our tour guide would tell us what plants were edible and why they were called the way they were. As we continued on our walk the weather cleared up and before we knew it the sun was shining.
We stopped every half hour or so to rest and get a historical or scientific lesson by our guide. Eventually we hiked the 7 km trail and our bus was at the other end waiting for us. We jumped on the bus and took off for another trail on the other side of the park. We had lunch along a small beaver made lake before hitting the trail. Lunch was quiet, peaceful and very serene. When we all finished we put on our packs and hit the trail for some more hiking.
We hiked til 4 pm at which time we had to quit because half of the group was giving their oral presentations. When jumped back onto our bus and raced back to the hotel. We showered up, put on clean shirts and met in the basement, where we usually hear lecture. Once we were all there we started our oral presentations. The presentations took five hours long and by the time we finished for the day everyone was beat. It was a good day, hard to be upset about anything when you are hiking in the Andes all day.
Day 18-December 31st, 2003
Today was a day dedicated to finishing up coarse material. In the morning we met bright and early to start the student oral presentations. The previous day we had made our way through half of them, which took five hours. Each student would give a power point presentation that lasted on average ten minutes. After giving the presentation the student is to answer questions from the class then field a question or two from the faculty. The previous day took so long to get through the presentations due to the faculty taking so long to ask questions.
Today was different, the faculty learned their lesson and we were zipping along. We ended up finishing all the presentations by 11:30am, which surprised everyone. We raced out of the hotel to grab a quick lunch then to start studying right away for our final exam, which was at 4pm. The final exam was to include everything we have learned in the last three weeks. It was very hard to study for an exam like this because of the broad range of sources, which we learned from. This class has no textbooks and the faculty's lectures are only a small part of the exam. After studying a couple hours I could take no more and laid down for a quick nap.
Soon enough I turned over to see the clock read 3:35pm. I got up and made my way to the basement of the Cap Pollino. The exam took me two hours to finish, and the last people finished in five hours, it was a difficult test by any standards. It was a big relief just to finish the exam, presentations and coarse work required while on the trip. Due to all the headaches from course work most of us had not realized it was New Years Eve.
The faculty had booked a restaurant for us. We met at the restaurant at 9pm; we had a huge spread of appetizers, a nice meal and lots of drinks. Everyone was having a good time, lots of joking, laughs and sarcasm. Before midnight the restaurant gave out glasses of champagne and when the time came we all toasted. We hit the dance floor and showed Argentina how twenty-four white people from Michigan can break it down. It was good night, we finished the required coarse work, celebrated the New Year and still had a few more days to look forward to.
Day 19-January 1, 2004
This morning was a lazy morning, sleeping in after a fun New Year's Eve. After getting some water, checking e-mail, I packed a day bag and jumped in a van heading for Tolhuin, a small city 100 km north of Ushuaia. The ride was beautiful and a bit nerve racking at the same time. We drove along the edge of gigantic mountains with waterfalls flowing down. Every now and then our driver would space out and we would go off the side of the gravel road onto small boulders. Everyone on the bus would hold on tight, the driver would then yank on the wheel and we would straighten out onto the gravel road.The trip to Tolhuin took about two hours including a few short stops to drop off passengers. Eventually we pulled into a parking lot in the city and we all jumped out. The driver told us we had three hours til the last van would leave for Ushuaia. The two big attractions in Tolhuin are the lake and the bakery. We figured the lake could not be that far away so we started walking toward where we thought the lake should be. After navigating through a few dirt roads we found a sign referring to the largo. We had been walking for a half hour and according to the sign we were still 3 km away. We knew if we hustled we could make it to the lake and back.
We got about half way to the lake when a pick-up truck stopped and picked us all up and dropped us off at the lake. The lake was absolutely huge, the largest in Tierra del Fuego. We ate lunch, threw stones, and enjoyed the awesome view. Finally we started on our way back to the town, this time without anyone picking us up. We had an hour more til our van left, so we had rolls and coffee at the best bakery in Tierra del Fuego, and it was good. Finally our van came and we all hopped on, we were exhausted. When we got back to Ushuaia we threw on nicer clothes and had our last dinner in Tierra del Fuego.
Day 20-January 2nd 2004
We had another lazy morning, but still had time to grab a few croissants before packing up. We all packed our bags and sat them out in the lobby to be loaded into the bus. After little trouble in the airport we boarded our plane and made our way to Buenos Aires. The flight was only three hours long but seemed like days due to two energetic children sitting behind me.
When the horror came to an end we were in 85-degree weather in beautiful Buenos Aires, my frustrations quickly left. We threw our luggage on another bus and had a tour of the city. As soon as we got settled into the hotel we put on clean clothes and hit the streets. Buenos Aires is a town of 14 million people with half the population in poverty due to recent political corruption.
Streets were eight or nine lanes wide with thousands of taxis racing around. There were people of all different ages, races and classes. After walking for a few hours we found a fantastic restaurant along the street. We had a nice bottle of wine, a tenderloin and good conversation. After taking in all the smells and sounds of that restaurant we left to get coffee and dessert at another. Buenos Aires was a wonderful town; I wish we had more time to enjoy the city.
Final Thoughts-January 22nd 2004
Going to Antarctica, Argentina and traveling abroad in general had really opened my eyes to many new issues, concerns and ideas. One example of how this trip has changed me personally was when I overheard a conversation about long line fishing and how it is hurting the sea turtle population. I immediately started thinking about the Patagonia Toothfish and the troubles with hooking the albatross. I joined in on the conversation and ended meeting some fascinating people and had a very interesting discussion.Even though this instance is odd and minute in overall meaning it is representative of how these trips abroad change a person. I would have never known about long line fishing and the trouble it is causing in the ecosystem. Due to the intimacy of this trip and how it affects oneself in such a profound manner, you take the environmental issues much more seriously then if you were to have learned it from a book.
Before this trip I was very content to traveling within the United States, but now I think that I would be cheating myself out of many new ways of thinking if I did not travel abroad. I think of the Study Abroad trip to Antarctica a success and will rank it high among my life experiences.
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