Off to Brazil

I can't say I was excited to leave my Buenos Aires life. My lovely balcony, favorite market and all the local sights and sounds I have come to know so well during this last month. But alas, I am on the road and enjoying it immensely. Last week I hopped an overnight bus to Iquazu Falls at the junction of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The seats/beds weren't quite as nice as my first trip, but they served us wine and champagne and the ride was smooth and scenic.

Saying goodbye to Buenos Aires from my balcony.

The bustling bus station of Buenos Aires.

I took an embarassing number of photos at Iguazu Falls, as it is one of the mose stunning sights I have ever seen. The falls can be reached from the two main towns on either side of the falls: Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina. Though time was tight, I was able to see the falls from both. The waterfall system consists of 275 falls along 1.67 miles of the Iguazu River.

On the Brazilian side there is a long walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base of the “Garganta del Diablo”.

A rainbow decorates the base of one of the falls.

The rainforest of Iguazu is teeming with wildlife. Between Carla and I, we were able to capture a few shots of some of the more interesting characthers.

If you look closely, there are monkeys in the trees.

After 3 days in the jungle, I set off to Sao Paolo, Brazil to meet with Andrea, my Brazilian sister. I am here now, belly full of churrascaria, and gearing up to visit Andrea's parents in the province, Paraná.

The view of Sao Paulo from Andrea's 14th floor apartment.

Buenos Aires

It's been a while since I have last posted. I am in Buenos Aires, staying at a lovely little apartment in Polermo disctrict, enjoying a balcony, fruit markets and a new travel guitar. It feels really (really) good to have my traveling shoes on again. I am getting better at Spanish and found a lovely wine for $2 a bottle.

I have had a lot of adventures since arriving in South America, over a month ago. Nine months working in Antarctica was life changing, and my experience has given me a great appreciation for life as a slugabed traveler. I came to the city of Buenos Aires, through Chile, across the Andes via bus.

Crossing the Andes

Switchbacks en route to Mendoza in Argentina

Buenos Aires is a great place and I have been enjoying the local sights and sounds with my inspiring traveling companion, Carla. Buenos Aires is friendly and easy to get around. The food is great, life is affordable and green spaces abound around every corner. City life here is elegant yet rough-edged, welcoming to travelers looking for an interesting place to live for a month, or longer. I just have to remember to keep my pockets buttoned and get used to staying up late. Porteños (Buenos Aireans) normally eat dinner between 8 and 11pm and bars are usually open until 6am.

The streets on Sunday in San Telmo

Building facades near the San Telmo markets

Groovy alien graffiti

These torso-less creatures are painted all over town

A protest in the streets

Kitty Cat living among the coffins in La Recoleta Cemetary

Statues in La Recoleta Cemetary

The past couple of days I spent in Colonia, Uruguay, scooting around on a motorbike and enjoying the sunshine and relative calm of a vacation town. The Barrio Histórico (historic quarter) section of Colonia del Sacramento is designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and impressivly solid, having been build in the 1600s. I will definitely post some photos shortly. For now, I head back to the streets.

Back in Chile

Okay, it's been a while and a lot has happened. My last blog had me boarding the Gould last minute. We left Palmer, completed a successful and speedy medical evacuation. I was fortunate to visit King George Island and mingle with the Chileans. Once the medevac was complete we were called back to the Palmer and the Antarctic peninsula to continue with 10 more days of science. The time at sea was good, I worked nights 12midnight-12noon. We hauled fish, sampled water for bacteria, and dropped CTDs (Conductivity, Temperature and Depth of seawater).

Now, I find myself in Punta Arenas wrapping things up on the Laurence M. Gould and looking forward to a long needed vacation (it's been 9 months). It was sunny and in the high 50's on the pier today. I spent a few hours in town, running errands, drinking coffee at a cafe and practicing my Spanish. Working on the deck of the Gould was glorious. Absolutely wonderful. Tonight a surly crew of friends and coworkers are meeting in town, at Marmitas, for dinner and frivolity.

On the Gould, Suprisingly

As the title suggests, I am on board the Laurence M. Gould again. A surprising turn of events unfolded today. The primary one being a medical emergency which had the LMG pull into port for 2 hours, load everyone who was supposed to leave on September 5 with all their luggage, samples, etc. The last few days have been involved and intense. Yesterday morning we switched to 24 hour operations, making for extremely long days for some of us. Ken, Lily and I switched to 4 hour shifts, mine after the normal work day, was 4am to 8am and every eight hours afterwards. Lights were set up on the pier and the rest of station volunteered for 2 hour time slots throughout the night and day. We worked hard to get the fishing line up and as of this afternoon were able to remove about 120 feet of it. When the medical emergency arose I, along with a number of other Palmerites, was sent to my room and told to be ready to board the Gould in a matter of hours. The fishing line still prevents the LMG from tying up to the pier so we walked slowly across the sea ice, with our bags in hand. A Zodiac was dragged along the ice to transport cargo, and now we are just about to embark across the Drake. Two options seem to be on the table. A stop at King George Island where the patient can be flown via airplane to a hospital. Or, since the situation is far from dire presently, a speedy return to Punta Arenas, Chile or Ushuaia, Argentina.

That's the scoop. It has been an intense few days, and walking onto the Gould as a Marine Technician to work with a crew I haven't worked with yet is a little daunting. Though my spirits are high with a bit of an adventure under my belt and plenty of great things to look forward to. I loved my time at Palmer. I will have to figure out some new arrangements for my travel plans. Primarily what to do with the extra two weeks I will have in Chile. Also, the great and general unknown afterwards.

Line Locked

I am still at Palmer Station. The Gould arrived here a week ago to try and tie up, but was prevented by a long line, laid underwater starting at our pier and stretching 300 meters towards Janus Island. Before the line could be removed, sea ice moved in and covered the line. Due to the lowest temperatures of the year and a nearly constant wind from the west, the line is proving extremely difficult to recover. The Gould cannot drive over the line and our cargo operations have been thrilling and difficult. Click here for Carla's fantastic account of our Shackleton style cargo operation, which involved the Gould breaking ice, firing a rope gun ($1000 a shot!) and setting up a pulley system to transfer people and cargo from ship to shore.

Photo courtesy of PQ.

Photo courtesy of Mayor Waslo.

Instead of being called back to the Gould I have been left at Palmer station to help figure out a way to remove the line from underneath the sea ice, which is littered with giant bergy bits and over 5 feet thick in areas. The following video will give you a quick idea as to the forces of nature we are grappling with. The video was taken at the beginning of our first day breaking a crack to pull up the line. As the days have progressed, we have made progress, improved our technique vastly and had many humbling moments.

Lily (the current Boating Coordinator) and I scouting cracks.

The sea ice makes us feel small.
These two photos are courtesy of Wally.

For now, we work on the problem day and night. Many on station have put in long hours in order to help Palmer Station receive the Gould, which should be arriving tomorrow with a good amount of cargo, fish and people.

Ice Ice

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Instead of crossing the Drake for a fourth and fifth time, I finagled a stay Palmer as the Gould set north to do a round trip to and from Punta Arenas. Since cargo was light and science was staying on station, it was decided that my time would be better spent working on the Gould Zodiacs in the Palmer boathouse. It is the good life, and Lily, the current Boating Coordinator has been extremely generous with her space.

This week an ice storm rolled in covering our boats with 3 inches of ice. Among various Palmer related activities, I have been working steadily in the Boathouse on getting two new Zodiacs up and ready for their lives in Antarctica. The Gould currently sits in Arthur Harbor after arriving this morning with my new crew. It sits, trapped by a thin, nylon fishing line sunk across hero inlet 5 days ago. Unfortunately the sea ice has been so thick this past week, the scientists who hoped to catch and study the fish have been unable to retrieve their line. This nylon line can wreak havoc on the Gould if it were to get sucked up into it's engines, so until we can retrieve the line, or until some other plan is formed we wait for the wind to blow the ice away from station.The Laurence M. Gould as it sat this morning.
Photo courtesy of Carla Appel.

On the Gould

It is amazing to float out at sea, working 12 hour watches, fishing, learning to splice, mend nets and generally support science aboard a boat. Our workdays are broken into two main shifts, noon to midnight and midnight to noon. I have worked both. When there is work to be done, however, it is not uncommon to work 17 hours in a day while at sea. Sleep is pretty much the only activity I regularly take part in, though I have been able to read a fair amount and play a little guitar during breaks in action. We have stopped at Palmer twice now, first to unload cargo and people from Punta Arenas, second to unload fish we caught to be studied by scientists in the Palmer Station labs.

The waves of pancake ice in 5 ft rolling swells look surreal and beautiful. At night time the Gould's lights light them up as we cruise a path through a rolling sea of white. Yesterday we spent a good part of the day at Santa Clause Island, a remote island with a now defunct weather
station, investigating whether or not we could install some equipment on a tower that is rumored to still stand there. We were unable to locate it and the surge was wild, preventing an exploratory party (of which I was part of) from heading out.

Today we are heading back to Palmer Station, after a full night of fishing. We have had a successful haul, dredging up ice fish of all types, a Dumbo octopus as big as my head, eels, squids, rays and a number of other interesting species. We have lost two nets, to the icy drink. One, named Business Time, is a net created by my fellow Marine Technicians, Dan, Jamee and I. It wasn't Business Time that failed however. The 3/8 inch stainless steel cable is what broke, leaving Business Time likely full of fish, in perfect form, at the bottom of the ocean.

That's about all I have to report. We will have a night at Palmer, unload our fish and head back out tomorrow. There will be time to see some loved ones, have a beer and buy a new toothbrush.

High seas off the back deck

Pots (fish traps) with buoys, rope coils, and high-flier with flashing light and radio beacons

Pushing the pots off the back deck

Getting Ready in the MT Shop

North

I have stepped aboard the research vessel Laurence M. Gould for the next two months. Currently I am in Punta Arenas, Chile, having my first draft beer and frolicking in the sun. The Gould doesn't have internet, but I will write and post photos as I am able. We get email every day, but my days of bloghopping and Scrabulous are at a hiatus. I will definitely be posting blogs as I come in and out of port as we will be making frequent stops at Palmer Station and to Punta Arenas.

Leaving Palmer was a sad affair, but thankfully I was armed with the knowledge that I will be back in just a couple of weeks. Crossing the Drake Passage was a bit more rough than it was last December. The seas were over 30ft and our ship was pummeled by bergy bits the most of the way. I would hear them slam into the bow and then drag along the bottom. Such seas are hard to work in, and it requires great concentration to complete simple tasks like walking or sleeping. Now we are docked next to the Nathaniel Palmer (of which I got a tour today), another Antarctic research vessel and my old friend the sun hangs proudly overhead. Last night I was able to paint the town up with some great friends, as we said goodbyes and sipped delicious Pisco Sours. We sail south again in 3 days. For now I am busy learning the tricks and trades of my new job and trying to remember how to use money.

Palmerites waving goodbye to us as we sail away.

The sun as it sat today, high in the sky.

Nathaniel Palmer as seen from the Gould

Goodbyes and Liar's Dice

Let's Get to Know Adam

1) WHAT WAS I DOING TEN YEARS AGO?

I was studying at the University of Tasmania, in Hobart. It was my first time out of North America. I walked or rode my bike to the art school on the ocean and it affected me deeply. I bought fish and chips from the boats floating at the marina during lunch and spent my weekends taking trips around the island, sailing, hiking. I was 19 and in Australia it was legal for me to buy alcohol, rent cars and hitch-hiking was regarded as a completely safe and normal occupation.


2)WHAT ARE 5 THINGS ON MY LIST TO DO TODAY?

- Oil change Yamaha outboard motor
- Find some people to do the things I do, when I am gone next week
- Build Wonderbread (it's a platform boat)
- Watch a video on Net Mending
- Take a nap


3) THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WAS A BILLIONAIRE

- Finish Gould job
- Go to Ilha Grande in Brazil, buy a bicycle and a tropical drink
- Travel more and more
- Purchase dream house and spend some time making art


4) FIVE PLACES I HAVE LIVED

- Duluth, Minnesota, USA
- Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Panama City, Panama
- Ithaca, New York, USA
- South Pole Station, Antarctica


5) THREE OF MY BAD HABITS

- I talk a lot of nonsense
- I have trouble making decisions about seemingly insubstantial things
- I drink too much coffee


6) FIVE JOBS I HAVE HAD

- Carpenter Helper
- Bookbinder
- 8th Grade Art Teacher
- Kayaking Guide
- Barista


7) HOW DID YOU NAME YOUR BLOG

- I stole it from the Disney cartoon "Kimpossible"


8) NEED TO TAG 5 or 6 PEOPLE

I (like Payot) choose to tag nobody.

From Time to Time

I will be leaving Palmer in less than a week. Sometimes I am excited, sometimes sad, sometimes sleepy. Primarily though, I am looking forward to a change of pace. As much as I might like to write that I will be drinking a coconut-themed drink on a beach in South America, that dream will have to wait. Instead, I will be joining the ranks of proud Marine Technicians aboard the Laurence M. Gould, the research vessel that brought me down here. Besides shuttling people to and from Palmer Station, the LMG primarily does science along the Antarctic peninsula. It is big and orange and a lot like the Belafonte from the Life Aquatic. Except without the hot tub or observation bubble. And they don't carry Glocks, that I know of.

As for the specific duties of my job to be, I can't say for sure. 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week while at sea (I think). From my experience on the fishing cruises last month, I know I will help casting out the nets that scientists use to troll for fish. Cast and haul, sort through the fish, putting the special ones into tanks. I will possibly be taking trips in the two on-board Zodiacs with scientists to get to shallower fishing sites. General maintenance, repairing nets and Zodiacs, recording data from various computers, loading and unloading cargo at Palmer and Punta Arenas. We will basically be cruising along the peninsula and crossing the Drake Passage from time to time.

It's all very exciting, but hard to imagine as I wrap things up here at Palmer. The Boathouse is still busy with occasional boating classes, protecting the boats from fierce winds and working on projects left over from summers long since passed. Yesterday, as I cruised out to Torgersen Island and around Arthur Harbor, I couldn't help but wonder if it would be my last time. Today I will draw my house mouse (weekend clean-up) job, and ponder the same question. Of course I will be back here in a few weeks, but as a visitor. I certainly hope to come back to Palmer again as a member of the community. My last seven months here have been extraordinary. Rather than focusing on a week of lasts, I want this next week to be a reminder to me about appreciating time in a remarkable place with inspired people.

OSAR

OSAR training, as it is every month, was a hoot and a holler last week. Although boating hours are getting longer they currently only run from 11:26am to 1:10pm (sunrise is at 10:26am and sunset at 2:10pm) so getting out on the water is a precious thing. Thankfully our OSAR team was up for the challenge as we took to the seas to practice man-overboard drills in 15 knot winds. We even had three volunteers to wear the immersion suits in the water.

Anthony and Payot carefully prepare for a pick-up.

They slowly approach the unlucky customer.

The person is lifted carefully into the Zodiac.

After everyone is back in the boat the team cruises back to Palmer for warm drinks.

On the way back, we encountered a cluster of people in the water, crying for help.

Upon our approach, it turned out they were just having fun. So we left them to swim back to station.

Two Videos

Here's a little video of us leaving Vernadsky, bellies full of milk and honey.



This time lapse video was made by Mayor WASLO (AKA Chris Seliga) of us unloading fish from the Gould. I can be seen operating the orange SkyTrak, picking the boat, dropping it into the sea. Almost everyone on station makes an appearance in this dramatic work of art.

Vernadsky

Last weekend, along with a group of 20 other Palmerites, I took a trip aboard the Laurence M. Gould to the Ukranian Station, Vernadsky on Galindez Island. It is in a similar area I visited three weeks ago, through the stunning Lemaire Channel. The main difference this time was that we would be allowed to disembark the Gould for an afternoon of frivolity and adventure with the Ukranian winter crew. The voyage was serene, full of humpback pods frolicking in the setting sun and quiet games with friends in the Gould lounge. At Vernadsky life picked up. The shores of the base are too shallow for the Gould to tie up so we approached the station on two Zodiacs. The small Ukranian crew was waiting for us at the shore. An all men station, Vernadsky is a former Brittish base handed over to the Ukraine in 1996. The contracts the men work are normally a year or longer. The summer brings them many visitors, but now, in the depths of winter, we were a novelty for them. The main reason for our little boondoggle was to bring the new cook. Not only were they happy to have visitors, they were especially happy to have someone to take care of cooking and cleaning.

Upon arrival we were given a tour of their main building, by the IT guy who spoke the best English. The building is two stories and provides sleeping room for up to 24 people (though there are only 12 on station now), a medical area, various offices, and a reverse osmosis plant on the ground floor. On the second floor there is a lounge, library, dining room and kitchen. Here we were presented with a colorful spread of food for lunch. Each of the men made a plate of food, some of which included various smoked fish, mock crab, beet and cabbage salad and toasty bits. They offered a toast with their home made Horilka, which is milk and honey vodka. It was all very tasty. We were able to eat and chat for a few hours, when our responsible Station Manager whisked us away to the Zodiacs and on our way back to Palmer. I was sad to leave after such a brief time, but was given the gift of a fish head by the Vernadsky Doctor, to remember my brief and pleasant stay.





























































I am not quite sure what this sign says, but I think it speaks fairly clearly for itself. If you see the abominable snowman point him out and run. Don't try to tickle the skeleton. Gold taco fish are good and yummy but be sure to follow-up with some water.

Palmer Station Bar

The bar at Palmer station is a very special place. It is so special that I often wonder how my South Pole friends manage without one. It is great to have a place where everyone can congregate in a relaxed atmosphere. Not everyone drinks, those who do can do it in a relaxed social setting. The bar at Palmer attracts everyone. Some more than others of course, but it brings together scientist and carpenter. Visitor and resident. Old and young. The Palmer bar has a sound system with thousands of songs, walls full of memorabilia, and a card table. It also has a pool table, a popcorn machine. Such grand events that have happened at the bar since I arrived include a Piñata, numerous birthday parties, trivia night, live music, a scavenger hunt, Poker tournaments, kareoke, a Scrabble-off and any number of impromptu get-togethers.