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Watercolor sketch of King Penguin by Roy BeckemeyerANTARCTICA

A report by Roy and Pat Beckemeyer. 

Last updated: 31 December 2001

Watercolor of King Penguin on the Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island, Bay of Isles, 1/25/98. From Roy's trip sketchbook. Photo (below) from the bridge of Akademik Ioffe in Antarctic waters by Pat. Other photos on this page by Roy.


This page links to a number of other pages that highlight portions of our trip to Antarctica and the southern seas. The trip took place between 17 January and 7 February, 1998. As slides and video are processed, other information will be added. For now, illustrations are largely sketches. Our trip was with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT) of Austin Texas, and almost all the 76 passengers were bird watchers or nature enthusiasts. VENT contracted with Marine Expeditions of Toronto, who chartered a Russian research vessel, the Akademik Ioffe, out of Kaliningrad, under the command of Captain Nikolai Apekhtin. The tour leaders included Victor Emanuel, Greg Lasley, and Brad Schram of VENT, and author Peter Mathiessen and artist Robert Bateman. The expedition leader, from Marine Expeditions, was Andrew Prossin. He was assisted by staff geologist Dr. Paul Hearty, and staff biologist Leanna Taylor.

Itinerary:

View from the bridge of Akademik Ioffe17 January - Left Wichita, Kansas at 0700. Wichita to Denver (500 miles). Denver to Los Angeles (900 miles). Los Angeles to Mexico City (1500 miles). Mexico City to Santiago, Chile (4100 miles).

18 January - Santiago. Visited the Faralonnes Ski Area in the Andes near Santiago to bird watch.

19 January - Santiago to Puerto Montt (570 miles). Puerto Montt to Punta Arenas (785 miles). Punta Arenas, Chile to Ushuaia, Argentina (150 miles?).

20 January - Visited Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego in the morning, boarded our ship in the afternoon. Left port at 1800 and spent the night traversing the Beagle Channel.

 21 January through 23 January - At sea in the Drake Passage.

Iceberg near the Antarctic Peninsula24 January - A sunny day greets us as we arrive at South Georgia Island. We stay through 26 January, departing on the evening of the 26th.

27 January through 28 January - Traverse the Scotia Sea.

29 January - We pass Elephant Island at 0300. Arrive at King George Island in the South Shetlands in the morning. Visit the Henryk Arctowski Polish Antarctic Research Station.

30 January - Traverse the Antarctic Strait and enter the Weddell Sea. Zodiac rides amongst the icebergs around Paulet Island in the Gulf of Erebus and Terror. Land on the Antarctic continent at Brown's Bluff.

31 January - Back to the South Shetlands, Livingstone Island, Hannah Point, Deception Island, Baily Head and Hecla Whaling Station.

1 February - Antarctic Peninsula, Neko Harbor. Palmer Archipelago, Port Lockroy.

Pat and Gentoo Penguins at Neko Harbor, Antarctica2 Febnruary - Lemaire Channel and points south, reaching 65 degrees 17 minutes south latitude. Zodiac rides among humpback whales. Turn back north at 1300.

3 February through 4 February - Cross the Drake Passage.

4 February - Round Cape Horn and enter the Beagle Passage.

5 February - Disembark at Ushuaia, Argentina. Quick trip back to Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, then another long LAN CHile flight to Santiago.

6 February - A day resting in Santiago, with a 2300 departure for Mexico City.

7 February - 0740 arrival in Los Angeles, arriving back in Wichita at 2200.

 

Incredible blue ice at Neko Harbor, AntarcticaPhoto above: Pat Beckemeyer with Gentoo Penguins at Neko Harbor.

 

Photo right:  Icebergs at Neko Harbor looked as if they were lit up by turquoise spotlights.

 


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