I’ll be going to Antarctica and the Falklands next Sunday, and will be gone a bit more than four weeks. I suspect I’ll be busier with lecturing this time than I was two years ago, so I wanted to warn people in advance not to expect much posting during my absence. Last time I was there, it took forever to post, as internet in that area is—as you’ll understand—slow and dicey. To post photos, for example, I had to downsize each one to about 250kb, and it was time-consuming.
All I can say is that I’ll do my best to keep readers informed and also to send photos when I can. Because of the email situation, I ask that you keep communications with me to a bare minimum, i.e., no wildlife photos. If you have important articles, send them, but please combine them into one email every week or so. As always, I’ll do my best.
This week’s postings will also be sparse as I have a gazillion things to do to prepare, for I’m doing another lecturing trip—this time to the Mediterranean—two weeks after I return. More on that later.
I wanted to put just one photo up of my last trip, but I got obsessed. Here’s why I wanted to go back so badly. (Click photos to enlarge.)
One of the world’s only three species of flightless duck!
On the way soon!
Have fun!
I’ve always wanted to go to Antarctica.
Feel free to obsess – I am compelled to experience that magnificent land one day solely because of this website. Never would have paid it serious attention except as a barren frozen wasteland if it weren’t for this website. Goes for many other things too.
Cheers, and bon voyage!
Hi Jerry:
Have fun!
Also, please let us know what book you decided to take with!
Actually, I decided on fiction because there was a VERY LONG BOOK I’ve been wanting to read for a while: “A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth. But I’ve also saved the other suggestions for future trips.
Excellent. Thanks!
I read his book An Equal Music, and thought it was excellent. Of course, that would not have been long enough for this trip!
Have a wonderful trip! We can wait until you get back to see all the photos. Thanks so much for taking us all with you. Stay safe.
Bon voyage, Jerry!! Have a great time!
Lovely, lovely photos! Well worth sharing, almost mythical in the feelings they evoke.
And I must say, that’s one prosperous looking seal.
You’ve given me the Antartica bug. I never even knew I wanted to go there but now I’m determined. Although I want to do it on a ship where you’re lecturing, so that means you need to do this at least once more. Have a great time!
I hope you have a wonderful trip and come back with a lot of photos and stories. Those photos of the penguins that are in in between states of baby and adult feathers are great.
Thanks for the great pics, and have an excellent trip, which I’m sure you will.
Does this boat get south of the Antarctic Circle?
I seem to recall that you are able additionally to get to South Georgia this time. If so, give my ‘greetings’ to Shackleton!
Yes, I believe we go south of it on the Peninsula. No South Georgia this time. I wanted to be on the Fram, which goes there, but they put me on the larger boat. That wound up being fortunate as the Fram ran aground somehow and they had to cancel its trips and haul it back for repairs.
Fly/sail safe jerry. I am so glad you are back into your retirement travel plans!
I wish you a wonderful trip, fantastic impressions on the Falklands and the Antarctic and last but not least stimulating discussions about the lectures.
Outlook on my android phone automatically asks about downsizing attached photos. On my desktop i only have web outlook which does not have that option. A workaround is to attach photos to an unlicensed copy with decrease size on and then drag them to a web outlook message. in brief, there are a number of options, depending on situation, to decrease size of multiple picture files instead of manually doing one at a time with paint or somesuch.
Those pics show remarkable shapes and sizes of things you don’t see every day. I can understand the need to go. Good luck.
Bon voyage! May one ask the subjects you will be lecturing on during the trip?
Science on Scott’s Polar Journey, Examples of remarkable adaptations in Antarctic animals, Darwin’s encounters with the Fuegians and how that influenced his thinking, and five very short lectures about evolution (5-minute “mini lectures”).
The photo #15 from the top, of a penguin, reminds me of the Raeburn painting of the Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch
As I scrolled down, I kept saying, “Where’s that gorgeous blue iceberg?”, and …aaahhhh… there it was! Bon voyage and safe travels, Jerry. Wishing you great fun, food, companionship and communing with nature.
Bon voyage Jerry.
Have fun, looking forwards to stories and photos when you get back
Dr. Coyne:
I wish you a safe and most enjoyable journey! I look forward to your photos.
You might be interested to know that the last landmines which were a legacy of the 1982 Falkland’s conflict were lifted a couple of years ago.
Bon voyage, Jerry! Lucky you!
Hope you have your own Journey of Discovery and Wonder. And, selfishly, that you share bits of it with us.
Fabulous photos!! Safe travels to you. Very much looking forward to you sharing about your trip upon your return.
Dare I mention “the Covid” loves cruising ships so stay on your guard. I’m sure you have considered all of this and the shipping company will have actioned protocols for dealing with it… they’d better have! bad PR circulating WEIT would not be in their best interest.
Other than that, what a trip it will be!
We have to have a negative PCR test to get on the plane and to get into Chile. Then another one at the hotel for one night, and then one when you board the ship. And then others when you go home.
Being selfish, I will miss your varied and prolific daily output.
May your time be sufficient and your internet connection good.
Wonderful pictures, Jerry. Thank you for taking the time to send them to us.
Indeed – and looking forward to new ones, too. Happy travels!
Envy, I’ve always wanted to see “Fortress of Solitude” or at least Onyx River and Erebus.
Have a great journey.
After you take care of yourself first, do try and put up a post or two when you can – I really enjoyed the last trip down there. I am an enthusiastic vicarious traveler. 🙂
D.A.
NYC
A much deserved getaway. CeilingCatSpeed to you sir!
I’d like to add that I’ve seen many photos of you, and interviews for that matter, but the B&W “Arctic Adventurer” photo is my favorite; it’s really an incredible portrait and kudos to whoever the photographer was.
Bon voyage Jerry! Bring your warm socks!
Have a good trip. I only wish I had the resources and time to be on it too.
Hope all your penguins friends come out to see you—
“Look! It’s Jerry! Hi, Jerry!! He came back, just like he said he would!”
D’oh! A day late, but this was in the news today…
“>Black Carbon Pollution from Tourism and Research Increasing Antarctic Snowmelt
Ah, well. One of these days I’ll make it there.
Thanks for telling me this. Are you trying to make me feel bad? If not, what is your point?