A couple of weeks ago, Gerringong Rotarians were treated to a fabulous armchair expedition to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, courtesy of member Andrejs Medenis, who presented a slide show of his recent cruise.

He set off from Ushuaia in the very south of Argentina, snuggled between the Andes and the Beagle Channel. With a population 89,600, Ushuaia claims to be the southernmost city in the world. It has a 10,000 year indigenous history, 1800s British missionary involvement, and only in 1873 did the first Argentine citizens arrive. That same year a penal colony was established modelled after one in Tasmania, for Argentine repeat offenders.

Half Moon Island

Wild weather caused a change in route, with the ship visiting the Falklands and South Georgia before heading across to Antarctica. South Georgia has an incredible history of sealers, whalers, and explorers, including Shackleton.

Salisbury Plain

Visitors were not allowed to venture closer than 200 metres to deserted whaling stations, due to the danger of loose materials and asbestos, apart from in the administrative capital, Grytviken, where they visited the small township’s museum, historic church, Post Office, research station, and cemetery containing Shackleton’s final resting place.

After several days at sea the ship reached the South Shetland Islands, part of Antarctica. Choosing to explore by kayak, Andrejs paddled through sea ice, past icebergs and glaciers, alongside coastlines and rocky beaches, home to penguins and other birdlife and seals, and experienced the pure silence when they paused to take it all in. A retired vet and self-confessed bird nut, Andrejs loved the wildlife, photographing numerous species of penguins and seals. A highlight was seeing a Black-browed Albatross colony.

Salisbury Plain

The travellers witnessed firsthand the drastic effects of Climate Change. The dramatic recession of all glaciers is well documented. The rapid increase in the detachment and/or melting of ice shelves has had catastrophic effects on Emperor penguin colonies. 

In 2022, record low Antarctic sea ice led to a catastrophic breeding failure for emperor penguins. Global warming has meant that precipitation in the Antarctic has started falling as rain.

Half Moon Island

More and more penguin chicks, armed only with downy feathers, instead of the waterproof coats that they later develop, die before they reach adulthood, because they are unable to warm up or dry off after heavy storms.

Saunders Island

Accompanied by spectacular photographs, Andrejs’ talk taught us so much more about Antarctica and I suspect it has now crept on to a few more bucket lists!