Bowermaster’s Antarctica — Marguerite Bay

TravelActivism , Climbing , Hiking , History , Learning , Paddling , Antarctica , Camping , Ecotourism I spent the afternoon walking on a piece of fast ice the size of a small town - floating on the surface, about six feet thick, still attached to the continent - in a fjord known as Beaujoix. Many of the landmarks in the area bear French names, like the big island of Pourquoi Pas, for example, thanks to the early exploits this far south by Frenchman Jean Charcot. Surrounded on three sides by breathtaking tall mountains and glaciers and on the other by the black Southern Ocean, this is as far south as I’ve ever been. Further south than all but a few ever get along the Peninsula. The reward was a long walk on new snow-covered ice. A dozen leopard seals play along the ice edge and

small squadrons of Adelie penguins walk and scoot on their bellies alongside. We tried to get here last year by sea kayak, but our attempt to sneak through the Gullet just north - a narrow sliver of sometimes-open water - was for naught, and we only got as far as the bottom of Crystal Sound. Our goal last year was to get exactly to this point, to Blailock Island where, on the northeast corner, an old friend, Giles Kershaw, is buried. I think we may have spotted the sight today, marked by a stone cairn, as we trekked. Gallery: Bowermaster’s Antarctica Continue reading Bowermaster’s Antarctica — Marguerite Bay Bowermaster’s Antarctica — Marguerite Bay originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. . Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

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Bowermaster’s Antarctica — Marguerite Bay