Flight to Falklands, December 29, 2012

Up extremely early (4:30 am) to get on bus to airport for flight to Falklands.  A bit disorganized on the part of the group.  However, we were able to get it together in bits and pieces and it appears that all hands are accounted for.  Flight is not direct to Falklands due to Argentine government policies.  Instead we are to fly south to Punta Arenas, Chile, disembark, and go through exit customs there.  Re-board flight and than fly (presumably around Argentine airspace) directly to Falklands.

As we left Santiago,there were some good views of the Andes from the plane, including some shots of nearly perfect stratovolcanos (shape like Mt. Fuji). Also, a couple of shots of an actively

erupting volcano.  Unfortunately, it was not that dramatic, mostly just smoking. Probably a good thing that it wasn't spewing ash as they may have affected our flight. 

Near perfect stratovolcano

Smoking active volcano

Flying further south we passed over the southern Andes ice field.  Incredible views of glacial features, sharp-edged glacially sculpted mountains, active glaciers flowing into lakes, small bergs floating about on the lakes.

Glacier feeding into a lake. Although not shown this is a corner of a much larger lake.

A smaller feeder glacier feeding into the main glacier and continuing to flow downstream.

Glacially sculpted landscape. The sharp edges of the mountains were plucked by the glaciers.

Day 1 (continued), December 29, 2012: Ashore on the Falklands, On Board Ship

Unfortunately, I lost my earlier version of this and so I am recreating it from memory.  Stupidity reigns!

We landed at the Mt. Pleasant Airport and took a bus to Stanley to meet the ship.  The Mt. Pleasant Airport is located on a British military base.  I signed up for the “Geologists” bus.  That meant we made a couple of stops on our way into Stanley.  The first was at an inactive quarry site. See below.

 Exposed there were some beds of the Fitzroy Tillite.  The Fitzroy is analogous to the Dwyka of South Africa and similar formations across what had been Gondwanaland (Mississippian to Permian in age [340 to 270 million years ago].  All these pieces fit together to show that the southern continents (Africa, South America, Antarctica, India) were once part of what was called Gondwanaland. The rocks were dark gray quartzite.  Similar to the weather which was dark gray and drizzly.  All the Brits felt right at home.

Abandoned Quarry of Fitzroy Tillite

The second stop was to see a “stone run.” This is essentially a rock glacier.  They are thought to be generated by freeze-thaw cycles pushing boulders to the surface where they join one another in the depressions and start to “flow” downhill.

A "stone run"

Finally, into the village of Stanley. Stanley is an interesting village.  Nearly every building has a different colored roof.  Some very brightly colored.

We were driven from Stanley a short distance to the pier where we joined our ship, Akademik Ioffe.  Built in 1989 in Finland, she has reinforced hull for research work in icy areas.  She’s been retrofitted for the tourist trade.  The crew is Russian (ship is based in Kalingrad).

There was a welcome aboard dinner with introductions of the “hotel” crew and the expedition staff.  Apparently Cheeseman is subcontracting to One Ocean Enterprises.  Dinner was good, not great, but quite good.  Cheeseman and One Ocean provided wine.  After tonight we are responsible for our own bar tabs.

A typical multi-colored structure in Stanley

I toured the ship, checking out the gym (an exercise bike, rowing machine, and some weights), the bar (self-serve beer and mineral water with cocktails at certain hours), and sauna.  There’s a plunge pool that is filled with Antarctic Ocean water at stops only (don’t want it sloshing around at sea).