Departing for THE ICE

The Clipper Adventurer will depart from Ushuaia in 6 hours and now all I have to do is get on the boat. I am SOOOO excited!
I had another amazingly wonderful coincidental day yesterday. The woman who booked my tour took me out to the boats that were departing yesterday to meet Brian Keating, an expedition member on the Orlova who also happens to work at the Calgary Zoo!! He is a guide-naturalist on Arctic and Antarctic voyages in his "spare" time. So I got to board a couple of the boats since Alicia seems to know everyone who's anyone in this business. AND to top it off, yesterday was her birthday so she invited me to her birthday supper! Homemade empanadas, vino and a handful of other Antarctica folks. I met several people involved in the business and had a great dinner with wonderful people. Sometimes I wonder at how I meet such amazing people and get myself into such amazing situations!
Well, I'm off to send a few more postcards, make one last call to the family and have a nice cafe con leche before I need to be back down on the dock. I don't know if I'll be able to update anything on the boat, but I will try my darndest! If not, I will be back in town on January 7th.

Happy New Year from Antarctica and I will see how many penguins I can fit into my bags...I have several requests!

T minus 24 hours

Heading to "The Ice". I feel this call to Antarctica and have felt it for the last six months. When my original trip was cancelled, I tried to squash the overwhelming feeling of disapointment, of a lack of control, of frustration. "Keep an open mind" I told myself; "something good will come of this". Easier said than done. Yet here I am, on the verge of heading to the ice once again albeit under different circumstances. I'm not sure what it is I hope to find there, or what I expect will happen. But I will travel once again with an open mind. Even still, I hesitate...nothing is ever certain and I won't feel settled until I am on the deck of the boat, looking out at the Beagle Chanel, waving goodbye to Ushuaia and setting forth for the southern end of the world.

Christmas Dinner....Freestyle...

It is amazing what you can pull together for Christmas dinner when a Brit, 2 Brazilians, 2 Germans, a Quebec-er, an American and an Albertan put their minds to it! We decided to have a little cooking fiesta last night and made ourselves a meal our mothers would be proud of! And when you think that we didn´t even have an oven, I´d say we did a pretty darn good job.
The menu: garlic ´smashed´ potatoes, steak (for those of the carnivore persuasion), mixed vegetables with blue cheese sauce, and for desert.....a stove-top apple/banana crumble with an oatmeal-type pancake topping! And of course, some good Argentinian vino.
So we feasted and enjoyed the company of previously complete strangers, and swapped Christmas and travel stories.
Today, some friends and I walked up to the Glacier Martiel in the pouring rain. Still a good time regardless of the weather.
I am counting down the days to the Antarctic departure...I have got my binoculars ready and will be charging my camera batteries to get ready!

Feliz Navidad in Tierra del Fuego!

Yesterday was an adventure! I wanted to go camping in el Parque Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, so I packed up my backpack with tent, sleeping bag and a bit of food and struck out from the hostal. I did what many backpackers here do (don´t worry mom!)...stuck out my thumb and caught a ride with a local. Hitchhiking is called hacer dedo (to thumb it, basically) in spanish. I caught a ride to the entrance of the park with Luis the construction worker and then hiked the rest of the way to the trail-head of the south coast trail -- la senda costera.
I spent a beautifully quiet night at Lago Roca -- much quieter than a hostal! -- and found a ride back into town this afternoon.
Now I´m showered (thank goodness for hot water!) and ready for the christmas party at the hostal. It seems to take a long time to upload photos on here, so I will try when I have a little more time!
Feliz Navidad and happy holidays to all!

Good news!

Sitting in Cafe Tanta Sara, sipping my cafe con leche and working on some vegetation survey maps, I observed a group of folks come in the cafe with ship radios and staff caps. I figured I had nothing to lose so I approached them and asked if they knew of any way I might be able to get on a ship bound for "The Ice" (as the experienced call it). Juan (a geologist on board a south-bound ship) called up his friend Alicia, who just happened to have some "last minute deal" spots on a boat that leaves December 28th and returns January 7th.

So I am back in action! The Clipper Adventurer is a fancier boat than the Ushuaia so I will most likely feel under-dressed in the dining room for supper, but who cares! I am bound for the ice once again....and determined to have my "polar plunge", talk about polar issues and see my penguins!
Right now, I plan on switching hostals to one that is a little cleaner...and maybe try and get some hiking in to Tierra del Fuego National Park tomorrow.

So to those of you who have been visualizing me on the polar ice, thank you! I will get there yet.

Additionally, I should be able to post a few pictures later today: penguins, guanacos and dolphins, oh my!

Antarctica or bust!

I´m back in Punta Arenas and will be flying out this afternoon to Ushuaia....plans unknown!
We had some excitement upon our arrival here last night. Our fearless leader, Dr. Bill, went into what the doctors are calling a mild diabetic shock and was rushed to the hospital and is in intensive care for observation. So that kept things interesting for all of us. Too much dancing at Deano´s Pub in Port Stanley the night before! I´ll be heading to the hospital to visit him before I fly out.

It feels a little weird to be leaving the group that I´ve become so close with over the last 2 weeks. Such an interesting and fun group of folks! All the wonderful llama-ladies from the US want to take me home with them (for some as a potential daughter-in-law)....and my mother will be happy to know I´ve had 3 lovely stand-ins for her while I´ve been away. The Australian veterinarian (working in the Falklands for 2 years) kept us on our toes with new slang terminology and the identification of the ´bloody fleas´ that kept biting us. There is also the Iowa farmer gentleman Doug...always making sure everyone was getting the most out of the experience. And the Dr.´s son, Cody, with whom I could always share a joke, a laugh and a glass of vino tinto! Dr. Bill....well he´s pretty difficult to sum up in a sentence. A passionate scientist and a colourful character, he keeps things interesting when you´re working with him! I will be sorry to part company with the man who has worked so hard to get us all here.

So once again....here I go!

Students on Ice Expedition Cancelled...

Well, the expedition is cancelled so it looks as though my plans are once again fluid. I have a few ideas, involving going back to Staats Island with the guanacos and the Magellanic penguins, trying to keep my flight to Buenos Aires so I can spend Christmas on the beach, and then heading down to Ushuaia to see if I can thumb a ride to Antarctica. We'll see how that goes.

To go back a few days though....
We had absolutely amazing sunny weather on Staats Island for the 12 days that we were there. I had my little one-person tent pitched next to some Magellanic Penguin burrows (and even managed to avoid getting bitten by the Magellanic fleas!) overlooking Hamilton Bay and some other West Falkland islands. I was woken every morning by the alarm calls of the guanacos or the mating calls of the Magellanic penguins...neither of them being terribly gentle wake-ups.

I swam in the ocean on one of the hottest days!!! And boy was it cold. But I went in twice so it couldn't have been that bad. I might have scared a few Upland Geese and penguins with my scream as I dove in though! The water is one of the most beautiful, deep blues I have ever seen, and the sand is some of the whitest in the world (or so the Kelpers say....Kelpers are what the locals call themselves).

We tagged many newborn guanacos (aka chulengos)...which are so soft and cuddly when you catch them only hours after they're born. If you wait too much longer, they can outrun you! And when you're running over the clumps of Balsam bog and oceanic heath, they definitely have the advantage.

Part of my project involved ground-truthing a vegetation survey of the island, so I've got plenty of plant samples I am working to identify. We're trying to get a composition of the major plant communities on the island and compare them to historical photos pre-guanaco introduction. This will hopefully help establish the effect of the introduction of these animals on to the island.

Well, I'll try and post some photos soon, but in the mean time I will be trying to figure out some plans for Christmas and the new year. I don't plan on cutting my trip short...I'm down here, so I might as well see what kind of adventures I can get into. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Keeping an open mind...

Well I've arrived back in Stanley after 12 glorious days on Staats Island. We flew out by military chopper and landed safely on the island with the guanacos alarm calling like crazy!
I'll post more when I've got a bit more time, but just to update....right before I left Punta Arenas I got word that the vessel I was supposed to be taking to Antarctica had grounded and might be in need of some repairs. Yoiks! While on Staats we had a visit from one of the most notable sailors in the Antarctic region, Jerome Poncet (and part owner of Staats Island) who went to great lengths to tell me how the HMV Ushuaia would have to go into dry-dock to be repaired, which would take a few months.
So......my plans are a little unsure at this moment. I haven't received any other news from the Students on Ice folks, which is a little frustrating. If the trip is cancelled I might just have to charm my way on to another boat and find another way to get to Antarctica! So I'd appreciate some positive visualizations for the next few days.....

I'll post more tomorrow, once I get a shower and a sleep in a real bed (although I must say my little tent rocks!!!!).

Ciao ciao,
Daniella

I made it...at least the first leg!

I´ve made it to Punta Arenas at the south end of Chile. We´re going to the Instituto de Patagonia tonight where Dr. Bill will be giving us an overview of the work he´s done with the guanacos over the last few years. I spent a bit of time looking out over the Straits of Magellan this afternoon, nice and sunny weather...did a bit of journaling and just soaked in my surroundings.

When I met up with the rest of the group in Santiago, it finally felt real. I´m here, this is actually happening!
Hasta luego!

Muy emocionada!

I leave in less than 12 hours and I'm just about bursting at the seams. It feels as though it has been so long that I've been thinking about this journey and it is hard to believe it is really happening. I was picking up an adapter for my camera battery charger and the clerk at the store asked me where I was traveling. To which I blithely replied,"I'm heading to the Falkland Islands and Antarctica"....surreal. It is a phrase not commonly heard, yet it passes off my tongue so quickly!

I've been hanging out with my brother tonight which I believe is quite appropriate. The last time I headed to South America I spent 10 days in Toronto hanging out with my bro. I had just finished my undergraduate degree and was ready for adventure. (I distinctly remember his friends asking me if I had just graduated high school....so much for appearing to be the older sibling!) Well here I am, freshly graduated as a Master (of the Universe) and I am once again spending some quality time with my little brother on the eve of my next adventure.

I will do my best to keep anyone following me up-to-date, but I can't promise any total regularity. 1.....2......3.....here I go!!!!!

W5 -- Why, what, where, when, who?

As I move into the final countdown (four more sleeps!) I suppose I could elaborate a bit more on the plans for my trip.

Why? I've been working hard at finishing my masters thesis and working as interpretive supervisor in Kananaskis Country. So I figured it was about time to reward myself. 2008 has been a big year of change, growth and transformation for me and I want to go into 2009 in a positive, memorable way.

What and who? There are two parts to my trip:
1) Falkland Islands Research Expedition with Dr. Bill Franklin He's studying an population of guanacos (like a wild llama) that were introduced onto a small island in the late 1800's. They are an interesting population genetically (the island is a closed system) and their effect on the island's vegetation is also worth studying. Dr. Franklin has studied these animals in their native Patagonia for many years and this study is another branch of his work.
2) Students on Ice Expedition This program aims to increase awareness of global environmental issues that affect the earth's poles. They do an Arctic and Antarctic trip every year and this year I'll be joining them on the Antarctic voyage. They take students from all over the world (ages 14-19) and I'm going along as a "chaperone".

Where and when?
December 4th -- Leave Calgary, Alberta, Canada
December 5th -- Arrive in Punta Arenas, Chile and meet the team for the Falklands Expedition
December 6th -- Fly to Stanley, Falkland Islands
December 7th -- Get to Staats Island (either by helicopter or by plane and then boat)
December 7th- 17th -- Tenting on Staats Island doing field work (tagging newborn guanacos, completing vegetation maps of the island, observing family groups of guanacos, doing a population count to estimate the size of the Staats Island guanaco population)
December 17th - 20th -- Enjoy Stanley and surrounding area
December 20th -- Fly back to Punta Arenas, Chile
December 21st -- Leave for Ushuaia, Argentina (near Tierra del Fuego National Park)
December 23rd -- Fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina to pick up the first students for the Antarctic Expedition
December 26th -- Head back to Ushuaia, Argentina to get ready for our departure
December 28th -- Set sail for the Drake Passage
December 29th -- Crossing the Drake Passage (hoping not to get seasick!)
December 30th -- Attempt a landing at the South Shetland Islands
December 31st - January 4th -- Exploring Antarctica (with almost 24-hour sunlight!)
January 5th -- Start crossing back over the Drake Passage
January 7th -- Disembark at Ushuaia, Argentina
January 8th -- Start heading homeward
January 10th -- Arrive back in Calgary (tired, inspired and transformed!)

Welcome to Ms. Fahlman's Grade 1/2 Class!

Just wanted to say a quick "HI!" to Ms. Fahlman's Grade 1/2 class who will be following my trip down south! I'll be keeping in touch through my blog and answering any questions they might have as I go along. So if you've got any questions so far, let's hear them!

Only 6 more sleeps until I fly!

View Larger Map

The Falkland Islands are found off the east coast of Argentina and will be my first stop on my trip. Port Stanley is the capital town and from there, I'll be heading to Staats Island -- a tiny 0.5 X 5 km island in the West Falklands. If you want any more information about the Falklands, check out their tourism website: http://www.visitorfalklands.com/

Grouping my poop....

It's down to the single digits now...only 9 more sleeps until I'm outta here! I had my last school program today. Best question of the year hands down: Do you have to hunt for your own food in Kananaskis? Gotta love those kids :) I've got 5 days of work left and I'm finding it so hard to think about anything work related.

The pile in my room is growing, now including dry bags, rubber boots, merino long johns, shorts (for Buenos Aires), no-bake chocolate cookie mix, sunscreen (for the ultra UV-rays under the hole in the ozone), polarizing filters for my camera lenses, and most importantly a large quantity of fair-trade, organic dark chocolate! I've been having dreams of getting ready to head to the airport only to realize that I have not yet packed anything, hence the uber-preparations.

On a completely unrelated note -- I like things unrelated you see -- I went mixed climbing for the first time on Sunday! Think ice axes and crampons, yet no ice. Interesting. Me thinks I like it! Made me feel hardcore anyways...I'll have to post some pictures at some point.

I'll update with more of an itinerary soon...and maybe a map. Yes. I think a map would be splendiferous.

Procrastination

It is way more interesting to be writing about my upcoming adventures than to sit and finish my strategy document for my employer. I would much rather think about shiny new gear, blank pages of my journal, freshly sharpened pencils, EVEN packing would be more interesting at this point. So I ALT-Tab and go back and forth to avoid that feeling of guilt (similar to thesis guilt for those of you familiar with that feeling) while still in actuality avoiding any kind of real work.

I've just purchased a new wide angle lens....10-20mm....beautiful! And my telephoto zoom lens is on its way. I've been trying to find a little bit of time to play with my camera every day so that I'm ready to take on the amazing scenery and people on my trip.

Some of you have been asking for more information about my trips and at the moment, I'm going to cop out and send you a link, at least of the Antarctic portion of my trip. I'm going with Students on Ice Expeditions. Check them out: http://www.studentsonice.com/

Over and out!
D

Going home....I always breathe deeply when I see those peaks. My backyard!

The countdown is on...

Eighteen more sleeps. Then this Alberta girl is wandering her way to the southern reaches of the planet: the Falkland Islands (or for those speaking Spanish, las Islas Malvinas) and Antarctica. That's right....the land of Shackleton and penguins! I can hardly believe it myself. I've got a pile of stuff started in my office at home -- first aid supplies, herbal motion sickness remedies, art supplies, dried fruit snacks, my tent, and the list goes on! It still hasn't really sunk in though.

On an unrelated note, I attended my convocation in Victoria last week. I'm now a Master....of the Universe I think! I actually enjoyed the whole pomp and circumstance of marching down to the marquee with the cheesy gown (and my red boots), with live pipers and umbrellas (it was pouring rain!). Dr. Sheila-Watt Cloutier received her honourary doctorate from Royal Roads and gave the keynote address to the graduates. What an amazing woman!! Nomitated for a Nobel Peace Prize (along with Al Gore), she has been traveling the world to talk about global climate change from the perspective of the Northern people. I got to see her talk beforehand to a small group and she is so humble and inspiring!

I did some sknorkeling with Joy and Nick and Collin off Ogden Point and saw some familiar faces: kelp greenlings (aka Karl), rock fish, urchins, blood stars, kelp crabs, decorator crabs and lots of kelp. I felt right at home. I often feel like I have two seperate, equally strong roots that I'm developing: one on the left coast and the other in the Kananaskis Valley. Still not sure how to accomodate them both.

Anywho, I will continue to update on preparations for my southward journey and hopefully will be able to post a few ramblings as I adventure forth.

Good show...

Checked out Micheal Kaeshammer at the Banff Centre last night...what a show! Not only is he an amazing musician (think blurry fingers and a left hand from god -- or the debil), but he's quite the showman as well. It felt as though I was watching he and his trio jam in a basement somewhere. Goofing off, cracking jokes and having a wicked awesome time. Made me feeled inspired to come home and practice, but also inadequate....I can only dream.

New territory

So I've never written a blog before, but I figure there's a time for everything right? I want to get into writing more regularly, practice some skillz...see if what comes out of my head actually makes any sense when written. Plus I guess it's a way for me to update friends and family about the goings on in my life.
So boldly, I will go where many (many many) people have gone before, and attempt to carve out some kind of unique spot where I can write about adventures, non-adventures, and the little things that most likely interest no one else but me.
Random tidbits
I love the fact that it's October 25th and I'm still wearing sandals. No socks. My feet are experiencing freedom that they can only dream about once mid-December/January hits.
My brother has just moved back to the land of oil and Rob Anders...which he may not be so excited about. But the rest of us are! It'll be nice to have the guy nearby, and maybe he can even help me with my jazz chops.
I saw a Northern Harrier this week, my first ever! Swooping and gliding over a little marsh near Bragg Creek, looking for yummy critters to feast on no doubt. FYI, the Northern Harrier is a raptor, also known as the Marsh Hawk. It has these facial disks (not unlike those of the owls) that allow it to hear its prey even better! Tres cool.
I've fallen in love. His voice, his witticisms, and his selection of music. Oh Rich Terfry of CBC Radio 2's Drive (aka Buck 65).....he always knows what to play to keep me entertained and engaged. He even studied biology in university....it's fate.