Argentina and Uruguay

Uruguay and Argentina

 

Monday, February 20, 2023 – Montevideo, Uruguay

 

After leaving the Falkland/Malvinas Islands we sailed for two days to our first landfall in South America since departing Punta Arenas, Chile on February 2.  The first stop was Montevideo, Uruguay on Monday, a national holiday, part of Carnaval.  Many, if not most shops were closed, but restaurants and bars were open.  That also meant no crowds.  Montevideo sits on the north side of the Rio de la Plata, first discovered by European explorers in 1516 while searching for a route from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.  It is considered by some to be the widest river in the world, stretching some 140 miles at it’s widest point.

 

Montevideo and the River Plate (Rio de la Plata) is also the site of the first major naval battle of World War 2, which took place on 13 December 1939.  The German Battleship Graf Spee took sanctuary in Montevideo after a major battle with three British Cruisers, HMS Exeter, HMS Ajax and HMS Achilles.  Graf Spee heavily damaged both HMS Exeter and HMS Ajax and retired to the neutral port of Montevideo.  International rules dictate a warship can only remain in a neutral port for 24 hours, but Captain Hans Landsdorff extended the stay to 72 hours.  Fearing a major British fleet was waiting for him, Landsdorff took Graf Spee out into the Rio de la Plata and scuttled Graf Spee on 17 December 1939.  Fleeing to Buenos Aires, he took his own life four days later.  The wreckage was rediscovered in 2004 and the 27 ton optical rangefinder for the main gun turrets was recovered and is on display at the entrance to the port.

 

Optical gunsight recovered from Graf Spee

Montevideo is home to nearly half of the 3.5 million population of Uruguay, which became an independent nation in 1828.  Uruguay maintains strong ties with the UK, France and Italy.

 

The ship docks within walking distance of the central plaza in the old town so we were able to see many of the important sights without participating in a tour.

 

Most of the way from the port to the central plaza is closed to traffic and is a pedestrian walkway for about one mile from the port to the Plaza Independencia, or Independence Square, dominated by a large monument to General Jose Artigas (1764-1850), one of the political founders and heroes of Uruguay and the Rio de la Plata region.  The monument stands atop his mausoleum.  Along the way are several more plazas, a large cathedral and an imposing opera house.  Many of the older buildings are in ornate art deco style from early in the 1900’s.  Like many cities, there is graffiti and wall paintings everywhere.

 

Plaza Independencia

Produce Market

Main cathedral - Montevideo

Wall paintings and art deco 

Opera House

Monument and mausoleum to General Artigas in Independence Plaza

Derelict Fishing Vessels - Montevideo Harbor

The harbor is still home to many derelict fishing vessels, less than we saw in 2016.

 

Tuesday, February 21, 2023 – Buenos Aires, Argentina

 

After an overnight crossing of the Rio de la Plata, Seabourn Quest docked in Buenos Aires and by 0900 we were meeting the car, driver and guide that had been prearranged for us.  After a driving tour of some of the 26 neighborhoods which make up the city, as well as a shopping stop, we arrived at La Brigada restaurant in the San Telmo neighborhood.  La Brigada is famous for steaks that can be cut with a spoon.  There we met with two of Patrick’s classmates from the Stanford Sloan program who we had not seen since 2016 in Buenos Aires.  We reconnected during a leisurely delicious lunch, sampling several varieties of Argentine steaks.

Following lunch we returned to the port at 1600 and the ship sailed at 1700 for Punta del Este, Uruguay, our next destination.

 

Wednesday, February 22, 2023 – Punta del Este, Uruguay

 

Punta del Este is both a city and municipality on the eastern tip of the Rio de la Plata, and is known as the Monaco of the South.  The year round population is only about 10,000, but that number triples during the summer season.  There are broad beaches, sculptures such as La Mano (or Los Dedos) on Playa Brava, many fine restaurants and a bustling but compact city center.  The city hosts music festivals, whale sightseeing and international education conferences.

 

Seabourn Quest anchored 2 miles from a large marina close to Isla Gorriti and we were tendered ashore. Isla Gorritti is now a playground for yachts, sheltered from the Atlantic Swells, but was a pirate stronghold in the 16th century.  The city is easy to walk around and nothing of interest was more than 2 miles away.  Patrick walked along the beachfront, past El Faro, the lighthouse, passing several of the busy beaches before reaching Los Dedos (or La Mano - the hand) which won an international award for sculpture in 1982.

Memorial to HMS Ajax 

Beaches in Punta del Este

El Faro lighthouse

Los Dedos or la Mano sculpture

Marina and fishing boats at Punta del Este

Private houses on the waterfront 

 

After an interesting, but warm day, with temperatures reaching 86 degrees, we weighed anchor and set out into the Atlantic, heading for our first Brazilian port of call, Ilhabela on San Sebastiao Island.

  

Falkland Islands

 Falkland Islands

 

The Falklands Islands are an archipelago off the southern tip of South America.  There are more than 740 islands, most of them uninhabited.  The population is less than 4,000, with more than half in the capital, Port Stanley.  Since there are so few people, many species of animals, mainly seabirds, breed on the islands.  The total land area is about 4500 square miles, most on East and West Falkland Islands.  The Falklands are a windy environment, with poor soil and few native trees, mostly low shrubs.  However, oil and gas have been discovered, but the cost of extraction compared to the price of oil has not justified exploitation to date.  Also, there is a water shortage on the islands, barely enough to support the current population.  There are some sheep farms, producing high quality wool and meat, but the sheep require more than double the acreage per sheep compared to other sheep producing areas, so it is not a large industry.

 

The isolation of the islands, and ongoing disputes over sovereignty between Argentina and the UK, including the infamous 74 day war in 1982, when Argentina invaded the islands, but were ultimately defeated by the UK, means there are few flights, only one per week at the current time.  The flight is staged out of Chile, since Argentina will not allow flights from Argentina to the Falkland Islands and sometimes flights to there are denied entry into Argentinian airspace.

 

Our reasons for stopping in the Falkland Islands included more wildlife encounters, with several new species of penguins possible, other species of seabirds, touring the city of Port Stanley, a little piece of Britain overseas, and learning about the history, including european discoveries and claims, settlements and ultimately disputes over who owns the archipelago.

 

Thursday, February 16, 2023 – Port Stanley

 

After two days at seas, with some rough seas and high winds, Seabourn Quest entered the anchorage off of Port Stanley at 0700 and anchored about one mile from the tender dock.  The inner harbor is too small for our ship, so were tendered in by the ship’s tenders.  Clearance took some time, so shore excursions were all delayed.  Miriam elected to remain on board while Patrick went on a 7 hour wildlife encounter via 4x4 vehicles.

 

The encounter took place at Seal Bay, on the north coast of East Falkland Island.  After a one hour drive we headed off road in seven 4x4 vehicles containing either 3 or 4 passengers.  The terrain was across extensive peat bogs and even across shallow lakes until we reached the cliffs along the coast.  Our first stop provided views of Rockhopper Penguins, Imperial Cormorants, Upland Geese, Caracara’s and Skuas.  The second stop was down on the beach where we visited a Gentoo Penguin colony and had a snack before heading back to the ship.  Due to the clearance delays and the length of the tour, we barely made the last scheduled tender back to the ship, so had limited views of Port Stanley.

 

Lonely Gentoo penguin chick on beach

Imperial Cormorant Chick being fed by parent

Rockhopper Penguin

Friday, February 17, 2023 – New Island

 

New Island is a nature conservancy on the far western edge of the archipelago.  It is home to more than 40 species of birds.   Seabourn Quest anchored in one of the eastern bays, sheltered from the wind and commenced operations at 0730, with both Zodiac tours ashore and kayaking.  Patrick went kayaking, seeing Magellanic Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, Imperial Cormorants, Peale’s Dolphins, Giant Southern Petrels, Prions, Caracara’s, and an abandoned whaling station and the group was even followed by an Elephant Seal.  Following the Kayak tour, the zodiac trip ashore to a beautiful sandy beach followed a 1 kilometer marked path to an incredible Black Browed Albatross rookery, with many young chicks.  Mixed in with the albatrosses were more Rockhopper Penguins, Caracara’s, Peregrine Falcons and several species of Shags, more Upland Geese and several other bird species such as Thrushes, Prions and Kelp Geese,

Black Browed Albatross Chick

Wreck on Beach at New Island

Rockhopper Penguin - New Island

Upland Geese - New Island

Rockhopper Penguin - New Island

Caracara - New Island

Albatross Chick - New Island

Kelp Goose - New Island

Kelp Gull - New Island

 

By noon everyone who wanted to go ashore had done so, the anchor was weighed and we set course for the 1000 NM voyage to Montevideo, Uruguay.  As we left, there were dozens of Sei whales close to the ship, more dolphins and many Southern Fur Seals.  

 

 

 

 

South Georgia Island

February 12, 2023 – Grytviken, South Georgia Island

 

Seabourn Quest anchored off of King Edward Point, Cumberland Bay at 0700 in windy, but relatively calm conditions since the wind was from the west over the land, so no fetch.  Clearance procedures to go ashore took some time, but the ship scored 100% on the biosecurity inspections.

 

We were taken ashore by zodiac and walked by the graveyard where Sir Ernest Shackleton and  Frank Wild among others are buried.  We could not enter the graveyard itself since the path was blocked by numerous Elephant Seas and hundreds of Southern Fur Seals and pups.  Walking around the bay we passed by King Penguins, more fur seals, and the remnants of the whaling equipment, abandoned when the Norwegians stopped whaling in the 1960’s.

 

Shackleton Grave from our 2016 Trip

Many of the buildings have been torn down as part of asbestos abatement, but there were still plenty of photo opportunities.  The church is in good shape.  There is a museum, post office and gift shop.  The museum includes a replica of the James Caird, the lifeboat that Shackleton and 5 others sailed to South Georgia from Elephant Island.

 

Whalers Church, Grytviken

Remnants of the whaling equipment

Replica of the James Caird

King Penguins, Grytviken

Whalers Church Interior

Whalers Church

Fur Seal pup feeding

Fur Seal Pups

Rusting machinery and buildings

Following our visit to Grytviken, the captain sailed a short distance up the coast and entered Stromness Harbor, the site of another abandoned whaling station.  This is the station that Shackleton arrived at with two others after the arduous trek from the other side of the island.  Seabourn Quest remained anchored in the bay in front of the station until midnight.

 

Abandoned Norwegian Whaling Ship

Grytviken, South Georgia Island

Stromness Whaling Station where Shackleton arrived on foot

February 13, 2023 – Salisbury Plain, South Georgia Island

 

Early in the morning, in fog, we took up position 3000 feet off the beach landing site.  At 0830 we began beach landings to see up to 500,000 King Penguins and hundreds of fur seals and pups nestled in the Tussock Grass.  The beach landing was exciting and to walk among that many birds in a single colony stretching up into the hills and extending for miles along the beach was amazing, as was the noise and the smell. There were also giant petrels and Skuas looking for weak or small chicks to feast on.  Also several Blue Eyed Shags flew by.  Even with the low visibility and rain, it was truly stunning.

 

Part of the massive King Penguin Colony

Patrick had hoped to kayak here, but his excursion was cancelled due to low visibility.

 

By 1700 everyone who wanted to go ashore had done so, so all the zodiacs were recovered and we set sail for the Falkland Islands, a distance of approximately 740 NM.

  

Elephant Island and Scotia Sea

 Thursday, February 9, 2023 – Elephant Island

 

Seabourn Quest steamed at 17-19 knots northeasterly from the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula 115 NM to Elephant Island.  The skies cleared after several hours, but the wind was still brisk and the seas were still 2.5 meters.  At 1630 Elephant Island showed up about 15 NM in the distance.  As we approached the eastern tip of the island numerous Fin whales were spotted, along with flocks of seabirds including Cape Petrels and groups of penguins porpoising in and out of the swells.  The area is rich in Krill.

Our Route through the Antarctic Peninsula to Elephant Island

 

Map of Elephant Island with Point Wild on north side

Cape Petrels off of Cape Valentine

Shackleton Memorial at Point Wild

Fin Whales off of Cape Valentine

Point Wild, Elephant Island

We passed about 4 NM abeam of Cape Valentine, avoiding reefs.  This point was the first landfall for Shackleton’s group, but it was an unsafe area with no real shelter and rockfalls down the steep slopes.  Shackleton moved to the middle of the north side and and found an area in which they could build shelters.  Their shelters were the two other lifeboats, overturned and with canvas sidewalls.  By this time it was April and winter was approaching.  The third lifeboat, “James Caird” took off for South Georgia with a crew of six and after an amazing journey three of them turned up at the Stromness whaling station on May 20, 1916.  The James Caird was recovered along with the other three crew a few days later.  After four attempts, the survivors on Elephant Island were all recovered by Shackleton five months later.

 

The Seabourn Quest also rounded Cape Valentine and retraced Shackleton’s route, approaching Point Wild where Shackleton set up camp.  We approached to within ½ mile and were able to see the memorial cairn set up at the site of the camp.  Landing on the island is not permitted and the site is now also a penguin colony, which was not present 110 years ago.

 

During the voyage to Elephant Island, retracing Shackleton’s route, we were treated to a lecture by Robert Egelstaff, the lead kayak guide, who had been on Seabourn Venture with us this past summer.  His talk, “In The Wake of Shackleton” was about how he and three others built a replica 29 years ago of the “James Caird”, the 22 foot lifeboat from the Endurance, and recreated that famous voyage from Elephant Island to South Georgia.  They named the replica “Sir Ernest Shackleton”.

 

Robert and his teammates took the same amount of time, 14 days, and were able to take the same number of noon sextant sights (4) as Frank Worley, the Captain of Endurance, to determine their location.  Due to weather they were unable to land in King Haakon Bay, where Shackleton and his 5 companions landed, instead finding shelter on the NE side of South Georgia.  Their replica boat is on permanent display in the UK at the Scott Polar Museum in Cambridge.

 

As a matter of interest, last year the wreck of Endurance was found in the Weddell Sea, only 4 miles from Frank Worley’s estimated position relying only on celestial navigation and a chronometer that had not been adjusted for 18 months.  The wreck lies more than 10,000 feet deep and is in surprisingly good shape.

 

Seabourn Quest departed from Point Wild on Elephant Island at 1845 and headed out across the Scotia Sea, following the general track of Shackleton more than 800 NM to South Georgia.

 

February 10-11, 2023 – Transiting the Scotia Sea

 

Midday on Feb 10 Seabourn Quest passed through a large field of tabular bergs, giving us some spectacular views, even though it was a little hazy/foggy.  The morning was spent on bio-security inspections of all outerwear going ashore on South Georgia and a mandatory bio-security briefing in preparation for the inspections by health officers from South Georgia when we arrive at Grytviken on Feb 12.  The government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are determined to preserve the area from an ecology standpoint.  Since were here last they have eradicated rats, removed the non-native reindeer and actively look for non-native plants and remove them.  They have also established a 200 NM Marine Protected Area around the islands, strictly controlling all activity, including illegal fishing.

 

Tabular Berg more than 1 mile wide

Internet connectivity remains very poor, with little communication from the crew on what the real problem is, since we are quite a bit further north and it should be better than on the Antarctic peninsula where coverage was surprisingly good.

 

We continued with lectures on Shackleton’s voyages, on the Global Ocean, and on several attempts to cross the white continent, Antarctica.

 

On Feb 11, we had lectures on “What happens to Whales when they die at sea”, descriptions of both the Amundsen and Scott races to the South Pole and their respective life histories, and on Elephant Seals, which we expect to see on South Georgia.