Days 2-4 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: crossing #DrakePassage until we sighted Smith Island, South Shetland Islands. As expected, there were some rough seas, but I didn't feel well enough to take photos in the worst conditions.
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Day 5 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: approaching Neptune's Bellows, the narrow entrance to the 7 km wide flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.
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Day 5 (continued) of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: first landing, at Telefon Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands. From the landing site we walked to the summit of Cross Hill and around the phreatic eruption crater it stands on one side of.
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Day 5 (continued) of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: first close encounters with some of the local inhabitants at Telefon Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands.
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Day 5 (continued) of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: second landing, at Whalers' Bay, Deception Island, South Shetland Islands. From the landing site we walked up a valley to a depression in the caldera rim from which Nathaniel B Palmer first sighted the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula in 1820.
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Decaying remains of the old whaling station at Whalers' Bay, Deception Island, including a derelict whalers' hut that was used as the main accommodation building by British researchers stationed here between 1944 and 1969. Under an international agreement Deception Island is designated as an Antarctic Specially Managed Area, but there is little evidence of any management. The decaying remains of the station here are neither being conserved nor removed.

Wildlife encountered during our landing at Whalers' Bay, Deception Island.

Day 6 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: a close approach to Half Moon Island in McFarlane Strait, South Shetland Islands, but strong winds precluded a landing. Subsequently we approached close to Edinburgh Hill on Livingston Island, a volcanic plug exhibiting spectacular columnar jointing.
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Day 7 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: an exploration of a narrow channel between Spert and Trinity Islands in small boats, weaving between numerous icebergs and growlers.
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The stand-out sights of this small boat excursion were a number of Weddell seals resting on some of the bergy bits.

Day 8 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: instruction on climbing on the higher sections of the masts and the yards, then passage through Lemaire Channel (commonly referred to as Kodak Crack back in the day when all photographers used film), followed by a landing on the Yalour Islands, which host a large Adelie peguin rookery.
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Day 8 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): a few photos of Adelie penguins on the Yalour Islands.
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Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: first landing on the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula, at Stony Point, Paradise Harbour.
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Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): a selection of wildlife photos taken at Stony Point.
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Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): the varied expressions of a Weddell seal resting on the beach at Stony Point.
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A lot of melting was taking place when we visited Stony Point. Of course, this was summer in Antarctica, so some melting was expected. However, temperatures on this day and through January as a whole were 1 to 2°C above the recent average, which itself is a couple of degrees warmer than in the mid-20th century. Later this day the dry air temperature recorded on Bark Europa in neighbouring Andvord Bay was 3.8°C. Average 21st century January temperature at the US Palmer Station on Anvers Island is 2.7°C.

Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): second landing of the day on the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula, at Neko Harbour.
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Day 9 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): Gentoo penguins at Neko Harbour, and a penguin egg that had recently been plundered by a skua.
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Day 10 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: landing on Jougla Point, a location formerly used by Whalers and literally a stone's throw away from the island where the former British base of Port Lockroy is located.
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Day 10 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): gentoo penguin, penguin chicks and a giant petrel feasting on its prey at Jougla Point.
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Day 10 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): visit to the historic Port Lockroy base, established in 1944 and now maintained by @UKAntarcticHeritageTrust
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Day 11 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: landing on Danco Island, the location of former British Base O, occupied 1956-1959, demolished and removed 2004.
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Day 11 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): Gentoo #penguins on Danco Island.
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Day 11 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa (continued): our final landing, at Orne Harbour on the mainland of the Peninsula. We climbed up a snow slope to a narrow ridge on which there was a chinstrap #penguin rookery. It was amazing to see how high up and how exposed the locations are where some chinstraps choose to raise their chicks. It was also impressive to watch them climbing icy slopes on which even experienced climbers would feel uncomfortable without an ice axe and crampons.
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A short video clip of chinstrap penguins and chicks in the rookery on the crest of the ridge. Sound on to hear their calls.

Days 12-14 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: sailng back north across Drake Passage.
1. Unfurling the staysails.
2. Members of voyage crew at the helm shortly before dawn.
3. A full set of five square sails on the foremast, together with a staysail attached to the forward side the mast.
4. A majestic rainbow compensates for unpleasant conditions after a squall had passed by.
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Day 15 of my voyage to the #Antarctic Peninsula on the #tallship #BarkEuropa: riding the waves across Drake Passage with Bark Europa in full sail, viewed from near the wheelhouse.