The most southerly bar in the world

Trip Start Dec 28, 2006
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Trip End Dec 2007


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Flag of Antarctica  ,
Friday, March 16, 2007

Woke up to a very different type of day: -2C and the wind blowing 50 knots.  We went out to the forward deck to watch the ship cut through the ice in the very narrow Lemaire Channel.  There were giant mountains on both sides and the water was full of huge chunks of ice.  After breakfast we were lucky enough to see a few more humpbacks very close to the ship.  The captain followed them for a while before heading to our most southerly point (65' 15" south) - the Ukrainian research station, "Vernadsky".  The weather was so bad we were unable to go to shore in the morning but after lunch we had the bumpiest, wettest and most fun zodiac crossing yet as we bounced over the waves to the island.

There we were shown around by a researcher who will be there for the next 12 months.  There are 17 of them, all men, and after next month they will be alone there until December.  They have US neighbors they can visit on snowmobiles but no ships will be able to get through the ice.  We had a drink at their bar - the most southerly bar in the world - and then headed over to Wordy House - a British station last used in the 40's.  So interesting to see and it is continuously restored so you can see it as it was then.  We had a fantastic zodiac cruise back really close to a gigantic glacier and saw some excellent little bergs.  Of course we got soaked getting back to the ship but it didn't matter as we had great hot showers and another 5 course meal waiting for us.
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