THE TREK TO ALASKA
Katmai National Park
Trip Notes - August 2014
BornWild - Alaska
From the Research Diary of Tracey Thornton
Filmed – Kodiak Island & Katmai Coast 2014
Anchorage Airport, Cloudy
1.10pm At last aboard flight AS4890 bound for Kodiak Island. The trek to film the largest of all Brown Bears had begun.
4pm Kodiak Island greeted me with rain and misty surroundings. I was told later that we were lucky to land due to the weather conditions and the airport was on hold for all flights for next few days. After checking into the Shelikof Lodge, there was just enough time for a quick walk around the town and as Kodiak is the largest fishing port of Alaska so many boats checking their gear and moving around and waiting for weather to improve.
6pm I confirm my 10am flight time by float plane with Seahawk Air, flying out to the 80ft boat “Breezers” with owner and guides Chuck and Olga, anchored some hours away off the Katmai coast. Tomorrow I had allowed for a buffer day, just in case of delays, so decided to go for a bear hunt at Buskin River as this was suggested a good option.
Kodiak Island, Raining heavy/misty, 7deg
5am Up early and my lodge driver dropped me off at Buskin River mouth in pouring rain; I took shelter in a picnic kiosk to put rain jackets on the cameras and met a young Canadian guy camping under the roof due to getting rained out last night. He was off to the airport for a hopeful flight out; he gave me his bear spray for safety measures. The tide was out, so decided to trek down to the beach for a look. No bear sign, only a lone salmon fisherman casting his luck but he gave up soon after and now I was alone. Back tracking to the river mouth I followed the river bank keeping my camera at the ready and was lucky to photograph two black tail deer feeding and slowly moving along the river's edge. When they finally spotted me they raced off into the forest. Now coming to an impassable area of the river I decided as I’m wet and cold, to make my way back to the road access and I hitched a ride back to the lodge with a local fisherman Danny. He was out inspecting the river for any silver salmon jumping - none seen, so a lucky break for me. I had a nice hot shower and warm up followed by a hearty late morning breaky and dried out my gear and camera’s. Not a great start, but had to try. Spent the afternoon exploring the fishing village and port.
Kodiak Island, Misty rain and fog, 8 deg
6am Up for a nice breaky and coffee. Packed up and phoned Sea Hawk Air who advised the float plane on hold due to weather - dratt! Went for a walk into town for couple of hours, checking in hourly for updates and finally at 4pm got the go for a pick up. Advised still marginal but get ready to fly anyway.
4.20pm Got the OK. Pilot Roland put the hammer down and we were airborne from a calm, misty Kodiak Bay.
I was accompanied by Albert and his nephew Tim, Albert going out to see his son Eric, a crew member. A smooth flight, sighting some Humpback Whales pointed out on the port side by Roland as we began to cross over the Shelikof Strait, touching down in Geographic Harbour around 6.30pm, to be greeted by Chuck & Olga, crew Eric and Spencer.
My excitement was hard to hide. After a coffee and chat with the team, it was suggested to skiff in to shore as Eric had spotted a bear by the river. This had my attention and a few distant warm up shots from Breezers of my first Katmai Coastal Brown Bear brought smiles all round. I set up my cameras on a small sand island at a river fork and over the next couple hours filmed some of the most amazing bear activity I had ever seen of bears fishing in the river, bears chasing other bears, mum and two cubs in the distance and lots of seagulls cleaning up the fish scraps, all in a light misty rain so no complaints from me.
9pm Eric had a wonderful meal ready for us and I celebrated with a beer. A great night's sleep, nodding off to the sound of rain on the decks above and the gentle rock of the boat.
Geographic Harbour, low tide 8am, tidal change here is 27ft - 30ft, raining, misty, 8deg, calm gentle breeze
5.30am I rise and it's still dark. Later, Eric informs me he turns on the generator power at 6am which is around sunrise. Nice breaky of bacon and eggs and coffee. Chuck and Olga accompany me to similar location as last night, greeted by two bears fishing, so set up cameras, track an upset female bear that had just lost its two cubs while she was busy fishing and we watched cubs make for some bush on other side of the bay. She took after other bears grunting and growling, sending them packing and no luck finding her cubs before we left.
1pm Wet and cold, so back to the boat for lunch as tide coming in fast and dry out. We've seen approximately six bears. It was decided to try again around 2pm, so had a go at fishing from the boat and was enjoying my 3rd catch of pike and flounder when a crew member, Eric, yelled out, "Wolf walking along the shore", so threw down the rod, quick boot up and grabbed gear and cameras. Tracked the wolf for 20 minutes along the shoreline and was rewarded with some fabulous shots and observed the wolf eating some salmon berries just like the bears do.
4pm Still raining so decided to go ashore and to try and film some salmon in the rivers with GoPro underwater camera. No luck, as the water cloudy and salmon hard to find.
We had just disembarked from the skiff when the mum that had lost cubs this morning appeared running right at me calling for her cubs, growling, grunting and frothing at the mouth. Just time for a couple of quick shots as she fled past. Phew, a close call! Chuck had the pepper bear spray out, but he was way in front of me. I called this bear Crazy Mumma for good reasons.
As we were leaving, we noticed she had found her two cubs but Chuck was concerned they would not survive long if this was an example of her parenting. A huge male came by, over 1,000 pounds and we could see he was the dominant male in this area, with lots of scars and he was funny to watch doing the cowboy walks when chasing off other bears. I called him Gladiator and he showed us how easy it was to catch salmon. He walked really close to us and had a big poo, just opposite me, if just to say, "I am the biggest, watch out!" I got the message and during my time here, he was the scariest bear as so mean and huge.
Saw 8 bears this afternoon and a sow with 2 cubs the highlight, watching them play and copy mum's movements, even standing up on two legs to get a better look. A fantastic afternoon with 2 juvenile bald eagles showing up for some leftover fish and steeling off the many gulls squawking and fighting for leftovers. We passed a harbour seal on the way back to the boat. Nice evening with BBQ sockeye salmon by Eric. A few beers and game of cards with the boys and they enjoyed me and my dog Rocky Boy kayaking video. We retired at 10.30pm after a brilliant day. Alaska is agreeing with me and I'm enjoying a lifetime dream.
Geographic Harbour, misty rain, 8deg, low tide
6am Eric had the pancakes and bacon on. Wow, a coffee to clear my sleepy head and it's action again on Breezers. Chuck and Olga come down to the saloon for their morning coffee and we plan our day.
7.45am Skiff to shore by Spencer with Chuck and Olga. Wow, I spot the wolf up ahead as we land. Distant, but get off a couple of shots as he disappears into the thick bush. Today, boars sparring and play fighting and occasionally they get serious and it's all growls and claws for real. One large boar cowboy walks a smaller bear away from his area. Nine bears seen this morning, fishing mainly. Some very good catches and others no luck and clean up the scraps.
1pm It's back to the boat for some lunch as still raining, to dry out gear and me. After each shoot, I back up twice and clear cards and charge batteries. This is often with 4 cameras in use, so lots to do.
3pm Chuck suggests we go for a skiff ride around the bay to see if can find some eagles and any bears around the rocky shoreline.
4pm We head back to the boat as we hear the float plane Sea Hawk approaching and Roland flies in with Terry and Sally from Ely, Nevada who had been delayed 3 days by bad weather.
6pm We all skiff to shore and find at full tide only one bear out. Chuck informs me that Geographic Harbour is still my best option as reports from other areas not very good, but that’s fantastic for their first bear. We have a nice evening and Terry brings out the Crown Royal whisky.
Geographic Harbour, raining heavily, windy and cold, low tide 10am
6am Nice coffee and eggs and decide to wait for weather to improve.
8am No change, so boot up and double rain covers and skiff to shore. A long walk up the beach and I spot wolf again in similar location. Managed a few quick shots from the hip but the others too slow as wolf disappears into bush. Four bears on the river this morning fishing in the pouring rain and Chuck spots a fox in the distance down by the water's edge.
9am Mum and two cubs digging for clams down near the water's edge; Crazy Mumma and her two cubs appear on the bush edge - very wary. Some great video this morning in the pouring rain. Decide to go for lunch at 1pm all soaking wet, including cameras. Canon 1DMK4 wet and showing battery failure but after dry out all ok - phew! During lunch a bear is spotted traversing the ash clearings high up on the mountain.
2pm Chuck suggests we go for a skiff ride and find some Bald Eagles which I film in all positions from take offs and in flight - fantastic. Also, Sea Otters, Oyster Catchers, Cormorants.
6.30pm Wonderful BBQ steak dinner by Eric cooked out on the back deck. I clear cards, charge batteries and clean cameras.
Geographic Harbour, raining hard, cold breeze
5.30am Up for sunrise on back deck and nice culpa coffee and breaky of pancakes and bacon.
8am Skiff to shore and for the next 6 hours filmed some amazing bear behaviour. Mum with 3 cubs, mum with 2 cubs, lots of 8-10 year old boars sparring and fighting each other. Managed to get a frame with 6 bears in it. Lots of birds scavenging fish leftovers and Bald Eagle scores an easy meal.
2pm Back to boat for lunch and dry out me and gear.
4pm Cruise around the harbour and inlets and see lots of eagles, sea otters, and bird life
Seen 13 bears today - fantastic!
Geographic Harbour, heavy rain, cold wind
6am Delay due to weather.
8am Skiff to usual spot at river fork. Long walk up the beach due to super low tide and some fabulous bears again fishing. They need to put on weight for the coming hibernation where they will probably not eat during the 6 months while in their winter den. Chuck and I walk up river, find some bear tracks and decide come back and see if we can get a plaster print.
2pm Back to the boat for lunch all soaking wet.
5pm Cruise again around the harbour and call in to see volunteer rangers couple in next bay. Witness a bear walking along the beach and coming upon the ranger with his back turned filling up water containers. When he moves the bear spooked and ran back into the bush. The ranger had not seen the bear and when he looked up, I pointed and he realised a bear must be close. One luck guy as their cabin was very remote. We gave him a ride back to his cabin and he was very grateful.
Geographic Harbour, misty rain
6am Eric cooks wonderful bacon and eggs for breaky.
8am Skiff to the beach and find mum with 3 cubs. They're distant so Chuck suggests we try and film from the skiff and this works fantastic. We got in close as mum was digging for clams at water's edge and the cubs playing and fighting nearby.
4pm We skiff to the beach and find wolf track. Chuck makes a plaster cast of the print in sand which came out excellent - great for my collection. Weather has been challenging!
Geographic Harbour, overcast, light breeze
6am Coffee and quick breaky before packing up bags ready for 11am flight to Kodiak Island.
8am Skiff to beach and last film of only a couple of bears.
11am Roland arrives in float plane with new clients. We all climb aboard, finally wave goodbyes and we have a smooth flight to Kodiak.
Total Bears seen - 42
Weather - rain and misty
Tide – 26 to 30 ft tide
THE END
Katmai National Park
Trip Notes - August 2014
BornWild - Alaska
From the Research Diary of Tracey Thornton
Filmed – Kodiak Island & Katmai Coast 2014
Anchorage Airport, Cloudy
1.10pm At last aboard flight AS4890 bound for Kodiak Island. The trek to film the largest of all Brown Bears had begun.
4pm Kodiak Island greeted me with rain and misty surroundings. I was told later that we were lucky to land due to the weather conditions and the airport was on hold for all flights for next few days. After checking into the Shelikof Lodge, there was just enough time for a quick walk around the town and as Kodiak is the largest fishing port of Alaska so many boats checking their gear and moving around and waiting for weather to improve.
6pm I confirm my 10am flight time by float plane with Seahawk Air, flying out to the 80ft boat “Breezers” with owner and guides Chuck and Olga, anchored some hours away off the Katmai coast. Tomorrow I had allowed for a buffer day, just in case of delays, so decided to go for a bear hunt at Buskin River as this was suggested a good option.
Kodiak Island, Raining heavy/misty, 7deg
5am Up early and my lodge driver dropped me off at Buskin River mouth in pouring rain; I took shelter in a picnic kiosk to put rain jackets on the cameras and met a young Canadian guy camping under the roof due to getting rained out last night. He was off to the airport for a hopeful flight out; he gave me his bear spray for safety measures. The tide was out, so decided to trek down to the beach for a look. No bear sign, only a lone salmon fisherman casting his luck but he gave up soon after and now I was alone. Back tracking to the river mouth I followed the river bank keeping my camera at the ready and was lucky to photograph two black tail deer feeding and slowly moving along the river's edge. When they finally spotted me they raced off into the forest. Now coming to an impassable area of the river I decided as I’m wet and cold, to make my way back to the road access and I hitched a ride back to the lodge with a local fisherman Danny. He was out inspecting the river for any silver salmon jumping - none seen, so a lucky break for me. I had a nice hot shower and warm up followed by a hearty late morning breaky and dried out my gear and camera’s. Not a great start, but had to try. Spent the afternoon exploring the fishing village and port.
Kodiak Island, Misty rain and fog, 8 deg
6am Up for a nice breaky and coffee. Packed up and phoned Sea Hawk Air who advised the float plane on hold due to weather - dratt! Went for a walk into town for couple of hours, checking in hourly for updates and finally at 4pm got the go for a pick up. Advised still marginal but get ready to fly anyway.
4.20pm Got the OK. Pilot Roland put the hammer down and we were airborne from a calm, misty Kodiak Bay.
I was accompanied by Albert and his nephew Tim, Albert going out to see his son Eric, a crew member. A smooth flight, sighting some Humpback Whales pointed out on the port side by Roland as we began to cross over the Shelikof Strait, touching down in Geographic Harbour around 6.30pm, to be greeted by Chuck & Olga, crew Eric and Spencer.
My excitement was hard to hide. After a coffee and chat with the team, it was suggested to skiff in to shore as Eric had spotted a bear by the river. This had my attention and a few distant warm up shots from Breezers of my first Katmai Coastal Brown Bear brought smiles all round. I set up my cameras on a small sand island at a river fork and over the next couple hours filmed some of the most amazing bear activity I had ever seen of bears fishing in the river, bears chasing other bears, mum and two cubs in the distance and lots of seagulls cleaning up the fish scraps, all in a light misty rain so no complaints from me.
9pm Eric had a wonderful meal ready for us and I celebrated with a beer. A great night's sleep, nodding off to the sound of rain on the decks above and the gentle rock of the boat.
Geographic Harbour, low tide 8am, tidal change here is 27ft - 30ft, raining, misty, 8deg, calm gentle breeze
5.30am I rise and it's still dark. Later, Eric informs me he turns on the generator power at 6am which is around sunrise. Nice breaky of bacon and eggs and coffee. Chuck and Olga accompany me to similar location as last night, greeted by two bears fishing, so set up cameras, track an upset female bear that had just lost its two cubs while she was busy fishing and we watched cubs make for some bush on other side of the bay. She took after other bears grunting and growling, sending them packing and no luck finding her cubs before we left.
1pm Wet and cold, so back to the boat for lunch as tide coming in fast and dry out. We've seen approximately six bears. It was decided to try again around 2pm, so had a go at fishing from the boat and was enjoying my 3rd catch of pike and flounder when a crew member, Eric, yelled out, "Wolf walking along the shore", so threw down the rod, quick boot up and grabbed gear and cameras. Tracked the wolf for 20 minutes along the shoreline and was rewarded with some fabulous shots and observed the wolf eating some salmon berries just like the bears do.
4pm Still raining so decided to go ashore and to try and film some salmon in the rivers with GoPro underwater camera. No luck, as the water cloudy and salmon hard to find.
We had just disembarked from the skiff when the mum that had lost cubs this morning appeared running right at me calling for her cubs, growling, grunting and frothing at the mouth. Just time for a couple of quick shots as she fled past. Phew, a close call! Chuck had the pepper bear spray out, but he was way in front of me. I called this bear Crazy Mumma for good reasons.
As we were leaving, we noticed she had found her two cubs but Chuck was concerned they would not survive long if this was an example of her parenting. A huge male came by, over 1,000 pounds and we could see he was the dominant male in this area, with lots of scars and he was funny to watch doing the cowboy walks when chasing off other bears. I called him Gladiator and he showed us how easy it was to catch salmon. He walked really close to us and had a big poo, just opposite me, if just to say, "I am the biggest, watch out!" I got the message and during my time here, he was the scariest bear as so mean and huge.
Saw 8 bears this afternoon and a sow with 2 cubs the highlight, watching them play and copy mum's movements, even standing up on two legs to get a better look. A fantastic afternoon with 2 juvenile bald eagles showing up for some leftover fish and steeling off the many gulls squawking and fighting for leftovers. We passed a harbour seal on the way back to the boat. Nice evening with BBQ sockeye salmon by Eric. A few beers and game of cards with the boys and they enjoyed me and my dog Rocky Boy kayaking video. We retired at 10.30pm after a brilliant day. Alaska is agreeing with me and I'm enjoying a lifetime dream.
Geographic Harbour, misty rain, 8deg, low tide
6am Eric had the pancakes and bacon on. Wow, a coffee to clear my sleepy head and it's action again on Breezers. Chuck and Olga come down to the saloon for their morning coffee and we plan our day.
7.45am Skiff to shore by Spencer with Chuck and Olga. Wow, I spot the wolf up ahead as we land. Distant, but get off a couple of shots as he disappears into the thick bush. Today, boars sparring and play fighting and occasionally they get serious and it's all growls and claws for real. One large boar cowboy walks a smaller bear away from his area. Nine bears seen this morning, fishing mainly. Some very good catches and others no luck and clean up the scraps.
1pm It's back to the boat for some lunch as still raining, to dry out gear and me. After each shoot, I back up twice and clear cards and charge batteries. This is often with 4 cameras in use, so lots to do.
3pm Chuck suggests we go for a skiff ride around the bay to see if can find some eagles and any bears around the rocky shoreline.
4pm We head back to the boat as we hear the float plane Sea Hawk approaching and Roland flies in with Terry and Sally from Ely, Nevada who had been delayed 3 days by bad weather.
6pm We all skiff to shore and find at full tide only one bear out. Chuck informs me that Geographic Harbour is still my best option as reports from other areas not very good, but that’s fantastic for their first bear. We have a nice evening and Terry brings out the Crown Royal whisky.
Geographic Harbour, raining heavily, windy and cold, low tide 10am
6am Nice coffee and eggs and decide to wait for weather to improve.
8am No change, so boot up and double rain covers and skiff to shore. A long walk up the beach and I spot wolf again in similar location. Managed a few quick shots from the hip but the others too slow as wolf disappears into bush. Four bears on the river this morning fishing in the pouring rain and Chuck spots a fox in the distance down by the water's edge.
9am Mum and two cubs digging for clams down near the water's edge; Crazy Mumma and her two cubs appear on the bush edge - very wary. Some great video this morning in the pouring rain. Decide to go for lunch at 1pm all soaking wet, including cameras. Canon 1DMK4 wet and showing battery failure but after dry out all ok - phew! During lunch a bear is spotted traversing the ash clearings high up on the mountain.
2pm Chuck suggests we go for a skiff ride and find some Bald Eagles which I film in all positions from take offs and in flight - fantastic. Also, Sea Otters, Oyster Catchers, Cormorants.
6.30pm Wonderful BBQ steak dinner by Eric cooked out on the back deck. I clear cards, charge batteries and clean cameras.
Geographic Harbour, raining hard, cold breeze
5.30am Up for sunrise on back deck and nice culpa coffee and breaky of pancakes and bacon.
8am Skiff to shore and for the next 6 hours filmed some amazing bear behaviour. Mum with 3 cubs, mum with 2 cubs, lots of 8-10 year old boars sparring and fighting each other. Managed to get a frame with 6 bears in it. Lots of birds scavenging fish leftovers and Bald Eagle scores an easy meal.
2pm Back to boat for lunch and dry out me and gear.
4pm Cruise around the harbour and inlets and see lots of eagles, sea otters, and bird life
Seen 13 bears today - fantastic!
Geographic Harbour, heavy rain, cold wind
6am Delay due to weather.
8am Skiff to usual spot at river fork. Long walk up the beach due to super low tide and some fabulous bears again fishing. They need to put on weight for the coming hibernation where they will probably not eat during the 6 months while in their winter den. Chuck and I walk up river, find some bear tracks and decide come back and see if we can get a plaster print.
2pm Back to the boat for lunch all soaking wet.
5pm Cruise again around the harbour and call in to see volunteer rangers couple in next bay. Witness a bear walking along the beach and coming upon the ranger with his back turned filling up water containers. When he moves the bear spooked and ran back into the bush. The ranger had not seen the bear and when he looked up, I pointed and he realised a bear must be close. One luck guy as their cabin was very remote. We gave him a ride back to his cabin and he was very grateful.
Geographic Harbour, misty rain
6am Eric cooks wonderful bacon and eggs for breaky.
8am Skiff to the beach and find mum with 3 cubs. They're distant so Chuck suggests we try and film from the skiff and this works fantastic. We got in close as mum was digging for clams at water's edge and the cubs playing and fighting nearby.
4pm We skiff to the beach and find wolf track. Chuck makes a plaster cast of the print in sand which came out excellent - great for my collection. Weather has been challenging!
Geographic Harbour, overcast, light breeze
6am Coffee and quick breaky before packing up bags ready for 11am flight to Kodiak Island.
8am Skiff to beach and last film of only a couple of bears.
11am Roland arrives in float plane with new clients. We all climb aboard, finally wave goodbyes and we have a smooth flight to Kodiak.
Total Bears seen - 42
Weather - rain and misty
Tide – 26 to 30 ft tide
THE END
“BornWild - Jaguars of the Pantanal”
From the Research Diary of Tracey Thornton
Filmed Brazil South America 2013
Trip Notes
After many days travel from New Zealand, arriving in Cuiaba late evening, and couple hours drive to the town of Pocone my overnight stay. Next morning we picked up my guide for the next couple of weeks, João Batista, “the great Jaguar spotter”. Heading 100km toward the Cuiaba River and southwest is 4 million acres of the north Pantanal. These 100 km run through different types of tropical dry woodlands and savannah woodlands that Brazilian ecologists call “cerrado” and “cerradão”.
Leaving the south end of Poconé into the Pantanal proper, its 28deg and hot ( its mid-winter back home) a 145-km-long “Transpantaneira” raised dirt and gravel road, the road dust is my first problem, dry forests and fields drop slightly into the large flat floodplain of the Pantanal proper, and the 122 bridges begin, some we go over and others around !… After 17 km I encounter the first wooden bridge, and pleased to unpack my recent purchase my dedicated “Jaguar Lens – the canon EF 500 f4L IS 11 USM” (this did not dissapoint over the next few weeks) and straight into the action with so many herons, caimans, and Capybaras in and around the water by the roadside and Jabiru and chicks high up on a nest with some cheeky Red and Green Macaws larking about. .
My Lodge for the night was at the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge on the Pixaim River and arriving at noon gave me the opportunity to film the nest of the Jabiru and chicks high up in their tree, from a viewing plateform opposite. This lodge is famous for its excellent mammal viewing, photo-opportunities from the two wildlife-viewing towers, water birds on the Pixaim River.
After lunch Joao had me out in our small boat, on the Rio Pixaim river, this was a great opportunity to sort out camera equipment and the capybara, giant Otter and large caiman encounters. That evening after diner, a couple hours of wildlife night drive was interesting, not a lot seen and the stars so amazing and bright.
Backing up days shoot each evening on Macbook Pro and on two separate portable hard drives, video files use lot of memory, yip all systems working
At dawn the next morning, a walk along the river bank with sun rising over the river and caiman basking on riverbanks, just magic, returning to the lodge the Toucans arrived squawking loudly in nearby trees.
Leaving the SouthWild Pantanal Lodge, in open-sided safari truck was great to test the Jaguar lens again and the dusty road, with lots of birds and caimans, bumping along to the end of the Transpantaneira Road, which is in the locality called “Porto Jofre” to the Cuiaba River. Upon reaching Porto Jofre, which lies on the north bank of the 170-m-wide Cuiabá River, boarding our radio-equipped Jaguar search boat and cruise upstream for 15 km for 30-45 min, starting our search for Jaguars and Giant Otters. Both species are most habituated in the 100 km of river channels upstream from Porto Jofre.
No Jaguars seen.
My cabin is at the SouthWild Jaguar Flotel, near the mouth of the Three Brothers River. The flotel is the only accommodation in the centre of the “Jaguar Zone”, which could also be called “the Giant Otter Zone”, as these 100-km of river channels are by far the best place in the world to see both of these otherwise shy and elusive top predators.
After a great lunch, Joao had our boat ready and we loaded camera gear and lots cold drinks as very hot, and my “BornWild Jaguar Project” had begun, would we encounter this elusive cat?. Joao suggested we try the Black river first and we hunted along river banks when the radio crackled into life around 3.30pm, with “Jaguar seen” from another southwild guide, so we raced the 15min up river to see and shoot my first Jaguar as it disappeared into thick forest cover at the top end of the Black River, we tracked this cat hunting along the river banks over next couple hours, sometimes it diving into to water amongst the rushes for caiman and Capybara, no success after 5 failed attempts, WOW these cats are so quick off the mark, and adapt to swim along river, and we lost the cat as dusk fell and light failed, giving up a magnificent Pantanal River sunset, the mosquitoes biting us hard, ooch right through my pants. (Note to self, apply lots of repellent to clothes as well.) That evening a quick check reveled a most beautiful female Jaguar, WOW what a brilliant start, Joao had me my first Jaguar in the Pantanal and well earned beer or two and a good nights sleep was appreciated in the gentle rock of the barge boat.
Jaguar Kill
Day three was to prove an amazing experience. We set off as usual at day break upstream along the Cuiaba River and branched off to the Three Brothers River and found a magnificent large male Jaguar hunting along the rivers edge around 7.30am and tracked its progress to 11.30am, these cats are opportunistic, stalking ambush predator, top of the food chain, witnessing five unsuccessful attempts, it decided to lay up in the shade just in the bush, out of view. It is quite tough to follow these cats as they disappear into the forest like ghosts, there one minute, gone the next!
So we decided to check out a reported Jaguar sighting down stream and were rewarded with a female Jaguar hunting along the rivers edge, and within 5minutes she went into stalk mode and crept along on her belly towards the waters edge and with a lightening jump, pounced down with a large splash onto a large caiman grabbing it by the back of the head and for the next few minutes struggled with it in the water and finally dragged the caiman up onto the bank, where the caiman in a life and death struggle grabbed hold of a tree and held on for dear life. While this was playing out I caught this amazing action on film from my small Camera boat, and when the Jaguar delivered the fatal bite piercing the armored skull, it licked the caimans head and with a huge effort pulled the caiman still holding the tree and both disappeared into the bush for a well earned meal for the Jaguar. Jaguars here in the Pantanal have adapted to killing caiman by a bite directly through the skull between the ears delivering a fatal bite to the brain. WOW.
Many days I saw no Jaguars, so this was a very special day.
Over the next days we hunted from early morning and again from mid to late afternoon checking the sandy banks, patches of dense tropical forest on the riverbank, and rush-beds along the waters edge.
Summary – Looking into the eye of the Jaguar is spine-chilling!
22 Jaguar sightings including one collared and two cubs.
Numerous Giant Otters, some huge caiman, the very rare Jaguarundi and kittens swimming across the river, Black & Gold Howler Monkeys high up in the tree tops, a six banded Armadillo, kingfishers, Cormorants, southern screamers, Macaws and so much more wildlife – refer website Research Notes for detailed report.
Jaguar facts
The Jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include loss and fragmentation of habitat. While international trade in Jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still frequently killed by humans, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America.
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina. Apart from a known and possibly breeding population in Arizona (southeast of Tucson), the cat has largely been extirpated from the United States since the early 20th century.
This spotted cat most closely resembles the leopard physically, although it is usually larger and of sturdier build and its behavioral and habitat characteristics are closer to those of the tiger. While dense rainforest is its preferred habitat, the jaguar will range across a variety of forested and open terrains. It is strongly associated with the presence of water and is notable, along with the tiger, as a feline that enjoys swimming. The jaguar is largely a solitary, opportunistic, stalk-and-ambush predator at the top of the food chain (an apex predator). It is a keystone species, playing an important role in stabilizing ecosystems and regulating the populations of the animals it hunts. The jaguar has an exceptionally powerful bite, even relative to the other big cats. This allows it to pierce the shells of armoured reptiles and to employ an unusual killing method: it bites directly through the skull of prey between the ears to deliver a fatal bite to the brain.
A special thanks to
*Charles Munn from Southwild and staff, my guide Joao, still “the great Jaguar spotter”
Some information above provided from Southwild
*House of Travel - Geoff Leslie, James Blankley & Team
*Canon NZ -
*Progear – Graham and Martin
©copyright2013
SOUTH AMERICA
The Galapagos Report. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
BornWild Trip Notes Galapagos
Flying from Quito to the Island of Baltra gave me a birds-eye view of some of the Galapagos Islands spread out below I was about to explore and film/photo and document.
Our ship M.Y Pelikano was a welcome site and our guide and naturalist for this trip Oswaldo did not disappoint with his incredible knowledge on the Galapagos, from the history, geology and wildlife. The captain and crew were excellent, always friendly and greeted with a smile and willing hand, especially boarding and disembarking off and on the Zodica’s too and from shore.
The weather gods where smiling most of the time, with magnificent colorful sunrises and sunsets , life onboard always exciting and rewarding with 16 other guests.
Visiting and filming some of the wildlife I had only dreamed about did not disappoint, with the Marine Iguana, Giant Tortoise, Land Iguana, Blue footed Booby, Pelican, Frigate bird, Galapagos Hawk, Finches, Short eared Owl, Flightless Cormorant, White tip Shark, Dolphin, and snorkelling provided Sea lions, Turtles, Penguins, Rays and a variety of colourful fish as seen in photo slideshow below, a full research wildlife list and DVD in progress.
Galapagos Facts
The islands are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, 973 km off the west coast of South America. The closest land mass is that of mainland Ecuador.
The largest of the islands, Isabela, measures and makes up close to three-quarters of the total land area of the Galápagos.The group consists of 18 main islands, 3 smaller islands, and 107 rocks. The first islands formed here at least 8 million and possibly up to 90 million years ago.
While the older islands have disappeared below the sea as they moved away from the mantle plume, the youngest islands, Isabela and Fernandina, are still being formed, with the most recent volcanic eruption in April 2009 where lava from the volcanic island Fernandina started flowing both towards the island's shoreline and into the centre caldera.
The sheer number and variety of wildlife both on land and in the water of the Galápagos is quite remarkable. Because of the islands’ isolation and remoteness, many of these species are found only in the Galápagos and have not changed much since prehistoric times. The Galápagos’ famous marine iguanas, albatross and giant tortoises continue to amaze scientists and delight tourists. Many unique species occur in great concentrations. For example, marine iguanas bask on the beaches by the hundreds, and on certain islands hundreds of birds may be seen at one time.
Charles Darwin sailed to Galapagos on board the HMS Beagle in September 1835, when he was 26 years old. During the five weeks that he spent there, he went ashore to collect plants, rocks, insects and birds. To avoid the extinguish of the giant turtles, the biologists from Charles Darwin Research Station began to capture the survivors and put them in captivity and started the breeding for reproductive purposes.
Darwin's theory
In 1859, Charles Darwin set out his theory of evolution by natural selection as an explanation for adaptation and speciation. He defined natural selection as the "principle by which each slight variation [of a trait], if useful, is preserved".The concept was simple but powerful: individuals best adapted to their environments are more likely to survive and reproduce. As long as there is some variation between them, there will be an inevitable selection of individuals with the most advantageous variations. If the variations are inherited, then differential reproductive success will lead to a progressive evolution of particular populations of a species, and populations that evolve to be sufficiently different eventually become different species.
Arctic to the Antarctic Endangered Species Series
Produced and filmed by Tracey Thornton
Filmed on location in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador 2013
Special thanks to
-Guide & Naturalist. Oswaldo Doguia and Captain and crew of the MY Pelikano
- House of Travel. Geoff Leslie
- Progear Photographicis. Canon NZ.
-Research. Bornwild Endangered Species, Tracey Thornton & Geoff Leslie
All Rights under copyright © ttp 2013
SOUTH AMERICA
The Iguazu Report. Argentina & Brazil.
BornWild
Trip Notes Iguazu
Arriving at Iguazu National Park in late July in beautiful weather, sunny, blue sky gave me the perfect opportunity to explore and film these amazing falls and some wildlife . Only a few weeks prior Iguazu Falls Park was closed due to heavy rains and flooding. The flooding forced the evacuation of at least 500 families on Paraguayan river basin. The walkways covered in water and in need of repair.
Visiting first the Brazil side early morning, the thundering noise of the falls was incredible, this gave me the opportunity to film some Ring-tailed Coati in the rainforest near the falls and the Black Vultures circling over the falls using the updrafts for lift. Access along the many walkways provided some spectacular viewing and filming opportunities with the falls mist creating beautiful rainbows.
A Helicopter flight is always a must do and filming from above gives another dimension to the vast number of falls and volume of water cascading down the cliffs, and a birds eye view of the famous "Devils Throat".
The Argentine side offered more of the same and excellent walking trails through the rainforest and lucky to film the elusive Plush Crested Jays and Agouti sneaking about.
Iguazu Facts
Iguazu Falls, in Iguazu River, are one of the world’s largest waterfalls. One of the seven new "Wonders of Nature" announced 2011 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. They extend over 2,700 m (nearly 2 miles) in a semi-circular shape. Of the 275 falls that collectively make up Iguassu Falls, “Devil’s Throat” is the tallest at 80 m in height. Iguazu Falls are on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones, and are surrounded by two National Parks (BR/ARG). Both are subtropical rainforests that are host to hundreds of rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.
Arctic to the Antarctic Endangered Species Series
Filmed on location in the Iguazu National Park between Brazil and Argentina 2013
Special thanks to
- Guide and Naturalist Gerardo Teo
- House of Travel. Geoff Leslie
- Progear Photographics. Canon NZ
- Research. BornWild Endangered Species , Tracey Thornton & Geoff Leslie
All Rights under copyright ©ttp 2013
traceythorntonimages.co.nz
"BornWild Africa" Trip Notes 2010
by Tracey Thornton
The Great Wildebeest Migration is one of the greatest Shows on Earth, over two million animals migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania to green pastures in Kenya's Maasai Mara during July to October.
Departing from Nariobi we made our way towards Maasai Mara, stopping to admire the view over the Great Rift Valley, the share scale of this landscape is just jaw dropping, and the wildlife has me returning to Africa many times over in the last 30 years.The locals are always friendly and I always try to buy a little souvineer at each village where possible, Mara Enchoro Wildlife Camp was our camp for next few days.
With long days with early starts, from before dawn and returning to camp in the dark, capturing some incrediable scenes and wildlife. The migration has to cross the Mara River with crocodiles ready to prey on them, and avoiding the Hippo's that are very territorial. Out on the savannah and in the bush, carnivores like the big cats await, lions, leopards, cheetahs and the hyenas and vultures always present. Herds of elephants, giraffes, gazelle's, baboons are never far from the action, and the unpreditable buffalo make this a life and death struggle, in the "meaning of life".
Moving on to Lake Nakuru, a bird sanctuary, famous for Pink Flamingos,(Greater and Lesser) with Black and White Rhinoceros, Rothschild Giraffes, lions climbing in the trees, leopard, Hyenas, Baboons, Jackels, Fish Eagles, Yellow-billed Pelicans.
A long days drive brought us to Amboseli, and our camp at Kibo Safari Camp at the Kenya Tanzania border, this is at the foot of Mt Kilimanjaro (5896m) Africa's highest peak. I was amazed to still see a herd of over one hundred free-ranging Elephants , this was encouraging, as poachers are rife here and slaughter elephants for there ivory, this is the cruel and bloody reality of the ivory trade.
Large vast wet land areas with Hippo's and some of the largest Bull Elephants I have seen, with huge tusks, and informative meeting with the local Maasai people from the local village. It is a work in progress to get a balance of the enviorment, wildlife and people to get a balance here.
Another long days drive, to the shallow Lake Manyara, with flamingos and has a diverse vegetation ranging from savannah, to marshes and woodland. Crossing the border into Tanzania, to the Serengeti, one of Africas most famous wildlife areas, our camp site Seronera Camp, was a welcome break and pitching our tents in the dark of night, to the sound of roaring lions, zebra running through camp made this a nervous night, lions killed a zebra in the night nearby, eek.
Here in the Serengeti, I witnessed the cheetah hunting Thomson gazelle and many leopards, hanging about in trees, resting after a nights hunting. The weather gods let us have it at last after such a great dry first weeks, in a big downpour and the lions also took cover for a while. The roads are always dusty and rough, the Landcruiser stood up to the challenge, and arriving at Ngorongoro Crater rim, this is arguably the most stunning arena, it is frequently described as one of the wonders of the world, and a natural sanctuary for some of Africa's largest populations of large mammals. We camped up on the rim at Simba Campsite, zebra feeding around our camp, and a large Bull Elephant wondered past my tent early evening to drink from our water supply.
*( The Olduvai Gorge cuts through rock beds layered in time sequence from 2 million years ago to the present. It is here where humanoid bones have been found dating back to over 1.75 million years including a direct ancestor of modern man. Fossil footprints (over three million years old) have also been found here and are the most ancient footprints yet discovered. There is an excellent site museum where you can explore the diggings with a guide and it is also a great place to view birds.)
Exploring the crater floor offered some excellent wildlife images and the tracking of two Cheetahs' hunting warthog, a 45 year (approx) bull elephant with broken tusks, and torn and withered ears had survived to a mighty age in present times of poaching and war.
The next few days of travel took me up to Rwanda, and the capital city of Kigali, visiting the Genocide Mausoleum
*( The Rwandan Genocide was a genocidal mass slaughter of the Tutsis by the Hutus that took place in 1994. Over 500,000 people were killed, or as much as 20% of the country's total population.)
The next few days we tracked the Mountain Gorilla in the Virunga Volcanoes Mountains. This is the most rewarding experience to share some time with these normally peacefull animals, caring for their young, climbing in the trees, always with mum nearby and a huge silverback protecting the troup, the males up to 6ft tall and 425lbs are a force to be reckoned with. Always keeping our distance due us passing on human diseases.
War, poaching and the charcoal trade is threatening their existance. Tracking in the forest through thick bush and bamboo, in 35deg we could smell the gorilla's first, a stong pungent smell. A greater understsnding of the conservation status is required due to poaching, habitat loss, disease and conflict with human growth.
Special thanks to
*Tropical Breeze Safaris -Joseph Gitonga,
Guides, Kenya-Ben Mwangi, Tanzania - Praygod Massam, Rwanda - Morris Gisagara.
House of Travel - Geoff Leslie, James Blankley & Team
©copyright2010
“BornWild - Antarctica
From the Research Diary of Tracey Thornton
Filmed Antarctica Peninsula 2011
Trip Notes
We sailed out on MV Sea Spirit with mixed emotions, finally heading to sea after three days of uncertainty (due to our originally scheduled ship, Clipper Adventurer, tied up in port with some unanticipated mechanical problems), and maneuvering out of the Argentinian port of Ushuaia on a calm and still evening, heading down the Beagle Channel for the first time, with the crew on the bow stowing away the mooring lines.
Sailing past Les Eclairers Lighthouse protecting its surrounding rocky islands in the fading light of a beautiful sunset, with resident King Shags, fur seals, and Magellan penguin colonies on the assorted islands, our first port-of-call – the South Shetland Islands – lay 500 miles (800 km) and two and a half days sail further South.
Dolphins splashed about, jumping and diving in the bow waves as the pilot boat docked to pick up the harbour pilot and our Assignment, “BORNWILD ANTARCTICA” December 2011, was under way. A very large smile was all I could offer as we were greeted by our Quark Expedition team leader Cheli Larson, from New Zealand like me, and eleven of her hand-picked “super team,” made up from Australia, Canada, NZ, United States, and South Africa, all with their own individual specialties and skills.
Our Captain was Denis Rada, from the beautiful town of Spilt, Croatia, who had sailed through these waters many times, which was very reassuring, especially during the next few days while crossing the Drake Passage in stormy seas, with the ship rolling from side to side and end to end, sea spray and high winds battering and whistling through our now small ship in a big Southern ocean, Cape Petrels dancing over the white capes. Let’s just observe that the most seasoned voyagers and crew on board spent some time recovering in their bunks from the experience of the famous rough seas off of Cape Horn.
On our second day at sea, even the most graceful Wandering Albatross gliding across our stern in never ending circles, with their wing tips at times touching the sea, were now left far behind in our wake and we made our way towards the Antarctic Continent.
I was making this expedition to document the amazing Polar Regions’ wildlife with both still photographs and high definition (HD) video cameras, a big task in this extreme environment, where the weather changes in a heartbeat.
My motto for the voyage: “Expect the unexpected.”
Flashback –1914
The rigging aboard the Endurance groaned as the ship tacked from side to side as it moved down the coast of Argentina and the crew of 40 where busy stowing away the mooring lines below deck.
It was essential to lash everything down to make ready for the infamous Drake Passage that has claimed hundreds of ships that sailed – or, rather, tried to sail – through here in the past, with those under-prepared suffering the consequences. Cape Horn, somewhere out to starboard, as we pass, is well regarded as one of the most dangerous sailing waters in the world.
Sir Ernest Shackleton, making this 1914 voyage, was an experienced Antarctic explorer, and had sailed these waters previously on the “Endeavour” in the unsuccessful 1908 Scott expedition trying to be first to reach the South Pole, and which came so close – within 200 miles of the pole before Robert Scott was forced to abandon the attempt to save his crew from being destroyed by the brutal Antarctic environment.
Shackleton knew the Southern Ocean contained many dangers, “Your eyes and ears are our best line of defense in anticipating weather changes,” he would bark out at his crew.
Flash Forward
Over a 100 years on, we were now experiencing in our modern ship, the Sea Spirit, designed for Antarctic conditions, what Shackleton and his crew first experienced on their voyages and, our expedition leader reminded us, that to journey to Antarctica one has to earn the right by passing through the infamous Drake Passage.
As we continued South in a relentless manner, we encountered our first icebergs, drifting with the current, and then finally had first sight of land, the ice and snow covered South Shetland Islands with flocks of Cape Petrels in perfect formation whirling around our ship. Glacier ice cliffs and rock formations looked impossible for locating a landing site. Earlier, around 5am and 7am, I spotted Humpback Whales gliding effortlessly along the surface, on the port side heading northeast with their blow hole spray high into the air.
As we drew nearer land, lots of sea birds began following the ship, including Southern Giant Petrels and Antarctic terns, all dancing across the ocean.
The seas and winds became a little calmer now, “only 25 knot WNW wind,” with the temperature around -1° C., and more and more passengers began reappearing from cabins.
Having made excellent speed and arriving ahead of schedule, we had the opportunity to make a Zodiac landing on a pebble beach, at Half Moon Island, to be greeted by Gentoo penguins and Weddell seals lazing about on the beach on an Antarctic summer day, and large icebergs floating off shore caught my attention as well.
Penguins continued to dive into the water, and a group returning from feeding in the sea, headed the opposite direction, some leaping through the air like porpoises out in the bay, and always keeping a wary lookout for their main enemy, the Leopard Seal, and, on occasion, Orca Whales.
Shackleton would have experienced a very similar welcome, with lots of squawking skuas calling, and fighting by penguins guarding their nests, most with 2 eggs, and some busy carting pebbles to use to build nests, and defending their eggs and chicks fiercely from snowy petrels looking for an easy meal.
A cold wind blew in from the sea and a Crabeater seal that had climbed up on the foreshore and beached itself for a snooze, was interrupted by a pesky south polar skuas, pecking his back flippers, and the seal responded by snarling and showing his large teeth, as if to say, “Don’t mess with me!”
With nearly 24 hours of Antarctic sunlight from November through to March, back on board the Sea Spirit the sun still provided a spectacular sunset through a mushroom-shaped cloud floating over the frozen ice-covered cliffs shimmering in the deep blue, now calm, waters. Late evening whale watching was rewarded with two separate Humpbacks sighted by the recognizable high blow of spray from blow hole, which allowed me to retire contently, but cold to the bone, around 11 p.m., with the sun still high in the sky.
Early next morning a perfect Zodiac rubber craft landing saw us in Whalers Bay, Deception Island, with a large Leopard Seal having pulled itself up at the far end of the beach, but who was not much interested in my attempts to wait for it to return to sea. Many wasted hours later, with frozen hands and face, I bid a farewell and chose to watch some penguins from Neptune’s Window. Later in the afternoon, in a wet landing at Baily Head, we were greeted by nearly 150,000 Chinstrap Penguins in full penguin cry, accompanied by penguin odors, a smell like no other.
It is an amazing sight to witness a colossal penguin “civilization,” complete with penguin highways and nests built up into the hillsides as high as skyscrapers. The penguin highways intrigued one by the bird’s determined shuffle up to their nesting areas high up above the bay, some sliding along on their bellies in the snow, which made it easier going on downward treks to the beach, and – after a quick look into water for predators – they would dive in and disappear, suddenly possessing all the grace of a ballerina while in the water, speeding along and leaping out of the water like porpoises, moving in groups to achieve the safety of numbers.
Shackleton and his crew feasted on penguins, as their food supplies diminished.
Evening saw a cold mist settle over the ice and snow-covered mountain rocks of the South Shetland Islands, reminding us of Shackleton’s crew that had to winter over near here, while waiting to be rescued in the ill-fated Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917 that sank their ship, the Endurance, on November 21, 1915, when it was crushed by the icy grip of the Weddell Sea.
The expedition crew made their way to Elephant Island, where most remained, as Shackleton and a hand-picked crew made their way in an open-boat journey 800 miles to South Georgia Island and returned to save all of his crew, an amazing test of man’s spirit and endurance. Not a single person died.
Large icebergs floated by next morning, a 20 knot wind whipped up the sea spray, which seemed not to bother the sea birds following, as our ship picked its way through the channels to Cuverville Island and Neko Harbour, where we would make our first landing upon the Antarctic continent, with its ice cliffs, some 200 m high, and home to the largest Gentoo Penguin Colony, with over 48,000 breeding pairs. Wow! The noise is quite an experience to witness – especially when the stereotype of penguins is that they never make a sound.
Back onboard the Sea Spirit, a well-earned drink was in order to celebrate setting foot onto Antarctica, and I have now travelled from the “Arctic to the Antarctica regions and survived to tell the tale,” photographing and filming our beautiful planet’s wildlife and nature.
6am. next day: Sighting of Antarctic Minke Whales swimming parallel to ship near the coast, identified by small curved dorsal fin and smaller size, approximately 35feet in length, about half the size of Humpbacks. Weather still holding with a brisk -2 ° C., and light SW wind. From the Zodiac took a good look at the glaciers with contrast to the black rock formations poking up towards the blue sky. Icebergs are incredible blue and turquoise colours, Chinstrap Penguins feeding on surface entertained me, with their safety in numbers, moving through the pack ice flows with ease, and a lone penguin standing serenely high up on an iceberg. What incredible climbers they are!
Later in Paradise Bay, climbed 170 feet up a snow covered mountain, a vantage point that gave way to an excellent view of our ship far below amidst the floating ice, interrupted by a lone Minke Whale briefly surfacing and then disappearing so quick, as to not leave a ripple .
Dorian Bay provided a safe haven for the night and produced the most amazing sunset of the expedition: “a painted ship on a painted ocean,” a mirror of amber colours as the sun disappeared below the frozen wonderland called Antarctica, a land of extremes, the coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote, and least understood continent on Earth.
Heading further south this morning, with -1° C. temperature, and a light 5 knot NW wind, weather conditions favourable, as we head through the scenic Lemaire Channel, after reaching 63° 30’ South. But that’s as far South as we go – a solid barrier of pack ice prevents us from sailing any further south, and Captain Rada decides to about turn the Sea Spirit. Better to be safe than to sink!
Shackleton’s expedition had the opportunity to land near Vahsel Bay, as conditions were worsening, but he decided to keep sailing southwest for a better position, one closer to the pole. As a result of his choice, his ship the Endurance was caught in pack ice, was crushed, and sank.
Sailing northeast, we stopped at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island around one p.m., where there is a British Antarctic Survey Hut museum, with a primary resident population of Gentoo Penguins, and some whale skeletons from the days of whaling, and a few blue eyed shags nest building.
Later in afternoon, as we moved on, Humpback whales were surfacing and leaving with signature tail flutes.
Calm conditions the next morning as we Zodiac to a landing at Yankee Harbour where there are approximately 4,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo Penguins, some nesting as high as 33 feet up the hillsides, and who gave us our first look at some chicks. It was beautiful to observe the caring parents, and mixed in were a lone Macaroni Penguin amongst them, and even an Adelie Penguin, famous for living in coldest areas, down on the beach. Today was our last landing, at Aitcho Island, with Weddell Seals and Leopard Seals up on beach, and where we were nearly caught in fast moving pack ice blowing into the bay. As each day proved, Antarctic weather can change amazingly quickly, going from calm to high winds, rain to snow to fog, and temperature drops quickly and goes up quickly.
Sailing north we encounter a pod of seven Orca’s with a baby in toe, they turned when they spot Chinstrap Penguin swimming near the ship, and suddenly begin circling around, and even under, the Sea Spirit as a high stakes life or death drama takes place, with the ship’s passengers and crew racing from one side of the ship to the other as this incredible water ballet plays out, with the penguin victim leaping high out of the water time and time again, just when it appeared all was lost, and exerting every effort to elude becoming an Orca snack/meal – and wins! As suddenly as the Orcas began their chase, they simply cease and proceed in the direction they originally were headed as leisurely as if nothing at all had happened, with the penguin swimming off rapidly in the opposite direction.
As we approach our end destination, we have now conquered the dreaded Drake Passage a second time, and it rewards us with calm waters and a chance to actually see Cape Horn while rounding it, and as we move into the Beagle Channel there is one more magnificent sunset, as we sail towards our docking at 6.30 a.m. Ushuaia. This was truly a gift, for it is a well-known fact to sailors that the Drake Passage possesses the roughest waters in the world, and, in severe weather, waves can reach over 33 feet high. And it is this body of water that separates South America from Antarctica as an 800 km-wide passage. Sir Francis Drake discovered this passage that carries his name.
I finally arrived home from the BornWild Antarctica Expedition the 27th December 2011, with broken bones, but it was nothing like what Ernest Shackleton and his team of 30 men experienced, who arrived back in England in May 1917, after enduring a miraculous survival in the Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Having survived one of the most extreme journeys on record, they arrived home to World War 1, and, in the greatest irony imaginable, many soon perished in that war.
Antarctica did not disappoint as “BornWild Extreme.”
©copyright 2011
From the Research Diary of Tracey Thornton
Filmed Antarctica Peninsula 2011
Trip Notes
We sailed out on MV Sea Spirit with mixed emotions, finally heading to sea after three days of uncertainty (due to our originally scheduled ship, Clipper Adventurer, tied up in port with some unanticipated mechanical problems), and maneuvering out of the Argentinian port of Ushuaia on a calm and still evening, heading down the Beagle Channel for the first time, with the crew on the bow stowing away the mooring lines.
Sailing past Les Eclairers Lighthouse protecting its surrounding rocky islands in the fading light of a beautiful sunset, with resident King Shags, fur seals, and Magellan penguin colonies on the assorted islands, our first port-of-call – the South Shetland Islands – lay 500 miles (800 km) and two and a half days sail further South.
Dolphins splashed about, jumping and diving in the bow waves as the pilot boat docked to pick up the harbour pilot and our Assignment, “BORNWILD ANTARCTICA” December 2011, was under way. A very large smile was all I could offer as we were greeted by our Quark Expedition team leader Cheli Larson, from New Zealand like me, and eleven of her hand-picked “super team,” made up from Australia, Canada, NZ, United States, and South Africa, all with their own individual specialties and skills.
Our Captain was Denis Rada, from the beautiful town of Spilt, Croatia, who had sailed through these waters many times, which was very reassuring, especially during the next few days while crossing the Drake Passage in stormy seas, with the ship rolling from side to side and end to end, sea spray and high winds battering and whistling through our now small ship in a big Southern ocean, Cape Petrels dancing over the white capes. Let’s just observe that the most seasoned voyagers and crew on board spent some time recovering in their bunks from the experience of the famous rough seas off of Cape Horn.
On our second day at sea, even the most graceful Wandering Albatross gliding across our stern in never ending circles, with their wing tips at times touching the sea, were now left far behind in our wake and we made our way towards the Antarctic Continent.
I was making this expedition to document the amazing Polar Regions’ wildlife with both still photographs and high definition (HD) video cameras, a big task in this extreme environment, where the weather changes in a heartbeat.
My motto for the voyage: “Expect the unexpected.”
Flashback –1914
The rigging aboard the Endurance groaned as the ship tacked from side to side as it moved down the coast of Argentina and the crew of 40 where busy stowing away the mooring lines below deck.
It was essential to lash everything down to make ready for the infamous Drake Passage that has claimed hundreds of ships that sailed – or, rather, tried to sail – through here in the past, with those under-prepared suffering the consequences. Cape Horn, somewhere out to starboard, as we pass, is well regarded as one of the most dangerous sailing waters in the world.
Sir Ernest Shackleton, making this 1914 voyage, was an experienced Antarctic explorer, and had sailed these waters previously on the “Endeavour” in the unsuccessful 1908 Scott expedition trying to be first to reach the South Pole, and which came so close – within 200 miles of the pole before Robert Scott was forced to abandon the attempt to save his crew from being destroyed by the brutal Antarctic environment.
Shackleton knew the Southern Ocean contained many dangers, “Your eyes and ears are our best line of defense in anticipating weather changes,” he would bark out at his crew.
Flash Forward
Over a 100 years on, we were now experiencing in our modern ship, the Sea Spirit, designed for Antarctic conditions, what Shackleton and his crew first experienced on their voyages and, our expedition leader reminded us, that to journey to Antarctica one has to earn the right by passing through the infamous Drake Passage.
As we continued South in a relentless manner, we encountered our first icebergs, drifting with the current, and then finally had first sight of land, the ice and snow covered South Shetland Islands with flocks of Cape Petrels in perfect formation whirling around our ship. Glacier ice cliffs and rock formations looked impossible for locating a landing site. Earlier, around 5am and 7am, I spotted Humpback Whales gliding effortlessly along the surface, on the port side heading northeast with their blow hole spray high into the air.
As we drew nearer land, lots of sea birds began following the ship, including Southern Giant Petrels and Antarctic terns, all dancing across the ocean.
The seas and winds became a little calmer now, “only 25 knot WNW wind,” with the temperature around -1° C., and more and more passengers began reappearing from cabins.
Having made excellent speed and arriving ahead of schedule, we had the opportunity to make a Zodiac landing on a pebble beach, at Half Moon Island, to be greeted by Gentoo penguins and Weddell seals lazing about on the beach on an Antarctic summer day, and large icebergs floating off shore caught my attention as well.
Penguins continued to dive into the water, and a group returning from feeding in the sea, headed the opposite direction, some leaping through the air like porpoises out in the bay, and always keeping a wary lookout for their main enemy, the Leopard Seal, and, on occasion, Orca Whales.
Shackleton would have experienced a very similar welcome, with lots of squawking skuas calling, and fighting by penguins guarding their nests, most with 2 eggs, and some busy carting pebbles to use to build nests, and defending their eggs and chicks fiercely from snowy petrels looking for an easy meal.
A cold wind blew in from the sea and a Crabeater seal that had climbed up on the foreshore and beached itself for a snooze, was interrupted by a pesky south polar skuas, pecking his back flippers, and the seal responded by snarling and showing his large teeth, as if to say, “Don’t mess with me!”
With nearly 24 hours of Antarctic sunlight from November through to March, back on board the Sea Spirit the sun still provided a spectacular sunset through a mushroom-shaped cloud floating over the frozen ice-covered cliffs shimmering in the deep blue, now calm, waters. Late evening whale watching was rewarded with two separate Humpbacks sighted by the recognizable high blow of spray from blow hole, which allowed me to retire contently, but cold to the bone, around 11 p.m., with the sun still high in the sky.
Early next morning a perfect Zodiac rubber craft landing saw us in Whalers Bay, Deception Island, with a large Leopard Seal having pulled itself up at the far end of the beach, but who was not much interested in my attempts to wait for it to return to sea. Many wasted hours later, with frozen hands and face, I bid a farewell and chose to watch some penguins from Neptune’s Window. Later in the afternoon, in a wet landing at Baily Head, we were greeted by nearly 150,000 Chinstrap Penguins in full penguin cry, accompanied by penguin odors, a smell like no other.
It is an amazing sight to witness a colossal penguin “civilization,” complete with penguin highways and nests built up into the hillsides as high as skyscrapers. The penguin highways intrigued one by the bird’s determined shuffle up to their nesting areas high up above the bay, some sliding along on their bellies in the snow, which made it easier going on downward treks to the beach, and – after a quick look into water for predators – they would dive in and disappear, suddenly possessing all the grace of a ballerina while in the water, speeding along and leaping out of the water like porpoises, moving in groups to achieve the safety of numbers.
Shackleton and his crew feasted on penguins, as their food supplies diminished.
Evening saw a cold mist settle over the ice and snow-covered mountain rocks of the South Shetland Islands, reminding us of Shackleton’s crew that had to winter over near here, while waiting to be rescued in the ill-fated Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917 that sank their ship, the Endurance, on November 21, 1915, when it was crushed by the icy grip of the Weddell Sea.
The expedition crew made their way to Elephant Island, where most remained, as Shackleton and a hand-picked crew made their way in an open-boat journey 800 miles to South Georgia Island and returned to save all of his crew, an amazing test of man’s spirit and endurance. Not a single person died.
Large icebergs floated by next morning, a 20 knot wind whipped up the sea spray, which seemed not to bother the sea birds following, as our ship picked its way through the channels to Cuverville Island and Neko Harbour, where we would make our first landing upon the Antarctic continent, with its ice cliffs, some 200 m high, and home to the largest Gentoo Penguin Colony, with over 48,000 breeding pairs. Wow! The noise is quite an experience to witness – especially when the stereotype of penguins is that they never make a sound.
Back onboard the Sea Spirit, a well-earned drink was in order to celebrate setting foot onto Antarctica, and I have now travelled from the “Arctic to the Antarctica regions and survived to tell the tale,” photographing and filming our beautiful planet’s wildlife and nature.
6am. next day: Sighting of Antarctic Minke Whales swimming parallel to ship near the coast, identified by small curved dorsal fin and smaller size, approximately 35feet in length, about half the size of Humpbacks. Weather still holding with a brisk -2 ° C., and light SW wind. From the Zodiac took a good look at the glaciers with contrast to the black rock formations poking up towards the blue sky. Icebergs are incredible blue and turquoise colours, Chinstrap Penguins feeding on surface entertained me, with their safety in numbers, moving through the pack ice flows with ease, and a lone penguin standing serenely high up on an iceberg. What incredible climbers they are!
Later in Paradise Bay, climbed 170 feet up a snow covered mountain, a vantage point that gave way to an excellent view of our ship far below amidst the floating ice, interrupted by a lone Minke Whale briefly surfacing and then disappearing so quick, as to not leave a ripple .
Dorian Bay provided a safe haven for the night and produced the most amazing sunset of the expedition: “a painted ship on a painted ocean,” a mirror of amber colours as the sun disappeared below the frozen wonderland called Antarctica, a land of extremes, the coldest, windiest, driest, highest, quietest, most remote, and least understood continent on Earth.
Heading further south this morning, with -1° C. temperature, and a light 5 knot NW wind, weather conditions favourable, as we head through the scenic Lemaire Channel, after reaching 63° 30’ South. But that’s as far South as we go – a solid barrier of pack ice prevents us from sailing any further south, and Captain Rada decides to about turn the Sea Spirit. Better to be safe than to sink!
Shackleton’s expedition had the opportunity to land near Vahsel Bay, as conditions were worsening, but he decided to keep sailing southwest for a better position, one closer to the pole. As a result of his choice, his ship the Endurance was caught in pack ice, was crushed, and sank.
Sailing northeast, we stopped at Port Lockroy on Goudier Island around one p.m., where there is a British Antarctic Survey Hut museum, with a primary resident population of Gentoo Penguins, and some whale skeletons from the days of whaling, and a few blue eyed shags nest building.
Later in afternoon, as we moved on, Humpback whales were surfacing and leaving with signature tail flutes.
Calm conditions the next morning as we Zodiac to a landing at Yankee Harbour where there are approximately 4,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo Penguins, some nesting as high as 33 feet up the hillsides, and who gave us our first look at some chicks. It was beautiful to observe the caring parents, and mixed in were a lone Macaroni Penguin amongst them, and even an Adelie Penguin, famous for living in coldest areas, down on the beach. Today was our last landing, at Aitcho Island, with Weddell Seals and Leopard Seals up on beach, and where we were nearly caught in fast moving pack ice blowing into the bay. As each day proved, Antarctic weather can change amazingly quickly, going from calm to high winds, rain to snow to fog, and temperature drops quickly and goes up quickly.
Sailing north we encounter a pod of seven Orca’s with a baby in toe, they turned when they spot Chinstrap Penguin swimming near the ship, and suddenly begin circling around, and even under, the Sea Spirit as a high stakes life or death drama takes place, with the ship’s passengers and crew racing from one side of the ship to the other as this incredible water ballet plays out, with the penguin victim leaping high out of the water time and time again, just when it appeared all was lost, and exerting every effort to elude becoming an Orca snack/meal – and wins! As suddenly as the Orcas began their chase, they simply cease and proceed in the direction they originally were headed as leisurely as if nothing at all had happened, with the penguin swimming off rapidly in the opposite direction.
As we approach our end destination, we have now conquered the dreaded Drake Passage a second time, and it rewards us with calm waters and a chance to actually see Cape Horn while rounding it, and as we move into the Beagle Channel there is one more magnificent sunset, as we sail towards our docking at 6.30 a.m. Ushuaia. This was truly a gift, for it is a well-known fact to sailors that the Drake Passage possesses the roughest waters in the world, and, in severe weather, waves can reach over 33 feet high. And it is this body of water that separates South America from Antarctica as an 800 km-wide passage. Sir Francis Drake discovered this passage that carries his name.
I finally arrived home from the BornWild Antarctica Expedition the 27th December 2011, with broken bones, but it was nothing like what Ernest Shackleton and his team of 30 men experienced, who arrived back in England in May 1917, after enduring a miraculous survival in the Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Having survived one of the most extreme journeys on record, they arrived home to World War 1, and, in the greatest irony imaginable, many soon perished in that war.
Antarctica did not disappoint as “BornWild Extreme.”
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