Afternoon of Day 4, Antarctica

 The ship moved to a new location on the afternoon of March 2nd. 

the green is algae or lichen

Orca

Orca, the predator whale

swimming near the yacht around our lunch time

OFD captured this Orca and her baby. Later, during the recap lecture and whale presentation we learned that Orcas keep their dead babies with them for several months. That was the case for this Orca.

I watched the staff prepare for the Zodiac landings. Staff took all sorts of equipment to the landing site to mark where visitors could walk so as not to disturb flora or fauna. Walking sticks were available to anyone who felt the need to use them. Supplies were taken to leave at the cabin. (More about that later in this post.) The guides (maybe 12 of them) and Didier, the team leader, prepared everything for the ease and safety of the passengers. All of this preparedness took place in the first 30 minutes of the afternoon stop. Anchors are no longer used when a vessel stops. GPS keeps the ship in place, adjusting to the current and wind in the area.

loading more equipment

unloading the Zodiacs, 6 or 8 of them

Hubby and OFD took advantage of the Zodiac ride to land on Wiencke Island.

their destination, Damoy Hut 

Damoy Hut is designated as Historic Site and Monument No. 84. It sits approximately 100 metres from the shoreline of Dorian Bay. The bright orange, prefabricated hut was established by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) in November 1975 and was used as a transit station for BAS staff and stores to be flown south from the skiway on the glacier above the hut to Rothera Research Station when sea ice prevented access by ship. It was last occupied by BAS in 1993.

now a museum to show what and how the scientists and researchers lived

snowshoes and whale bones on the bunks

hut could sleep 15

kitchen

Known as the "most southerly waiting room," it is managed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT) and remains a preserved, 15-bunk, cold-war era time capsule.

The Bahía Dorian hut (building on the left) was established by the Argentine Navy on February 23rd, 1953. It sits in very close proximity to the British Hut and covers an area of c. 12 square metres. The hut has been used as an emergency refuge. 

Staff guides told OFD that supplies are left at the hut each time a cruise ship stops. I was surprised to learn the number of vessels and people who might be in this area of Antarctica and not be on a cruise ship. More on that later, also.

The afternoon landing was more than visiting the historic orange hut. The following are photos from OFD as she walked on the island.

a molting gentoo chick

gentoo egg shell, most likely broken by a skua (predator bird) to get to the yolk

or baby chick

the green is guano, penguin poop

the red is lichen or algae

red belly from sliding on the guano

a gentoo rookery on the rocks

Females lay two eggs between June and December, depending on how far south they are.

Eggs incubate for 34 to 37 days and hatchlings are born in early summer, with parents taking turns providing food, shelter, and warmth for the rapidly growing chicks. 

After four to five weeks chicks venture away from the nest, forming groups with other chicks. These groups, called creches, allow chicks to gain some independence while enjoying safety in numbers. Until the chicks develop their waterproof feathers, they would drown at this stage of life.

Chicks fledge after 62-117 days. Their downy feathers are replaced by waterproof adult plumage, and they begin to learn to swim. Parents stop feeding them around this time, returning to sea to feed up before their annual molt. They will spend 2-3 weeks on land, fasting while their old feathers are replaced with new ones.

Gentoos are 29-35 inches tall and weigh from 10-18 pounds. Their life span in the wild can be 15-20 years. They are the fastest penguin swimmers. Sea predators are orcas and leopard seals. Land predators are some of the sea birds.

Gentoo penguins don’t migrate. Many forage close to their colonies through the winter, while some forage further afield.

people walking on Wiencke Island

rocks and snow

bringing the kayaks and kayakers back after their excursion

the yellow kayak if for the guide

gentoos on the rock outcropping

One or more of the guides would give a briefing at the end of each day, sharing info in their area of expertise. They would also let us know the plan (subject to change) for the next day. I found these sessions, usually one a day while moving about, but several a day when at sea, to be very interesting and educational. The guides were also guides on each of the Zodiacs.

sunset in Antarctica

Tallinn ~ Cruise Stop #2

 Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia. Our goal at this cruise stop was to explore the Old Town of Tallinn because of its castle and medieval history. We used a Hop On Hop Off bus to get to Old Town, exploring on foot from there.

The origins of Tallinn date back to the 13th century, when a castle was built there by the crusading knights of the Teutonic Order. It developed as a major centre of the Hanseatic League, and its wealth is demonstrated by the opulence of the public buildings (the churches in particular) and the domestic architecture of the merchants' houses, which have survived to a remarkable degree despite the ravages of fire and war in the intervening centuries. ~ UNESCO

Toopea Castle

Old Town Tallinn is divided into two sections: the castle and church on Toompea Hill and the lower section of town housing the merchants' shops and homes. The HOHO bus stopped at Toompea Hill.

signage of the castle today

Toompea Castle is the seat of the Parliament of Estonia, the Rigikogu. The complex of the buildings of Toompea Castle is made up of the medieval fortress with its western wall and the Tall Hermann Tower, the Classicist palatial Province Government building from the 18th century, and the Expressionist-style Rigikogu Building in the castle courtyard. Toompea has been the seat of power in Estonia for 800 years. ~ Taken from signage at the castle

As we walked up the hill from the HOHO bus stop, this was our first glimpse of Toompea Hill, the cathedral.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

This richly decorated historicist mixed-style Orthodox church was completed in 1900 when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire. The church dates back to the Russification policy in the 19th century and was erected directly opposite Toompea Castle to demonstrate Russian supremacy. ~ Visit Tallinn

There was a church service in progress, so no photos were allowed. However, we could peek. OFD got one quick photo before we had to exit.

Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum

The round tower on the far right is an artillery tower built in 1475. It got its name "Peek into the Kitchen" because tower occupants could peek into the kitchens of nearby houses. 

Bartholomew "Praying Monk" 

one of the 3 Monk Sculptures in the Danish King's Garden

created by Simson von Seakyll (Aivar Simson) and Paul Mänd

and installed in the Danish Kings Garden in 2011

"Watching Monk" Claudius

"Waiting Monk" Ambroise

I am not certain when the fortification wall was built, but in 1311 it was the demarcation line between the lower town and Toompea. Residents could freely move from the lower town and the castle on the limestone hill. The towers were added during different time periods and under different ruling leaders.

Lesser Coat of Arms of Tallinn

Danish reign in northern Estonia lasted for nearly 100 years in the 13th century.  

According to an old legend, this is the spot where a flag descended from the sky during the Danish invasion, and it was this flag that turned the course of the battle in favour of King Valdemar II. Later, the flag became the national flag of Denmark. Every year on the 15th of June, Dannebrog or the Day of the Danish Flag is celebrated in the garden. ~ Visit Tallinn

We continued down the hill, walking narrow streets through archways to reach Old Town Square. 

St. Nicholas Church and Museum

geocaching at the museum

doors to the museum entrance

doors inside the museum

St. Nicholas Church was originally built as a Catholic church in the 13th century, became Protestant (Lutheran) in the 1500s, and was partially destroyed by Soviet bombing in WWII. The church has been restored, but is no longer an active church.

It is now a branch of the Art Museum of Estonia, focusing mainly on ecclesiastical art from the Middle Ages onward. It is also used as a concert hall. ~ Wikipedia

rather spooky looking!

The church is the concert hall because of its exceptional acoustics.

interesting and different sculpture on our walk to the square

The Eduard Vilde Monument

another squirrel moment

Old Town Square

There has been a town hall in Tallinn since at least 1322 and a town square next to it ever since then. The hall was rebuilt from 1402 to 1404 into its current form, and a Christmas tree display has been held in the square since 1441, making the Tallinn Christmas tree display over 580 years old. ~ Wikipedia

Tallinn Town Hall

This is the oldest surviving town hall in Northern Europe. First mentioned in 1322, the building history of Tallinn Town Hall goes back to the 13th century. The management of the city worked in the Town Hall until 1970. Today, the Town Hall functions as the ceremonial building of the city government. ~ Tallinn Town Hall

Finding the Chimney Sweep Monument was due to geocaching. It was erected in 2010 in the Savoy Hotel Square, not far from Town Hall Square.

our geocaching souvenir from Estonia

Women were selling bouquets of Lily of the Valley for 10 euros. They smelled so good.

I saw several of these concrete sculptures of birds (doves? pigeons?) while wandering in Old Town Tallinn. Most often I saw them along the city streets. Come to find out, they are placed as traffic barriers. But many of the tired tourists found them to be a place to rest, as there were no benches, and if you sat on a chair at a sidewalk cafe, you were expected to make a purchase, even if you were addressing a postcard to your grandkids.

These three were retired barriers, at least for now, in the Freedom Square.

And finally, scenes we saw while riding the HOHO to the pier and our ship.

Pirita Convent was a Bridgettine convent for both nuns and monks, located in the district of Pirita in Tallinn, Estonia. It functioned from 1407 to 1575 when it was looted and burned by Russian troops under the leadership of Ivan the Terrible. It was the largest convent in Medieval Estonia. Today, the grounds of the convent are used as a cemetery. ~ Wikipedia

(Wikipedia photo)

The four walls of the convent remain.

our ship backed into the pier, awaiting its passengers

"Wave,"  constructed of metal strips, is located near Old Port

There is so much more, places and history, that we saw during our time in Tallinn. It is a very interesting city and worthy of a longer visit.

Next: Riga, Port Stop #3