Monday 3 December 2012

Almost in Paradise

“Sliding into the arms of Paradise” was the motto of the first half of our day. The snow covered slope behind the Argentine station Almirante Brown in Paradise Harbor invited us to walk up and slide down. Some wanted more of paradise, walked up once more and … “juhuuu” with hands up in the air. Of course, all that again in bright sunlight and literally no wind. Towards the end of the landing a Chilean Twin Otter flew by, greeted us, and again lots of hands were up in the air waving back.


Out of Paradise Bay we headed straight to the Neumeyer-Channel. This very scenic channel led us to Port Lockroy. The staff of the base on Goudier Island welcomed us very friendly and had museum, post office and shop open for us. A part of the island was surrounded by icebergs and icy bits with fantastic shapes.

Later in the evening a big iceberg really blocked our planned way. It was placed like a cork in the narrow part of Lemaire Channel. The late evening sun was shining into the channel and let the steep mountain flanks, up to 1000m high, aglow. There was absolutely no way around this iceberg possible, so we had to turn around, leave Lemaire Channel to the North again and take a different route outside the islands to continue further South.