The Gerlache Strait

After we left Neko Harbour, we continued along the Gerlache Strait – a passage that runs between the Antarctic Peninsula and the islands off its coast.  It’s a really stunning passage for sure.  Every now and again you’d see glaciers going by, and mountains beyond mountains in the background in both directions.

On the right-hand side they were continuous, and on the left they were broken up (as islands), but so close together you’d almost think you were cruising along an Antarctic river.

After a while the islands began to disappear and I knew we were about to leave Antarctica and head into the Drake.  It was sad to see it all go – we have sea ice all around us still, but no land. 

 

It’s really hard to believe my time in Antarctica is already over, and before I know it I’ll be back to my daily routine in Athens.  In some ways I’m looking forward to some normalcy, and I’m excited to see what my data tells me.  But at the same time, I know I’m leaving behind a continent that I definitely fell in love with.  I will be back for sure – the question is how long it will take me.  I won’t speculate on that, since my family I’m sure is already freaking out at the prospect of it, but I’ve got time to make plans for more science here.

It’s hard to tell what the general feeling of everyone on board is.  I know many of us are missing the ice and Palmer Station.  Some seem ready to be back home – I’m sure the winter-over crewmembers we’re taking back are definitely ready to see people again.  But I feel like part of them will miss the last three months they’ve had together.  I can only imagine how strange it will be when they get home by themselves, and how much they will struggle to describe their experiences with loved ones.  I know I have trouble describing mine, and I was only there 10 days.  At least I have pictures – that certainly helps explain the sights.  But I guess there’s really no way to explain the feelings and the people.