Alta Zietsman, a recent BSc Conservation Ecology graduate from Stellenbosch University, headed south this summer on South Africa’s S.A. Agulhas II collecting seabirds-at-sea information for BirdLife South Africa (BLSA). With the kind agreement of Taryn Morris of BLSA, Alta undertook to use ALSA’s camera to take photographs of her trip for the project’s use in flyers, posters and during talks. She also submitted the following report of her trip. Her next adventure is a year on Marion Island starting next month. Enjoy it Alta!
“Not many people get the chance to see the world of ice. For most of us on the 2015/2016 summer cruise it was the first time of visiting Antarctica on the S.A. Agulhas II and the sense of awe was noticeable. Even for those lucky individuals returning to the ice, there is something about the environment that still captivates one.
As a ship-based scientist one quickly learns that the time of day has no influence on whether work needs to be done. Shifts often start at midnight continuing well into the afternoon. As a birder (bird observer) on board you try and do as many daylight hour observations with days and shifts getting ever longer until we get 24-hour daylight. For a few days as you travel to Antarctica the only signs of wildlife you see are seabirds and the occasional whale blows that can be seen in the distance.
As a birder you quickly learn to classify birds by the way they fly. Albatrosses are the big Boeings gliding over the water and petrels and prions dash through the air like fighter jets. On board the research vessel there are various science operations taking place with oceanographers taking water samples and measurements and the “sealers” (seal scientists) bringing the ship to a halt in order to catch a seal and deploy a satellite tracker.
With the ship often getting stuck in the ice due to bad weather, games, movies and volleyball tournaments helped fill the days with crew members of the S.A. Agulhas II defending their title as reigning champions of the volleyball and soccer games.
With our stomachs a little bigger (thank you to the chef on board for his amazing pastries) we headed back to Cape Town with the returning SANAE 54 team and ship-based scientists all anxious to see their families after the time away. With the SANAE 55 year team settled into their new home on the continent we can all say until next time, with Antarctica always drawing people back to its scenic views.”
Feature photograph: the S.A. Agulhas II in the pack ice
Alta Zietsman, Volunteer, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 07 March 2016
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your blog?
My blog is in the exact same niche as yours and
my visitors would certainly benefit from a lot of the information you
provide here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Cheers!
If you can just mail me the images that you want use then I can check whose property it is and you can acknowledge it