Rescue on Hovgaard

From Anvers Island the Pelagic Australis took us south. First past Cape Renaud and its dual peak feature know as Una's Boobs, or something similar. Then through the Lemaire Channel, which is the waterway between the mainland and Booth Island.  This dramatic strait is only a km or so wide, with 800m peaks rising almost vertically either side. It is also known as Kodak Gap, but maybe SanDisk Strait would me a more appropriate modern name. The way was not so straight through due to a lot of ice filling the channel, but a bit of gentle barging through the brash ice got us through. Humpback and Minke whales and penguins were busy feeding all around.

 

We were dropped on the eastern shore of Hovgaard Island. The granite boulders were full of spherical crystals that looked like fossilized jellyfish. This was an easy afternoon ski tour – over the 350m ice dome, a very enjoyable time. We traversed over to the other side, where the boat was anchored for the next couple of days at Pleneau Island. As we were on the final descent a group of tourists from another yacht that we were moored up to were walking up the hill. We were on skis and had climbing equipment and ropes, so we were pretty safe in regards to crevasses.

 

There was a hearty meal and lots of wine. When I came out from a shower there was lots of activity, with people running around getting dressed. Apparently one of the fellows from the next door yacht had fallen down a crevasse and they couldn't get him out. So the three leaders with Rob the GP and Nick headed back up the hill and pulled him out after abseiling in, attaching a harness, and setting up a pulley type system to haul with. They brought him, Carl, a Swede, back down in a pulk. He was a bit hypothermic so we changed his wet clothes for warm dry textiles. The next issue was a large gash to his chin that went through to his gum. I gave him some local anaesthetic and washed it out so Rob could put in some sutures. Having climbers and doctors at hand proved rather beneficiary for Carl.

 

The next day was a rest day at Pleaneau. Some of us were zodiaced over to the island and I wandered amongst the Gentoo penuins, always trying to maintain the 5 metre separation rule, but sometimes it is hard when they are everywhere. When I was dive bombed by skuas I was probably a little too close to their nest, wherever it was. There were weddell seals sleeping on the rocks, and fur seals trying to look aggressive. Our search for supposed blue-eyed shag and Antarctic tern nesting sites proved fruitless. Tony and I kayaked back, really enjoying paddling amongst the icebergs, the turquoise aura of the lower 90% looking somehow inviting for a tropical island swim.