Three-Years Ago (31-December-2014) — Antarctica

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 15: Antarctic Peninsula.

I’ve never been this close to a whale before!!! It kept coming right up to and under our Polar Cirkel boat in Neko Bay.

Floating Ice in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/11, 1/180 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (© 2014 David J Mathre)
Floating Ice in Antarctica from the Deck of the MS Fram. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/11, 1/180 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CC. (© 2014 David J Mathre)
Minke Whale Swimming Under Our Polar Cirkel Boat in Neko Bay, Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Catpure One Pro 8, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CC 2104. (David J Mathre)
Minke Whale Swimming Under Our Polar Cirkel Boat in Neko Bay, Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Catpure One Pro 8, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CC 2104. (David J Mathre)
 (David Mathre)
(David Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (30-December-2014) — South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

Gone To See Antarctica 2014/5. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 14: South Shetland Islands.

Dark clouds at dawn (02:48 AM) over King George Island. From the deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dark clouds at dawn (02:48 AM) over King George Island. From the deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 100, 23 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sailboat Anchored Near the Argentine Research Station at Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands off Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/10, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sailboat Anchored Near the Argentine Research Station at Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands off Antarctica. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/10, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Old Wooden Boat Stuck in the Snow on Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands (North of the Antarctic Peninsula). Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Old Wooden Boat Stuck in the Snow on Half Moon Island in the South Shetland Islands (North of the Antarctic Peninsula). Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/16, 1/100 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 14: South Shetland Islands. (David Mathre)
Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 14: South Shetland Islands. (David Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (29-December-2014) — Antarctica

Gone To See Antarctica 2014/5. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage. Day 13: South Shetland Islands.

The south Atlantic seas and wind calmed considerable overnight. The skies were clear and bright blue. In the morning I was able to tour the bridge of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. As we approached Elephant Island I got this panoramic image using the in camera pano feature of the Fuji X-T1 camera. Since it was so calm, the captain of the ship allowed us to take the small Polarcirkel boats to land at Point Wild on Elephant Island. This was the desolate rocky beach where Ernest Shackleton’s crew survived for 4 months in 1916 while Shackelton managed to sail to South Georgia and ultimately assure their rescue. I assume that the Sheathbill’s and the Penguins would have been on the menu for the sailors during this time.

View from the bridge of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 160, 23 mm, f/2. 1/80 sec) Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
View from the bridge of the Hurtigruten MS Fram. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 160, 23 mm, f/2. 1/80 sec) Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Panoramic view of Elephant Island. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/16, 1/500 sec). In camera panorama. (David J Mathre)
Panoramic view of Elephant Island. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/16, 1/500 sec). In camera panorama. (David J Mathre)


Three-Years Ago (28-December-2014) — South Atlantic Ocean

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/5:  Day 13 – At Sea on the Hurtigruten MS Fram in the South Atlantic Ocean

The wind and waves were not as bad as the Hurtigruten MS Fram continued  traveling south and west from South Georgia to Antarctica. Still not many folks were up and around either in the observation deck or in the dining rooms. I didn’t take any sea-sick medication, and was doing fine as long as I kept eating the meals, and could view the horizon. The ship’s musician was playing Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale” on the piano in observation deck in the background during this short video clip recorded on a Leica T camera.

Three-Years Ago (27-December-2014) — South Atlantic Ocean

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/5:  Day 12 – At Sea on the Hurtigruten MS Fram in the South Atlantic Ocean

A 1 minute video from the observation deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram of the sea conditions while traveling between South Georgia and Antarctica. I didn’t get sick, but remember that there were not many folks in the dining room. I did notice that my GPS track for the day had about six times as many data points from all of the rocking and rolling. We were going into some really heavy head winds, which reduced the speed of the ship from about 15 knots to 7 knots.