Antarctica, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil
Antarctica, Damoy Point
The next morning, the World Explorer used its Zodiacs to ferry us ashore to Damoy Point. We were making our way ever farther south. Damoy Point was once a transfer point that the British Antarctic Survey used to move personnel and supplies to their Rothera Research Station some 370 km (call it 230 miles) farther south. There was (and is, I suppose) a snow airstrip at the top of the hill that the Brits used when Rothera was iced in and the only way to get there was by air.
We were given the option of walking a loop around the point to get sea level views of the surrounding islands and the opportunity to view another penguin colony, or to walk up to the top of the ridge where the airstrip was, a climb in the snow of some 240 feet. Of course, I chose the airstrip.
There was nothing up at the airstrip—except, that is, for stunning views of the surrounding bays and islands. Check out these photos:
The World Voyager anchored in Dorian Bay, just to the northeast of Damoy Point on Wiencke Island. We again boarded our Zodiacs for a short ride to shore. Again, it was swing those legs (always toward the stern!) over the pontoon, put your feet in the water, and then step up to dry land. I made tracks for the airstrip. That involved a climb of over 240 feet in deep snow, but I’m glad I did it. The views from the airstrip were phenomenal!
Looking south from the airstrip, you’ll see the bay of Port Lockroy and tiny Goudier Island within it—it’s the one with 3 small buildings on it. Those buildings are Bransfield House—about which more in the next photo—a boat shed, and a generator building. The entire site is managed by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust to replicate the British scientific and exploration effort in the 1950s.
Beyond Port Lockroy is the south side of Wiencke Island and the spectacular mountains called the Seven Sisters of Fief.
The largest building on Goudier Island is Bransfield House, which contains the UK’s Base “A”, now a museum, a gift shop, and a working post office. This post office, sometimes called the “Penguin Post Office”, is the most southerly post office in the world. It handles about 70,000 pieces of mail a year, mostly post cards sent by visitors.
Northwest across the Neumeyer Channel from Wiencke Island and Damoy Point is Mount Français on Anvers Island. Mount Français, at 9268 feet tall, is the 4th highest mountain in the Antarctic Peninsula.
This is Doumer Island, which sits just over 2 km to the south and west of Damoy Point. The small mountain you see in the middle of the island is simply named Doumer Hill. It stands 1690 feet tall.
We were each given 1 hour to explore Damoy Point. Soon enough it was time to return to the World Voyager.