Ice Meister

Yesterday, which was Thursday, December 7, 2006, Art was feeling better so we chased after some ice. In the early morning we went out to the Arthur Harbor shore,the north side of Palmer Station and took photos of all the ice that had been left by the overnight high tide. I bagged this gem.


I set it up on the rocks and took its picture from several angles. These pieces are amazingly sculptural and have different aspects on each side.


Same piece from the opposite side revealing its layers.


A little further down the same rock ledge I found a couple more.


I love the abstraction of these shots. there is a little algae on the rock which softens the Antarctica plant-bare landscape. I've hear that below the ice zone, about 10 meters down, there are thriving plant colonies, mainly kelp.




Half this piece if below the water. See the bubbles in the ice?


Ice textures.




In the afternoon we took out a Zodiac and went ice hunting. So many wonderful pieces in the water. We dallied in Arthur Harbor picking out various pieces, including this one. I wrapped the bow line around it and we pulled it out.


Loudwater cove with Mt. William in the background.


Tonight I cut the end off this piece and stood it up in the "photography studio" we set up in the container. Next post I'll put up some of the pictures we took.


The glacier at the back of Loudwater Cove. All of Anvers Island is covered with this glacier and it is immense. Too bad it's retreating fairly rapidly. This part of the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a 5ºC (9ºF) rise over the past 20 years. The glacier is reacting as you might expect.