Browning Peninsula and Peterson Island

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend away from the station, at the Browning Peninsular.  We left after work on the Friday (26^th November) and headed out in one of the Hagglunds.  It’s a three and a half hour ride in the Hag, a noisy, and constantly bumpy track across the snow and ice.  I was actually a little surprised as to how uncomfortable the vehicle was to travel in.  I always imagined they’d ride the bumps a little better.  For those who are interested, it’s not actually a “skid steer”.  It’s an articulated vehicle, relying on a couple of hydraulic rams between the units.  So while it looks like cab and trailer, one can’t work without the other.  (The AAD are currently in the process of changing out all the old Merc motors, and replacing these with Cummins diesels.  Thought you’d be interested Dad.)

Looking North from Peterson Channel

Motherway Island in the background - at this stage still joined to the mainland by sea ice.  Herring Island and the other Windmill Islands in the background.

The Americans planted their flag on Peterson island in the late 40's.  There's some interesting stories of the time.  The Americans had some belief in there being a German base in Antarctica.  They sent two consignments south to seek them out...  The Windmill Hills, and the High Jump operations.  The bits and pieces I browsed read like some science fiction/conspiracy theory.  Flying saucers, underground bunkers, suicides, mental asylums.

It's hard to see too much, but the small black specks are the penguins coming down to enter the water.

Adeli Penguins - you can see the small rock mounds they form as nests.  The one to the left of screen is turning the eggs she's sitting upon.

Peterson "Mellon".  See the straight, red bit in the middle, the "Apple's" don't have these - hence a "Mellon" for this one.

Looking out to sea towards Motherway Islands and the other Windmill Islands in the background.

The Vanderfold Glacier meets the sea.  At a guess these cliffs would be about 40-50 meters high.  But like I said earlier, heights and distances are so deceiving down here.

Southern end of Peterson Island in the background.  Fel demanded I put at least one photo of me up.

Vanderford Glacier once more.

And another - you could look at it all day.

Browning hut is a neat, purpose built cabin which can sleep six.  Four is squashy, so six would only be realistic in the case of an emergency.  Bunks are at one end, the kitchen in the middle, a short table and bench seats, and a cold porch (air lock) at the other end.  You’ll notice it’s designed as a tow behind sled – as most off station buildings tend to be.  An interesting side comment…  The AAD, as with most organisations with buildings in the Antarctic, spend a great deal of energy and time clearing bliz tails (the build up of snow on the lea side of a building) from buildings.  When a building is elevated up off the ground the wind passes beneath the structure, and there is no resulting bliz tail.  I don’t understand why, but the bulk of new construction continues to be on the ground.  Possibly due to the structural considerations needed for elevating building.  However, New Zealand have elevated almost their entire camp, and I’m told have little problem with snow build-up round station.

Browning Hut

Sea Ice Breaking Away

The landscape on the way down to Browning Peninsula is pretty featureless.  At some points along the way the white plains spread as far as the eye can see.  You reach a high point of just over 500m before starting the gradual decent back down to sea level.  The view to the south is amazing.  The first glimpses of the Vanderford Glacier are deceptive.  Surface definition, even at the best of times is deceptive.  You begin to imagine how far away a feature is, only to then be able to put it into context with another - often blowing  your estimate out of the water.

Saturday night was spent at the Peterson Island Melon.  (You’ll see this on map three of five – approx . 781.301, this should be accessible from the AAD website, and will try for a link in the coming few days)  There are many colonies of Adeli Penguins about Peterson Island.  We were hoping also to see some seals, but it is still a little early for the Elephant seals.  We did hear one though. 

We walked from the Browning Peninsular across to Peterson Island.  While sea ice travel has now been closed by management, some channels are still open.  The ice was still well over a meter deep, and appeared to be well locked in between the two bodies of land.  It’s amazing how much can change over such a short period though.  We sat and watched penguins diving from the sea ice in the evening, only to return to the same spot in the morning and find the ice had broken back another 100m or so.  Between the tides, swell and currents, the ice can change rapidly.