FELIZ NAVIDAD

Posted on December 24, 2024 by bilyreid

Here it is. Another Christmas eve and it seems that my celebrations might be a bit delayed this year. Ran into a bit of bother on exiting Ushuaia after my Antarctic adventures. It’s a long story so let me back up a bit.

(Click twice for full screen)

USHUAIA, ARGENTINA

By chance encounter I ran into Santa Claus a few days ago near the South Pole. Seems he fell victim to some climate alarmism misinformation. Someone had told him of the Big Melt up in el Norte which saw his workshop sink into the Arctic Ocean. All his elves have drowned!! Bummer!!

So he was frantically trying to prepare for Christmas at his new location at the South Pole. He needed to replace his departed elves with new helpers. I volunteered to help Rudolph navigate his unfamiliar northern journey on Christmas eve. (Hey! I was once responsible for every gyroscope in the Royal Canadian Navy. Never let it be said that I gave anyone a bum steer!)

Everything seemed to be in order. Since there are no mammals in the Antarctic (and none are allowed), I offered to assemble a team of reindeer at his first northern chokepoint here in Ushuaia. That’s my problem.

Who knew it was a violation of Argentinian law to import reindeer into the Tierra del Fuego National Park? Who knew?? Bet Magellan never had this problem! I’m going to speak to Milei about this!!

Rudolph is currently in quarantine!

So I’m in bit of legal bother. I’m out on bail awaiting trial. Having made two transits of the dreaded Drake Passage, I feel I have enough street cred to hang out with old-time sailor men to pass the time and improve my Spanish. Most of it picked up watching “The Cisco Kid.” Two guys in tight pants and a committed relationship riding around old Mexico shooting up bad guys. What was not to like?? (“Ah Cisco,… ah Pancho!”). Mexico could sure use them today!! It’s about time someone took out the drug cartels!

(If Darwin served rum as good as this on the Beagle I’d have signed up for that expedition too!)

At my preliminary hearing, the judge said that upon conviction I was liable to ten years hard labour at Argentina’s old penal colony here in Ushuaia.

Having spent two summers working for CN Railways, I think I could fit in quite nicely. The sartorial style however leaves something to be desired. Hopefully it won’t come to that.

Of course if Santa doesn’t make the rendez-vous, at least through prison bars I can glimpse another bucket list triumph. Namely, to see three ships come sailing in on Christmas day in the morning!!

USHUAIA HARBOUR

Not giving up hope however. Worried by my continued absence, my neighbour’s precocious trilingual 4 year old back home sent me some words of encouragement yesterday promising me many Christmas treats. My best Christmas present so far!!

MUCHAS GRACIAS!!

(Ah the optimism of youth!! GEE, I HOPE HE’S RIGHT!!)

The final trick up my sleeve is the belief that Santa must make a stop here in Ushuaia to pickup his misplaced hat. If he can’t bust me out of here, no one can!! So if I’m with him tonight you can forget that cookies and milk nonsense. For me it’s a glass of Chateau la Tour ’48 and big hunk of stilton. If Santa doesn’t fill your stocking, don’t say you weren’t warned.

DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA!

Nothing left to do but wish all you folks up in el Norte a very Merry Christmas. However not wishing to offend my progressive betters with the traditional greeting, this year its in Spanish. Not just from the bottom of my heart. But this year, FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!

DEL FIN DEL MUNDO!!

PROSPERO ANNO E FELICITA!!

Take it away Jose! Can’t say it any better!!

(Turn up the volume!)

Posted in PEOPLE, TOURING | Comments Off on FELIZ NAVIDAD

PEALE’S DOLPHIN

Posted on December 24, 2024 by bilyreid

More cetacean life from the Drake Passage. At times pods of dolphin could be seen cavorting with joyful playfulness as they body surfed off our bow wave. After many failures with focus and settings, I finally got it right and managed to capture a full frame image of a Peale’s dolphin (all two metres of him!) completely suspended in flight. Magic!!

Posted in NATURE, TOURING, WILDLIFE | Comments Off on PEALE’S DOLPHIN

VINGT TROIS DECEMBRE

Posted on December 23, 2024 by bilyreid

It’s never Christmas in my world until I have heard this song at least once of a young Montreal boy eagerly contemplating the rapid approach of Christmas back in the 1960s. Now a Quebec classic.

“Parce que je voulais me faire passer pour Doug Harvey“

The Doug Harvey mentioned in the song was one of the most legendary players to have ever played the blue line back in the heyday of the NHL’s original six. The idol of many a young Canadien’s fan growing up back then. Addicted to booze from his early days in the Canadian navy during the war, towards the end of his life he was the security guard at the local race track and living in a railway caboose. All his Stanley Cup memorabilia sold off. Sad.

On se reverra le 7 Janvier!!

Posted in HISTORICAL, PEOPLE, TOURING | Comments Off on VINGT TROIS DECEMBRE

THAR SHE BLOWS!!

Posted on December 21, 2024 by bilyreid

Or how the early bird gets the worm! As we approach the Antarctic, both ice and cetaceans start to make an appearance in the old whaling waters of the Drake Passage. Early one morning I stood alone on the bow of the Ocean Endeavour and was rewarded with the capture of the following images. In our entire trip, I don’t think any one had a better whale encounter. Lucky me!!

HUMPBACK WHALE POD

THAR SHE BLOWS!!

(Click and reclick for full screen enlargement)

Near collision between ship and whale allows me to shoot a full frame image of this behemoth from the ship’s bow with a landscape lens!! Seemingly tempting me to jump overboard and ride it bareback Slim Pickens style down to shake hands with Captain Ahab in Davy Jones’ locker! (As an open water scuba diver in Asian and Australian waters, I’ve knocked on his door a couple of near fatal times. Fortunately he didn’t let me in!)

Riding whales bare back (almost as much fun as hunting submarines in the North Atlantic!). Where would I get that idea. Oh yeah. Kenai Fjord, Alaska! Killer!!

Posted in NATURE, TOURING | Comments Off on THAR SHE BLOWS!!

SEA LION POD

Posted on December 20, 2024 by bilyreid

A Sea Lion pod spices up our journey across the Drake Strait.

(click to enlarge views)

Do a double click on the head of the male. He seems a little pissed with our presence!

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on SEA LION POD

SOUTHERN FULMAR

Posted on December 20, 2024 by bilyreid

SOUTHERN FULMAR IN FLIGHT

This bird of the southern ocean is as graceful as it is handsome. Often seen trailing our ship. Click twice for full view

(click and reclick in sequence on image to enlarge to full screen view)

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on SOUTHERN FULMAR

A GENTOO PENGUIN TAKES FLIGHT

Posted on December 20, 2024 by bilyreid

A GENTOO PENGUIN CAUGHT AT THE MOMENT OF TAKEOFF

(Houston, we have lift off!)

Penguins compress air trapped inside the feathers of their flippers and body to become quite literally “jet propelled” when popping out of the water and leaving a trail of rocket bubbles in the water behind.

(Click (and sometimes reclick)) to expand any point in these images to enlarge)

FOLLOW THE LEADER

POLAR FACE PLANT PLUNGE TO END THE MANOEUVRE

Posted in BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY, NATURE, TOURING, WILDLIFE | Comments Off on A GENTOO PENGUIN TAKES FLIGHT

CRABEATER SEAL

Posted on December 19, 2024 by bilyreid

CRABEATER SEAL HAULED OUT ON A SMALL ICEBERG

(Click and reclick to enlarge)

Posted in LANDSCAPE IMAGES, NATURE, TOURING, WILDLIFE | Comments Off on CRABEATER SEAL

GATEWAY TO THE ANTARCTIC

Posted on December 19, 2024 by bilyreid

FIND THE ZODIAC

Hint (Click (and reclick) the image)

Posted in HISTORICAL, LANDSCAPE IMAGES, PEOPLE, TOURING | Comments Off on GATEWAY TO THE ANTARCTIC

RHYME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER UPDATE

Posted on December 16, 2024 by bilyreid

(Modern version. Or how I made friends with albatross. Don’t forget to click on images for a full screen view!)

One of the objectives of my recent southern peregination was to photograph as much of the abundant wildlife as possible. This meant many a lonely hour on the extreme stern of the good ship, the Ocean Endeavour, looking at the seabirds gliding back and forth searching for chopped up seafood in the wake of our propellers. Watching in amazement as albatross would glide silent and motionless above me. So close at times that I could almost touch their extended wing tips in the stone cold silence. Staring at each other in a dumbfounding wonderous amazement. Each asking of the other the age old question. “What the hell are you doing here??“

To say the least a humbling experience! Staring at the dark, tumultuous waters of the Drake Strait twenty feet directly below me and contemplating the fact that 400 years ago the old time sailor men (wooden ships and men of steel!) plyed this treacherous passage in diminutive wooden ships with canvas sail. A half world away from their native country. What did they think of their strange wildlife encounters?

THE LIGHT MANTLE ALBATROSS

RIME OF THE ANCYENT MARINERE

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE 1772-1834

How a Ship having passed the Line (equator) was driven by storms to the cold Country towards the South Pole; and of the strange things that befell; and in what manner the Ancyent Marinere came back to his own Country.

And now the STORM-BLAST came, and he

Was tyrannous and strong:

He struck with his o’ertaking wings,

And chased us south along.

With sloping masts and dipping prow,

As who pursued with yell and blow

Still treads the shadow of his foe,

And forward bends his head,

The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast,

And southward aye we fled.

And now there came both mist and snow,

And it grew wondrous cold:

And ice, mast-high, came floating by,

As green as emerald.

Iceberg three times the height of Notre Dame cathedral!

And through the drifts the snowy clifts

Did send a dismal sheen:

Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken—

The ice was all between.

The ice was here, the ice was there,

The ice was all around:

It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,

Like noises in a swound!

At length did cross an Albatross,

Thorough the fog it came;

As if it had been a Christian soul,

We hailed it in God’s name.

It ate the food it ne’er had eat,

And round and round it flew.

The ice did split with a thunder-fit;

The helmsman steered us through!

Good work Jeff!!

And a good south wind sprung up behind;

The Albatross did follow,

And every day, for food or play,

Came to the mariner’s hollo!

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,

It perched for vespers nine;

Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,

Glimmered the white Moon-shine.’

‘God save thee, ancient Mariner!

From the fiends, that plague thee thus!—

Why look’st thou so?’—With my cross-bow

I shot the ALBATROSS.

My new friend, the Light Mantle Alabatross, Drake Strait, Southern Ocean

(Not shot with a cross-bow…. but with a Nikon Z9 camera from a distance of 10 feet. Could a Disney cartoonist design a friendlier face?). Two other albatross species were seen in abundance but they were a little more camera shy. I doubt that the Ancient Mariner could have hit them with a crossbow. Click and reclick to enlarge the view).

BLACK-BROWED ALBATROSS

WANDERING/SNOWY ALBATROSS

Posted in BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY, HISTORICAL, NATURE, PEOPLE, TOURING, WILDLIFE | Comments Off on RHYME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER UPDATE