Archive for January, 2009

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Devils 4, Penguins 3, and wines from Spain and the Languedoc

January 31, 2009

For a variety of reasons to tedious to list, the Negress had not been to the Prudential Center to see her beloved New Jersey Devils at all this season. I had screamed on the couch, cursed to the heavens and wept copiously when all-Universe goalie Martin Brodeur tore a biceps tendon. But something is happening and we do know what it is, Mr. Clemmensen (apologies to all Bob Dylan fans). The Devils are winning. They are winning improbably. They are beating teams that are better than they are. They are doing it through some combination of alchemy, skill, timing and the poetic grace that emerges in hockey only when all the planets are aligned. The most recent games are an excellent example of how it’s been going. The Devils go to Boston on Jan. 30, put up up two goals, start to loosen their usual trapping style. Boston banged back to go up 3-2. With 1:45 left in the third period, Patrik Elias (who paid cash for his apartment in Hoboken where he goes unnoticed since Eli Manning is a neighbor) tied it up. The Negress screeched at home and finished off some Castello di Borghese 2002 Cabernet Franc. The wine was pretty much past its prime, but got the job done. With 1:11 gone in overtime, Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner scored for a 4-3 victory. He is our Master and Commander of late.  That was his fourth goal in two games.

Hockey’s dailiness is not like baseball, and as I hiked through the Gateway complex on my way to the Rock, the Negress was worried. Pittsburgh had beaten the crap out of the Rangers a couple of days is back, and they have Sidney Crosby, who seems to be on his way to becoming the most hated superstar in recent memory. The Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury had also been solid between the pipes. However, when it was 2-1 at the end of the first period, the Negress felt good. Early in the third, the Pens went up 3-1 thanks to Crosby’s fellow sniper Evgeni Malkin. If an entire arena could sag, you could feel it at the Rock. But 40-year old Brendan Shanahan and Oh Captain Our Captain tied it up. Langenbrunner’s goal came with 31 seconds left in regulation. A minute into OT, Langenbrunner beat Fleury and it was 4-3, eighth consecutive win and jubilation all around. The Devils play Washington with another young superstar Alexander Ovechkin on Tuesday night. It’s on Versus. Even if you know nothing about hockey tune in and feel the magic or whatever.

Celebration was in order so I stopped at a boite two blocks from home for some celebratory wine. Marco and Pepe is a great place and has a nice selection of wines by the glass that cost about $7. First up was 2007 Vina Borgia Garnacha, a lush, slightly sweet wine with smooth tannins and some charm. Moving up geographically, my second glass was a 2006 Lorval Pinot Noir from Languedoc-Roussillon. A tasty, well-resolved pinot from a French region whose quality improves exponentially with each vintage. I walked home feeling good.

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Antarctica: the end

January 17, 2009

We are all in wind down mode with a few heading to bed early last night anticipating a rough night. It wasn’t too bad but I was glad I had taken medication. The call came over the ship’s PA to remind us there was a half hour left for breakfast. We found out more things about sea ice and the differences between the Poles (take home message: North is sea surrounded by continents; South is continent surrounded by sea). Brownyn, our Tasmanian geologist, showed us some interesting characteristics of sea ice from her honors research at the Australian Antarctica station. Damien talked about the mass slaughter of whales and seals during the peak years of economic exploitation of the continent.

Andy, ozzie passenger, Kate and Bronwyn relaxing

Andy, ozzie passenger, Kate and Bronwyn relaxing

For me, it’s as though I know I have to wake up and get away from this dream and back to the life I am starting to know. Without being too bloody literary, this trip marks an end and a beginning. After 28 years in daily print journalism, something new is about to happen.

I brought along some musical favorites this trip. The first items to be deleted were three volumes of Phil Collins era Genesis. No great loss. I also managed to download Sufjan Stevens’ “Seven Swans” twice. Ooops. Favorite good night albums, “Raising Sand” with Alison Krauss and Robert Plant and “Release the Stars” by Rufus Wainwright. Lyric of the day: “I’m so tired of America” from “Going to A Town” by Rufus Wainwright. Perhaps there’s a new America waiting when I get back.

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Antarctica: Deception Island and the Polar Plunge

January 17, 2009

It’s Wednesday, but it could be any day and it has been day pretty much since we left Ushuaia.

We – actually Captain Alexei, fresh from a sauna with the Ukrainians – navigated the channel into Port Foster on Deception Island. The island is a caldera, a large depression left by volcanic eruption, and it still cooling and erupting on about a 40-year cycle. There’s a chinstrap penguin rookery at the top of the island, and the buildings, tanks and other artifacts from a whaling station there that operated through the 20s. Not surprisingly, the bay is named Whaler’s Bay.

remains of whaling station on Deception Island

remains of whaling station on Deception Island

There were a few chinstraps on shore, but this morning was a wet and wild one. Besides the kayakers taking a nice tour of the bay, it was also time for the Polar Plunge, for which people stripped out of parkas, waterproof pants and other layers down to bathing suits and dove in off the black sand beach. All those who did it loved it and had their pictures immortalized on the wall by the purser’s office at lunch.

Our last landing of the trip will be at Half Moon Island in the South Shetlands before we headed back into the Drake Passage to Ushuaia. There were more chin

Seal lazing on Deception Island

Seal lazing on Deception Island

straps at Half Moon as well as one lazing seal. I walked up to a low ridge (plantar fasciitis update: Still the same. Doctor’s intervention may finally be needed) and looked around at some of the rookeries. We caught the Zodiacs back to the boat, washed and disinfected our boots and then handed them over. I showered with my waterproof pants and realized that our time here was about to end. We entered the Drake Passage later in the evening. The ride was rough, but not nearly as bad as when we came down. I had lost track of the days. So I pretty much packed up everything, forgetting we had two more days to go before returning to Ushuaia.

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Antarctica: Petermann Island and Port Lockroy

January 17, 2009

Tuesday was a day that didn’t proceed entirely as planned. After breakfast, we were told we had about 25 minutes to get into parka, boots and gear for the Zodiac ride to Petermann Island, a site of another colony of gentoos and a few Adelies as well. It’s also where French Captain Jean-Baptiste Charocot sailed his ship, the Pourquoi Pas, to overwinter. He also named a southwest cove on the island Port Circumcision because it was discovered on Circumcision Day. I would have been able write about Petermann Island in more detail if I hadn’t shut my eyes “for a minute” only to awaken to a PA announcement about two people not signing back in after the trip.

Anyway, after lunch we sailed to Port Lockroy and Jougla Point. Port Lockroy is home to Base A, which has been turned into a museum and the southernmost British post office with a gift shop whose proceeds benefit the Antarctic Heritage Trust. There are nesting gentoos all around the base buildings.

in the shadow of Port Lockroy

in the shadow of Port Lockroy

Also, there’s Goudier Island, which is also a gentoo rookery and has the remains of some whales during the mass slaughter of those animals.

Skua in wait for lunch on penguin chick

Skua in wait for lunch on penguin chick

The trip was delightful and we were greeted by Rick Atkinson in his orange coveralls. He was spattered with paint from doing some repairs and greeted us warmly. Most of the tour ships plying these waters stop at Port Lockroy. They also stop at Verdansky, a base that the British sold to the Ukrainians for $1 rather than have to dismantle it and haul every bit of it away. Verdansky features homemade vodka and free drinks for any woman who will remove and leave behind a bra. I slept while some of our little band visited. I consider that drinking with the Estonians, which I had done with great success, was plenty for me and former Soviet republics.

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Antarctica: Useful Island and Neko Harbour

January 17, 2009

This was quite a day as using my trekking poles proved a great help. We didn’t stay long at Useful Island, named for its utility for surveying and navigation. There was some hiking to be done, more gentoo penguins, and the views in the Gerlache Strait, which features mountains and glaciers galore on either side.

Penguins on parade

Penguins on parade

Tonight (Jan. 5, 2009) some of the group are ice camping. Since we had to arise at 5 a.m. for the Useful expedition, I don’t think any of them will have trouble falling asleep. The temperature may have been as high as 40 degrees Fahrenheit today. It never gets above 50 down here even in peak summer. I added a date to this post because I would have no idea what day it is otherwise.

another day in Antarctica

another day in Antarctica

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Antarctica: Mikkelson Island

January 17, 2009

Our first stop today was Mikkelson Island. I managed to find the snow with my butt four times  — twice with the assistance of the expedition crew — once I first tried walking around the island. There is a significant gentoo penguin colony there, a small hut with the Argentinean flag painted (there’s a lot of putting flags on things in Antarctica, kind of like dogs marking their territory) on the side, plus the remains of an outhouse some meters away. We saw several Weddell seals laying on the land, and one baby elephant seal. Even more of a surprise was seeing a pair of chinstrap penguins in this colony of gentoos. The penguins all get along, so it’s not a problem. However, our expedition leader, Brandon, pointed out that some of the gentoos were nesting too late to hatch viable chicks. Also, the skuas, a penguin predator bird, were hovering over the penguins hoping to snatch chicks and eat them if the penguins dropped their guard. The penguin chattered by way of warning, but the skuas usually do find their prey at some point.

Penguin and Argentinean hut

Penguin and Argentinean hut

Away from the hut on the other side of the small island are whale bones, remains from a pre-1900 whaling operation. There are boats as well as the huge bones from when the whalers would haul their catch to shore and process them on the beach. The practice stopped when the whalers realized they were losing as much as 30 percent of the oil from leaving whale bits behind. Thus, factory whaling, with on-ship processing, was born.

Whale bones on Mikkelson Island

Whale bones on Mikkelson Island

Some of our gang went kayaking. I was envious but realized I really do need to work on my kayaking skills so I can do that on some other trip. I love it, but not this time.

Anyway, the pizza and pasta bar calls for lunch. I skipped breakfast (slept very well after some extraordinary Glen Kiln single malt Speyside Scotch and a bit of wine) so I’m ready to eat. I missed the Cierva Cove Zodiac cruise sleeping of the aches from falling.

By the way, here’s our baby elephant seal, who is very cute.

Blondes do have more fun in this case

Blondes do have more fun in this case

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Antarctica: Brown Bluff and Paulet Island

January 17, 2009

It’s January 3rd 2009  and we’ve been on the Zodiacs a couple of times today. The first outing was right after breakfast and we circled our intended landing spot at Brown Bluff spotting penguins porpoising (just as it sounds) and lazing on icebergs. We also saw some pintados, my favorite of the Arctic birds, riding the currents around the island.

There were hundreds of thousands onshore, but there were too many icebergs to consider landing the Zodiacs. So we tooled around, looked at ice formations up close and returned to Ocean Nova after n hour and a half or so. We had lunch, and then set off for Paulet Island, another rookery for the Adelie penguins. The Zodiacs came ashore on a rocky beach and there were Adelies as far as the eye could see with their fuzzy gray young. Also, further up on the island were the remains of the hut occupied by a group of Swedish explorers from 1901-1904. You can’t touch it – and it was too far up the hill for the wounded foot to carry me – but stands as a testament to how determined the initial Antarctic explorers were.

Were were outnumbered by these guys

Were were outnumbered by these guys

One of the best sights of this excursion was seeing members of the crew, who are mostly Filipinos, standing on land at the island. For many of them, this is their first trip and it was delightful to see them mimicking the penguin waddle.

Describing what’s around you is tricky. There is no place else on Earth like it. The Negress has been to Alaska, the Rockies, Scandinavia, New Zealand and a few other gorgeous places, but none compare to here.

Anyway, it’s tea time here on the Ocean Nova. Like we didn’t just eat. I’m sticking to hot beverages and maybe painkillers later.

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Antarctica: Leaving the Drake

January 17, 2009

We are officially in Antarctica and are headed towards the South Shetland Islands, which I suspect are pony and sheepdog-free. Now that we’re out of the Drake Passage, the seas have calmed considerably so people we haven’t seen for a couple of days have re-emerged to public quarters. I found what is possibly the coziest place on the ship, the Aft lounge known as the Library. It has neatly stowed books and a lovely view of the seabirds who like to glide on the winds we kick up in our passing. There were some long-distance whale sightings this morning (at this point, it is always morning as we now are in the 24 hours of daylight zone) before breakfast but I wasn’t yet upright. I’m sure there will be more to come. We also found out about zodiac etiquette and proper boot fit, cleaning and storage. There is guano all over the place on land, and it carries toxins (histoplasmosis, anyone?) so the boots must be cleaned and disinfected before we get back on board.

We also have to have enough medications if we are stranded so I’ll pack a day’s supply shortly This morning after the briefing, Sean told us how to identify whales and the types of whales in this area (no Beluga, but Southern Rights, Minkies, and pilot fins

These birds are named for the markings on their wings

These birds are named for the markings on their wings

are around). Sean (pronounced Shann) is Scottish via New Zealand so he’s an agreeable sort. Our staff is a mix of Australians, Kiwis, Canadians and what have you. All look like adventure travel people everywhere – tan, a bit scruffy but cute and full of love for what they do. Our leader did admit over breakfast that after eight seasons, he’s ready to stand down and have a family and stay put someplace. I can understand that although I often think expatriate living would be something I’d be up for. I always think that until I get home.

I’ve tried taking a few pics of the seabirds, but they’re faster than my camera. More luck later perhaps. Here’s one example.

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Antarctica:The Drake day two

January 17, 2009

Come morning, we were still rocking and rolling in the Drake and I made it to a bacon-y vacation breakfast with weak tea and water. There was a lecture by the ship’s ornithologist about the various birds we would see along the way, and we did see several albatross, petrels and sheathbills following in the boat’s wake. Seas were rough enough that lunch service became a sandwich, apple and water delivered to your cabin. I went back below after the bird lecture and laid down for a bit with my earbuds in. Good decision. I have been regularly taking the seasickness meds and they make you drowsy. So a nap was in order. It was a good nap indeed. I went to the evening briefing and entered my pick in the iceberg sighting pool. Dinner (without wine this time) came and went and now I’m in the library at the stern of the ship watching birds chase us and writing this.

This is when the water was calmer

This is when the water was calmer

We had the pleasure of having several college students from Michigan State, Penn State and Iowa studying various Antarctica-related topics. This dropped the average age of cruise participants precipitously, and was welcome. A hearty “fur seal” out of to all of them, You have to pronounce “fur seal” as though you are a Norwegian bachelor farmer.

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Antarctica: Ushuaia National Park and at sea in the Drake Passage

January 17, 2009

After feeding and scavenging for food and souvenirs in Ushuaia (I forgot to buy a vowel up until now), we boarded the Ocean Nova. After figuring that it was an hour earlier in Ushuaia than Buenos Aires, the Negress spent the morning touring the National Park near Ushuaia. There is no place on earth like Tierra del Fuego in spite of hare-brained schemes to introduce rabbits and beavers into the landscape, it remains breathtaking. The Andes and various glacial channels and lakes are amazing and here’s a pic to prove it:

Beagle Channel, Ushuaia National Park

Beagle Channel, Ushuaia National Park

There’s a little train that wanders through a bit of the park, and there are even locals dressed as prisoners to commemorate the labor that built the thing, which is a little icky but one guesses a job is a job. While some people on our tour rode the train, the rest of us went to the shore of the Beagle Channel, an absolutely stunning convergence of water and land. There’s a tiny post office there where you can mail things from el Fin del Mundo. The little shack was mobbed by people wanting postcards and passport stamps. Better yet, some people had family taking pictures of their Mom Dad or child getting the stamp from a guy with a bushy handlebar mustache and crazy sideburns.

I did a little shopping near a lakefront. There’s so much to take in and I slept much of the way back to town. I ate lunch with some of my future companions on the ship.

Upon boarding the Ocean Nova, the crew took our passports and got us sorted into our cabins. It was New Year’s Eve and champagne was offered at an early reception. This was the beginning of a series of choices that the Negress made that led to a poor outcome. We were gliding through the Beagle Channel, with relatively peaceful waters while the crew and the doctor on-board briefed us on what was to come.

What was to come was the Drake Passage, where all of the Atlantic and Pacific weather fronts swirl together in open water.  Think of it as the womb for world weather. The Nova holds  about 100 passengers and a crew of 31, so it feels every move of the ocean. We sat down to dinner and things were pretty calm so I had a glass of Frascati. I popped upstairs to the Panorama Lounge, figuring on a beer to ring in the New Year. I had the Beagle blond. The sea started to rock ‘n’ roll and I decided to head below to make sure the computer wasn’t getting tossed about.

Upon arriving in lovely Cabin 316, the computer was secured and I vomited very efficiently into the toilet, rinsed my mouth out and lay down. I slept fine and realized that even a sommelier in training has to call it quits every now and then.

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