Globe Trekker (1994) s14e07 Episode Script
Antarctica
1 FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY SUBARU.
AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE STANDARD AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF "GLOBE TREKKER.
" IF YOU VISIT THIS PLACE, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE HAUNTED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BY ITS NATURAL BEAUTY.
IT'S THE COLDEST, WINDIEST, MOST ISOLATED PART OF OUR PLANET.
WELCOME TO ANTARCTICA! ANTARCTICA IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S 7 CONTINENTS AND IS ITS FIFTH LARGEST.
I'LL BE SAILING DOWN THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA, JUST A TINY PART OF THIS MASSIVE CONTINENT THA IS BIGGER THAN EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA AS A LAND MASS.
I TRAVEL FROM CUVERVILLE ISLAND TO PARADISE HARBOR AND OVER TO THE U.
K.
's PORT LOCKROY.
NEXT, IT'S ON TO VERNADSKY STATION, AND I CLIMB MOUNT SCOT BEFORE RETURNING NORTH TO THE U.
S.
A.
's PALMER STATION.
LASTLY, I CROSS THE DRAKE PASSAGE TO ARRIVE AT CAPE HORN IN CHILE.
MY JOURNEY BEGINS IN THE WATERS OFF CUVERVILLE ISLAND ON THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA.
I HAVE TRAVELED THIS FAR ON BOARD THE GOOD SHIP AKADEMIK IOFFE, NEVER TOO FAR FROM A HOT SHOWER OR A CATERED MEAL.
ALL THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE AS I BOARD A 60-FOO AUSTRALIAN-MADE YACHT, THE SPIRIT OF SYDNEY.
WELCOME ABOARD SPIRIT OF SYDNEY.
THANK YOU.
MY HOSTS ARE ITS OWNERS AND CO-CAPTAINS CATH HEW AND DARREL DAY.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
COME ON IN.
NOT BAD.
OK.
RIGHT THROUGH THIS WAY.
THIS IS YOUR BUNK UP HERE, ZAY.
NICE.
THANK YOU.
AH, YEAH.
I'M ON TOP, BABY! WELL, THIS IS MY HOME FOR THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS IF ALL GOES WELL.
GOT ANY STANDING ROOM HERE, DARREL? OH, YEAH.
THAT WILL WORK.
I MAY BE PAYING MY WAY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME EXEMPT FROM ON-BOARD DUTIES.
ON A BOAT THIS SIZE, EVERYONE IS CALLED UPON TO ACT AS CREW.
WHEN YOU SEE THE BIG PIECE OF CHAIN STARTING TO ROLL OVER THE BLACK ROLLERS A THE END, JUST SLOW DOWN AND TAP IT JUST LIKE THAT.
AS A LANDLUBBER WHO DOESN' KNOW HIS PORT FROM STARBOARD, I NEED TO BE SHOWN THE ROPES.
FIRST JOB, WEIGHING ANCHOR.
OK.
STOP IT.
NOT AS EASY AS IT SEEMS.
DON'T EVER GE YOUR HANDS NEAR THE CHAIN, OR YOU'LL BE, UH, FINGERLESS.
OK.
LET'S SEE IF I HAVE ANY BETTER LUCK GETTING THE SAILS UP.
OK.
GO, GO.
GO, GO, GO! AND IT'S OFF WE GO.
PIECE OF CAKE THIS SAILING.
SO FAR ANYWAY.
THERE ARE 3 OTHER PASSENGERS ON BOARD, WHO HAVE ALL SAVED UP FOR YEARS FOR THEIR OWN SPECIAL ADVENTURE.
PROFESSIONALLY I'M INTERESTED IN THE ANTARCTIC BECAUSE I'M AN OCEANOGRAPHER, BUT I ALSO FANCY MYSELF A BI OF AN ADVENTURER, AND IT'S A GREAT ADVENTURE.
I'M NOT A CITY PERSON A ALL, SO HENCE THAT'S WHY, YEAH, I CAME DOWN, AND MY FRIENDS WERE LIKE, "YOU'RE WHAT?" BUT, YEAH, I LIKE GETTING AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
DARREL AND CATH ARE IN CHARGE OF KEEPING THEIR PASSENGERS HAPPY AND SAFE.
I WASTE NO TIME IN ASKING THEM WHAT LIES AHEAD.
SO, CATH, HOW IS I DIFFERENT SAILING HERE THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DEALING WITH MORE WIND, YOU'RE DEALING WITH ICE, YOU'RE DEALING WITH MORE UNCERTAIN WEATHER, BUT ONE OF THE WORST THINGS IS THESE FELLAS.
YEAH.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE SUPER VIGILANT.
YOU CAN NEVER RELAX YOUR GUARD.
PEOPLE DON' OFTEN HIT ICEBERGS.
PEOPLE HIT GROWLERS, THE LITTLE CHUNKS THAT ARE ABOU THIS BIG THAT BREAK OFF, AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY'LL ACTUALLY SUBMERGE UNDER THE WATER, AND THEN THEY'LL POP BACK UP AGAIN.
THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM, IT'S GONNA BE A GROWLER.
SO WHAT PRECAUTIONS DO YOU GUYS HAVE TO TAKE BEFORE COMING DOWN HERE? I'VE GOT TO THINK OF EVERY TINY POSSIBLE SCENARIO THA CAN GO WRONG AND MAKE SURE I'VE GOT THE TOOLS AND THE PARTS ON BOARD TO FIX THA AND GET US ALL HOME SAFELY.
FROM CUVERVILLE ISLAND, WE SAIL ON 4 HOURS TO PARADISE HARBOR.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST SECLUDED PLACES FOR YACHTS TO DROP ANCHOR ALONG THE PENINSULA, AND JUST LIKE I IMAGINED, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES HERE.
YEAH.
LOOK AT THAT.
THIS IS AWESOME.
HEE HEE HEE! WE SETTLE DOWN FOR MY VERY FIRST ANTARCTIC BARBECUE.
ALL OUR FOOD IS CARRIED WITH US ON THE YACHT, SO IT'S BEST TO EAT FRESH VEGETABLES EARLY ON IN THE TRIP.
DARREL HAS GOT SOME URGENT REPAIRS TO SEE TO.
WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE, DARREL? AH.
WE WERE JUST COMING THROUGH THEY BAY THERE.
A LOT OF BRASH ICE AROUND, AND THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ON WATCH MISSED ONE, AND THIS IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN, YOU KNOW? WE'VE TAKEN QUITE A GOOD HI HERE THAT'S PROBABLY PUSHED THE BOAT IN ABOUT 3 CENTIMETERS IN, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S POPPED THE OUTER FILLER OFF THE OUTSIDE.
IS IT SERIOUS? I'M GOING TO TRY AND SEAL IT TO TRY AND STOP ANY OF THE WATER PENETRATING FURTHER IN THERE.
THE ENORMITY OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT LIES AHEAD IS ONLY JUS STARTING TO SINK IN.
THAT ONE TIME.
HA HA HA! OH, YEAH.
THAT IS A SIGHT TO WAKE UP TO, HUH? THEY CALL THIS PARADISE HARBOR, AND IT'S NOT HARD TO SEE WHY.
ANTARCTIC ICE IS THE PURES FORM OF WATER ON THE PLANET, AND THE ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET IS THE ICEBERG FACTORY OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO ADMIRE IT THAN OUT ON THE WATER IN A KAYAK? IF I CAN ONLY GE INTO THIS DRY SUIT.
BY THE LOOKS, MY KAYAK IS ALSO A TIGHT SQUEEZE.
ALL RIGHT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE TO USE THE BATHROOM? HEH HEH.
BAD LUCK.
HANG ON.
ALL RIGHTIE.
GOOD TO GO, ZAY.
YEE-HA! WOW! THIS IS IT.
I'M OUT HERE DOING IT.
HOW ABOUT THESE FOR ANTARCTIC CONDITIONS, HUH? IT'S SO QUIET.
IT'S AMAZING.
I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY PERSON THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
APART FROM THESE GUYS OF COURSE, MY FELLOW PASSENGERS.
THERE'S CATH AND KAREN THERE.
I'M JUST GONNA CATCH UP WITH THEM.
AND HE SLIDES IN TO HOME BASE.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON? WELL, BASICALLY, THIS GLACIER'S FLOATED OU AS AN ICE TUNNEL.
ALL OF THAT'S REALLY UNSTABLE AND READY TO FALL OFF.
UNLIKE 50 YEARS AGO WHEN ANTARCTIC PENINSULA GLACIERS WERE ACTUALLY GROWING, RECENTLY COLLECTED DATA TELLS A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.
UP TO 90% ARE SHRINKING AND RAPIDLY.
THERE WE GO.
LOOK! OH, OH, HERE.
YEAH.
OH, THERE'S ONE.
WHOOSH.
THIS REGION HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF WARMING IN THE WORLD.
ON A SUNNY DAY LIKE TODAY, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE GLACIER CALVE OR BREAK UP BEFORE OUR VERY EYES.
OH, THERE'S A NEW ONE.
THERE'S MORE! OH, THREE'S A BIG ONE.
OK.
SHOULD WE TURN OUR KAYAKS? YEAH.
YEAH? WE GONNA GET A LITTLE WAVE HERE? WOW! HERE COMES THE WAVE.
HERE COMES THE WAVE.
LET'S JUST FACE INTO IT, KAREN.
FACE INTO IT? POINT YOUR KAYAK INTO THE WAVE.
YEAH? ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS REALLY SCARY ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE MORE THEY FALL, THE CLOSER THE BIG--OHH! HEY! OHH! FACE IT? WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT DO WE DO? HA HA HA! FACE THE WAVE.
I'M FRIGHTENED, MAN.
THIS IS A BIG WAVE COMING.
HA HA! OH, MY GOD.
THIS IS NUTS.
OH, MY GOD.
FACE THE WAVE, EVERYBODY.
THAT WAS THE BIG--THE WHOLE SHELF JUST FELL.
OH, MY GOD.
WHAT DO WE DO? ALTHOUGH THE SWELL FROM THE FALLING ICE LOOKS REASONABLY GENTLE, ITS SHEER FORCE COULD CAPSIZE US.
MY HEART IS POUNDING RIGHT NOW.
HA HA! THEY SAY YOU'VE GOT 30 MINUTES TO LIVE IF YOU FALL IN THE OCEAN DOWN HERE, AND THAT'S WEARING ONE OF THESE HIGH-TECH DRY SUITS.
UGH.
TIME TO BEAT A HASTY RETREAT.
HA HA! RAAR! WITH WEATHER LIKE THIS, IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR WILDLIFE WATCHING, AND A SHORT HOP FROM PARADISE HARBOR IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES FOR IT, NEKO HARBOR.
IT IS HOME TO NESTING COLONIES OF GENTOO PENGUINS AND THEIR FLUFFY CHICKS.
LIKE ALL PENGUINS, GENTOOS ARE HIGHLY SOCIABLE ANIMALS, WHICH MUST HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH SAFETY IN NUMBERS.
THEIR MAIN PREDATORS ON LAND ARE THE ANTARCTIC SKUAS, WHO WILL OFTEN PICK OFF A CHICK FROM THE EDGE OF A GROUP.
THAT IS UNLESS A BRAVE PARENT HAS OTHER IDEAS.
THEY'VE GOT A WHOLE NURSERY HERE.
ACTUALLY, I THINK IT'S CALLED A KINDERGARTEN WITH ALL THESE LITTLE CHICKS HERE WAITING TO BE FED.
THEY GET HUNGRY, AND THEN IT'S QUITE AGGRESSIVE.
THEY KNOW THAT THE PAREN HAS FOOD, AND SO THE PARENTS ARE RUNNING AWAY, AND THEY FINALLY CATCH UP, AND THEN THEY GIVE IN AND FEED THEM.
IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.
ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING THINGS IS WATCHING THE PENGUINS SWIM OR PORPOISE.
THEY SEEM TO TORPEDO THROUGH THE WATER LIKE DOLPHINS.
THEY ARE SO FAST.
HA HA HA! THAT'S AMAZING.
THEY'RE SO SLOW ON LAND, BUT YOU SEE THEM IN WATER, AND THEY'RE JUST FEWWW! THEY JUST DART OUT.
IT MUST BE SO LIBERATING JUST TO GO SWIM.
CUTE, LITTLE BIRD TRACKS, TOO.
LOOK.
JUST AROUND THE BAY IS AN INCREDIBLE CHINSTRAP PENGUIN HIGHWAY.
THEY ARE SO NAMED BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTERISTIC BLACK LINE UNDER THEIR CHINS.
THIS IS PENGUIN HIGHWAY.
THE CHINSTRAP PENGUINS SET UP THEIR NESTS AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST PLACE THE SNOW MELTS, AND THEN ONCE THEIR EGGS HATCH, THEY'LL COME ALL THE WAY DOWN, FEED IN THE OCEAN, AND GO ALL THE WAY BACK UP TO FEED THEIR CHICKS.
THE DISTINCTIVE RED AND GREEN MARKS IN THE SNOW ARE CAUSED BY ALGAE.
SUCH IS THE DRIVE OF THE PENGUINS TO REAR THEIR CHICKS THAT THEY WILL MAKE THIS COMMUTE DAILY.
IT IS SO ENDEARING, I COULD SIT AND WATCH THIS FOR HOURS.
NEXT UP WE ARE SAILING ACROSS THE GERLACHE STRAIT AND INTO THE NEUMAYER CHANNEL ON TO OUR NEXT PORT OF CALL BRITISH HISTORIC SITE PORT LOCKROY.
NO COUNTRY HOLDS INDISPUTABLE TITLE OVER ANY PART OF ANTARCTICA.
ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, CHILE, FRANCE, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY, AND THE U.
K.
ALL CLAIM TERRITORY.
THE RUSSIANS HAVE SIZEABLE BASES, AS DO THE AMERICANS A LOCATIONS SUCH AS McMURDO AND THE SOUTH POLE.
I AM VISITING PORT LOCKROY.
YEE-HA! A BRITISH OUTPOST NOW CONVERTED INTO A MUSEUM.
THE BASE WAS OCCUPIED BY THE BRITISH DURING WORLD WAR II.
AFTER THAT, IT BECAME A SCIENTIFIC STATION MANNED YEAR-ROUND UNTIL 1962.
THEY'VE EVEN GOT THIS OLD IONOSONDE, AN INCREDIBLE MACHINE THAT MEASURES THE EARTH'S IONOSPHERE.
OF COURSE EVERY MUSEUM HAS THE OBLIGATORY GIFT SHOP.
YOU CAN EVEN SEND A POSTCARD FROM HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
LOOK HOW EFFICIENT THIS IS.
IN THE POST.
BUT IT WILL TAKE 6 WEEKS TO GET ANYWHERE.
ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS THE GLOBE, AND THIS IS ANTARCTICA.
THIS LITTLE MOUTHPIECE IS THE SOUTH POLE.
NOW KEEP IN MIND THE SHEER IMMENSITY OF THIS CONTINENT.
WE'RE ALL THE WAY UP HERE ON THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA 1,300 MILES AWAY FROM THE SOUTH POLE, AND THIS IS WHY IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 1900s THAT EXPLORERS STARTED TO OPEN UP ITS INTERIOR.
NONE ARE MORE FAMOUS THAN FALCON SCOTT AND NORWEGIAN ROALD ENGELBREGT AMUNDSEN.
BOTH MADE IT TO THE SOUTH POLE IN 1912.
SCOTT SET UP HIS WINTER BASE AT ROSS ISLAND ON THE ROSS ICE SHELF, AMUNDSEN FURTHER WES IN THE BAY OF WHALES.
AFTER WAITING OU THE WINTER MONTHS, THEY BOTH SET OFF FOR 90 DEGREES SOUTH, NEITHER KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE OTHER.
AMUNDSEN BEAT SCOTT TO THE PRIZE BY A MATTER OF 35 DAYS.
ROBERT SCOTT'S TALE IS ONE OF TRAGEDY, POOR PREPARATION, APPALLING WEATHER CONDITIONS, PLUS BAD LUCK.
NOTHING TELLS THE STORY BETTER THAN THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE 5 WEARY EXPLORERS HAVING REACHED THEIR GOAL ONLY TO FIND THE NORWEGIAN FLAG AND A NOTE FROM AMUNDSEN.
[GRUNTING.]
.
WHERE SCOTT FAILED WAS TRYING TO PULL ALL HIS PROVISIONS AND EQUIPMENT HIMSELF.
AMUNDSEN, THE NORWEGIAN, ON THE OTHER HAND WAS SMAR AND USED DOGS.
I CAN'T EVEN PULL MY CAMERA CREW.
COME ON.
[GROANS.]
.
WHILE SCOTT AND HIS MEN WERE CARRYING HEAVY SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT, AMUNDSEN ARRIVED ACCOMPANIED BY 52 GREENLAND SLED DOGS.
AMUNDSEN'S GROUP MADE IT TO THE SOUTH POLE.
THEY DID A LITTLE DANCE AROUND IT, TOOK SOME PHOTOS, TOOK SOME MEASUREMENTS, AND HEADED BACK TO THEIR SHIP NO PROBLEM.
SCOTT'S EXPEDITION, HOWEVER, NOT SO LUCKY.
EXHAUSTION AND HYPOTHERMIA SET IN.
IN FACT, THE FIRST MEMBER EVEN DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA, AND THE REMAINING 4 WERE HOLED UP IN A TENT.
ONE OF THEM IS TITUS OATES.
RATHER THAN HOLD UP THE GROUP WITH HIS FROSTBITTEN LEG, HE DECIDES TO CHOOSE HIS OWN DEATH, STEPPING OUTSIDE WITH THE IMMORTAL WORDS "I MAY BE SOME TIME.
" THE REMAINING 3 DIE A SLOW DEATH IN A HORRIBLE BLIZZARD.
IT'S A CHILLING THOUGHT AND ONE THAT DOESN'T HELP ME GE MUCH SLEEP AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPS OVERNIGH TO -5 DEGREES CELSIUS.
IT'S A NEW DAY, AND I'M BACK ON BOARD THE SPIRIT OF SYDNEY, HEADING SOUTH ACROSS THE BISMARCK STRAIT, THEN THROUGH THE LEMAIRE CHANNEL AND ON TO OUR NEXT DESTINATION VERNADSKY, THE UKRAINIAN SCIENCE STATION.
WHOA! OH, YEAH! OH, LOOK AT THAT! WHOO! FANTASTIC! AS WE ARE NEARING THE STATION, WE MEET A POD OF FEEDING HUMPBACK WHALES.
OH! THAT WAS GREAT! WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT? A BIG PART OF THEIR DIET ARE THE SHRIMP-LIKE CRUSTACEANS KNOWN AS KRILL.
THESE GUYS HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TECHNIQUE.
ONE OF THEM GOES AROUND MAKING BUBBLES, AND IT CREATES, LIKE, A LITTLE FENCE--THEY CALL IT BUBBLE NETTING-- AND THE OTHER GUY COMES UP FROM BELOW AND JUST SWOOPS UP IN ITS MOUTH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN TRAPPED WITHIN THAT BUBBLE NET.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A SCHEDULE, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU JUST HAVE TO STOP AND HANG OUT FOR A LITTLE BI BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON' GET TO SEE THIS EVERY DAY.
TAIL, HUH? I'M STOPPING AT THE UKRAINIAN BASE VERNADSKY.
IT USED TO BE BRITISH RUN UNTIL 1996.
IT WAS CALLED FARADAY, AND THEY SOLD IT TO THE UKRAINIANS FOR A POUND.
IS THAT WILD OR WHAT? A POUND.
WHO ELSE IS SELLING? I'LL GET TWO, PLEASE.
I LIKE THAT.
LOOK AT THE PEACE SIGN.
IT'S FUNKY.
PALM TREES.
WHILE IT SOUNDS LIKE A BARGAIN, THE COST OF DISMANTLING A BASE TO STRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS WOULD BE HUGE.
THE UKRAINIANS ARE HAPPY.
THEY ARE HERE YEAR-ROUND AND ARE VERY PROUD OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORK THA THEY ARE CARRYING OUT.
I'M GOING OUT TODAY ON AN EXCURSION WITH THE BIOLOGISTS, ALTHOUGH THEY LOOK MORE LIKE A GANG OF HELL'S ANGELS THAN A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS.
YOU WANT THE BAGS? [SPEAKING UKRAINIAN.]
.
I AM FOLLOWING IGOR DYKY, WHO IS STUDYING WEDDELL SEALS, ONE OF THE LARGES OF ALL SEAL SPECIES AND ALSO ONE OF THE FRIENDLIEST.
YOUNG MALE.
YOUNG MALE.
SO YOU JUST TAKE A COUNT EVERY TWO DAYS OF HOW MANY ARE HERE? ONE OF IGOR'S MAIN JOBS IS KEEPING A CENSUS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION, INCLUDING THEIR PRECISE NUMBERS, SEX, AND AGE.
SMILE.
HA HA HA! DO YOU NAME THEM, OR HOW DO YOU-- ONLY NUMBER.
NUMBER.
YOU NUMBER THEM.
OK.
THE WORK DEMANDS DEDICATION AND PATIENCE, PARTICULARLY UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, AND THIS IS THEIR SUMMERTIME.
MY JOB TODAY IS TO BE IGOR'S TRUSTY FIELD ASSISTANT.
THIS IS NEW? YEAH.
THIS IS NEW EXCREMENT.
YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE SEAL FROM ITS BOWEL MOVEMENTS.
SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE A SAMPLE THEN? YES.
SO HOW DO YOU DO THIS? YOU JUST REACH IN THE BAG AND GRAB IT INSIDE OUT? YOU HAVE A SPOON.
AWESOME.
OK.
OH, YEAH.
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD.
IN THE WEDDELL SEAL'S FECES, IGOR HAS FOUND TRACES OF SQUID THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND A AN OCEAN DEPTH OF 200 METERS.
SO THESE WEDDELL SEALS ARE GOING REALLY DEEP TO EAT? SO THIS IS A GOOD POO FIND FOR YOU, HUH? YOU'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
YES.
OK.
AWESOME.
I GUESS I'M THE CARRIER OF THE POO.
HEE HEE HEE! THERE'S A LOT HERE.
BUT THAT'S AT LAST, WE COME ACROSS AN ADULT AND IT'S A FEMALE.
HER EYES ARE ALL BLOODSHOT.
TAKE A PHOTO? YEAH.
HEH HEH.
SHE WANTS TO SHOW YOU HER BELLY.
SHE'S LIKE, "LOOK AT MY PATTERN.
" IT'S PRETTY COOL, HUH? NO TWO WEDDELL SEALS ARE ALIKE.
EACH SEAL HAS A DISTINCTIVE PATTERN ON ITS BELLY.
THE WHITE SPOTS ARE LIKE A FINGERPRINT.
SHE'S LIKE, "LOOK AT ME.
LOOK AT MY SPOTS.
AREN'T THEY NICE?" ONE OF THE MOST ENDEARING FEATURES OF THE WEDDELL IS ITS SMILE.
THE CORNERS OF ITS MOUTH TURN UPWARDS, GIVING THESE PLACID CREATURES THE APPEARANCE OF A CONSTANT SMILE.
BACK AT VERNADSKY, AND I'M TAKING A LOOK AROUND.
A LOT OF THE STATION REMAINS THE SAME AS IT DID WHEN THE BRITISH LEFT.
EVERY BAR I'VE EVER BEEN TO ALWAYS HAS THEIR FIRST DOLLAR PINNED UP ON THE WALL, FIRST DOLLAR THEY MADE.
THIS BAR HAS THE ACTUAL POUND THAT WAS USED TO PURCHASE THIS ENTIRE STATION.
THE UKRAINIANS GAVE IT TO THE BRITONS, THEY KEPT THE STYLE OF THE BRITISH PUB, AND ADDED A FEW UKRAINIAN TOUCHES OF THEIR OWN.
FOR THESE METEOROLOGISTS, WORK IS NEVER DONE.
THEY ARE STILL OU TAKING MEASUREMENTS AT SUNSET, AND AT THIS TIME OF YEAR IN FEBRUARY, THAT'S AFTER 10 P.
M.
BUT I HAVE TEAMED UP WITH A PARTY WHO HAVE SOMETHING A BI MORE RELAXING IN MIND.
ONE THING THE UKRAINIANS DID WHEN THEY TOOK OVER WAS THEY ADDED A SAUNA, AND AFTER A DAY LIKE TODAY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I'M JUST NOT SO SURE ABOUT THE PLUNGE.
I NEVER THOUGHT MY FIRST SWIM IN THE ANTARCTIC SEA WOULD BE A PLUNGE, BUT HERE IT GOES.
1, 2, 3! WHOO! WHOO! I DID IT! RIGHT NEAR VERNADSKY STATION IS MOUNT SCOTT, ONE OF THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA'S MANY PEAKS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE HEADING TODAY FOR AN ATTEMPT AT THE SUMMIT AT 880 METERS.
ON THE ANTARCTIC CONTINENT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 30 PEAKS OVER 200 METERS, A LITTLE-KNOWN FACT ABOU THIS COLDEST, DRIEST, AND WINDIEST OF CONTINENTS.
THE GENERAL IDEA IS THA YOU'RE CLIPPED INTO THE ROPE.
YEAH.
MY CLIMBING GUIDE IS AUSTRALIAN CHRIS JONES, WHO IS ON HIS EIGHTH TRIP TO ANTARCTICA.
WE ARE JOINED BY KARL, ONE OF THE SCIENTISTS FROM VERNADSKY.
THE BASIC IDEA BEHIND ROPED TRAVEL IS THAT AS A GROUP WE'RE TRAVELING ATTACHED TO ONE ROPE, OK? SO IF ONE OF US FALLS IN A CREVASSE THE REST OF THE GROUP HAS THE ABILITY TO SET UP AN ANCHOR AND HELP GET THA PERSON OUT OF THE CREVASSE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT A CREVASSE IS, IT'S A GIAN OPENING IN THE GLACIER, SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF METERS DEEP.
IT'S NOT A GOOD THING TO GET CAUGHT IN.
WE'RE CARRYING THE LATEST ICE AXES AND WEARING CRAMPONS ON OUR BOOTS, SHARP SPIKES WHAT WILL HOPEFULLY STOP US FALLING OFF THE MOUNTAIN.
IF THE LEADER FALLS IN A CREVASSE, PICK YOUR ICE AX UP TOWARDS YOU AN THEN FALL FLA ON THE SNOW SO THAT YOU CAN ARREST THAT FALL, AND THE AX SHOULD BE ABOUT HERE.
THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
THAT'S IT, YOU GO IT.
I NEED TO HOLD IN TIGHTER, YEAH? FEEL LIKE A NINJA.
KAAH, KAAH! WHO'S NEXT, WHO'S COMING WITH ME? WHHHPP, WHHHPP, WHHHPP, WHHHPP! POW! FEELING PRETTY GOOD.
PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I'M NOT BACK IN 6 HOURS, TELL MY FAMILY I LOVE THEM AND SEND THE HELICOPTER QUICKLY! OH, I FORGOT.
EVEN THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
THERE ARE NO SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTERS DOWN HERE.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT WEARING CRAMPONS IS THEIR INCREDIBLE TRACTION.
IT GIVES THE CLIMBER THE ABILITY TO TAKE A DIRECT LINE UP VERY STEEP SLOPES.
WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOU CLIMBING IN ANTARCTICA IS THA YOU BEGIN RIGHT IN THE SNOWLINE.
IN THAT SENSE, THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN FEELS JUST LIKE THE TOP.
AND AS WE ARE EFFECTIVELY CLIMBING OVER A GLACIER, WE MUST TREAD CAREFULLY TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FALLING INTO A CREVASSE.
WOW! THIS IS HUGE! CAN'T EVEN SEE THE BOTTOM.
HEH.
I'M REMINDED OF THE FATE THAT BEFELL AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER AND GEOLOGIS SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON.
ON JANUARY 1912, MAWSON LANDED AT A PLACE THAT HE NAMED COMMONWEALTH BAY.
HEADING WEST AND BATTLING WIND SPEEDS THAT REACHED 200 MILES AN HOUR, MAWSON WENT ON TO UNCOVER GREAT SWATHES OF NEW TERRITORIES, WHICH HE CALLED KING GEORGE V LAND AND CLAIMED FOR THE CROWN.
BUT YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU DO RIGHT IN ANTARCTICA.
MAWSON'S TROUBLES STARTED ABOUT 500 KILOMETERS OUT FROM HIS BASE WHEN 1 OF HIS 3-MAN PARTY BELGRAVE NINNIS, WHO ALSO HAPPENED TO BE THE VERY ONE CARRYING ALL THEIR FOOD AND PROVISIONS, FELL DOWN INTO ONE OF THESE.
MAWSON WROTE, "I WAS SO UNBELIEVABLE.
WE KEPT TURNING AROUND EXPECTING HIM TO BE THERE.
" SO NOW THERE'S JUST MAWSON AND HIS COLLEAGUE, SWISS SKI CHAMPION XAVIER MERTZ, WHO ENDS UP DYING OF BEING COLD, FATIGUED, HUNGRY, AND POISONED BY ALL THE DOG LIVER THAT THEY HAD TO SURVIVE ON.
SO MAWSON, TO LIGHTEN HIS LOAD, TAKES OUT HIS POCKET KNIFE AND SAWS HIS SLED IN HALF, RACES TO GE BACK TO THE BASE.
HIS HAIR'S FALLING OUT, HIS NAILS LOOSE, AND HE'S NEARLY DEAD, AND HE FINALLY MAKES IT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT HIS SHIP LEFT HIM A FEW HOURS EARLIER, WRITING THEM ALL OFF AS DEAD, BUT 6 GUYS STAYED BEHIND JUST IN CASE, AND TOGETHER, THEY WINTERED IT OVER ONE MORE SEASON.
I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
AFTER A FEW HOURS AND A FEW HUNDRED METERS, THE WEATHER BEGINS TO CLOSE IN.
AND THE CREVASSES ARE ALL AROUND US.
THE DEADLIEST ONES ARE THE ONES WE CAN'T SEE.
NO AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE CAN ELIMINATE THE DANGER.
OUR GUIDE AND TRAILBLAZER CHRIS GETS A NASTY SHOCK.
JUST SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN.
ZAY, SIT DOWN! THIS HOLE DOESN' HAVE A BOTTOM.
[GROANING.]
.
OOH! OK.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? THAT'S A CREVASSE HOLE RIGHT HERE.
HOW DEEP? OH, I CAN'T REALLY SEE THE BOTTOM.
CAN WE STAND UP NOW? YEP.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S HOPE WE DON' FIND ANY MORE OF THOSE.
SERIOUSLY.
CHRIS DISCOVERED THAT.
IT WAS TOTALLY SNOWED UP OVER, AND JUST GOES TO SHOW THIS WHOLE PLACE IS RIDDLED WITH CREVASSES.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN THE BOTTOM'S GONNA DROP OUT AND YOU MIGHT FALL IN.
HAPPENS TO THE BEST OF THEM.
WE ARE FORCED TO GIVE UP ON REACHING THE SUMMIT TODAY.
WELL, MOUNT SCOTT BEA ME, BUT I'M OK WITH THAT.
IT REALLY GAVE ME AN APPRECIATION FOR THE JOURNEY THAT THESE GUYS MUS HAVE GONE THROUGH.
THIS LAND IS ABSOLUTELY IMPENETRABLE, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY PEOPLE KEEP COMING BACK TO IT.
FROM MOUNT SCOTT, WE RETURN TO VERNADSKY STATION.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I'M CHECKING OUT WORDIE HOUSE, AN HISTORIC HUT THAT WAS BUILT BY THE BRITISH IN 1947.
THIS SITE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN 1935 THERE WAS A HUT HERE THAT HOUSED THE BRITISH GRAHAM LAND EXPEDITION, WHERE THESE GUYS WENT OUT TO SURVEY THE PENINSULA, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT IT IS INDEED A PENINSULA AND NOT A SERIES OF ISLANDS, AS ONCE THOUGHT.
PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF THEM BECAUSE THEY ALL SURVIVED.
IT WAS THE END OF THE GREA HEROIC AGE OF EXPLORATION HERE IN ANTARCTICA AND THE BEGINNING OF A MODERN ONE.
I'VE BORROWED THE KEYS TO GE INSIDE, SO I KNOW THAT I'LL BE THE ONLY ONE VISITING TODAY.
THIS IS GREAT.
THIS IS THE KITCHEN.
GOT A STOVE, SINK.
SILVERWARE, PLATES.
WIRELESS TELEPHONE.
WHAT A GREAT WAY TO EXPERIENCE HISTORY, BY SNOOPING AROUND.
FURNACE, BOOKS.
AN OLD DIARY HERE.
FROM VERNADSKY STATION, WE HEAD BACK TO THE NORTH.
WE HAVE ONE STOP LEFT ON OUR ANTARCTIC TOUR, AND THAT'S AT THE U.
S.
A.
's PALMER STATION ON ANVERS ISLAND.
BY THE LATE EVENING, WE ARRIVE.
WE WILL BE GOING ASHORE IN THE MORNING.
IT LOOKS PRETTY POSH COMPARED TO THE OTHER STATIONS, I GOT TO SAY.
KIND OF EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S IN THERE BECAUSE I KNOW-- I KNOW WE DON'T MESS AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO STATIONING FELLOW CITIZENS OU IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
AS DAY BREAKS, WE GE AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.
THIS ICEBERG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT CAME UP AND GO CAUGHT IN OUR LINES, SO THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SHIP DARREL HAS BEEN ON IT FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.
HE'S BEEN PUSHING IT TO DRIVE IT AWAY FROM THE BOAT, BUT, YEAH, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL, SO COULD DO A LOT OF DAMAGE TO OUR SHIP.
WE'RE WORRIED THAT IT'S GONNA BREAK UP AND ROLL OVER, SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE CAN GET AWAY FROM ALL THE DEBRIS.
HAVING PARKED THE ICEBERG, IT IS NOW SAFE FOR ME TO CLIMB ASHORE.
SEASON THAT I'VE BEEN AT PALMER STATION.
I'VE MET UP WITH ONE OF PALMER'S LEADING BIOLOGISTS JIM McCLINTOCK.
OVER 5 TRIPS TO ANTARCTICA, JIM'S ATTENTION HAS SHIFTED TO ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES NOW FACING SCIENTISTS AND INDEED US ALL, CLIMATE CHANGE.
WELL, ONE OF THE MOS DRAMATIC THINGS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED RIGHT HERE WITH THE MARR GLACIER.
JUST IN THE 10 YEARS THA I'VE BEEN HERE, IT'S RECEDED.
IN THE LAST 50 OR 60 YEARS, IT'S OVER A HALF A KILOMETER IT'S RECEDED BACK.
COLLEAGUE OF MINE THA USED TO COME HERE IN THE LATE SEVENTIES SAID YOU COULD WALK OUT OF THE BACK OF THE STATION AND ALMOST STEP ONTO IT, AND SO NOW IT'S A HIKE, AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE IN 2001, I'D SIT IN MY OFFICE, AND MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, I'D HEAR A BIG CRASHING SOUND.
WE'D RUN DOWN THE HALL AND LOOK OUT HERE, AND WE'D SEE A BIG CHUNK THAT'S FALLEN INTO THE WATER, AND NOW THAT'S HAPPENING, 5, 6, 7 TIMES A DAY.
IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN GET UP FROM MY DESK.
IT'S JUST SO COMMON.
SO WHAT'S CAUSING THIS CHANGE? WELL, THIS IS NOW CONSIDERED THE MOS RAPIDLY WARMING REGION OF THE PLANET.
IT'S WARMING ABOUT A DEGREE CENTIGRADE A DECADE.
SO OVER 60 YEARS, WE'VE HAD A 6-DEGREE INCREASE CENTIGRADE.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR LIFE HERE IN ANTARCTICA? THE MOST POIGNAN EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THE ADELIE PENGUIN.
WE'VE GONE FROM 15,000 BREEDING PAIRS OUT HERE ON THIS ISLAND TO ABOUT 3,000.
ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENING IS AS THE AIR IS WARMING HERE IT'S IRONICALLY GETTING MORE HUMID AND SNOWING MORE.
YOU DON'T THINK OF SNOWING MORE IN A WARMER SCENARIO, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE ADELIES ARE SO USED TO SHOWING UP AND LAYING THEIR EGGS AT THE SAME TIME EVERY YEAR THAT THEY COME AND THEY LAY THEIR EGGS, AND THEN THERE WILL BE THIS SNOWSTORM.
IT BURIES THE EGGS, AND THE EGGS, WHEN THAT SLUSHY WATER MELTS FROM THE SNOW, THEY ESSENTIALLY DROWN THE EGGS.
SO AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF ADELIES CAN BE WIPED OUT IN ONE OF THESE STORMS.
THE MARR GLACIER HAS RETREATED SO MUCH OVER 50 YEARS THAT IN THE LAST DECADE AN ISLAND PREVIOUSLY COVERED IN ICE HAS BEEN REVEALED.
IT SITS JUS OFF PALMER STATION AND HAS BEEN NAMED AMSLER ISLAND.
I'M TAKING A TRIP OUT THERE WITH NONE OTHER THAN THE AMSLERS THEMSELVES, THE VERY PEOPLE IT WAS NAMED AFTER.
ANYBODY WHO WORKS IN ANTARCTICA FOR, OH, AS MANY YEARS AS WE HAVE, SOMEONE'S BOUND TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO NAME SOMETHING AFTER THEM.
THESE GUYS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES TO HAVE ANTARCTIC REAL ESTATE NAMED AFTER THEM.
MOST OF THE FAMOUS EXPLORERS HAVE THE HONOR.
YOU'VE GOT THE SHACKLETON COAST, THE WILKINS ICE SHELF, PALMER LAND.
THEN THERE ARE THE PLACES NAMED AFTER RULERS OR ROYALTY LIKE KING GEORGE V LAND OR THE KING LEOPOLD AND QUEEN ASTRID COAST, BU I'M NOT SO SURE I'D WANT TO GET LOST IN THE DISMAL MOUNTAINS OR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RANGE.
WHO EVER CAME UP WITH THAT? IF YOU GUYS SUBMIT MY NAME, IT MIGHT BE HARDING ISLAND.
WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
YEAH, RIGHT.
DON'T CONSIDER IT.
AS I EXPLORE THE AMSLERS' ISLAND, I STUMBLE ACROSS SOME FEATHERED FRIENDS WHO AREN'T SO KEEN ON ME BEING HERE.
UGH! IT'S THE ATTACK OF THE BIRDS, MAN! OHH! HA! HE DOES NO WANT ME UP THERE! HA HA! THEY'RE JUST BIRDS.
THEY'RE CRAZY.
SO YOU'RE A ZOOLOGIST? IF I'M GONNA HAVE AN ISLAND NAMED AFTER ME, I'D BETTER PUT IN THE HOURS.
KIRSTIE AND I.
LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN HELP.
IF YOU WANT TO RECORD FOR US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEP.
FOR MY SECOND OUTING AS AN ANTARCTIC FIELD ASSISTANT, I'M HEADING OUT WITH BIOLOGISTS AND BIRDERS JENNIFER BLUM AND KIRSTIE YEAGER.
NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS WALKING AROUND THE ISLAND.
JUST UP HERE ARE THE GIAN PETREL NESTS THAT WE VISIT ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR MEASUREMENTS.
THEY ARE MONITORING THE LOCAL POPULATIONS OF SOUTHERN GIANT PETREL.
MEASURE ITS COMMON LENGTH OR ITS BILL LENGTH.
THE LONG NOSTRILS INDICATE A HIGHLY DEVELOPED SENSE OF SMELL, WHICH IS UNUSUAL AMONG BIRDS.
GIANT PETRELS ARE SCAVENGERS, OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE VULTURES OF THE ANTARCTIC.
THE SCIENTISTS HERE HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE PETRELS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO LONG THEY HAVE EVEN GOTTEN USED TO HAVING THEIR YOUNG CHICKS WEIGHED.
WEIGHING IT NOW? 3,900 GRAMS.
BECAUSE OF THEIR LARGE WINGSPAN, THE GIANT PETREL CAN TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES, FORAGING AS FAR AWAY AS 600-900 MILES FROM THE NEST.
ON SOLID GROUND, THEY ARE NOT QUITE SO GRACEFUL.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LAS EXPERIENCES I WILL HAVE WITH ANTARCTIC WILD LIFE, AND I AM SAVORING EVERY MINUTE.
WE PLAN TO SET SAIL TOMORROW FOR THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.
UP EARLY, AND WE ARE BATTENING DOWN THE HATCHES.
EVERYONE IS ON EDGE AS WE PREPARE TO PUT ALL THAT WE HAVE LEARNED ON BOARD TO THE TEST.
THAT RUBBER THING.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.
SO YOU NERVOUS? YEP.
SO AM I.
NICE.
I ALWAYS AM.
IF YOU'RE NOT NERVOUS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING THIS THING-- TOO RELAXED.
YEAH.
YOU'RE TAKING IT TOO LIGHTLY.
FROM PALMER STATION, WE ARE HEADING NORTH ON A 4-DAY OCEAN CROSSING OF THE DRAKE PASSAGE, COVERING 560 NAUTICAL MILES, OVER 1,000 KILOMETERS TO OUR FINAL DESTINATION CAPE HORN IN CHILE ON THE SOUTH AMERICAN MAINLAND.
THE DRAKE PASSAGE IS THE MOS TREACHEROUS STRETCH OF WATER ON THE PLANET, SO IT'S VITAL THAT WE ARE UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST WEATHER REPORTS.
TRYING TO AVOID THESE TRIANGLES HERE.
THESE ARE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS, SO THAT'S NOT THE MOS COMFORTABLE TRIP HOME, BUT IT'S NOT-- IT'S NOT THAT BAD EITHER.
SO I SHOULD EXPECT TO GET PRETTY SEASICK, HUH? YEAH.
HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR PILLS YET? NO PILLS.
OK.
LET'S GET ON THE PILLS.
YOU BETTER START.
AND JUST LIKE THAT, WE'RE OFF.
I'M HOPING I TOOK IT ALL IN BECAUSE IT'S GETTING FARTHER AND FATHER AWAY.
LEAVING IT ALL BEHIND.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW? WILDLIFE JUST WELCOMING ME.
NO REAL PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH.
PEACE, YOU KNOW? AS PREDICTED, OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, THE SEA GETS ROUGHER AND STORMIER.
AND THE WIND REACHES GALE FORCE 8.
THAT'S 40 KNOTS.
THAT'S HOW IT WILL STAY FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
IT TAKES A CERTAIN TYPE OF PERSON TO ENJOY THIS, AND I'LL BE THE FIRS TO ADMIT IT'S NOT ME.
OHH.
THIS IS ROUGH, MAN.
I'VE THROWN UP A FEW TIMES, AND I'M FREEZING.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST THROWING ME AROUND, AND I HAVE TO ROLL WITH IT.
IT'S THE ONLY UNFORTUNATE THING ABOUT ANTARCTICA IS THA YOU'VE GOT TO GE THERE AND GET BACK, AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
OHH.
DAY TWO, AND THE WEATHER HAS EASED, BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY FULL ON.
[WIND HOWLING.]
.
EVERYTHING'S SUCH AN EFFORT.
I'M STARVING RIGHT NOW, BU IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP FROM GETTING NAUSEOUS IS KEEP AN EMPTY STOMACH.
THE MEDS DIDN'T WORK.
THEY MADE ME FEEL LIKE I HAD FEVER IN A BAD WAY.
I HAD COLD SWEATS, HO SWEATS, JUST DRIPPING SWEAT, AND STILL STAYED NAUSEOUS.
I'VE THROWN UP 3 TIMES ALREADY.
AND I STILL HAVE TO WORK MY SHIFTS.
OH, MAN.
EVERYONE IS EXPECTED TO WORK ON DECK, WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS.
OK.
3-HOUR SHIFT, HERE WE COME.
PHEW.
THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WALK AROUND IN THIS.
MORNING.
OHH.
ANY NEWS? JUST TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ICEBERGS.
HAD QUITE A FEW THROUGH THE NIGHT, SO JUST KEEPING A CAREFUL EYE OUT.
I NEED TO BUCKLE ON.
THAT THING CAN HOLD TWO TONS.
I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT FALLING OVER.
UGH.
WHICH WAY DO I GO WHEN I NEED TO PUKE? DOWNWIND.
OTHERWISE, YOU END UP WEARING IT.
NOW THAT WE'RE IN THE OPEN SEA, THE JOB OF STEERING IS LEFT TO AUTOPILOT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO ON DECK.
THE WINDS PICKED UP FROM 25 TO ABOUT 31 KNOTS, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REDUCE SALE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO FURL IN THE GENOA.
IT'S HARDER GOING SLOW.
HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO GO? ABOUT ANOTHER 200.
200 TURNS? WHAT ARE YOU, NUTS? THIS IS MAKING ME NAUSEOUS.
KEEP CRANKING ON THERE, ZAY.
HEY, NICK.
YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A HAND? GIVE ME A GO AT IT, MATE.
COME ON, NICK! YOU CAN DO IT.
THIS IS WHAT ADVENTURE TOURISM IS ALL ABOUT.
[LOUD CREAKING.]
.
DAY 3 BRINGS A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE, BUT I STILL DON' HAVE MUCH STOMACH FOR ADMIRING THE VIEW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER MY BODY CAN TAKE THIS.
BY DAY 4, WE ARE APPROACHING CAPE HORN, WHERE THE ATLANTIC MEETS THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE UNDERSEA BED RISES SHARPLY FROM AROUND 4,000 METERS TO 90 METERS DEPTH, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NORMALLY SO ROUGH AND TREACHEROUS, BUT MIRACULOUSLY, NOT TODAY.
THE SUN IS OUT, WE HAVE SHED THE ANTARCTIC CLOTHING, AND AT LAST, WE HAVE OUR APPETITES BACK.
THERE HE IS.
NOW HE COMES UP.
AHH.
AH, ZAY.
YOU MADE IT AT LAST! YES! COULDN'T MISS THE FEAST.
HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR 3 DAYS.
COOL.
IT'S LAND! YEAH? CAPE HORN! NICK SAYS HE SEES LAND.
I DON'T SEE IT YET.
I'M GONNA GO CHECK IT OUT.
THAT'S CAPE HORN.
OH, YEAH.
LOOK AT THAT.
WHOO! WHOO-HOO! WE SEE LAND! IT'S CAPE HORN! WE SEE CAPE HORN! WHOO-HOO! DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA.
THE END IS NEAR! YEAH! HA HA HA! WHOO! YEAH! WE ARE JOINING AN ALUMNI OF SEAFARERS THAT STRETCHES FROM SIR FRANCIS DRAKE TO CAPTAIN COOK AND MAGELLAN.
CHEERS, EVERYBODY.
WHY HAVE I GOT TWO? THEY SAY YOU HAVEN'T EARNED YOUR STRIPES UNTIL YOU'VE ROUNDED CAPE HORN, AND WHA BETTER WAY TO APPROACH IT THAN FROM DUE SOUTH, ANTARCTICA? IT'S ONE OF THE GREA PIECES OF OCEAN IN THE WORLD, AND ANY SAILOR DREAMS OF CROSSING IT.
IT'S JUST A GREAT THING TO DO.
[KISSING SOUND.]
.
DID IT! HE'S DOWN THERE, AND HE'S BACK! OHH! THIS IS A MEMORIAL TO ALL THE SAILORS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES HERE.
COUNTLESS.
THE ALBATROSS.
WOW! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY I'VE HAD TO THE BOTTOM OF THE EARTH AND BACK.
THE NEAT THING ABOU ANTARCTICA IS IT DOESN' BELONG TO ANY ONE COUNTRY.
IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US.
ANYONE CAN GO THERE AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THE ICE IS MELTING, KILLING OFF ENTIRE SPECIES, DISPLACING OTHERS.
SO LET'S NOT BE NAIVE AND WAIT TILL THE WATER SHOWS UP ON OUR DOORSTEP.
LET'S ACT TOGETHER AND PRESERVE THE PLACE.
SAVE THE ICE, SAVE THE PLANET.
STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL "GLOBE TREKKER EXTRA.
" FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY SUBARU.
AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE STANDARD AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF "GLOBE TREKKER.
" YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOU THE SERIES ON OUR WEB SITES.
PROGRAMS FROM THE "GLOBE TREKKER" SERIES ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD, OR VISIT GLOBETREKKERCHANNEL.
TV TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN WATCH US ONLINE.
MUSIC FROM THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE ON CD.
YOU CAN ALSO ORDER "GLOBE TREKKER" BOOKS FEATURING INFORMATION ON FESTIVALS, EVENTS, AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
TO ORDER "GLOBE TREKKER" PRODUCTS, CALL 888-565-0361 OR VISIT GLOBETREKKERTV.
COM.
ZAY, GIVE US A RUN-THROUGH OF THE PIECE.
THIS WAS A VERY SMALL CREW BECAUSE I WAS AN EXPENSIVE SHOOT.
WE HAD A CAMERAMAN PETE ALLIBONE, WHO I LOVE WORKING WITH.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET A SHOT--TO ORCHESTRATE A SHO FOR THEM TO--FOUND AN ICEBERG WITH A BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
SOMETIMES WE WERE UP ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF, AND THE CAMERAMAN'S HANGING ON A ROPE, "ALL RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
" SO I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I CAN DO WHATEVER IS ASKED BECAUSE IF THE CAMERAMAN CAN DO IT, THEN I CAN.
IT'S DONE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE HAD A PERSONAL GUIDE CHRIS JONES KEEPING US SAFE.
MORNING.
HOW'S IT GOING? GOT TO MAKE SURE IT ALL HAPPENS AND YOU BRING EVERYONE BACK ALIVE A THE END OF THE DAY.
AND OUR SOUND GUY IS ALSO OUR DIRECTOR AND ALSO OUR PRODUCER.
IN FACT, IT WAS A LITTLE WEIRD BECAUSE PEOPLE KEPT ASKING ME, "WHY IS THE SOUND GUY TELLING YOU WANT TO DO?" ZAY, TRY THAT LINE AGAIN.
I'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TIME CROSSING THE SOUTH ATLANTIC, EXPLORING ISLANDS I NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED.
FOR THE END OF THE PROGRAM, WE ALWAYS TRY AND THINK UP SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ALREADY.
IT JUST FELT RIGHT TO HAVE HIM STANDING ON AN ICEBERG AS THE BOAT PULLS AWAY AND WE SEE ZAY LEFT THERE ON THIS ICEBERG, AND THEN JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO DO THE PIECE, THIS HUGE BOOM, IT'S LIKE AN AVALANCHE, AND A MINI-TSUNAMI STARTS HEADING TOWARDS ZAY ON THE ICEBERG LIKE THAT.
SHH, SHH, SHH.
GET DOWN, EVERYBODY.
SO WE JUST ABORTED OUR EFFORTS HERE BECAUSE A BIG CHUNK OF THE GLACIER HAS BROKEN OFF.
AVALANCHES WERE GOING ON EVERYWHERE, CONSTANTLY CALVING GLACIERS.
WHOOSH! THAT ICE IS MELTING QUICK.
THAT'S A HUGE WARNING SIGN, AND FOR ME TO EXPERIENCE THA WAS ACTUALLY A BIT LIFE-CHANGING.
IT'S DEFINITELY INSPIRING ME TO START SPREADING THE WORD.
WE ALL GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
THE DRAKE PASSAGE IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT.
THE REASON THEY ALL TALK ABOU IT IS BECAUSE IT IS SO ROUGH.
WE WERE SLAMMING, LIKE, SLAPPING THE WAVES, AND WHERE OUR BEDS WERE WE'RE RIGH AT THE BOW OF THE SHIP, SO EVERY SINGLE SLAP IS JUS THE WHOLE BODY PFFF! PFFF! KNOCKING THE WIND OUT OF YOU.
I REMEMBER JUST LYING THERE, GOING, "PETE, PETE, WE SHOULD FILM SOMETHING.
" AND ZAY SAYING, "OH, YEAH.
" AND THEN WE'D ALL JUST SIT THERE, AND WE'D WALK A BIT FURTHER, AND WE'D PICK THE CAMERA UP.
IT TOOK US, LIKE, AN HOUR TO FILM THAT SCENE OF 15 SECONDS OF FOOTAGE.
OHH.
I'M SWEATY AND NAUSEOUS.
IT WAS THE HARDES THING I'VE EVER DONE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO RELENTLESS.
THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WERE GETTING TO INTERAC WITH THE WILDLIFE.
THERE WAS A DAY WHERE THE WHALES WERE RIGHT AT OUR BOAT.
THAT WAS AMAZING.
I WAS STRAIGHT UP ABOVE IT, AND IT WAS JUST SHOWING ITS WHOLE SELF TO US AND ROLLING AROUND LIKE, "LOOK AT ME.
LOOK AT MY BELLY.
" WHOA! HERE IT COMES, HERE IT COMES.
FOR THEM TO JUS SHARE THEMSELVES WITH US WAS PRETTY AMAZING.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PENGUINS, I HAVE TO ADMIT.
SOMETIMES WE'D BE SITTING THERE AMONGST THE PENGUINS, AND THEY WERE JUST, LIKE, RUNNING AROUND, DOING THEIR THING, OR THEY WOULD JUST APPEAR.
LIKE, ONE DAY, WE'RE FILMING THEM COMING OUT OF THE WATER AND JUMPING ONTO THE LAND, AND IT WAS KIND OF LIKE THEY WERE COMING IN FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION, LIKE YOU'RE WATCHING SOME SCI-FI THING.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WILDLIFE JUST WELCOMING ME, NO REAL PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH, PEACE, YOU KNOW? IT'S INTERESTING.
A LOT OF FOLKS THAT GO TO ANTARCTICA RETURN TO ANTARCTICA.
IT'S JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE WILDERNESS AREA.
LIFE'S REALLY SIMPLE DOWN THERE.
LIFE'S TOUGH, BUT IT'S SIMPLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU EAT, YOU KEEP WARM, YOU LOOK OUT FOR YOURSELF, LOOK OU FOR YOUR MATES, AND I KIND OF LIKE THAT SIMPLICITY.
PERHAPS IT'S A BIT OF ESCAPISM, BUT I LOVE IT, AND I'LL PROBABLY RETURN QUITE SOON.
AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE STANDARD AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF "GLOBE TREKKER.
" IF YOU VISIT THIS PLACE, YOU WILL PROBABLY BE HAUNTED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BY ITS NATURAL BEAUTY.
IT'S THE COLDEST, WINDIEST, MOST ISOLATED PART OF OUR PLANET.
WELCOME TO ANTARCTICA! ANTARCTICA IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S 7 CONTINENTS AND IS ITS FIFTH LARGEST.
I'LL BE SAILING DOWN THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA, JUST A TINY PART OF THIS MASSIVE CONTINENT THA IS BIGGER THAN EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA AS A LAND MASS.
I TRAVEL FROM CUVERVILLE ISLAND TO PARADISE HARBOR AND OVER TO THE U.
K.
's PORT LOCKROY.
NEXT, IT'S ON TO VERNADSKY STATION, AND I CLIMB MOUNT SCOT BEFORE RETURNING NORTH TO THE U.
S.
A.
's PALMER STATION.
LASTLY, I CROSS THE DRAKE PASSAGE TO ARRIVE AT CAPE HORN IN CHILE.
MY JOURNEY BEGINS IN THE WATERS OFF CUVERVILLE ISLAND ON THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA.
I HAVE TRAVELED THIS FAR ON BOARD THE GOOD SHIP AKADEMIK IOFFE, NEVER TOO FAR FROM A HOT SHOWER OR A CATERED MEAL.
ALL THAT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE AS I BOARD A 60-FOO AUSTRALIAN-MADE YACHT, THE SPIRIT OF SYDNEY.
WELCOME ABOARD SPIRIT OF SYDNEY.
THANK YOU.
MY HOSTS ARE ITS OWNERS AND CO-CAPTAINS CATH HEW AND DARREL DAY.
NICE TO MEET YOU.
COME ON IN.
NOT BAD.
OK.
RIGHT THROUGH THIS WAY.
THIS IS YOUR BUNK UP HERE, ZAY.
NICE.
THANK YOU.
AH, YEAH.
I'M ON TOP, BABY! WELL, THIS IS MY HOME FOR THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS IF ALL GOES WELL.
GOT ANY STANDING ROOM HERE, DARREL? OH, YEAH.
THAT WILL WORK.
I MAY BE PAYING MY WAY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME EXEMPT FROM ON-BOARD DUTIES.
ON A BOAT THIS SIZE, EVERYONE IS CALLED UPON TO ACT AS CREW.
WHEN YOU SEE THE BIG PIECE OF CHAIN STARTING TO ROLL OVER THE BLACK ROLLERS A THE END, JUST SLOW DOWN AND TAP IT JUST LIKE THAT.
AS A LANDLUBBER WHO DOESN' KNOW HIS PORT FROM STARBOARD, I NEED TO BE SHOWN THE ROPES.
FIRST JOB, WEIGHING ANCHOR.
OK.
STOP IT.
NOT AS EASY AS IT SEEMS.
DON'T EVER GE YOUR HANDS NEAR THE CHAIN, OR YOU'LL BE, UH, FINGERLESS.
OK.
LET'S SEE IF I HAVE ANY BETTER LUCK GETTING THE SAILS UP.
OK.
GO, GO.
GO, GO, GO! AND IT'S OFF WE GO.
PIECE OF CAKE THIS SAILING.
SO FAR ANYWAY.
THERE ARE 3 OTHER PASSENGERS ON BOARD, WHO HAVE ALL SAVED UP FOR YEARS FOR THEIR OWN SPECIAL ADVENTURE.
PROFESSIONALLY I'M INTERESTED IN THE ANTARCTIC BECAUSE I'M AN OCEANOGRAPHER, BUT I ALSO FANCY MYSELF A BI OF AN ADVENTURER, AND IT'S A GREAT ADVENTURE.
I'M NOT A CITY PERSON A ALL, SO HENCE THAT'S WHY, YEAH, I CAME DOWN, AND MY FRIENDS WERE LIKE, "YOU'RE WHAT?" BUT, YEAH, I LIKE GETTING AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
DARREL AND CATH ARE IN CHARGE OF KEEPING THEIR PASSENGERS HAPPY AND SAFE.
I WASTE NO TIME IN ASKING THEM WHAT LIES AHEAD.
SO, CATH, HOW IS I DIFFERENT SAILING HERE THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DEALING WITH MORE WIND, YOU'RE DEALING WITH ICE, YOU'RE DEALING WITH MORE UNCERTAIN WEATHER, BUT ONE OF THE WORST THINGS IS THESE FELLAS.
YEAH.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE SUPER VIGILANT.
YOU CAN NEVER RELAX YOUR GUARD.
PEOPLE DON' OFTEN HIT ICEBERGS.
PEOPLE HIT GROWLERS, THE LITTLE CHUNKS THAT ARE ABOU THIS BIG THAT BREAK OFF, AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY'LL ACTUALLY SUBMERGE UNDER THE WATER, AND THEN THEY'LL POP BACK UP AGAIN.
THEY'RE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AND IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PROBLEM, IT'S GONNA BE A GROWLER.
SO WHAT PRECAUTIONS DO YOU GUYS HAVE TO TAKE BEFORE COMING DOWN HERE? I'VE GOT TO THINK OF EVERY TINY POSSIBLE SCENARIO THA CAN GO WRONG AND MAKE SURE I'VE GOT THE TOOLS AND THE PARTS ON BOARD TO FIX THA AND GET US ALL HOME SAFELY.
FROM CUVERVILLE ISLAND, WE SAIL ON 4 HOURS TO PARADISE HARBOR.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST SECLUDED PLACES FOR YACHTS TO DROP ANCHOR ALONG THE PENINSULA, AND JUST LIKE I IMAGINED, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES HERE.
YEAH.
LOOK AT THAT.
THIS IS AWESOME.
HEE HEE HEE! WE SETTLE DOWN FOR MY VERY FIRST ANTARCTIC BARBECUE.
ALL OUR FOOD IS CARRIED WITH US ON THE YACHT, SO IT'S BEST TO EAT FRESH VEGETABLES EARLY ON IN THE TRIP.
DARREL HAS GOT SOME URGENT REPAIRS TO SEE TO.
WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE, DARREL? AH.
WE WERE JUST COMING THROUGH THEY BAY THERE.
A LOT OF BRASH ICE AROUND, AND THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ON WATCH MISSED ONE, AND THIS IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN, YOU KNOW? WE'VE TAKEN QUITE A GOOD HI HERE THAT'S PROBABLY PUSHED THE BOAT IN ABOUT 3 CENTIMETERS IN, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S POPPED THE OUTER FILLER OFF THE OUTSIDE.
IS IT SERIOUS? I'M GOING TO TRY AND SEAL IT TO TRY AND STOP ANY OF THE WATER PENETRATING FURTHER IN THERE.
THE ENORMITY OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT LIES AHEAD IS ONLY JUS STARTING TO SINK IN.
THAT ONE TIME.
HA HA HA! OH, YEAH.
THAT IS A SIGHT TO WAKE UP TO, HUH? THEY CALL THIS PARADISE HARBOR, AND IT'S NOT HARD TO SEE WHY.
ANTARCTIC ICE IS THE PURES FORM OF WATER ON THE PLANET, AND THE ANTARCTIC ICE SHEET IS THE ICEBERG FACTORY OF THE SOUTHERN OCEAN.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO ADMIRE IT THAN OUT ON THE WATER IN A KAYAK? IF I CAN ONLY GE INTO THIS DRY SUIT.
BY THE LOOKS, MY KAYAK IS ALSO A TIGHT SQUEEZE.
ALL RIGHT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE TO USE THE BATHROOM? HEH HEH.
BAD LUCK.
HANG ON.
ALL RIGHTIE.
GOOD TO GO, ZAY.
YEE-HA! WOW! THIS IS IT.
I'M OUT HERE DOING IT.
HOW ABOUT THESE FOR ANTARCTIC CONDITIONS, HUH? IT'S SO QUIET.
IT'S AMAZING.
I FEEL LIKE THE ONLY PERSON THAT EXISTS IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
APART FROM THESE GUYS OF COURSE, MY FELLOW PASSENGERS.
THERE'S CATH AND KAREN THERE.
I'M JUST GONNA CATCH UP WITH THEM.
AND HE SLIDES IN TO HOME BASE.
SO WHAT'S GOING ON? WELL, BASICALLY, THIS GLACIER'S FLOATED OU AS AN ICE TUNNEL.
ALL OF THAT'S REALLY UNSTABLE AND READY TO FALL OFF.
UNLIKE 50 YEARS AGO WHEN ANTARCTIC PENINSULA GLACIERS WERE ACTUALLY GROWING, RECENTLY COLLECTED DATA TELLS A VERY DIFFERENT STORY.
UP TO 90% ARE SHRINKING AND RAPIDLY.
THERE WE GO.
LOOK! OH, OH, HERE.
YEAH.
OH, THERE'S ONE.
WHOOSH.
THIS REGION HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF WARMING IN THE WORLD.
ON A SUNNY DAY LIKE TODAY, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS THE GLACIER CALVE OR BREAK UP BEFORE OUR VERY EYES.
OH, THERE'S A NEW ONE.
THERE'S MORE! OH, THREE'S A BIG ONE.
OK.
SHOULD WE TURN OUR KAYAKS? YEAH.
YEAH? WE GONNA GET A LITTLE WAVE HERE? WOW! HERE COMES THE WAVE.
HERE COMES THE WAVE.
LET'S JUST FACE INTO IT, KAREN.
FACE INTO IT? POINT YOUR KAYAK INTO THE WAVE.
YEAH? ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS REALLY SCARY ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE MORE THEY FALL, THE CLOSER THE BIG--OHH! HEY! OHH! FACE IT? WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT DO WE DO? HA HA HA! FACE THE WAVE.
I'M FRIGHTENED, MAN.
THIS IS A BIG WAVE COMING.
HA HA! OH, MY GOD.
THIS IS NUTS.
OH, MY GOD.
FACE THE WAVE, EVERYBODY.
THAT WAS THE BIG--THE WHOLE SHELF JUST FELL.
OH, MY GOD.
WHAT DO WE DO? ALTHOUGH THE SWELL FROM THE FALLING ICE LOOKS REASONABLY GENTLE, ITS SHEER FORCE COULD CAPSIZE US.
MY HEART IS POUNDING RIGHT NOW.
HA HA! THEY SAY YOU'VE GOT 30 MINUTES TO LIVE IF YOU FALL IN THE OCEAN DOWN HERE, AND THAT'S WEARING ONE OF THESE HIGH-TECH DRY SUITS.
UGH.
TIME TO BEAT A HASTY RETREAT.
HA HA! RAAR! WITH WEATHER LIKE THIS, IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR WILDLIFE WATCHING, AND A SHORT HOP FROM PARADISE HARBOR IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES FOR IT, NEKO HARBOR.
IT IS HOME TO NESTING COLONIES OF GENTOO PENGUINS AND THEIR FLUFFY CHICKS.
LIKE ALL PENGUINS, GENTOOS ARE HIGHLY SOCIABLE ANIMALS, WHICH MUST HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH SAFETY IN NUMBERS.
THEIR MAIN PREDATORS ON LAND ARE THE ANTARCTIC SKUAS, WHO WILL OFTEN PICK OFF A CHICK FROM THE EDGE OF A GROUP.
THAT IS UNLESS A BRAVE PARENT HAS OTHER IDEAS.
THEY'VE GOT A WHOLE NURSERY HERE.
ACTUALLY, I THINK IT'S CALLED A KINDERGARTEN WITH ALL THESE LITTLE CHICKS HERE WAITING TO BE FED.
THEY GET HUNGRY, AND THEN IT'S QUITE AGGRESSIVE.
THEY KNOW THAT THE PAREN HAS FOOD, AND SO THE PARENTS ARE RUNNING AWAY, AND THEY FINALLY CATCH UP, AND THEN THEY GIVE IN AND FEED THEM.
IT'S PRETTY AWESOME.
ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING THINGS IS WATCHING THE PENGUINS SWIM OR PORPOISE.
THEY SEEM TO TORPEDO THROUGH THE WATER LIKE DOLPHINS.
THEY ARE SO FAST.
HA HA HA! THAT'S AMAZING.
THEY'RE SO SLOW ON LAND, BUT YOU SEE THEM IN WATER, AND THEY'RE JUST FEWWW! THEY JUST DART OUT.
IT MUST BE SO LIBERATING JUST TO GO SWIM.
CUTE, LITTLE BIRD TRACKS, TOO.
LOOK.
JUST AROUND THE BAY IS AN INCREDIBLE CHINSTRAP PENGUIN HIGHWAY.
THEY ARE SO NAMED BECAUSE OF THE CHARACTERISTIC BLACK LINE UNDER THEIR CHINS.
THIS IS PENGUIN HIGHWAY.
THE CHINSTRAP PENGUINS SET UP THEIR NESTS AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST PLACE THE SNOW MELTS, AND THEN ONCE THEIR EGGS HATCH, THEY'LL COME ALL THE WAY DOWN, FEED IN THE OCEAN, AND GO ALL THE WAY BACK UP TO FEED THEIR CHICKS.
THE DISTINCTIVE RED AND GREEN MARKS IN THE SNOW ARE CAUSED BY ALGAE.
SUCH IS THE DRIVE OF THE PENGUINS TO REAR THEIR CHICKS THAT THEY WILL MAKE THIS COMMUTE DAILY.
IT IS SO ENDEARING, I COULD SIT AND WATCH THIS FOR HOURS.
NEXT UP WE ARE SAILING ACROSS THE GERLACHE STRAIT AND INTO THE NEUMAYER CHANNEL ON TO OUR NEXT PORT OF CALL BRITISH HISTORIC SITE PORT LOCKROY.
NO COUNTRY HOLDS INDISPUTABLE TITLE OVER ANY PART OF ANTARCTICA.
ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, CHILE, FRANCE, NEW ZEALAND, NORWAY, AND THE U.
K.
ALL CLAIM TERRITORY.
THE RUSSIANS HAVE SIZEABLE BASES, AS DO THE AMERICANS A LOCATIONS SUCH AS McMURDO AND THE SOUTH POLE.
I AM VISITING PORT LOCKROY.
YEE-HA! A BRITISH OUTPOST NOW CONVERTED INTO A MUSEUM.
THE BASE WAS OCCUPIED BY THE BRITISH DURING WORLD WAR II.
AFTER THAT, IT BECAME A SCIENTIFIC STATION MANNED YEAR-ROUND UNTIL 1962.
THEY'VE EVEN GOT THIS OLD IONOSONDE, AN INCREDIBLE MACHINE THAT MEASURES THE EARTH'S IONOSPHERE.
OF COURSE EVERY MUSEUM HAS THE OBLIGATORY GIFT SHOP.
YOU CAN EVEN SEND A POSTCARD FROM HERE.
ALL RIGHT.
LOOK HOW EFFICIENT THIS IS.
IN THE POST.
BUT IT WILL TAKE 6 WEEKS TO GET ANYWHERE.
ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS THE GLOBE, AND THIS IS ANTARCTICA.
THIS LITTLE MOUTHPIECE IS THE SOUTH POLE.
NOW KEEP IN MIND THE SHEER IMMENSITY OF THIS CONTINENT.
WE'RE ALL THE WAY UP HERE ON THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA 1,300 MILES AWAY FROM THE SOUTH POLE, AND THIS IS WHY IT WASN'T UNTIL THE 1900s THAT EXPLORERS STARTED TO OPEN UP ITS INTERIOR.
NONE ARE MORE FAMOUS THAN FALCON SCOTT AND NORWEGIAN ROALD ENGELBREGT AMUNDSEN.
BOTH MADE IT TO THE SOUTH POLE IN 1912.
SCOTT SET UP HIS WINTER BASE AT ROSS ISLAND ON THE ROSS ICE SHELF, AMUNDSEN FURTHER WES IN THE BAY OF WHALES.
AFTER WAITING OU THE WINTER MONTHS, THEY BOTH SET OFF FOR 90 DEGREES SOUTH, NEITHER KNOWING THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE OTHER.
AMUNDSEN BEAT SCOTT TO THE PRIZE BY A MATTER OF 35 DAYS.
ROBERT SCOTT'S TALE IS ONE OF TRAGEDY, POOR PREPARATION, APPALLING WEATHER CONDITIONS, PLUS BAD LUCK.
NOTHING TELLS THE STORY BETTER THAN THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE 5 WEARY EXPLORERS HAVING REACHED THEIR GOAL ONLY TO FIND THE NORWEGIAN FLAG AND A NOTE FROM AMUNDSEN.
[GRUNTING.]
.
WHERE SCOTT FAILED WAS TRYING TO PULL ALL HIS PROVISIONS AND EQUIPMENT HIMSELF.
AMUNDSEN, THE NORWEGIAN, ON THE OTHER HAND WAS SMAR AND USED DOGS.
I CAN'T EVEN PULL MY CAMERA CREW.
COME ON.
[GROANS.]
.
WHILE SCOTT AND HIS MEN WERE CARRYING HEAVY SCIENTIFIC EQUIPMENT, AMUNDSEN ARRIVED ACCOMPANIED BY 52 GREENLAND SLED DOGS.
AMUNDSEN'S GROUP MADE IT TO THE SOUTH POLE.
THEY DID A LITTLE DANCE AROUND IT, TOOK SOME PHOTOS, TOOK SOME MEASUREMENTS, AND HEADED BACK TO THEIR SHIP NO PROBLEM.
SCOTT'S EXPEDITION, HOWEVER, NOT SO LUCKY.
EXHAUSTION AND HYPOTHERMIA SET IN.
IN FACT, THE FIRST MEMBER EVEN DIED OF HYPOTHERMIA, AND THE REMAINING 4 WERE HOLED UP IN A TENT.
ONE OF THEM IS TITUS OATES.
RATHER THAN HOLD UP THE GROUP WITH HIS FROSTBITTEN LEG, HE DECIDES TO CHOOSE HIS OWN DEATH, STEPPING OUTSIDE WITH THE IMMORTAL WORDS "I MAY BE SOME TIME.
" THE REMAINING 3 DIE A SLOW DEATH IN A HORRIBLE BLIZZARD.
IT'S A CHILLING THOUGHT AND ONE THAT DOESN'T HELP ME GE MUCH SLEEP AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPS OVERNIGH TO -5 DEGREES CELSIUS.
IT'S A NEW DAY, AND I'M BACK ON BOARD THE SPIRIT OF SYDNEY, HEADING SOUTH ACROSS THE BISMARCK STRAIT, THEN THROUGH THE LEMAIRE CHANNEL AND ON TO OUR NEXT DESTINATION VERNADSKY, THE UKRAINIAN SCIENCE STATION.
WHOA! OH, YEAH! OH, LOOK AT THAT! WHOO! FANTASTIC! AS WE ARE NEARING THE STATION, WE MEET A POD OF FEEDING HUMPBACK WHALES.
OH! THAT WAS GREAT! WHOA! DID YOU SEE THAT? A BIG PART OF THEIR DIET ARE THE SHRIMP-LIKE CRUSTACEANS KNOWN AS KRILL.
THESE GUYS HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TECHNIQUE.
ONE OF THEM GOES AROUND MAKING BUBBLES, AND IT CREATES, LIKE, A LITTLE FENCE--THEY CALL IT BUBBLE NETTING-- AND THE OTHER GUY COMES UP FROM BELOW AND JUST SWOOPS UP IN ITS MOUTH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN TRAPPED WITHIN THAT BUBBLE NET.
ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A SCHEDULE, WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU JUST HAVE TO STOP AND HANG OUT FOR A LITTLE BI BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON' GET TO SEE THIS EVERY DAY.
TAIL, HUH? I'M STOPPING AT THE UKRAINIAN BASE VERNADSKY.
IT USED TO BE BRITISH RUN UNTIL 1996.
IT WAS CALLED FARADAY, AND THEY SOLD IT TO THE UKRAINIANS FOR A POUND.
IS THAT WILD OR WHAT? A POUND.
WHO ELSE IS SELLING? I'LL GET TWO, PLEASE.
I LIKE THAT.
LOOK AT THE PEACE SIGN.
IT'S FUNKY.
PALM TREES.
WHILE IT SOUNDS LIKE A BARGAIN, THE COST OF DISMANTLING A BASE TO STRINGENT ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS WOULD BE HUGE.
THE UKRAINIANS ARE HAPPY.
THEY ARE HERE YEAR-ROUND AND ARE VERY PROUD OF THE SCIENTIFIC WORK THA THEY ARE CARRYING OUT.
I'M GOING OUT TODAY ON AN EXCURSION WITH THE BIOLOGISTS, ALTHOUGH THEY LOOK MORE LIKE A GANG OF HELL'S ANGELS THAN A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS.
YOU WANT THE BAGS? [SPEAKING UKRAINIAN.]
.
I AM FOLLOWING IGOR DYKY, WHO IS STUDYING WEDDELL SEALS, ONE OF THE LARGES OF ALL SEAL SPECIES AND ALSO ONE OF THE FRIENDLIEST.
YOUNG MALE.
YOUNG MALE.
SO YOU JUST TAKE A COUNT EVERY TWO DAYS OF HOW MANY ARE HERE? ONE OF IGOR'S MAIN JOBS IS KEEPING A CENSUS OF THE LOCAL POPULATION, INCLUDING THEIR PRECISE NUMBERS, SEX, AND AGE.
SMILE.
HA HA HA! DO YOU NAME THEM, OR HOW DO YOU-- ONLY NUMBER.
NUMBER.
YOU NUMBER THEM.
OK.
THE WORK DEMANDS DEDICATION AND PATIENCE, PARTICULARLY UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, AND THIS IS THEIR SUMMERTIME.
MY JOB TODAY IS TO BE IGOR'S TRUSTY FIELD ASSISTANT.
THIS IS NEW? YEAH.
THIS IS NEW EXCREMENT.
YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT THE SEAL FROM ITS BOWEL MOVEMENTS.
SO YOU HAVE TO TAKE A SAMPLE THEN? YES.
SO HOW DO YOU DO THIS? YOU JUST REACH IN THE BAG AND GRAB IT INSIDE OUT? YOU HAVE A SPOON.
AWESOME.
OK.
OH, YEAH.
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD.
IN THE WEDDELL SEAL'S FECES, IGOR HAS FOUND TRACES OF SQUID THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND A AN OCEAN DEPTH OF 200 METERS.
SO THESE WEDDELL SEALS ARE GOING REALLY DEEP TO EAT? SO THIS IS A GOOD POO FIND FOR YOU, HUH? YOU'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
YES.
OK.
AWESOME.
I GUESS I'M THE CARRIER OF THE POO.
HEE HEE HEE! THERE'S A LOT HERE.
BUT THAT'S AT LAST, WE COME ACROSS AN ADULT AND IT'S A FEMALE.
HER EYES ARE ALL BLOODSHOT.
TAKE A PHOTO? YEAH.
HEH HEH.
SHE WANTS TO SHOW YOU HER BELLY.
SHE'S LIKE, "LOOK AT MY PATTERN.
" IT'S PRETTY COOL, HUH? NO TWO WEDDELL SEALS ARE ALIKE.
EACH SEAL HAS A DISTINCTIVE PATTERN ON ITS BELLY.
THE WHITE SPOTS ARE LIKE A FINGERPRINT.
SHE'S LIKE, "LOOK AT ME.
LOOK AT MY SPOTS.
AREN'T THEY NICE?" ONE OF THE MOST ENDEARING FEATURES OF THE WEDDELL IS ITS SMILE.
THE CORNERS OF ITS MOUTH TURN UPWARDS, GIVING THESE PLACID CREATURES THE APPEARANCE OF A CONSTANT SMILE.
BACK AT VERNADSKY, AND I'M TAKING A LOOK AROUND.
A LOT OF THE STATION REMAINS THE SAME AS IT DID WHEN THE BRITISH LEFT.
EVERY BAR I'VE EVER BEEN TO ALWAYS HAS THEIR FIRST DOLLAR PINNED UP ON THE WALL, FIRST DOLLAR THEY MADE.
THIS BAR HAS THE ACTUAL POUND THAT WAS USED TO PURCHASE THIS ENTIRE STATION.
THE UKRAINIANS GAVE IT TO THE BRITONS, THEY KEPT THE STYLE OF THE BRITISH PUB, AND ADDED A FEW UKRAINIAN TOUCHES OF THEIR OWN.
FOR THESE METEOROLOGISTS, WORK IS NEVER DONE.
THEY ARE STILL OU TAKING MEASUREMENTS AT SUNSET, AND AT THIS TIME OF YEAR IN FEBRUARY, THAT'S AFTER 10 P.
M.
BUT I HAVE TEAMED UP WITH A PARTY WHO HAVE SOMETHING A BI MORE RELAXING IN MIND.
ONE THING THE UKRAINIANS DID WHEN THEY TOOK OVER WAS THEY ADDED A SAUNA, AND AFTER A DAY LIKE TODAY, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
I'M JUST NOT SO SURE ABOUT THE PLUNGE.
I NEVER THOUGHT MY FIRST SWIM IN THE ANTARCTIC SEA WOULD BE A PLUNGE, BUT HERE IT GOES.
1, 2, 3! WHOO! WHOO! I DID IT! RIGHT NEAR VERNADSKY STATION IS MOUNT SCOTT, ONE OF THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA'S MANY PEAKS, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE HEADING TODAY FOR AN ATTEMPT AT THE SUMMIT AT 880 METERS.
ON THE ANTARCTIC CONTINENT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 30 PEAKS OVER 200 METERS, A LITTLE-KNOWN FACT ABOU THIS COLDEST, DRIEST, AND WINDIEST OF CONTINENTS.
THE GENERAL IDEA IS THA YOU'RE CLIPPED INTO THE ROPE.
YEAH.
MY CLIMBING GUIDE IS AUSTRALIAN CHRIS JONES, WHO IS ON HIS EIGHTH TRIP TO ANTARCTICA.
WE ARE JOINED BY KARL, ONE OF THE SCIENTISTS FROM VERNADSKY.
THE BASIC IDEA BEHIND ROPED TRAVEL IS THAT AS A GROUP WE'RE TRAVELING ATTACHED TO ONE ROPE, OK? SO IF ONE OF US FALLS IN A CREVASSE THE REST OF THE GROUP HAS THE ABILITY TO SET UP AN ANCHOR AND HELP GET THA PERSON OUT OF THE CREVASSE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT A CREVASSE IS, IT'S A GIAN OPENING IN THE GLACIER, SOMETIMES HUNDREDS OF METERS DEEP.
IT'S NOT A GOOD THING TO GET CAUGHT IN.
WE'RE CARRYING THE LATEST ICE AXES AND WEARING CRAMPONS ON OUR BOOTS, SHARP SPIKES WHAT WILL HOPEFULLY STOP US FALLING OFF THE MOUNTAIN.
IF THE LEADER FALLS IN A CREVASSE, PICK YOUR ICE AX UP TOWARDS YOU AN THEN FALL FLA ON THE SNOW SO THAT YOU CAN ARREST THAT FALL, AND THE AX SHOULD BE ABOUT HERE.
THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
THAT'S IT, YOU GO IT.
I NEED TO HOLD IN TIGHTER, YEAH? FEEL LIKE A NINJA.
KAAH, KAAH! WHO'S NEXT, WHO'S COMING WITH ME? WHHHPP, WHHHPP, WHHHPP, WHHHPP! POW! FEELING PRETTY GOOD.
PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I'M NOT BACK IN 6 HOURS, TELL MY FAMILY I LOVE THEM AND SEND THE HELICOPTER QUICKLY! OH, I FORGOT.
EVEN THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
THERE ARE NO SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTERS DOWN HERE.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT WEARING CRAMPONS IS THEIR INCREDIBLE TRACTION.
IT GIVES THE CLIMBER THE ABILITY TO TAKE A DIRECT LINE UP VERY STEEP SLOPES.
WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOU CLIMBING IN ANTARCTICA IS THA YOU BEGIN RIGHT IN THE SNOWLINE.
IN THAT SENSE, THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN FEELS JUST LIKE THE TOP.
AND AS WE ARE EFFECTIVELY CLIMBING OVER A GLACIER, WE MUST TREAD CAREFULLY TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FALLING INTO A CREVASSE.
WOW! THIS IS HUGE! CAN'T EVEN SEE THE BOTTOM.
HEH.
I'M REMINDED OF THE FATE THAT BEFELL AUSTRALIAN EXPLORER AND GEOLOGIS SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON.
ON JANUARY 1912, MAWSON LANDED AT A PLACE THAT HE NAMED COMMONWEALTH BAY.
HEADING WEST AND BATTLING WIND SPEEDS THAT REACHED 200 MILES AN HOUR, MAWSON WENT ON TO UNCOVER GREAT SWATHES OF NEW TERRITORIES, WHICH HE CALLED KING GEORGE V LAND AND CLAIMED FOR THE CROWN.
BUT YOU DON'T ALWAYS GET CREDIT FOR WHAT YOU DO RIGHT IN ANTARCTICA.
MAWSON'S TROUBLES STARTED ABOUT 500 KILOMETERS OUT FROM HIS BASE WHEN 1 OF HIS 3-MAN PARTY BELGRAVE NINNIS, WHO ALSO HAPPENED TO BE THE VERY ONE CARRYING ALL THEIR FOOD AND PROVISIONS, FELL DOWN INTO ONE OF THESE.
MAWSON WROTE, "I WAS SO UNBELIEVABLE.
WE KEPT TURNING AROUND EXPECTING HIM TO BE THERE.
" SO NOW THERE'S JUST MAWSON AND HIS COLLEAGUE, SWISS SKI CHAMPION XAVIER MERTZ, WHO ENDS UP DYING OF BEING COLD, FATIGUED, HUNGRY, AND POISONED BY ALL THE DOG LIVER THAT THEY HAD TO SURVIVE ON.
SO MAWSON, TO LIGHTEN HIS LOAD, TAKES OUT HIS POCKET KNIFE AND SAWS HIS SLED IN HALF, RACES TO GE BACK TO THE BASE.
HIS HAIR'S FALLING OUT, HIS NAILS LOOSE, AND HE'S NEARLY DEAD, AND HE FINALLY MAKES IT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT HIS SHIP LEFT HIM A FEW HOURS EARLIER, WRITING THEM ALL OFF AS DEAD, BUT 6 GUYS STAYED BEHIND JUST IN CASE, AND TOGETHER, THEY WINTERED IT OVER ONE MORE SEASON.
I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE.
AFTER A FEW HOURS AND A FEW HUNDRED METERS, THE WEATHER BEGINS TO CLOSE IN.
AND THE CREVASSES ARE ALL AROUND US.
THE DEADLIEST ONES ARE THE ONES WE CAN'T SEE.
NO AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE CAN ELIMINATE THE DANGER.
OUR GUIDE AND TRAILBLAZER CHRIS GETS A NASTY SHOCK.
JUST SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN.
ZAY, SIT DOWN! THIS HOLE DOESN' HAVE A BOTTOM.
[GROANING.]
.
OOH! OK.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? THAT'S A CREVASSE HOLE RIGHT HERE.
HOW DEEP? OH, I CAN'T REALLY SEE THE BOTTOM.
CAN WE STAND UP NOW? YEP.
ALL RIGHT.
LET'S HOPE WE DON' FIND ANY MORE OF THOSE.
SERIOUSLY.
CHRIS DISCOVERED THAT.
IT WAS TOTALLY SNOWED UP OVER, AND JUST GOES TO SHOW THIS WHOLE PLACE IS RIDDLED WITH CREVASSES.
YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN THE BOTTOM'S GONNA DROP OUT AND YOU MIGHT FALL IN.
HAPPENS TO THE BEST OF THEM.
WE ARE FORCED TO GIVE UP ON REACHING THE SUMMIT TODAY.
WELL, MOUNT SCOTT BEA ME, BUT I'M OK WITH THAT.
IT REALLY GAVE ME AN APPRECIATION FOR THE JOURNEY THAT THESE GUYS MUS HAVE GONE THROUGH.
THIS LAND IS ABSOLUTELY IMPENETRABLE, AND I GUESS THAT'S WHY PEOPLE KEEP COMING BACK TO IT.
FROM MOUNT SCOTT, WE RETURN TO VERNADSKY STATION.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I'M CHECKING OUT WORDIE HOUSE, AN HISTORIC HUT THAT WAS BUILT BY THE BRITISH IN 1947.
THIS SITE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN 1935 THERE WAS A HUT HERE THAT HOUSED THE BRITISH GRAHAM LAND EXPEDITION, WHERE THESE GUYS WENT OUT TO SURVEY THE PENINSULA, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO PROVE THAT IT IS INDEED A PENINSULA AND NOT A SERIES OF ISLANDS, AS ONCE THOUGHT.
PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF THEM BECAUSE THEY ALL SURVIVED.
IT WAS THE END OF THE GREA HEROIC AGE OF EXPLORATION HERE IN ANTARCTICA AND THE BEGINNING OF A MODERN ONE.
I'VE BORROWED THE KEYS TO GE INSIDE, SO I KNOW THAT I'LL BE THE ONLY ONE VISITING TODAY.
THIS IS GREAT.
THIS IS THE KITCHEN.
GOT A STOVE, SINK.
SILVERWARE, PLATES.
WIRELESS TELEPHONE.
WHAT A GREAT WAY TO EXPERIENCE HISTORY, BY SNOOPING AROUND.
FURNACE, BOOKS.
AN OLD DIARY HERE.
FROM VERNADSKY STATION, WE HEAD BACK TO THE NORTH.
WE HAVE ONE STOP LEFT ON OUR ANTARCTIC TOUR, AND THAT'S AT THE U.
S.
A.
's PALMER STATION ON ANVERS ISLAND.
BY THE LATE EVENING, WE ARRIVE.
WE WILL BE GOING ASHORE IN THE MORNING.
IT LOOKS PRETTY POSH COMPARED TO THE OTHER STATIONS, I GOT TO SAY.
KIND OF EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S IN THERE BECAUSE I KNOW-- I KNOW WE DON'T MESS AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO STATIONING FELLOW CITIZENS OU IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
AS DAY BREAKS, WE GE AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR.
THIS ICEBERG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT CAME UP AND GO CAUGHT IN OUR LINES, SO THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SHIP DARREL HAS BEEN ON IT FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.
HE'S BEEN PUSHING IT TO DRIVE IT AWAY FROM THE BOAT, BUT, YEAH, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL, SO COULD DO A LOT OF DAMAGE TO OUR SHIP.
WE'RE WORRIED THAT IT'S GONNA BREAK UP AND ROLL OVER, SO WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE WE CAN GET AWAY FROM ALL THE DEBRIS.
HAVING PARKED THE ICEBERG, IT IS NOW SAFE FOR ME TO CLIMB ASHORE.
SEASON THAT I'VE BEEN AT PALMER STATION.
I'VE MET UP WITH ONE OF PALMER'S LEADING BIOLOGISTS JIM McCLINTOCK.
OVER 5 TRIPS TO ANTARCTICA, JIM'S ATTENTION HAS SHIFTED TO ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES NOW FACING SCIENTISTS AND INDEED US ALL, CLIMATE CHANGE.
WELL, ONE OF THE MOS DRAMATIC THINGS IS WHAT'S HAPPENED RIGHT HERE WITH THE MARR GLACIER.
JUST IN THE 10 YEARS THA I'VE BEEN HERE, IT'S RECEDED.
IN THE LAST 50 OR 60 YEARS, IT'S OVER A HALF A KILOMETER IT'S RECEDED BACK.
COLLEAGUE OF MINE THA USED TO COME HERE IN THE LATE SEVENTIES SAID YOU COULD WALK OUT OF THE BACK OF THE STATION AND ALMOST STEP ONTO IT, AND SO NOW IT'S A HIKE, AND I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE IN 2001, I'D SIT IN MY OFFICE, AND MAYBE ONCE A WEEK, I'D HEAR A BIG CRASHING SOUND.
WE'D RUN DOWN THE HALL AND LOOK OUT HERE, AND WE'D SEE A BIG CHUNK THAT'S FALLEN INTO THE WATER, AND NOW THAT'S HAPPENING, 5, 6, 7 TIMES A DAY.
IN FACT, I DON'T EVEN GET UP FROM MY DESK.
IT'S JUST SO COMMON.
SO WHAT'S CAUSING THIS CHANGE? WELL, THIS IS NOW CONSIDERED THE MOS RAPIDLY WARMING REGION OF THE PLANET.
IT'S WARMING ABOUT A DEGREE CENTIGRADE A DECADE.
SO OVER 60 YEARS, WE'VE HAD A 6-DEGREE INCREASE CENTIGRADE.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR LIFE HERE IN ANTARCTICA? THE MOST POIGNAN EXAMPLE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THE ADELIE PENGUIN.
WE'VE GONE FROM 15,000 BREEDING PAIRS OUT HERE ON THIS ISLAND TO ABOUT 3,000.
ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENING IS AS THE AIR IS WARMING HERE IT'S IRONICALLY GETTING MORE HUMID AND SNOWING MORE.
YOU DON'T THINK OF SNOWING MORE IN A WARMER SCENARIO, BUT THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE ADELIES ARE SO USED TO SHOWING UP AND LAYING THEIR EGGS AT THE SAME TIME EVERY YEAR THAT THEY COME AND THEY LAY THEIR EGGS, AND THEN THERE WILL BE THIS SNOWSTORM.
IT BURIES THE EGGS, AND THE EGGS, WHEN THAT SLUSHY WATER MELTS FROM THE SNOW, THEY ESSENTIALLY DROWN THE EGGS.
SO AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF ADELIES CAN BE WIPED OUT IN ONE OF THESE STORMS.
THE MARR GLACIER HAS RETREATED SO MUCH OVER 50 YEARS THAT IN THE LAST DECADE AN ISLAND PREVIOUSLY COVERED IN ICE HAS BEEN REVEALED.
IT SITS JUS OFF PALMER STATION AND HAS BEEN NAMED AMSLER ISLAND.
I'M TAKING A TRIP OUT THERE WITH NONE OTHER THAN THE AMSLERS THEMSELVES, THE VERY PEOPLE IT WAS NAMED AFTER.
ANYBODY WHO WORKS IN ANTARCTICA FOR, OH, AS MANY YEARS AS WE HAVE, SOMEONE'S BOUND TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO NAME SOMETHING AFTER THEM.
THESE GUYS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES TO HAVE ANTARCTIC REAL ESTATE NAMED AFTER THEM.
MOST OF THE FAMOUS EXPLORERS HAVE THE HONOR.
YOU'VE GOT THE SHACKLETON COAST, THE WILKINS ICE SHELF, PALMER LAND.
THEN THERE ARE THE PLACES NAMED AFTER RULERS OR ROYALTY LIKE KING GEORGE V LAND OR THE KING LEOPOLD AND QUEEN ASTRID COAST, BU I'M NOT SO SURE I'D WANT TO GET LOST IN THE DISMAL MOUNTAINS OR THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE RANGE.
WHO EVER CAME UP WITH THAT? IF YOU GUYS SUBMIT MY NAME, IT MIGHT BE HARDING ISLAND.
WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
YEAH, RIGHT.
DON'T CONSIDER IT.
AS I EXPLORE THE AMSLERS' ISLAND, I STUMBLE ACROSS SOME FEATHERED FRIENDS WHO AREN'T SO KEEN ON ME BEING HERE.
UGH! IT'S THE ATTACK OF THE BIRDS, MAN! OHH! HA! HE DOES NO WANT ME UP THERE! HA HA! THEY'RE JUST BIRDS.
THEY'RE CRAZY.
SO YOU'RE A ZOOLOGIST? IF I'M GONNA HAVE AN ISLAND NAMED AFTER ME, I'D BETTER PUT IN THE HOURS.
KIRSTIE AND I.
LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN HELP.
IF YOU WANT TO RECORD FOR US, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YEP.
FOR MY SECOND OUTING AS AN ANTARCTIC FIELD ASSISTANT, I'M HEADING OUT WITH BIOLOGISTS AND BIRDERS JENNIFER BLUM AND KIRSTIE YEAGER.
NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS WALKING AROUND THE ISLAND.
JUST UP HERE ARE THE GIAN PETREL NESTS THAT WE VISIT ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR MEASUREMENTS.
THEY ARE MONITORING THE LOCAL POPULATIONS OF SOUTHERN GIANT PETREL.
MEASURE ITS COMMON LENGTH OR ITS BILL LENGTH.
THE LONG NOSTRILS INDICATE A HIGHLY DEVELOPED SENSE OF SMELL, WHICH IS UNUSUAL AMONG BIRDS.
GIANT PETRELS ARE SCAVENGERS, OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE VULTURES OF THE ANTARCTIC.
THE SCIENTISTS HERE HAVE BEEN STUDYING THE PETRELS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, SO LONG THEY HAVE EVEN GOTTEN USED TO HAVING THEIR YOUNG CHICKS WEIGHED.
WEIGHING IT NOW? 3,900 GRAMS.
BECAUSE OF THEIR LARGE WINGSPAN, THE GIANT PETREL CAN TRAVEL GREAT DISTANCES, FORAGING AS FAR AWAY AS 600-900 MILES FROM THE NEST.
ON SOLID GROUND, THEY ARE NOT QUITE SO GRACEFUL.
THIS IS ONE OF THE LAS EXPERIENCES I WILL HAVE WITH ANTARCTIC WILD LIFE, AND I AM SAVORING EVERY MINUTE.
WE PLAN TO SET SAIL TOMORROW FOR THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.
UP EARLY, AND WE ARE BATTENING DOWN THE HATCHES.
EVERYONE IS ON EDGE AS WE PREPARE TO PUT ALL THAT WE HAVE LEARNED ON BOARD TO THE TEST.
THAT RUBBER THING.
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.
SO YOU NERVOUS? YEP.
SO AM I.
NICE.
I ALWAYS AM.
IF YOU'RE NOT NERVOUS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TAKING THIS THING-- TOO RELAXED.
YEAH.
YOU'RE TAKING IT TOO LIGHTLY.
FROM PALMER STATION, WE ARE HEADING NORTH ON A 4-DAY OCEAN CROSSING OF THE DRAKE PASSAGE, COVERING 560 NAUTICAL MILES, OVER 1,000 KILOMETERS TO OUR FINAL DESTINATION CAPE HORN IN CHILE ON THE SOUTH AMERICAN MAINLAND.
THE DRAKE PASSAGE IS THE MOS TREACHEROUS STRETCH OF WATER ON THE PLANET, SO IT'S VITAL THAT WE ARE UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST WEATHER REPORTS.
TRYING TO AVOID THESE TRIANGLES HERE.
THESE ARE HURRICANE FORCE WINDS, SO THAT'S NOT THE MOS COMFORTABLE TRIP HOME, BUT IT'S NOT-- IT'S NOT THAT BAD EITHER.
SO I SHOULD EXPECT TO GET PRETTY SEASICK, HUH? YEAH.
HAVE YOU TAKEN YOUR PILLS YET? NO PILLS.
OK.
LET'S GET ON THE PILLS.
YOU BETTER START.
AND JUST LIKE THAT, WE'RE OFF.
I'M HOPING I TOOK IT ALL IN BECAUSE IT'S GETTING FARTHER AND FATHER AWAY.
LEAVING IT ALL BEHIND.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW? WILDLIFE JUST WELCOMING ME.
NO REAL PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH.
PEACE, YOU KNOW? AS PREDICTED, OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS, THE SEA GETS ROUGHER AND STORMIER.
AND THE WIND REACHES GALE FORCE 8.
THAT'S 40 KNOTS.
THAT'S HOW IT WILL STAY FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
IT TAKES A CERTAIN TYPE OF PERSON TO ENJOY THIS, AND I'LL BE THE FIRS TO ADMIT IT'S NOT ME.
OHH.
THIS IS ROUGH, MAN.
I'VE THROWN UP A FEW TIMES, AND I'M FREEZING.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S JUST THROWING ME AROUND, AND I HAVE TO ROLL WITH IT.
IT'S THE ONLY UNFORTUNATE THING ABOUT ANTARCTICA IS THA YOU'VE GOT TO GE THERE AND GET BACK, AND THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO DO IT RIGHT NOW.
OHH.
DAY TWO, AND THE WEATHER HAS EASED, BUT IT'S STILL PRETTY FULL ON.
[WIND HOWLING.]
.
EVERYTHING'S SUCH AN EFFORT.
I'M STARVING RIGHT NOW, BU IT'S THE ONLY WAY I CAN KEEP FROM GETTING NAUSEOUS IS KEEP AN EMPTY STOMACH.
THE MEDS DIDN'T WORK.
THEY MADE ME FEEL LIKE I HAD FEVER IN A BAD WAY.
I HAD COLD SWEATS, HO SWEATS, JUST DRIPPING SWEAT, AND STILL STAYED NAUSEOUS.
I'VE THROWN UP 3 TIMES ALREADY.
AND I STILL HAVE TO WORK MY SHIFTS.
OH, MAN.
EVERYONE IS EXPECTED TO WORK ON DECK, WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS.
OK.
3-HOUR SHIFT, HERE WE COME.
PHEW.
THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WALK AROUND IN THIS.
MORNING.
OHH.
ANY NEWS? JUST TRYING TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ICEBERGS.
HAD QUITE A FEW THROUGH THE NIGHT, SO JUST KEEPING A CAREFUL EYE OUT.
I NEED TO BUCKLE ON.
THAT THING CAN HOLD TWO TONS.
I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT FALLING OVER.
UGH.
WHICH WAY DO I GO WHEN I NEED TO PUKE? DOWNWIND.
OTHERWISE, YOU END UP WEARING IT.
NOW THAT WE'RE IN THE OPEN SEA, THE JOB OF STEERING IS LEFT TO AUTOPILOT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO ON DECK.
THE WINDS PICKED UP FROM 25 TO ABOUT 31 KNOTS, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REDUCE SALE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO FURL IN THE GENOA.
IT'S HARDER GOING SLOW.
HOW MUCH DO I HAVE TO GO? ABOUT ANOTHER 200.
200 TURNS? WHAT ARE YOU, NUTS? THIS IS MAKING ME NAUSEOUS.
KEEP CRANKING ON THERE, ZAY.
HEY, NICK.
YOU WANT TO GIVE ME A HAND? GIVE ME A GO AT IT, MATE.
COME ON, NICK! YOU CAN DO IT.
THIS IS WHAT ADVENTURE TOURISM IS ALL ABOUT.
[LOUD CREAKING.]
.
DAY 3 BRINGS A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE, BUT I STILL DON' HAVE MUCH STOMACH FOR ADMIRING THE VIEW.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER MY BODY CAN TAKE THIS.
BY DAY 4, WE ARE APPROACHING CAPE HORN, WHERE THE ATLANTIC MEETS THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE UNDERSEA BED RISES SHARPLY FROM AROUND 4,000 METERS TO 90 METERS DEPTH, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S NORMALLY SO ROUGH AND TREACHEROUS, BUT MIRACULOUSLY, NOT TODAY.
THE SUN IS OUT, WE HAVE SHED THE ANTARCTIC CLOTHING, AND AT LAST, WE HAVE OUR APPETITES BACK.
THERE HE IS.
NOW HE COMES UP.
AHH.
AH, ZAY.
YOU MADE IT AT LAST! YES! COULDN'T MISS THE FEAST.
HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR 3 DAYS.
COOL.
IT'S LAND! YEAH? CAPE HORN! NICK SAYS HE SEES LAND.
I DON'T SEE IT YET.
I'M GONNA GO CHECK IT OUT.
THAT'S CAPE HORN.
OH, YEAH.
LOOK AT THAT.
WHOO! WHOO-HOO! WE SEE LAND! IT'S CAPE HORN! WE SEE CAPE HORN! WHOO-HOO! DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA DA.
THE END IS NEAR! YEAH! HA HA HA! WHOO! YEAH! WE ARE JOINING AN ALUMNI OF SEAFARERS THAT STRETCHES FROM SIR FRANCIS DRAKE TO CAPTAIN COOK AND MAGELLAN.
CHEERS, EVERYBODY.
WHY HAVE I GOT TWO? THEY SAY YOU HAVEN'T EARNED YOUR STRIPES UNTIL YOU'VE ROUNDED CAPE HORN, AND WHA BETTER WAY TO APPROACH IT THAN FROM DUE SOUTH, ANTARCTICA? IT'S ONE OF THE GREA PIECES OF OCEAN IN THE WORLD, AND ANY SAILOR DREAMS OF CROSSING IT.
IT'S JUST A GREAT THING TO DO.
[KISSING SOUND.]
.
DID IT! HE'S DOWN THERE, AND HE'S BACK! OHH! THIS IS A MEMORIAL TO ALL THE SAILORS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES HERE.
COUNTLESS.
THE ALBATROSS.
WOW! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY I'VE HAD TO THE BOTTOM OF THE EARTH AND BACK.
THE NEAT THING ABOU ANTARCTICA IS IT DOESN' BELONG TO ANY ONE COUNTRY.
IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US.
ANYONE CAN GO THERE AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THE ICE IS MELTING, KILLING OFF ENTIRE SPECIES, DISPLACING OTHERS.
SO LET'S NOT BE NAIVE AND WAIT TILL THE WATER SHOWS UP ON OUR DOORSTEP.
LET'S ACT TOGETHER AND PRESERVE THE PLACE.
SAVE THE ICE, SAVE THE PLANET.
STAY TUNED FOR A SPECIAL "GLOBE TREKKER EXTRA.
" FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY SUBARU.
AT SUBARU, WE BUILD VEHICLES LIKE THE RUGGED OUTBACK WITH SYMMETRICAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE STANDARD AND PLENTY OF CARGO SPACE FOR THOSE WHO PACK EVEN MORE ADVENTURE INTO LIFE.
SUBARU, A PROUD SPONSOR OF "GLOBE TREKKER.
" YOU CAN FIND MORE ABOU THE SERIES ON OUR WEB SITES.
PROGRAMS FROM THE "GLOBE TREKKER" SERIES ARE AVAILABLE ON DVD, OR VISIT GLOBETREKKERCHANNEL.
TV TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN WATCH US ONLINE.
MUSIC FROM THE SERIES IS AVAILABLE ON CD.
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COM.
ZAY, GIVE US A RUN-THROUGH OF THE PIECE.
THIS WAS A VERY SMALL CREW BECAUSE I WAS AN EXPENSIVE SHOOT.
WE HAD A CAMERAMAN PETE ALLIBONE, WHO I LOVE WORKING WITH.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET A SHOT--TO ORCHESTRATE A SHO FOR THEM TO--FOUND AN ICEBERG WITH A BIG HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
SOMETIMES WE WERE UP ON THE EDGE OF A CLIFF, AND THE CAMERAMAN'S HANGING ON A ROPE, "ALL RIGHT.
GO AHEAD.
" SO I ALWAYS FEEL LIKE I CAN DO WHATEVER IS ASKED BECAUSE IF THE CAMERAMAN CAN DO IT, THEN I CAN.
IT'S DONE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE HAD A PERSONAL GUIDE CHRIS JONES KEEPING US SAFE.
MORNING.
HOW'S IT GOING? GOT TO MAKE SURE IT ALL HAPPENS AND YOU BRING EVERYONE BACK ALIVE A THE END OF THE DAY.
AND OUR SOUND GUY IS ALSO OUR DIRECTOR AND ALSO OUR PRODUCER.
IN FACT, IT WAS A LITTLE WEIRD BECAUSE PEOPLE KEPT ASKING ME, "WHY IS THE SOUND GUY TELLING YOU WANT TO DO?" ZAY, TRY THAT LINE AGAIN.
I'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLE TIME CROSSING THE SOUTH ATLANTIC, EXPLORING ISLANDS I NEVER EVEN KNEW EXISTED.
FOR THE END OF THE PROGRAM, WE ALWAYS TRY AND THINK UP SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ALREADY.
IT JUST FELT RIGHT TO HAVE HIM STANDING ON AN ICEBERG AS THE BOAT PULLS AWAY AND WE SEE ZAY LEFT THERE ON THIS ICEBERG, AND THEN JUST AS WE WERE ABOUT TO DO THE PIECE, THIS HUGE BOOM, IT'S LIKE AN AVALANCHE, AND A MINI-TSUNAMI STARTS HEADING TOWARDS ZAY ON THE ICEBERG LIKE THAT.
SHH, SHH, SHH.
GET DOWN, EVERYBODY.
SO WE JUST ABORTED OUR EFFORTS HERE BECAUSE A BIG CHUNK OF THE GLACIER HAS BROKEN OFF.
AVALANCHES WERE GOING ON EVERYWHERE, CONSTANTLY CALVING GLACIERS.
WHOOSH! THAT ICE IS MELTING QUICK.
THAT'S A HUGE WARNING SIGN, AND FOR ME TO EXPERIENCE THA WAS ACTUALLY A BIT LIFE-CHANGING.
IT'S DEFINITELY INSPIRING ME TO START SPREADING THE WORD.
WE ALL GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.
THE DRAKE PASSAGE IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT.
THE REASON THEY ALL TALK ABOU IT IS BECAUSE IT IS SO ROUGH.
WE WERE SLAMMING, LIKE, SLAPPING THE WAVES, AND WHERE OUR BEDS WERE WE'RE RIGH AT THE BOW OF THE SHIP, SO EVERY SINGLE SLAP IS JUS THE WHOLE BODY PFFF! PFFF! KNOCKING THE WIND OUT OF YOU.
I REMEMBER JUST LYING THERE, GOING, "PETE, PETE, WE SHOULD FILM SOMETHING.
" AND ZAY SAYING, "OH, YEAH.
" AND THEN WE'D ALL JUST SIT THERE, AND WE'D WALK A BIT FURTHER, AND WE'D PICK THE CAMERA UP.
IT TOOK US, LIKE, AN HOUR TO FILM THAT SCENE OF 15 SECONDS OF FOOTAGE.
OHH.
I'M SWEATY AND NAUSEOUS.
IT WAS THE HARDES THING I'VE EVER DONE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO RELENTLESS.
THE HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME WERE GETTING TO INTERAC WITH THE WILDLIFE.
THERE WAS A DAY WHERE THE WHALES WERE RIGHT AT OUR BOAT.
THAT WAS AMAZING.
I WAS STRAIGHT UP ABOVE IT, AND IT WAS JUST SHOWING ITS WHOLE SELF TO US AND ROLLING AROUND LIKE, "LOOK AT ME.
LOOK AT MY BELLY.
" WHOA! HERE IT COMES, HERE IT COMES.
FOR THEM TO JUS SHARE THEMSELVES WITH US WAS PRETTY AMAZING.
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PENGUINS, I HAVE TO ADMIT.
SOMETIMES WE'D BE SITTING THERE AMONGST THE PENGUINS, AND THEY WERE JUST, LIKE, RUNNING AROUND, DOING THEIR THING, OR THEY WOULD JUST APPEAR.
LIKE, ONE DAY, WE'RE FILMING THEM COMING OUT OF THE WATER AND JUMPING ONTO THE LAND, AND IT WAS KIND OF LIKE THEY WERE COMING IN FROM ANOTHER DIMENSION, LIKE YOU'RE WATCHING SOME SCI-FI THING.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WILDLIFE JUST WELCOMING ME, NO REAL PEOPLE TO DEAL WITH, PEACE, YOU KNOW? IT'S INTERESTING.
A LOT OF FOLKS THAT GO TO ANTARCTICA RETURN TO ANTARCTICA.
IT'S JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE WILDERNESS AREA.
LIFE'S REALLY SIMPLE DOWN THERE.
LIFE'S TOUGH, BUT IT'S SIMPLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU EAT, YOU KEEP WARM, YOU LOOK OUT FOR YOURSELF, LOOK OU FOR YOUR MATES, AND I KIND OF LIKE THAT SIMPLICITY.
PERHAPS IT'S A BIT OF ESCAPISM, BUT I LOVE IT, AND I'LL PROBABLY RETURN QUITE SOON.