My Antarctic Expedition – My attempt to save our planet (Part 6)

This is a part of my ?Antarctica Calling? series, a story capturing my journey to Antarctica as a part of 2041, in the toughest leadership course on the planet as I learnt how can we save the only planet we have.

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The Lemaire Channel

With the post drake passage recovery in progress, I was able to feel normal again which I would soon learn is a privilege in Antarctica. An iceberg has only one eighth of its volume above sea level and that made me wonder how much ice existed just feet below the ship. I was in the Lemaire channel. The Lemaire channel was our gateway into the Antarctic. Surrounded by mountains covered in ice and icebergs all around, it was the most beautiful sight I had ever witnessed. A grinding sound was however distracting me from being able to enjoy the view. As I peered over the port of the ship, I saw what was causing it. The channel was covered in ice and our ship was attempting to cut through it. Chunks of ice and fissured icebergs drifted away from our ship. It was a powerful moment for me, I was finally in the Antarctic and I could finally understand what we all are fighting for. As I was engrossed in my thoughts, I heard a high pitched scream of delight by young girls around me. It was a group of penguins. I had seen them on television diving in and out of water but seeing them in person was an entirely other experience. I could see these extremely small and delicate birds with their smooth skins and the sun reflecting of it as they swam in groups of 6 periodically surfacing to give us glimpses. Their black backs and white bellies were the most adorable sight any of us had ever seen. It was at this moment that I felt a powerful urge to take action, if only to allow these creatures to enjoy the waters for a few more years. A seal was the next to reveal itself, lounging on an iceberg it eluded the aura of strength a gatekeeper to a nightclub does. It gave us a brief glance, a momentous task it seemed for him, as he lifted his head and thoroughly analyzed us. I might be imagining it, but 2 seals rested on top of identical icebergs equally apart from our ship. It seemed like we were passing through the gates of Antarctica under the scrutiny of its residents. I was awed by how small we all were but how much our actions contributed to its future.

(To be contd.)

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