Photos for Tom Dunlop
- Thread starter mrtree
- Start date
These are photos associated with Ernest Shacklton, one of Tom Dunlop's heros. I did four trips to Antarctica this past winter and visited Schacklton's grave twice. This is at Grytviken on the island of South Georgia. Our group landed at Point Wild on Elephant Island, the home of the men for 4.5 months in overturned boats. Incredible because I think only a few thousand people have ever landed here and I drove one of the boats to land. Yes Tom this place is undescribable.
South Georgia is one of the most incredible places in the world, penguins, fur and elephant seals, scenery and history rolled into an incredible remote island.
Michael
South Georgia is one of the most incredible places in the world, penguins, fur and elephant seals, scenery and history rolled into an incredible remote island.
Michael
- Location
- Retired in Minneapolis
Thanks SO much!
If anyone isn't familiar with Ernest Shackleton he is very worthwhile investigating. There is a management training book written using The Boss's, as he was affectionately known to his men, style. He hired on a man for one of his exploratory trips because he could sing well. That gave a balanced crew.
If anyone isn't familiar with Ernest Shackleton he is very worthwhile investigating. There is a management training book written using The Boss's, as he was affectionately known to his men, style. He hired on a man for one of his exploratory trips because he could sing well. That gave a balanced crew.
Here I am driving the zodiac up to the beach at Point Wild. What is very interesting is that this is the best anybody has ever seen it. The point is almost impossible to land at and the beach is literally 30 wide. This was a flat day yet the surf was rolling up the beach 30-40 feet. It is a miracle that men in lifeboats were able to land here and then leave again.
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mrtree
I'm curious now about the circumstances of your visits. What were you doing down there?
I'm curious now about the circumstances of your visits. What were you doing down there?
Well strangely enough I was working as a naturalist/guide for a company called Peregrine Adventures (www.peregrineadventures.com). I have a background in birding and wildlife biology as well as forestry. The great story is that last year I got a call to price a limb removal for somebody locally. I had heard he was a guide, but I did not know what for. After finding out he is leader for trips to the Arctic and Antarctic I jokingly said if you need somebody who knows birds I come would along. From there it grew to where I did one trip in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland last year and was asked to do four trips in Antarctica this winter.
The trips are either Ushuaia (southern tip of South America) to Antarctica (10 or 12 nights) and back, or the long trips (16 to 19 nights) are Ushuaia to Falkland Islands to South Georgia to Antarctica and back to Ushuaia.
I work as a guide which means I give presentations, my specialities are birds and plants, but now I also do whales and seals and will likely do general ecology of the arctic and glaciology in the future. I also drive the zodiacs to move passengers between ship and shore and to do "cruising" to see the sights. Seeing whales not only beside the boat but literally right underneath your zodiac is spectacular. On land we have to get people safely in and out of the zodiacs, lead walks, interpret and protect people from attacking fur seals and from falling into crevaces.
Other hard things include dinner with the passengers and drinking in the bar.
Yes it is an incredible job, a little different from climbing trees. Even that was used as Margaret Lowman (www.canopymeg.com) was on ship with a group of university students.
I would recommend for anybody that can afford it to go and see Antarctica, it is really beyond description. The long trips include Falkland Islands (Ilsa Malvinas) which are wonderful and South Georgia which is one of my favourite spots in the world.
Falkland Islands are windswept, tussoc grass and sand with no trees other than those planted around camps. The wildlife is very special and rich, a highlite is dolphins playing in the wake of the zodiacs. The capital, Stanley, is like a little piece (2000 people)of Britian, everybody else lives in camps or settlements which are essentailly farms with one or two homes.
South Georgia is incredible for whales, seals, penguins, albatrosses, scenery and history. There is the remains of five whaling stations on the island. There are no permanent residents, 19 people live and work at the museum, for BAS (British Antarctic Survey), the Fishery Agent and the Post Mistress. The place is remote, barren, beautiful, overwhelming etc. I imagine the only place that may compare is Kergulen, but nobody goes there. I cannot say enough about the place. For history buffs seeing Shacklton's grave and the plaques that have been at the grave for 75+ years is amazing and doing the last of the Shacklton "walk" is pretty cool. There has only been 13 births registered at the island, the last being SAlly Poncet's son Dion who now sails the Damian between Falklands and South Georgia. The graveyards are primarily normegian whalers but include Shacklton and the last burial, Felix Arturo, an Argentinian soldier killed during the invasion of 1982.
Incredible
The trips are either Ushuaia (southern tip of South America) to Antarctica (10 or 12 nights) and back, or the long trips (16 to 19 nights) are Ushuaia to Falkland Islands to South Georgia to Antarctica and back to Ushuaia.
I work as a guide which means I give presentations, my specialities are birds and plants, but now I also do whales and seals and will likely do general ecology of the arctic and glaciology in the future. I also drive the zodiacs to move passengers between ship and shore and to do "cruising" to see the sights. Seeing whales not only beside the boat but literally right underneath your zodiac is spectacular. On land we have to get people safely in and out of the zodiacs, lead walks, interpret and protect people from attacking fur seals and from falling into crevaces.
Other hard things include dinner with the passengers and drinking in the bar.
Yes it is an incredible job, a little different from climbing trees. Even that was used as Margaret Lowman (www.canopymeg.com) was on ship with a group of university students.
I would recommend for anybody that can afford it to go and see Antarctica, it is really beyond description. The long trips include Falkland Islands (Ilsa Malvinas) which are wonderful and South Georgia which is one of my favourite spots in the world.
Falkland Islands are windswept, tussoc grass and sand with no trees other than those planted around camps. The wildlife is very special and rich, a highlite is dolphins playing in the wake of the zodiacs. The capital, Stanley, is like a little piece (2000 people)of Britian, everybody else lives in camps or settlements which are essentailly farms with one or two homes.
South Georgia is incredible for whales, seals, penguins, albatrosses, scenery and history. There is the remains of five whaling stations on the island. There are no permanent residents, 19 people live and work at the museum, for BAS (British Antarctic Survey), the Fishery Agent and the Post Mistress. The place is remote, barren, beautiful, overwhelming etc. I imagine the only place that may compare is Kergulen, but nobody goes there. I cannot say enough about the place. For history buffs seeing Shacklton's grave and the plaques that have been at the grave for 75+ years is amazing and doing the last of the Shacklton "walk" is pretty cool. There has only been 13 births registered at the island, the last being SAlly Poncet's son Dion who now sails the Damian between Falklands and South Georgia. The graveyards are primarily normegian whalers but include Shacklton and the last burial, Felix Arturo, an Argentinian soldier killed during the invasion of 1982.
Incredible
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