In this clear light, we see our first evidence of Peter the First Island. It is one of the most remote islands in the world. According to our esteemed historian, Robert Headland, only about 800 humans have ever set foot on this steep island, which is ninety-five percent covered in ice. We hope conditions are favourable to land. I may be one of the privileged few--or perhaps the only one--ever to paint Peter the First Island.
"Sketching on remote Peter the First Island." (photo by Ed)
At 2:30 p.m. there is plenty of calm, open water, although the ice pans and icebergs creep with unpredictable menace. Landing is quick and short, as the site is small and prone to rock falls and avalanches of calving glaciers from above. This is, again, an emotional rush--to visit such a remote and primordial place. I have only time to dash off a few ink drawings of a magnificent arch with deep, iron oxide red boulders. The specks of white above are a city of birds that call this home. Adelie and chinstrap penguins are nesting here; a few meters away snow petrels are tucked in the sheltered cracks of the basalt columns, as well.
The calm is deceiving, since the swells are huge and create a huge undertow that makes zodiac landings tricky. After working the maze of ice, our expert zodiac pilot brings us back to the ship. I dash to the fly deck to try to capture in watercolor this partially shrouded island. I love the play of reflections and how they are broken up by the ice pan shapes that I leave the white of the paper. The ice moves and shifts rapidly; thus, I can't draw too much ahead of time, so much of this painting is brushed on directly and attention is paid to the directional forces of the marks.
"Working on painting of Peter the First Island from the fly deck of the Kapitan Khlebnikov." 5:15pm (photo by David McEown)
We leave Peter the First Island with the anticipation of 3 days at sea, as we head toward the Ross Ice Shelf. It is partially sea but mostly pack ice; only our icebreaker could manage to work its way through.
To be so far away helps me appreciate more what we often leave behind. Comforts of home, loved ones, and of course my Wednesday morning painting gang that are always so appreciative of this life of watercolor and who encourage me to keep on exploring.
Thanks!
-- David
"Peter the First Island" (watercolor,15x22)
Our zodiacs trying to find a path through the ice from Peter the First Island." (photo by David McEown)
More information:
Fabian von Bellingshausen claimed Peter the First Island for Norway, though he named it after the Russian czar, when he landed on the island in January 1821. The highest point on Peter the First Island is 1755 meters, the top of Lars Christensen Peak, which is a volcano (no one seems to know if it's active or extinct). Years later Ola Olstad claimed Queen Maud Land, the other island in the vicinity, for Norway, as well.
The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf in the world; measuring between 600 and 3,000 feet thick, it is 600 miles long, roughly the size of France. An ice shelf is a floating ice sheet that's attached to land and is therefore considered permanent. To see fabulous pictures of the Ross Ice Shelf, visit www.vims.edu/bio/microbial/NBPishelf.html.
The chinstrap penguin, pygosecelis Antarctica, has a narrow band of black feathers which extends from ear to ear, just below the chin. To see pictures, visit www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/wildlife/penguins/chinstrap.shtml.