by Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist (read the original in Noozhawk by clicking here)
Surrounded by ice and icy water stretching to every horizon, it’s easy to appreciate the beauty of the Southern Ocean. I was more surprised by this frigid sea’s fecundity and its similarities in some ways to Santa Barbara waters.
Taking the Polar Plunge into frigid 31-degree Southern Ocean waters. (Courtesy photo)
Who would guess that you’d find our same species of giant and bull kelp in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters? Kelp functions similarly in both locations: providing food, habitat for fish and crustaceans, and tamping the swell reaching the shores.
Krill are present in both seas. The Southern Ocean krill feed voraciously on the algae growing on the underside of shelf ice, feeding whales, seals, penguins, albatrosses, and invertebrates. Alarmingly, this keystone species’ population is down 80% in the past 50 years.
Algae munch on ice
Less ice, less algae, less krill.
Whales go hungry.
The Antarctic waters have the goodies associated with ice. Penguins are ubiquitous. We spent hours watching the antics of Adelie, macaroni, Magellan, rockhopper, king, and chinstrap penguins.
The expedition’s two divers snapped photos of bizarre-looking ice fish. The only family of vertebrates known that have no red blood cells, ice fish have white hearts and translucent blood that contains a necessary anti-freeze.
Other unique properties of the Southern Ocean waters contrast with the Pacific. The Southern Ocean is less salty because salt precipitates out as the sea freezes, sinking to the bottom. The water temperature is below freezing because saltwater freezes at a lower temperature than fresh.
The most significant sea feature is the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), a strong undercurrent flowing clockwise around the entire continent. This current defines the boundary between the Southern Ocean and the three other oceans it touches (Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian).
The ACC, which is set in motion by the annual cycle of sea ice formation and melting around Antarctica, is one of the defining rhythms of our planet, according to Down to Earth. It acts in some ways like a fence and may be a factor in the absence — so far — of nurdles, those tiny plastic particles polluting the world’s other oceans.
The effect of climate change the ACC is a concern for scientists, and thus all of us.
Our National Geographic expedition was described not as a cruise but an expedition, where each day’s specific landings and adventures were fluid. Our days began with an updated itinerary based on weather and sea conditions. We were subject to strict biosecurity protocols regarding cleaning our boots between islands and staying away from wildlife (unless they approached us).
Yoga and smoothies
Lecture on albatrosses
A day at sea.
There were trials. I had some fears about the water: titanic swells and icy temperatures. I dreaded the Drake Passage where the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is squeezed between the Antarctic Peninsula and Argentina/Chile.
This passage is often described as the roughest sea in the world. Tens of thousands of sailors are believed to have drowned in many hundreds of shipwrecks over the centuries.
I didn’t fear sinking but rather sea sickness. Even for my regular trips to the Channel Islands, I’d be miserable without motion-sickness medication. Fortunately, I did well with Scopolamine patches plus nausea pills for the open ocean passages.
I also made peace with the ice water. I opted into the Polar Plunge, despite my preference for a year-round wetsuit in Santa Barbara. Two thirds of our group jumped into the 31-degree water below the Antarctic Circle. I don’t have a great answer for “Why would you do that?”
We were awarded Polar Plunge patches for our orange polar jackets, plus hot spiked cider in the ship’s base camp upon return. I was pleased to realize I still had an adventurous side.
Shivering bare limbed
I leap into icy sea
Polar plunge achieved.
The crew photographed the shock and awe of each guest vaulting into icy water. What I’d have preferred recorded would be my speed scrambling back to the surface and hauling up to the platform. Let’s just say, the hungriest leopard seal couldn’t have caught me.
Karen Telleen-Lawton, Noozhawk Columnist
Karen Telleen-Lawton is an eco-writer, sharing information and insights about economics and ecology, finances and the environment. Having recently retired from financial planning and advising, she spends more time exploring the outdoors — and reading and writing about it. The opinions expressed are her own.