Polar Experiences

The Eyes of the Bear

by Carlos A. Passera

My experiences in the artic region left a sour taste in my spirit. The footprints of man are omnipresent, and nature is retreating at high speed. The ice disappearing, wildlife is threatened and scares… Scientific information and media news alert with apocalyptic predictions. And what our eyes see and the spirit feels is not encouraging. Audrey Benedict – Director of Cloud Ridge Naturalist and essentially sensitive soul- wrote after her recently trip to the artic region:

“…The trip to the Russian Arctic and Siberia was devastating to me in terms of facing the harsh realities and accelerating pace of "the end of nature" (to quote Bill McKibben) as we know it in all Polar Regions--HEAD-ON! Yes, of course, seeing the scenery and so many tundra wildflowers, as well as the extraordinary seabird nesting cliffs, was a wonderful experience overall. But, then there was the dark, omnipresent cloud of environmental decay and destruction everywhere we went. We are, in my view, well over the environmental "tipping point" where the impacts of global warming are concerned. Seeing evidence everywhere of the incredible rate at which permafrost is melting on land and beneath the sea floor (and the associated release of methane gas) and what this truly means for future climate makes worrying about carbon footprints seem almost ludicrous. Couple this with witnessing several polar bears swimming to their inevitable deaths (already 90 km offshore) in what could only be a desperate search for sea ice and food left me almost paralyzed and emotionally drained. I will never, ever forget looking into the eyes of the last polar bear I saw swimming northward. Though I've never felt that what I do is "Ecotourism" in the traditional sense--I've also NEVER felt, as I did this time, that I'd grossly misrepresented to people what they could expect to experience and see on a trip. How do you”market" a trip to see suicidal polar bears and seabird rookeries where there has been NO successful reproduction because there were NO fish to be caught? I haven't even been able to download the pictures I took on the trip--I see every image too vividly in my mind. I even wrestle with what to tell my grandchildren. The truth, of course, but how will I frame it for them?”

My thoughts remain fixed on to the eyes of the polar bear of her description: “…I will never, ever forget looking into the eyes of the last polar bear I saw swimming northward…” That paragraph reflects the agony of the Artic. I can reproduce the moment without any effort in my mind, and feel what she feels. Also I am begging to imagine what the bear feels… While writing I saw myself surrounded by endless open sea waters. No trace of ice, only water. At the distance a tiny white spot getting bigger and bigger as the ship get closer to it. The distance that separate the white spot – the polar bear- to the ship is shorter enough to see the bear’s head. Like with a powerful zooming our eyes get in contact. For a few seconds we looked each other. Suddenly –like if the bear knows- he focuses his sight to the distance, straight ahead, to the far horizon. I do the same hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive ice. My mind –again like other countless times- reproduce images from the other side of the world: the Antarctic. Down there things are not much different. There are no polar bears. Artic comes from the Greek “Arctos”, Land of the Bear. Antarctica is the opposite; and -like every opposite- it’s bursting with life. No polar bears but millions of penguins of different species, seals, sea lions, elephant seals, whales and myriads of sea birds… not many humans. It seems like Antarctica is a paradise. Nevertheless, slowly but steady, nature claims for attention. The ice cap is melting. Temperature is rising. Penguins decline in number. Krill –as the main food resource is harvested…

Human presences provoke disturbances. Ecotourism increase its impact… Nowadays there are no more Macaroni Penguins in Hanna Point, and you can notice the erosion and declined of the colonies of Gentoos, and Chinstraps caused for thousands of visitors every season. Despite regulations, it is possible to find seven –yes 7- ships inside the caldera of Deception Island at the same time. There are more examples: accidents caused by ships, oil spills, grounded or sunk vessels. There are numbers, scientific statistics and premonitions. Same picture in both extremes. Again the vivid images seen by Audrey break into my mind. The ship –like the polar bear- head north. I can’t take my eyes away from the bear’s eyes. Our eyes make contact and I can see its resolution and hope. In the end the bear not thinks, instinctively he only swims, living the moment, hopping for the ice, for food… Suddenly I understand:

- Dear brother – I whisper to the polar bear- we, like you, are also living the moment, ignoring the future. Following the same path, hoping innocently that everything is going to be fine, here or who knows where. We, like you, are immortals. ¿Are we?

GIVING WINGS TODAY FOR TOMORROW Carol – Causana’s Viajes Director- truly enjoys birdwatching. And part of the fun is teaching kids how find, recognize and protect them. Last Monday Carol faced, with determination, the not easy task of being in front of 50 noisy, energetic and curious kids of 5 to 6 years old. The challenge was high; Francisco –Carol’s grandchild- was part of the gang. And of course he observes his Granny with special attention and rigorous criticism.

She passed the test.

The kids enjoyed the photographs, her explanations about the most common birds that they can watch every day in their backyards, close to the beach, on the trees or at the nearby pond. Every one participated with enthusiasm and happiness touching the feathers of the flamingoes, rheas, tinamous, and opening big eyes looking mesmerized at the size of a Condor feather.

Birds and kids are all over the world. If we gave them the opportunity to know, understand and respect the natural world and all its creatures, probably all of us will have the chance to build a better world.

Enjoy the photographs!

PUNTA TOMBO - Magellanic Penguin’s Kingdom

The call of Life

Early penguins arriving to the colony

“The sunset would delay itself among purple clouds a minute more each day. The upland-geese crossed the skies, escaping from the warm but deadly fields of the north. The green grass, grown tall with rains, was turning gold over the hills. A special excitement seized every living creature. The last week of August, announces the arrival of September – change, new life.Attentive to the rhythm of this natural watch, certain creature –half bird, half fish- reached earth by following their instinct. The wobbly steps of the first males on the beach, marks the beginning of a new season for the Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). In successive waves, a living tide would begin to occupy their places, their territory, disposing themselves to perpetuate their species. The sacred ceremony of every living thing of being one more each time…” (Extracted from “Fight for Life” Adventures in the Penguin metropoli – by Carlos A. Passera)

Fights, hugs & mate

Punta Tombo –located South of Peninsula Valdes in Patagonia- is the biggest continental colony of Magellanic Penguins in the world. Except for Antarctica or the South Atlantic islands, there are no other places in the planet in which you can walk amongst them. Be surrounded by thousands of these funny creatures. After six months in the ocean, most of the penguins are faithfull to their colony. Once they breed, they often return each year to the same nest site. From September to mid April they are busy following their instinct: mate, lay their eggs, breed their chicks, molt their feathers and return to the ocean.

Adult & Chicks

Since the early 80’s the population has declined 22%. Oil spills, overfishing, and climate warming conspire against their survival. Nevertheless more than 200.000 breeding pairs of Magellanic penguins await you, to enrich your life.

Close encounter

Punta Tombo is a very strong wildlife experience. Penguins, wildlife, they only ask for respect and your commitment to help protect their environment.