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Passage through the Lemaire Channel, Antarctica

 

We departed Hidden Bay in the evening of our third full day in Antarctica, our captain telling us he had a real treat in store for us.  While it was still early in the season -- just late spring -- the ice in the Lemaire Channel had cleared and our ship would be able to pass through.

01 LeMaire Channel

02 LeMaire Channel(LeMaire Channel)

The Lemaire Channel is probably the most photographed part of Antarctica and is on many travel itineraries to the region.  It is beautiful and because of its photogenic nature has been nicknamed, ‘Kodak Gap’.  This channel is 7 miles in length, about a mile wide, and surrounded by steep cliffs and glaciers.  It flows between the Antarctic mainland and Booth Island.

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04 LeMaire Channel

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The Lemaire Channel was discovered by a German expedition in the 1870’s but was first traversed by the Belgians in 1898, who named it after another Belgian explorer – Charles Lemaire who led an expedition to the Congo.

The late day scenery in Lemaire Channel was lovely.  The water was still, with beautiful reflections.  It took almost an hour to sail through and I think all the passengers and many of the staff were on deck, enjoying the scenery.

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I conclude this post with a short videoclip of our travel in the LeMaire Channel.


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For a list of all the posts in DrFumblefinger's Antarctica series, please click on this link:

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Images (14)
  • 00 LeMaire Channel
  • 01 LeMaire Channel
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  • 10 LeMaire Channel
  • 11 LeMaire Channel
  • 12 LeMaire Channel
  • 14 LeMaire Channel
  • 15 LeMaire Channel

Twitter: @DrFumblefinger

"We do not take a trip, a trip takes us".  John Steinbeck, from Travels with Charlie

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