Hans Hansson – Nothing Short of Spectacular

Updates from Joel

In my half-decade working as an adventure videographer I’ve had the distinct pleasure of documenting an incredible array of outdoor experiences. From chasing permit fish in the salt flats of Belize, to galavanting around Prince of Whales island in the temperate rainforests of Alaska; all pale in comparison to the majesty of the last few days I’ve spent in Antarctica. I dare say today’s experience trumps them all.

We started the day with a marvelous presentation from stewardess Skyla on citizen science in the Antarctic. Dedicated research expeditions are expensive, and difficult to acquire funding for. Our task aboard the Hans Hansson is to collect samples for the study of Phytoplankton. I’m excited to contribute to the study of the seemingly infinitely variable, microscopic creatures that form the basis of this delicate ecosystem.

Captain Jarrad, mates, and engineer of the bridge skillfully navigated all 100 feet of Hans Hansson between what to my eyes seemed an impassable ice field through the Lemaire Channel. I documented the journey with a timelapse and spent the hours observing precipitous mountains along the thin strip of water we floated along.

Our first stop at Charcot Point (named for the expedition led by Jean-Baptiste Charcot whose team weathered not one but two antarctic winters here) found our group hiking the several hundred feet through scattered colonies of gentoo penguins to an astounding view of the iceberg cemetery where we dropped anchor. The wind was astonishingly harsh, but the view was well worth it.

After returning to the Hans Hansson via zodiac, I was tasked with documenting the entirety of the Quixote Expeditions fleet with my drone. With a massive amount of pressure on my thumbs, Federico directed the crew of the Ocean Tramp and Hans Hansson to set sail in formation with the four zodiacs. The mountains made for a spectacular backdrop for what I’m sure will be an equally spectacular banner video in the future.

I continued operating my trusty Mavic 2 Pro as the other passengers went off for another landing in the zodiacs. I took a break from this landing and opted to manage the multiple hundreds of gigabytes of footage I had captured today alone. [note: Joel is authorized to fly he drone under the Quixote NSF authorization for commercial purposes]

It was time for dinner when they returned; a fantastic seafood paella from our ever-talented chef Naomi. I wanted to savor the scrumptious platter, but the clear skies and setting sun were too tempting for the passengers and I. We wolfed down our plates of rice, veggies, mussels, and fish and hurried to the zodiac, where trusty guide Roisin waited for us at the helm. We headed off into the field of icebergs to document their splendor against lavender skies and steely mountains.

What we found was nothing short of breathtaking. This is one of those few moments where I put aside my filmmaking ego and pronounce the footage I captured wholly unrepresentative of the indescribable beauty that met us amongst the ice. Incredible hues of purple and orange weaved their way through the skies, lighting the tips of the surrounding mountains with a scarcely believable softness. The deep blues of the floating bergs contrasted with the bright whites of their snowy tips. Penguins tempted my telephoto lens with their porpoising leaps through glassy waters, though I fear I was largely eluded. All the while, the Hans Hansson glimmered through the ice against the majestic mountainscape. I’ve been in boats all my professional life; this 30 minute jaunt in a 15 foot inflatable accompanied by friends I’d only just met proved the most memorable.

I hope the videos I create from this experience capture even a fraction of the magic I’ve witnessed in the southern hemisphere. If you’re reading this with thoughts of one day joining an expedition to the southern end of the earth, this is a sign to purchase your ticket.

– Joel Ruby (photos and text)