Voyage Through the Antarctic
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The Antarctic is the least explored area on earth, and the most densely populated with wildlife - whales, seals, dolphins, penguins, albatrosses and many other birds and animals. A natural sanctuary of spectacular beauty, created and preserved by the sheer extremity of its climate, it has proved the perfect subject for the combined talents of the novelist Richard Adams and the naturalist Ronald Lockley who, in this book, describe their experiences on their voyage aboard the Lindblad Explorer through the Antarctic - down from Cape Horn and up to New Zealand. With the aid of a superb selection of colour and black-and-white photographs by Peter Hirst-Smith, they have produced a unique and highly personal record of a region that may soon be in danger. - from the inside cover.
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About this time last year I was lucky enough to visit the Sub-Antarctic Campbell Island, Auckland Islands and Macquarie Island on a tourism expedition.
This book by British author Richard Adams (of Watership Down fame), chronicles his similar journey on a larger ship, on a larger route. His voyage left Ushuaia in southern Argentina, visits King George Island, Deception Island, Argentina, then Macquarie (administered by Tasmania), Campbell and Enderby (in the Auckland Island group), the snares Islands and Stewart Island in the south of New Zealand.
Along with Adams' writing, naturalist Ronald Lockley contributes sections on the specific animals, the photography is by Peter Hirst-Smith.
As well as describing the events of his journey, what he saw and thought, Adams shares his shipboard time, a little about his fellow voyagers, and some broad ecological hopes. At times he outlines the history of the places visited, although this is relatively light. Special mention goes to the harvesting of seals and penguins for oil, which thankfully was stopped, and Macquarie made a full sanctuary for wildlife.
While most of the photography is excellent, it is unfortunately reproduced in black and white for a large proportion. Peter Hirst-Smith in his short summary about the photography does mention he brought black and white film as well as colour, but I am not sure that is the issue here. The folly of describing the colouring of a yellow eyed penguin in a photograph caption, with the photo in black and white is obvious to all.
This was a welcome trip through my own memories of a year ago for me.
4 stars.
