March 24th, 2016

Palauan Boy Returns from Antarctica

​  Last week Calvin Idek Leidich returned from an epic adventure to the Southern continent of Antarctica.  Calvin joined his father for a three week journey aboard an expedition ship called the National Geographic Explorer.  Their explorations began in Tierra del Fuego National Park, which sits at the Southern tip of South America.  They steamed through the Beagle channel into Drake's passage which is notorious for its vicious winds and 50 foot swells.
   Once Calvin reached the South Shetland Islands they sheltered in calmer waters and explored the islands by zodiac, eventually landing on rocky shores with hundreds of Gentoo Penguins.  They continued on to the Antarctic Peninsula where the Explorer pushed through ice bergs to reach landfalls with predatory Leopard Seals.  Calvin proudly planted the Palauan flag and suspects that he might've been the first Micronesian Islander to reach the Southern Continent.   As they entered the Weddell Sea they found themselves surrounded with dozens of free diving Humpback Whales.  A few hours later the action became even more intense when a pod or Orcas were spotted feasting on Adele's Penguins.  The day ended with leaping Southern Right Whales near the Willis Islands.
   After a week on the Antarctic Peninsula they steamed for South Georgia Island which was once used as a whaling station.  Today the island is colonized by 7000lb Elephant Seals which can hold their breath for over two hours and dive to depths of over 3000 feet.  The Bull Elephant Seals fight for females by smashing against an opponent's body like a Sumo wrestler.  Calvin landed on beaches and was surrounded by swarms of over 200,000 pairs of squawking King Penguins. 
   The final stop of the father-son experience was on the Falkland Islands which have been claimed by Great Britain for centuries.  Wondering Albatross circled overhead with massive wingspans of more than 10 feet.  Magellanic Penguins waddled onto white sandy beaches and scurried into under-ground burrows while Caracara Falcons patrolled the shorelines looking for seafood scraps.  On their final zodiac ride back to the ship they were escorted by a pod of majestic Commerson's Dolphins.
   Calvin has returned to his family, school, judo classes, and SCUBA diving adventures in Palau and is thrilled to be back home again.  Along the way Calvin made new friends, met professional naturalists, and enjoyed the company of National Geographic photographers.  His favorite part of the journey was playing with the inquisitive Fur Seal pups which followed him from beach to beach.   He's now visited all 7 continents and hopes to explore the Indonesian island of Sulawesi with his father later this summer to search for Western Tarsiers and to SCUBA dive in the Lembeh Straits.