Photographs by Norbert Wu
This project was made possible by a National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs/Informal Science Education grant for the International Polar Year.  As part of this grant, Norbert Wu was able to bring a team of divers to the Palmer Research Station, located on Anvers Island, in the Antarctic Peninsula.  Norbert Wu spent two seasons at Palmer Station, working to obtain images of the wildlife and marine world of this region.  

He and his team traveled to and from Palmer Station by ship, using the research vessel Laurence Gould on one trip, and Holland America's cruise ships MV Amsterdam and Prinsendam for three passages.  Large cruise ships are currently banned from the Antarctic region, but smaller ships, with 150 passengers or less, are still touring the Peninsula region.  Some of these smaller operations host groups of divers, and others have divers on board, along with remotely-operated vehicles, to show non-diving passengers the underwater world of Antarctica.  

  • AA_0106_NP_20100102_0208
    • |
  • Antarctic Peninsula, enroute to Palmer Station, January 2010
  • AA_0101_ANP_20100102_0598
    • |
  • Antarctic Peninsula, enroute to Palmer Station, January 2010
  • AA_0102_ANP_20090115_0121
    • |
  • Antarctic Peninsula, enroute to Palmer Station, January 2010
    • |
  • © Norbert Wu, www.norbertwu.com
  • AA_0103_ANP_20090117_0055
    • |
  • Passengers gather on the bow of the MV Amsterdam to view the stunning scenery of the Lemaire Channel. The largest cruise ships are highly regulated and do not allow passengers to disembark. Antarctic Peninsula, Palmer Station, January 2009
    • |
  • © Norbert Wu, www.norbertwu.com
  • AA_0104_ANP_20090117_0033
    • |
  • Passengers gather on the deck of the MV Amsterdam to view the stunning scenery of the Lemaire Channel. The largest cruise ships are highly regulated and do not allow passengers to disembark. Antarctic Peninsula, Palmer Station, January 2009
    • |
  • © Norbert Wu, www.norbertwu.com
  • AA_0105_ANP_20090214_0031
    • |
  • iceberg, white squares on the side of the iceberg are reflections from the cruise ship MV Amsterdam, Antarctic Peninsula, Palmer Station, January 2009
    • |
  • © Norbert Wu, www.norbertwu.com