This morning was spent at sea in heightened anticipation, sailing towards the South Shetland Islands. As we continued our approach towards the White Continent, guests lined the decks with binoculars and cameras, scanning for wildlife. A few humpback whales made brief appearances, while seabirds—Cape petrels and Southern giant petrels—glided alongside the ship, occasionally landing on the water to rest.
By the afternoon, we reached Barrientos Island in the Aitcho Islands, our first landing of the trip. We were greeted by the sound of penguins, the island bustling with gentoo and chinstrap colonies. Walking among the colonies was a sensory experience. The sights and sounds of the penguins—some incubating eggs, others shuffling awkwardly between nests—were matched by the distinct scent of guano, a reminder of the island’s teeming wildlife. Guides pointed out key behaviors like the gentoos carefully arranging pebbles for their nests and chinstraps engaging in their signature braying calls as skuas circled above, hunting eggs and chicks.
Barrientos Island offered a perfect introduction to the Antarctic Peninsula: dynamic, wild, and completely unlike anywhere else on Earth. Tomorrow, we head further south, eager to see what this frozen continent has in store.
