After a remarkably gentle crossing of the Drake Passage, we found ourselves in awe of the enormous icebergs all around the ship this morning. Set against a leaden grey sky, the blue hues in the ice looked superb. It is early season (springtime) on the Antarctic Peninsula. The phytoplankton has not yet bloomed, making for gin-clear seas and allowing for spectacular Zodiac cruises. We saw down into the sea clearly and observed submerged parts of icebergs. Some of us were lucky enough to hear the otherworldly song of a male leopard seal as he attempted to woo a mate in a narrow channel around Spert Island. We observed both killer whales and humpback whales in close quarters. This allowed us to capture useful scientific data to aid in photo-identification research. Scientists track the movements and longevity of whales using their naturally-occurring, unique markings. This evening, we are cruising gently down the Gerlache Strait as humpbacks spout and fluke in all directions.