Our day today was filled with a little bit of everything that Antarctica has to offer. We enjoyed ice, penguins, seals, and whales. We had sunshine, fog, a bit of snow, and rain. We got to cruise in Zodiacs, explore in the ship, walk on a small island, and kayak in amongst gorgeous scenery. It was another diverse and exceptional day.
After a night with quite a bit of snow on deck, we entered Cierva Cove before breakfast. This deep bay indents into the Antarctic Peninsula and is surrounded by high peaks and plunging glaciers. We boarded our fleet of Zodiacs to get out and enjoy this icy world. This was the perfect place for photography as every piece of ice was part of the most beautiful sculpture garden. The centerpiece of this garden was a massive piece of ice with a huge hole carved into it. Scale is something that is hard to judge here, so a well-placed Zodiac helps make the perfect photo. The light changed throughout the morning with patches of sun continually illuminating different parts of a magical landscape.
During lunch we repositioned a short distance to Trinity Island and Mikkelsson Harbor. Here, we split into two groups to enjoy two very different aspects, kayaking and walking. The kayakers started in perfect conditions with calm seas and great scenery. Antarctica can change very quickly and unfortunately towards the end of a gorgeous paddle the wind and rain picked up and the second round had to be cancelled. So is the expedition life in Antarctica.
Luckily, the landing was still fine and everyone was able to enjoy a great diversity of experiences on a tiny little island. Upon landing, hundreds of whale bones were piled everywhere along with a few wooden boats from the whaling era. This sheltered harbor was the home to many whaling operations over the years, and much of this has been pushed onto shore. It was nice to poke around and see the massive size of the skulls and jawbones of blue and fin whales.
Nearby, many seals were relaxing in the snow. Both Weddell and fur seals were hauled out on land, while a few crabeaters were drifting offshore on icebergs. All of this might be enough, but to make it even better was a vibrant colony of gentoo penguins. With quite large chicks beginning to form crèches, it was a busy place. Many birds were coming and going from the sea, trying to get enough food to feed the hungry mouths. Meanwhile, a constant battle was taking place, as many brown skuas were also trying to feed their chicks by grabbing baby penguins. It is an important part of this incredible ecosystem that is Antarctica.
After a busy day it was time to return to the comforts of National Geographic Explorer and reflect on our day and look forward to what tomorrow brings as we head farther south.
