Danco Island
The sun was out, the air was still and the water amazingly clear as the National Geographic Endeavour anchored close to the beach at Danco Island. It was a short Zodiac trip to the beach or a longer one to the kayak platform for our first outing in the small and maneuverable little yellow boats. Plying the waters of the coast was exhilarating as gentoo penguins swam underneath us and misshapen ice bergs of various sizes floated by or sat humbly stuck to the shallow bottom. Those that walked on shore found the bright white snow to be a welcome change from walking the deck of the ship. Some even enjoyed a very fast sled run down the hills which amused more than a few curious penguins who must have thought it strange that these tall ungainly creatures would be able to toboggan so willingly. After all, the penguins do it as a matter of course when they want to make their way to the sea.
After lunch Zodiac cruises were offered from the ship to Cuverville Island; along the way crabeater, Weddell and leopard seals were seen on land, ice and in the water. A short landing was made by some to discover old whale bones from a bloody bygone era. The sea, brash and berg ice was reminiscent of the leftovers from some construction catastrophe combined with patterns only Mother Nature could conjure. The offered ice explorationss were a great way to experience the landscape up close.
The sun was out, the air was still and the water amazingly clear as the National Geographic Endeavour anchored close to the beach at Danco Island. It was a short Zodiac trip to the beach or a longer one to the kayak platform for our first outing in the small and maneuverable little yellow boats. Plying the waters of the coast was exhilarating as gentoo penguins swam underneath us and misshapen ice bergs of various sizes floated by or sat humbly stuck to the shallow bottom. Those that walked on shore found the bright white snow to be a welcome change from walking the deck of the ship. Some even enjoyed a very fast sled run down the hills which amused more than a few curious penguins who must have thought it strange that these tall ungainly creatures would be able to toboggan so willingly. After all, the penguins do it as a matter of course when they want to make their way to the sea.
After lunch Zodiac cruises were offered from the ship to Cuverville Island; along the way crabeater, Weddell and leopard seals were seen on land, ice and in the water. A short landing was made by some to discover old whale bones from a bloody bygone era. The sea, brash and berg ice was reminiscent of the leftovers from some construction catastrophe combined with patterns only Mother Nature could conjure. The offered ice explorationss were a great way to experience the landscape up close.
