Cuverville Island, Neko Harbour and Lemaire Channel
There was a stark contrast to the near blizzard conditions that we were experiencing when we went to bed last night by the South Shetland Islands, and the absolute breathless stunning morning we woke up to in the Gerlache Strait along the Antarctic Peninsula’s Danco Coast. Expedition Leader Tim Soper’s description of the morning light on the snow covered peaks has us all rushing out on deck to take in this grand spectacle at 6:00a.m. As if that alone was not enough, a group of five humpback whales kept us from the breakfast table as they cavorted under our bow in the gin-clear water.
Around nine o’clock we were anchored at Cuverville Island and ready to begin our first landing. While half of us went ashore to visit the very busy colony of gentoo penguins the rest enjoyed a Zodiac cruise along the shore and among the massive grounded icebergs. By mid-morning both groups had switched places so as to enjoy the full experience.
During lunch National Geographic Explorer weighed anchor and sailed between the ice cliffs of the Peninsula and Ronge Island through the narrow scenic waters of the Errera Channel. The focus of our afternoon activity was to set foot on the Antarctic continent proper and climb up a snowfield to a spectacular overlook above another gentoo penguin colony at a place known as Neko Harbour in Andvord Bay. Here another excursion by Zodiac was offered and everyone got to enjoy the company of four very friendly humpback whales.
As the evening approached and the sun sank to the horizon we sailed south through one of Antarctica’s most dramatic thoroughfares, the fabled Lemaire Channel, a fitting end to one of the best days possible that this awe inspiring place can deliver.
