Southern Drake Passage and Hannah Point, Livingston Island, South Shetlands

We awoke this morning with gentle seas and a following wind. Storm-petrels and albatross were swirling about the ship. We were in Antarctica! The White Continent. Finally, a dream had come true for many of us. Granted, it was quite foggy, so we couldn’t see much, but we knew we were close. Oh, so close.

As the morning progressed, more birds were seen and whale blows began to dot the seascape. First, fin whales – the second largest of all – impressed us with their size. Following this, a few humpback whales were spotted as well. But we were on a mission. We had made good speed on our crossing, and we wanted to set foot on land. The fog stayed thick as we approached the southern side of Livingston Island, but as we came close, it began to lift. We were here! Land ho! We were excited to see our first bit of wildlife, and what a spot it was.

Hannah Point was our destination, and from the moment we landed we were surrounded by a great abundance and diversity of wildlife. Two species of penguins breed here in substantial numbers, the gentoo and chinstrap. All had large chicks, hungrily chasing their parents for a good meal. Krill numbers appear to be high this year, and many adults were delivering massive quantities of krill to their young. Chicks and adults were running in all directions, showing us how the fittest really will survive. Being our first landing, thousands of images and videos were created of these amazing creatures. An extra bonus, one pair of colorful macaroni penguins added to the magic.

In addition to the penguins, many other birds were nesting in the area including giant petrels, shags, sheathbills, skuas, and gulls. The higher areas were carpeted in green, consisting of many mosses, algae, and even one of the two flowering plants found in Antarctica! It reminded some of a bit of Scotland. In amongst all of this, a few fur seals were lounging near their much smellier cousins, elephant seals. Every year, these massive seals come ashore and lie together in hulking piles, molting off their old skins. They love each other’s company, and at the same time make incredible noises as they fight with each other. This was full sensory overload!

Our first landing complete, everyone was aglow as we gathered in the lounge. We have high hopes for another spectacular day tomorrow, but from looking at our photos and discussing our encounters, what a first landing it was!