During the night and into the morning, National Geographic Explorer moved north towards Petermann Island. In the morning, geologist Serguei Ponomarenko presented, “Ice on Planet Earth” focusing on the interpretation of glaciers and icebergs observed during this trip. In the afternoon we landed on Petermann Island, home to rookeries of Adelie and gentoo penguins. The weather was spectacular – sunny, no wind, and visibility for miles around. Penguin chicks were grown and molting, changing their baby down into adult, waterproof feathers.
From the top of the island, guests were able to see hundreds of icebergs, scattered humpback whales, and groups of penguins busily porpoising in the mirror-flat surface of the ocean.
In the late afternoon, the ship passed through the famous Lemaire Channel – narrow, deep, and surrounded by impressive mountains plunging into the water.
