Written by Grosvenor Teacher Fellows: Caroline Little, Katie Mauro, and Karina New
"Good morning, good morning.” As the swells rocked us awake, we made our way towards the South Orkney Islands. If you were an early bird like José, you might have spotted the fin whales gliding in front of the bow.
As we transited to Coronation Island, a stunning, jade-colored glacial iceberg drew multiple guests outside to capture its beauty. This type of iceberg is a bit rare, as it comes from the inner core of a glacier. As glacier pressure increases, oxygen is forced out of the ice, leaving the water crystals to absorb all colors of sunlight except for gorgeous shades of blue and green.
After Chef Ivan’s delicious lunch, we disembarked on Signy Island, where we were warmly welcomed by a large colony of juvenile fur seals and molting elephant seals. Guide Ben Shulman bravely paved the way through gorgeous rocky terrain dotted with a myriad of lichens and moss. After spending days on the White Continent, the sea of orange and green flora was mesmerizing. We hiked for a few hours, capturing this seldom explored island through our camera lenses. We rounded a glacial lake and caught sight of the Signy Research Station, established by the British. Our historian, Gerard Baker, had the opportunity to meet with a former colleague who is conducting research about bird and seal populations.
Tired but exhilarated, we hopped back into Zodiacs. We passed by a bobbing group of sleeping Cape petrels as we returned to National Geographic Explorer for a well-deserved cup of tea.
