Valentine’s Day on the White Continent was spent at one of the most spectacular islands on the whole Antarctic Peninsula, Spert Island. This scattering of basalt islands has been hammered by waves and ice for thousands of years, creating arches, caves, and impossibly tall cliffs. Guests marveled at the scenery from the trusty Zodiacs and the dive team donned their gear for a look at what happens underneath the surface. Although fairly scoured by the large icebergs that get wedged into the narrow channels, Spert Island still harbored a wide array of underwater life. Sponges flourished in the cracks and overhangs, far from the destruction of the icebergs. We could hear the bergs being picked up by the swell and smashing down against the rocks every 10-20 seconds with a concussive crash. It was quite the experience.
In the afternoon we cruised by ship and Zodiac through the narrow Graham Passage and were greeted with scores of feeding humpback whales. Fluking and feeding was happening all around, and we managed to get great views of these huge animals. Several of them were matched with sightings in Ecuador, a testament to how important this ecosystem is to these long-lived brethren.
