28 May My Passenger Log:
Antarctica
My Passenger Log: Antarctica
I was fortunate to be able to join an expedition to Antarctica on the ship m/v Plancius.
The 12-day cruise encompassed the Weddell Sea and Antarctica Peninsula. The following is my account of a personal journey to the white continent, ANTARCTICA.
The trip I signed up for advertised visiting the Weddell Sea. Nature, being unpredictable as she is, the ship had to route a new course which avoided the Weddell Sea. We hoped for a visit there later in our journey if nature allowed.
Our journey would begin by exploring the Antarctic Peninsula.
NOTE: I begin on Day 4 with the first day we stepped foot onto the great white continent. The previous days were spent battling the rough waters known as the Drake Passage in order to arrive. I will talk about that at a later time.
Day 4: March 14, 2019
Morning: Neko Harbor – Shore Landing
On March 14th, 2019, I took my first steps onto the Antarctic Peninsula, the foreboding White Continent. Today was a dream come true as I checked off travel to my 7th continent.
The weather and scenery were exactly how I envisioned they would be — with rapid snow falling in a foggy blue sky, and penguins everywhere.
We arrived at Neko Harbor by zodiacs. We were told that we would need to disembark quickly yet carefully off the beach to higher ground owing to a risk of large glacier calving which would cause dangerously high waves on the beach.
Neko Harbor was home to many adorable Gentoo penguins. We were instructed to keep our distance from them, although if they approached us that was fine.
I was overwhelmed with excitement as everything felt surreal. It was like I was in another world — “home of the penguins”.
They had created their own highways referred to by our guide as “ penguin highways.” We had to be careful to not stand on their highways and disturb their daily routine.
At times we would have to wait patiently for the penguins to pass on their way to feeding time at the water — some returning to feed their chicks fresh food.
I observed the penguins and took a ridiculous number of pictures.
Leaving the penguins, I hiked to the lookout point that was marked by our guides with bright red poles.
As the fog began to lift, I was graced with a remarkable view looking down at the front of a glacier from above.
The views from the hilltop of the surrounding scenery stunned me.
I also got to enjoy a calving of a small piece of ice from the front of the glacier.
The swell that was created sent some small waves crashing onshore, but nothing compared to the gigantic ones we had been warned about.
Afternoon: Stony Point – Shore Landing
Our visit to Stony Point began in a heavy snowfall, making the visibility difficult at times, though our guides expertly navigated the zodiacs through the ice, fog, and snow to land us safely onshore.
The weather took a turn for the worse, causing our planned zodiac cruise to be scratched from the agenda.
At the landing, the Gentoo penguins were partaking in their bathing routines.
To continue observing the Gentoo penguins, I participated in a short hike, zig-zagging back and forth to the viewpoint, and observed the daily life of Gentoo penguins.
The snow and fog made it difficult to see the ice cliffs, but the available visibility allowed my imagination to fill in the rest.
The excitement of seeing the same species of penguins did not decrease my camera clicking.
After arriving back on-board ship, I was ready for a cup of hot chocolate as we gathered together to recap our day and plan for tomorrow.
I wondered how tomorrow could match the excitement I felt today setting foot on Antarctica.
Day 5: March 15, 2019
Morning: Danco Island – Shore Landing
As we cruised in our zodiac toward our first stop of the morning, Danco Island, a humpback whale swam so close we witnessed the amazing blows up close and got to see the fluking.
The weather was +2°C with a slight overcast.
Danco Island was a little tricky for our zodiac drivers as they had to maneuver through large chunks of ice.
I explored the beach scattered with Gentoo penguins who curiously came to check us out.
Our guides brought snowshoes to shore if you wanted to try them out for your hike.
I have worn snowshoes before and they are quite heavy, so I left the extra weight for others.
As I made my way up the path, I joined several others that were witnessing a Giant Petrel preying on a group of young Gentoos.
He successfully caught one — eating the young Gentoo penguin alive .
The other Gentoo chicks huddled together as soon as the petrel caught its prey — a survival strategy for them.
A scene only nature can provide; it is devastating to watch for even a second.
I was hoping the other penguins would rally to scare off the petrel. Even though a couple of penguins did intervene during the attack, the petrel was persistent and had his meal at the expense of the life of the young penguin.
I realize it is the circle of life, however I still maintained a hope that the penguin would put up a tough fight, escaping and living to see another day .
I continued onto the lookout and photographed the view over the bay and the Gerlache Strait with our ship visible between the icebergs.
I had to make my way down quickly as our polar plunge would soon begin and I was going to participate — joining the penguins in the freezing cold waters.
The air temperature was 2°C, while the water was 0–1°C.
The rocky ground pierced my skin, and I wished I had water shoes for this activity.
I walked as quickly as I could into the water as my body screamed at me to get out of the freezing water.
I instantly dunked myself into the water for a few seconds, and then ignored my bleeding feet as I ran toward my boots, clothes, and winter coat.
A guide handed me a towel as I returned to shore — better than any medal I have been handed after crossing a finish line.
If you ever decide to partake in the Antarctica Polar Plunge, wear a pair of water shoes — your feet will be glad you did!
Afternoon: Enterprise Island Zodiac Cruise
The afternoon was spent cruising around Enterprise Island on the zodiacs as the cold winds and snow prevented us from making a landing.
We began our cruise by observing the remains of the Governor, a whaling ship which caught fire in 1915. It was run aground to save the lives of those sailing on it.
During the cruise, we spotted a Leopard seal — the first sighting of a seal, though others quickly followed.
We witnessed:
Crabeater seals
Antarctic Fur seals, one of which swam very close to our zodiac
There were also several penguins perched on rocks, watching our zodiacs zip through the waters.
Evening: Barbecue on the Back Deck in Antarctica
An outdoor barbecue with the freezing air temperature accompanied by a steady stream of snow in Antarctica is not an experience you get to check off your bucket list regularly.
I decided to sit outdoors to test out the experience. It lasted only a few minutes as I quickly sought out a warmer atmosphere while eating my food.
The idea was a cool one, but that is not how I like to eat my food.
Though with free drinks, including malt wine, barbecue, along with good people, it was an epic end to another exciting day south.
Day 6: March 16, 2019
Morning: Portal Point Zodiac Cruise and Shore Landing
Day 6: March 16, 2019
Morning: Portal Point Zodiac Cruise and Shore Landing
The passengers were divided into two separate groups. One group would be participating in a zodiac cruise and explore the waters, while the other group would land on shoreand explore the land.
The groups would alternate, allowing each to explore both activities before returning to the ship.
I was in the first group that would participate in a shore landing at Portal Point.
As we landed, we were greeted by a sleeping Crabeater seal.
Portal Point is a scenic landing where we had a chance to walk up the snow dome for a view over the bay speckled in icebergs.
We were able to enjoy the snow and the beautiful view of the bay.
Afternoon: Ciera Cove Zodiac Cruise
Our afternoon activity consisted of a zodiac cruise around Ciera Cove.
In the background, we could see an Argentinean base, but were unable to visit due to red and green lichen growing near the shore, making a landing impossible.
We spotted many Humpback Whales along the way that were feeding in the bay.
We also had the opportunity to explore several icebergs around Portal Point.
We drove by large glaciers , speckled with penguins, before spotting a Leopard seal 🦭.
Our zodiac was right in front of the Leopard seal, and I was hoping he wouldn’t take a bite out of our boat .
The seal had other plans as the circle of life played out in front of me for a second time.
The Leopard seal caught a penguin and thrashed its small body in and out of the water. The seal violently destroyed the penguin because he wanted to get rid of the blubber and eat the rest.
The penguin was inside out, and though it was painful and close to impossible for me to watch, I found it a little reassuring that this death was more sudden compared to the slow death inflicted by the petrel the other day.
Day 7: March 17th, 2019 (St. Patrick’s Day)
Day at Sea
We were on our way to the Antarctic Sound, the entrance to the Weddell Sea.
The gateway into the Weddell Sea was opening as the pack ice was clearing, compared to the beginning of the week when our entrance was impossible.
We were eager to explore the magnificent Weddell Sea, but as we approached the sound, the wind had picked up to 42 knots, making a zodiac excursion too dangerous.
We were unable to make our landing on Brown Bluff due to extreme winds and large pieces of ice along the shoreline.
Another attempted landing would be made tomorrow.
We watched the wild ocean and snow-capped mountains.
The strong wind during the morning had pushed the ice further east, which allowed us to travel further into the Weddell Sea than expected.
We sailed toward a massive tabular iceberg, which was more stable, allowing us to cruise around it.
With a shining sun reflecting on the ice, the different features and colours of the ice made for a magical sight.
Humpback whales surfaced around the ship, and we observed Antarctic Fur seals and Crabeater seals on ice floes.
It was St. Patrick’s Day, so many of us were gathered in the lounge drinking dyed green beer and perusing through the thousands of photos we had already snapped.
A call came over the speakers to announce there were killer whales in view!
Everyone abandoned their beer and grabbed their cameras to catch a sight of the Orcas.
At first the whales were widely spread and in a loose group, but as they moved closer together, our guides pointed out the males with the larger dorsal fins.
One of our guides believed there were roughly 80 Orcas.
They appeared to be coming together to socialize.
These were Type B or Pack Ice Orcas, as they are also called.
This was an amazing spectacle and made up for the missed excursion.
Day 8: March 18, 2019
Morning: Brown Bluff Shore Landing
With an air temperature of 0°C and no wind, we were able to land on Brown Bluff.
The landscape was beautiful and unlike any other we had seen in Antarctica to this point.
There was not a lot of snow, with massive gold and brown cliffs behind the beach.
This created an impressive backdrop along with the black volcano rock beach covered by an active volcano, which is currently dormant.
The foreground was speckled with Gentoo penguins, and we were lucky enough to spot a couple of Adelie penguins.
Though Brown Bluff is home to the Adelie penguin, it was so late in the season that most had already gone out to sea.
Adelies are smaller than the Gentoo penguin and they have a short black bill with white eye rings.
We had the option of walking up the moraine slope to get a viewpoint over and along a glacier.
The rocky shoreline down below made for a nice view from above.
Antarctic shags and juvenile Kelp gulls could be seen flying about.
Also, Fur seals playing in the water were easy to spot.
After a 4-hour visit on shore, we had to hurry back to our ship because the tide was rising with berg bits beginning to move into shore.
Our zodiac was the last boat to leave shore, and we did hit a bit of ice.
No one was injured, and we carried on safely to our ship .
Afternoon: Weddell Sea Zodiac Cruise
As our ship journeyed into the Weddell Sea, passing large pack ice, we approached a dead Humpback whale floating at the surface as one hundred or more giant petrels fed on it.
Our guides hoped we would be able to have a closer look at the whale carcass. However, by the time the zodiacs were loaded and on their way, the water current was stronger, causing the ice to move and making it impossible to reach the whale.
Though we couldn’t get closer, our guides knew there would be something more to see.
Our zodiac cruised around the Weddell Sea, which was not at all disappointing.
We spotted Fur seals, Crabeater seals, and spent time observing a Leopard seal that our guide described as “pretty dead” as it lay there frothing at the mouth… with no other signs of movement.
Then — it moved suddenly, showing us it was “pretty alive”, as it stretched its mouth wide to reveal its big, toothy grin.
Our guides had a special surprise lined up for us — landing on an ice floe!
The zodiacs were run up on the edge of the ice, firm enough to hold the boats, and we got to walk around on the ice floe.
It was surreal to notice the floe was slowly drifting under our feet — and a large Fur seal 🦭 lay close to us… scary but exhilarating!
We looked out over glassy calm waters to endless views of ice, with:
Long flat floes of sea ice
Big bulky glacier-calved icebergs
Ice chunks so blue they had to come from deep inside a glacier
As our zodiac made its way back to the ship after a 3-hour cruise, a whale was spotted under our zodiac.
Its black and white body was so clear under the water — a magical moment.
As dinner approached, we were blessed with the most spectacular sunset I have ever seen.
The water was so still and clear, reflecting everything perfectly — tabular icebergs, rock formations, and a sky of blues, purples, pinks and oranges.
Then — Orcas appeared and moved through our view… it felt like a storybook come to life.
As the sun slowly disappeared, the day got even better…
The moon appeared — a yellowish-orange glow rising over the icy landscape.
Its light cast majestically over the glassy water, making this the most unforgettable moon sighting I’ve ever encountered.
The photographs don’t do it justice.
Day 9: March 19, 2019
Morning: Half Moon Island Shore Landing
Today was our last shore landing. The pastel colours filled the air as sunrise approached.
Half Moon Island is a small island surrounded by a large South Shetland Island. There are volcanic rocks and the appearance of craters — it has been millions of years since the last volcanic activity.
As our zodiacs approached, we were greeted by Fur seals 🦭 and Chinstrap penguins. We were able to observe a colony of Chinstrap penguins and see a rich array of different coloured lichen and mosses on the rocks.
The sun was shining on the rocks, providing excellent backdrops for our penguin subjects.
We had the option to partake in a 5-kilometer hike which I gladly accepted since steps are not what I was accumulating on board.
As our zodiac approached the shore, many Fur seals were playing with one another while Chinstrap penguins surrounded them.
During our hike, I saw many Fur seals. We were cautioned to keep our distance.
We visited the Argentinean summer research station Camra, now closed because the scientists had recently packed up for the season.
Our hike continued through loose rocks and some snow.
After a few challenging parts, we were welcomed atop a beautiful lookout with breathtaking views in all directions.
We could see Fur seals on the beach below, a Chinstrap colony on the ridges, the peaks and glaciers of Livingston Island as well as our ship, the Plancius, on the water.
After descending, we were informed that there were three Elephant seals on the beach on the far side of the island.
Before boarding the zodiac, we went to view the 3 female Elephant seals that were nestled up against each other, basking in the sun and warmth on the rock.
As this was our last excursion during this expedition, we had to thoroughly clean our rubber boots before boarding the zodiac.
As we approached our boat, the weather began to take a turn — the temperature dropped accompanied by falling snowflakes.
It is sad to say goodbye, but I will begin to dream about returning to this magnificent white continent again one day.
This concludes my experience during the excursions on my expedition.
As my post was long, I decided to create another post discussing the ship, days at sea, and the food onboard.
Checking off a big bucket list item has made me want to revisit this majestic and magical place another time — but for now, my feet will sadly leave Antarctica, and my rubber boots will remain onboard.
Thank You Antarctica xo
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