Mountains & Glaciers; Penguins & Humpbacks
Position 7:00am 3 March 2024: 62°47’25”S 63°38’56”W (MAP)
Mountains – glorious Antarctic mountains. It was 5:30am and time to get out on the back of Deck 6 and see where we were.
The ship was moving slowly towards our first stop in Andvord Bay, near Neko Harbour. Snow-covered mountains and glaciers stretched straight out of the ocean on all sides, their reflections clear in the gentle waters. Way off behind us the snow on the mountains looked slightly creamy, while nearby and alongside it was crisp white.
I remembered this place from previous visits – for me it is the epitome of the Antarctic, showing off its extraordinary beauty and its extreme geography. Words cannot adequately describe what I was seeing – hopefully my photos will help.
A few penguins porpoised away from us, and crabeater seals were lying on small icebergs digesting recent meals. Unlike yesterday, there were no whales to be seen.
As the engines slowed and we stopped I realised that there was no wind and the reflections from the water were perfect. The Captain “parked” us next to a huge iceberg – taller than the ship, possibly wider but not as long. Since it was grounded in the ocean floor, it was not moving anywhere for now, and was of no danger to us. As a note, when we stop in these areas, the Captain does not use the anchor to keep us in place – if we need to move because of icebergs coming too close, it’s much quicker than spending time raising the anchor.
I enjoyed the views for over an hour with two others until we started getting cold and it was time for breakfast. We just stood there “drinking in” the views, knowing that this would be our last morning stop on this wonderful visit.
After breakfast we were in the Zodiacs and touring the area before landing at Neko Harbour to visit penguins. Crabeater seals lay on small icebergs opening their eyes as we quietly passed by. We could see ice forming on the surface of the sea – frazil crystals formed smooth, thin ice patches known as grease ice because of its resemblance to an oil slick. When this develops into a continuous, thin sheet of ice, it’s called nilas. Initially, the sheet is very thin and dark (dark nilas), becoming lighter as it thickens (light nilas).
Off in the distance, a rumble made us turn and look as snow slid down a mountain. This was above Neko Harbour where we would be landing shortly.
This was my 3rd visit to Neko to visit the Gentoo penguins. The penguin “highways” still stretched up the side of the hills, penguins diligently using these well-trodden paths to make their way up to their nests, high above the waterline. The crew had carefully marked the areas we were able to walk along lower down – it was important to keep us away from the nests.
Many penguins were moulting ahead of the winter, a stressful time for them because they can’t swim and fish during the two weeks or so that this takes. So there were lots that were just standing very still or lying around, looking sad as they waited this out. One just stood staring into the side of a large rock.
Position 4:45pm 3 March 2024: 64°53’20”S 62°53’45”W (MAP)
During the afternoon we visited Paradise Harbour, next Argentina’s Almirante Brown base. My memories of this place were shattered. On previous visits we had Zodiac’d between hundreds of grounded icebergs of all shapes, sizes and colours.
Now it was wide open, with a few chunks of ice floating by, some with Leopard Seals lying on them enjoying the sun and probably sleeping off a meal of penguin or small seal. One Leopard Seal had lost a foot – he still looked healthy and had a full belly, so it did not seem to be an issue for his survival.
As we passed cliffs with large colonies of nesting birds, it all fell into place for me. Winter is coming to the Antarctic. Perhaps it was only two weeks later than my previous visit – but sufficiently later in the season for icebergs to have melted and drifted away, and for birds that will be wintering here to start preparing. Even the staff wintering over at Almirante Brown will be preparing now.
Once back on the ship, it was time for those who were interested to jump into the icy Antarctic water. Within a few minutes of the Polar Plunge beginning, Annie announced that humpbacks were breaching behind the ship.
This is more like it! I grabbed my camera and was out on the rear of Deck 6 in a flash, the thought crossing my mind that they, like me, might have wondered why humans were jumping into the icy cold Antarctic ocean.
It’s always amazing to see these huge animals drive themselves out of the water, but this evening it was a magnificent sight in the softening evening light. And as they moved further and further away from us, it was also a fitting farewell from the Antarctic.
Once everyone was back on board, the Captain pointed the ship north and we started our 48 hour sail across the Drake Passage to Ushuaia.
I’m pleased to say that the combination of gentle seas and the great stabilisers on the World Explorer, ensured a comfortable sail. We had a brief 40-60 knot weather system cross our path about 4 hours out from the Beagle Channel, but aside from noticing lots of white caps, it was hard to believe that the winds were that strong.
Reflections
This 48 hour travel-time provided time for me to reflect on what I saw and experienced on this journey.
This was my 4th visit to the Antarctic continent, and it was great to stand on it once more. This time we landed about 2° [approx 220km] north of the Antarctic Circle [66°32’S].
As a note, on all previous visits I’ve sailed south of the Antarctic Circle and have stood on the continent and islands both north and south of the Antarctic Circle – the most southerly point that I’ve stood on Antarctica was 77°51’ [in December 2009], a long, long way from the South Pole [90°S].
Despite the delay leaving Ushuaia and the bad weather in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, this has been a wonderful visit. We have seen and walked with Gentoo, Chinstrap and King penguins. We saw Adelie penguins, fur seals, elephant seals, crabeater seals and leopard seals, as well as Wandering, Black-Browed & Sooty albatross and other birds.
Without doubt the encounters with the humpback whales were glorious – having them come under and beside our Zodiac was extraordinary, and the ones that breached in the evening light were very special too. And then there were the orca that came to check us out and play in the ship’s bow wave.
Although we missed seeing the giant A23a iceberg with our eyes, the radar image showed us that it was “just over there” in the darkness and fog.
This was a wonderful visit. With the early indicators of winter being on the way, and as our days become shorter and nights longer, once again I’ll be thinking of the stoic little penguins and their larger Emperor “cousins” and other animals that live and winter in this amazing part of the world.