How privileged I am to have been able to travel a third of the way around the Antarctic coast, to be amongst the penguins, seals, whales and birds, to step where the early explorers trod, to stand on the Ross Ice Shelf, and to safely and comfortably navigate sea ice and conditions that had been impossible for early explorers.
Read MoreThe weather has been quite respectable today – the swell has abated just a little and with a following sea, we’re told that we’ll be arriving at Campbell Island early. Once we're in Perseverance Harbour once in the Harbour, a volcanic caldera, the seas are flat and we are surrounded by green mountains, grasses growing down to the water line and albatross soaring around the ship.
Read MoreIt’s a quiet Sunday at sea with sea-ice as far as the eye can see. Our heading is now due north to New Zealand, although we meander a little amongst the ice, avoiding the larger chunks. We can see the swell of the sea moving the sea ice, and it’s now warmer than it’s been over the last 2½ weeks. The sun tries to peak out from the clouds and with an occasional iceberg moving south with the Ross Sea gyre, we enjoy a relaxing time on the bow.
Read MoreIt’s Christmas morning, and out on the bow after breakfast, we don’t see Santa and his sleigh, but we do spot some blows from a pod of Orca. Bob and John are able to convince the Captain to slow the ship down and the Orcas pass close by our starboard side. Just beautiful and so graceful!
Read MoreWe’re pushing through significant sea-ice when I get up. It’s Christmas Eve – what a wonderful time to visit Emperor penguins. The weather is still clear although cloudy and windy, and our early arrival at Cape Washington includes a “greeting team” of Adelies and Emperor chicks, watching as the Captain drives the ship up into the ice
Read MorePassing Cape Royds we see Shackleton’s Hut and a colony of penguins around it. Our first “garage” is not particularly secure, so we reverse out and try again further up the coast. We’re now securely garaged below Mt Erebus, its smoking peak covered in cloud. The only sound on the bow is from the wind coming directly from the South Pole, about 780 n/miles (1,400 km) away.
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