Damoy Point, Wienke Island

After the incredibly beautiful sunset transit of the Lemaire Channel last night, some of us got up early to witness an equally stunning sunrise over the mountains of the peninsula. Before breakfast, Endeavour pushed her way southwards through heavy pack-ice in Penola Strait to the landing site for the Oceanites team. They base themselves on the southern end of Petermann Island. In 1909 the French explorer Charcot had overwintered his ship Porquoi Pas and his expedition team in that same spot. Gentoo penguins and skuas now colonize the rocks where once stood seven small huts linked together by pathways cut through the snow and lit by electric lighting for the long, dark Antarctic winter nights.

Once Oceanites had been established ashore we nosed our way into the pack again, numerous crabeater seals were basking on the floes. At a position of 65 15.5S, 64 14W the ship turned and we were once more north bound. This was our furthest south position. On the nearby Argentine Islands could be seen the modern day Ukraine base which does ongoing scientific recordings of the ozone layer above Antarctica. The original base, which was established in 1934 by the British Grahamland Expedition, had been washed away by a tsunami that had swept its way down South America to the Antarctic peninsula in 1946.

In the afternoon Endeavour came to anchor off Damoy Point in the Neumayer Channel, where there is the magnificent backdrop of Mount Francais. With a mirror calm sea we again had the opportunity to do some kayaking and quietly paddle around at our own pace and watch the gentoos darting around amongst the bergy bits. Others walked over to the abandoned British hut where a yacht based expedition of adventurers had set up residence. Some were mountaineering, one man even flying a para-motor strapped to his back and doing some aerial photography, we watched him take off then do a number of circuits around the bay.

Before dinner we headed north through the scenic Neumayer Channel in the hope of some whale watching. The ship did a circumnavigation of Wienke Island then came to an overnight anchorage in the lovely sheltered bay of Port Lockroy, this was another of Charcots early discoveries, one of the finest natural harbours in Antarctica. And we were greeted by two Minke whales.

Toni finished off what had been a perfect peninsula summers day of calm, blue skies and sunshine. She gave a preview of the video chronicle of our Antarctic voyage.