Neko Harbor & Security Cove
Today we awoke at Neko Harbor, named after a whaling factory ship which used this well protected Bay for anchoring. Rapidly as the anchor went down, the fleet of Zodiacs were loaded and we landed on the beach.
The setting here is magical, as we were surrounded by high mountains, by one very active glacier and on the beach several thousand gentoo penguins. The most energetic walked up over the snowy hill, while others stayed below to watch penguin activity or participate in the Oceanites penguin count. The Penguins are busy now with incubating their eggs. They have to just sit on the two eggs but still they will of course take any opportunity to steel a pebble from a nearby neighbor.
Neko Harbor is also part of Antarctic history; an Argentinean hut has been erected. As the Antarctic treaty came in to operation 1959 no nation can make any claims blow latitude 60 degrees south but still several nations do build small stations or huts to "wave" the flag" and attempt to make a claim.
Over the past few days, we have experienced wind and high seas so we can easily confirm the statement; "Antarctica is the windiest continent." This afternoon we found a protected bay under blue sky in Neumayer Channel. Kayaks were launched and we paddled along the ice edge. The calm conditions lasted through the night. Slowly the ship made her way through the narrow Leimare Channel as the sun was dropping to the north. The light was spectacular and the snow covered peaks turned pinks, reds and golden…It was worth staying up!
Today we awoke at Neko Harbor, named after a whaling factory ship which used this well protected Bay for anchoring. Rapidly as the anchor went down, the fleet of Zodiacs were loaded and we landed on the beach.
The setting here is magical, as we were surrounded by high mountains, by one very active glacier and on the beach several thousand gentoo penguins. The most energetic walked up over the snowy hill, while others stayed below to watch penguin activity or participate in the Oceanites penguin count. The Penguins are busy now with incubating their eggs. They have to just sit on the two eggs but still they will of course take any opportunity to steel a pebble from a nearby neighbor.
Neko Harbor is also part of Antarctic history; an Argentinean hut has been erected. As the Antarctic treaty came in to operation 1959 no nation can make any claims blow latitude 60 degrees south but still several nations do build small stations or huts to "wave" the flag" and attempt to make a claim.
Over the past few days, we have experienced wind and high seas so we can easily confirm the statement; "Antarctica is the windiest continent." This afternoon we found a protected bay under blue sky in Neumayer Channel. Kayaks were launched and we paddled along the ice edge. The calm conditions lasted through the night. Slowly the ship made her way through the narrow Leimare Channel as the sun was dropping to the north. The light was spectacular and the snow covered peaks turned pinks, reds and golden…It was worth staying up!
