Coronation Island, South Orkneys, Antarctica
"Today, I feel as though I've earned my red parka!" There were many such sentiments expressed on this wild, snowy, blustery day that began with the sounds of ice against the ship's hull. We knew by the crunching in the early morning hours that we had finally reached "true" Antarctica, the lands and sea below the 60th parallel. We hurried on deck to a scene unlike we've experienced so far. Yes, we've seen penguins, but not in the forbidding conditions that surrounded us now. Due to the sea ice, the Captain slowed our approach to the Orkneys in the night, and it wasn't until 10:00 a.m. that we ventured onto remote Coronation Island for our first good look at chinstrap penguins. The cold wind caused the penguin parents to hunker low and not expose their two eggs very often, providing only occasional glimpses. What a difference between these tough busy little penguins and their relaxed stately cousins, the kings of South Georgia. We marveled at the behaviors at our feet, the "ecstatic display" between parents and the "slender walk" of those trying to avoid their neighbor's beaks. There was a marked contrast between the dirty penguins (after hours of tending the nest) and the sparkling clean ones fresh from the surf.
Upon returning to the landing site, we were thrilled to hear that a leopard seal was spotted, both literally and figuratively. We hustled into our Zodiacs for a glimpse of the most revered seal of all. At first glance, the large leopard seal appeared almost reptilian with its huge gaping jaws. What a contrast to those almost loveable elephant seals of just a few days ago.
Back on board, Christmas had arrived with lots of holiday decorations including ornaments on every door. With just five days to go, the new falling snow assured that we would definitely have a "White Christmas." We marveled as the ship slalomed through a myriad of icebergs large and small as we made our way hoping for an afternoon outing. But visibility decreased, sea ice increased, the winds were unabated, so it wasn't a surprise when our expedition leader Tim said that we would leave the Orkneys behind and sail for the famed Elephant Island. In preparation, we watched an excellent film about the Endurance expedition narrated by Kevin Spacey. Tomorrow, we will experience for ourselves the legendary site where 22 shipwrecked men waited for "the boss" to return.
"Today, I feel as though I've earned my red parka!" There were many such sentiments expressed on this wild, snowy, blustery day that began with the sounds of ice against the ship's hull. We knew by the crunching in the early morning hours that we had finally reached "true" Antarctica, the lands and sea below the 60th parallel. We hurried on deck to a scene unlike we've experienced so far. Yes, we've seen penguins, but not in the forbidding conditions that surrounded us now. Due to the sea ice, the Captain slowed our approach to the Orkneys in the night, and it wasn't until 10:00 a.m. that we ventured onto remote Coronation Island for our first good look at chinstrap penguins. The cold wind caused the penguin parents to hunker low and not expose their two eggs very often, providing only occasional glimpses. What a difference between these tough busy little penguins and their relaxed stately cousins, the kings of South Georgia. We marveled at the behaviors at our feet, the "ecstatic display" between parents and the "slender walk" of those trying to avoid their neighbor's beaks. There was a marked contrast between the dirty penguins (after hours of tending the nest) and the sparkling clean ones fresh from the surf.
Upon returning to the landing site, we were thrilled to hear that a leopard seal was spotted, both literally and figuratively. We hustled into our Zodiacs for a glimpse of the most revered seal of all. At first glance, the large leopard seal appeared almost reptilian with its huge gaping jaws. What a contrast to those almost loveable elephant seals of just a few days ago.
Back on board, Christmas had arrived with lots of holiday decorations including ornaments on every door. With just five days to go, the new falling snow assured that we would definitely have a "White Christmas." We marveled as the ship slalomed through a myriad of icebergs large and small as we made our way hoping for an afternoon outing. But visibility decreased, sea ice increased, the winds were unabated, so it wasn't a surprise when our expedition leader Tim said that we would leave the Orkneys behind and sail for the famed Elephant Island. In preparation, we watched an excellent film about the Endurance expedition narrated by Kevin Spacey. Tomorrow, we will experience for ourselves the legendary site where 22 shipwrecked men waited for "the boss" to return.
