Devil Island & Vega Island
0510 hours - "Good Morning, Good Morning, just to let you know we have two emperor penguins on an ice floe just ahead of the ship. It is a beautiful sunny morning, so come out on deck and bring your cameras."
So was the start of our day as Trip, our Expedition Leader, woke us this morning - and what a day it turned out to be! For those who were out on deck even earlier than the wake-up call, they were treated to a stunning sunrise as the ship sailed through Antarctic Sound, affectionately known as "Iceberg Alley."
As we progressed into the Weddell Sea, we were surrounded by large tabular icebergs (broken off from the ice shelves) and those which had been formed by the breaking off from the hundreds of glaciers which flowed from land and into the sea.
Our morning destination was Devil Island - so called because of the two peaks which appeared, from a distance, like Devil horns. The foreshore and lower slopes near the landing were crowded with Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). These penguins are the archetypical penguins, being all black and white, with a distinctive white ring around their eye. They are named after the French Explorer Dumont d'Urville's wife. Given that the sun was out and there was no wind, the chicks, in their super-warm downy plumage, were panting in the heat and trying to hide in the shade of their parents shadows.
Many of us took the challenge to climb to the top of the southern peak, and we enjoyed a spectacular view out over the bay and down to the ship. A few even managed the 'twin-peak-challenge' and had a view way to the north.
With the weather the way it was, we were able to eat lunch out on the back deck, as the waterfalls of Vega Island became visible and ship sailed down into the Prince Gustav Channel and onto the Herbert Channel. The islands surrounding us were topped with ice caps and frosted with glaciers hanging over the edges and descending into the surrounding ocean. At False Island Point we were given the opportunity to try out kayaking. For many it was the first time in a kayak, but after our time paddling around the icebergs we were maneuvering and skimming across the water, like Olympic teams.
The evening continued to be remarkable, with icebergs and blue skies reflected in the glassy calm seas. It had been such a full day, and we wanted to keep soaking up every moment of it, so many of us stayed out on deck until our eyelids were drooping and we were forced to catch a few hours sleep.
0510 hours - "Good Morning, Good Morning, just to let you know we have two emperor penguins on an ice floe just ahead of the ship. It is a beautiful sunny morning, so come out on deck and bring your cameras."
So was the start of our day as Trip, our Expedition Leader, woke us this morning - and what a day it turned out to be! For those who were out on deck even earlier than the wake-up call, they were treated to a stunning sunrise as the ship sailed through Antarctic Sound, affectionately known as "Iceberg Alley."
As we progressed into the Weddell Sea, we were surrounded by large tabular icebergs (broken off from the ice shelves) and those which had been formed by the breaking off from the hundreds of glaciers which flowed from land and into the sea.
Our morning destination was Devil Island - so called because of the two peaks which appeared, from a distance, like Devil horns. The foreshore and lower slopes near the landing were crowded with Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae). These penguins are the archetypical penguins, being all black and white, with a distinctive white ring around their eye. They are named after the French Explorer Dumont d'Urville's wife. Given that the sun was out and there was no wind, the chicks, in their super-warm downy plumage, were panting in the heat and trying to hide in the shade of their parents shadows.
Many of us took the challenge to climb to the top of the southern peak, and we enjoyed a spectacular view out over the bay and down to the ship. A few even managed the 'twin-peak-challenge' and had a view way to the north.
With the weather the way it was, we were able to eat lunch out on the back deck, as the waterfalls of Vega Island became visible and ship sailed down into the Prince Gustav Channel and onto the Herbert Channel. The islands surrounding us were topped with ice caps and frosted with glaciers hanging over the edges and descending into the surrounding ocean. At False Island Point we were given the opportunity to try out kayaking. For many it was the first time in a kayak, but after our time paddling around the icebergs we were maneuvering and skimming across the water, like Olympic teams.
The evening continued to be remarkable, with icebergs and blue skies reflected in the glassy calm seas. It had been such a full day, and we wanted to keep soaking up every moment of it, so many of us stayed out on deck until our eyelids were drooping and we were forced to catch a few hours sleep.
