Lemaire Channel, Booth Island
We were awakened by our Expedition Leader, Larry, before 7am this morning. We were expecting a call to admire the beauty of the Lemaire Channel but instead we had whales! Our Chief Mate, Oleksiy Chepanov, had spotted Killer Whales and what turned out to be two groups of almost 30, Type “B” Antarctic Dwarf Killer Whales. These voracious predators feed primarily on seals but have been known to take Minke Whales. On a few occasions they approached quite close to the ship where we were easily able to inspect the saddle patches and scarring on their backs. During the show, a Humpback approached quite close and several Minke Whales were surfacing nearby. It had been a busy morning already and some of us still needed breakfast. We resumed our course through Gerlache Strait, passing islands covered in ice and snow, and on to the spectacular Lemaire Channel.
The blue sky was only to be outdone by the many icebergs drifting about as we approached Cape Reynard and the narrow entrance to the channel. It was as if we were cruising through a mirror as the reflections bounced off the water revealing the glaciers, crevasses, spires and cornices that hung above our nimble little ship. Steve Forrest, one of the Oceanites researchers onboard, pointed out how Gentoo Penguin colonies have appeared on a few patches of rock that have melted out in the recent years. We nosed into a bay along the way to inspect a glacier up close before heading to Booth Island, our afternoon destination.
Surrounded by towering icebergs and mountains, this was the perfect place to take full advantage the weather we were so fortunate to have. Those on shore enjoyed hikes that took them past numerous Gentoo colonies with newborn chicks, and all were rewarded with spectacular 360 degree views. Those in kayaks got to paddle amongst the garden of sculpted bergs, soak up some rays and enjoy hot cocoa delivered by Zodiac from our Hotel Manger. Zodiac tours around the area weren’t as much work but they were just as beautiful and rewarded with a Leopard seal on an ice floe that showed its sweeter side and greeted everyone with a grin from ear to ear.
As the sun was getting lower on the horizon and we finished another amazing day on the Antarctic Peninsula, our Captain took us for a scenic spin through the beautiful Neumayer Channel.
We were awakened by our Expedition Leader, Larry, before 7am this morning. We were expecting a call to admire the beauty of the Lemaire Channel but instead we had whales! Our Chief Mate, Oleksiy Chepanov, had spotted Killer Whales and what turned out to be two groups of almost 30, Type “B” Antarctic Dwarf Killer Whales. These voracious predators feed primarily on seals but have been known to take Minke Whales. On a few occasions they approached quite close to the ship where we were easily able to inspect the saddle patches and scarring on their backs. During the show, a Humpback approached quite close and several Minke Whales were surfacing nearby. It had been a busy morning already and some of us still needed breakfast. We resumed our course through Gerlache Strait, passing islands covered in ice and snow, and on to the spectacular Lemaire Channel.
The blue sky was only to be outdone by the many icebergs drifting about as we approached Cape Reynard and the narrow entrance to the channel. It was as if we were cruising through a mirror as the reflections bounced off the water revealing the glaciers, crevasses, spires and cornices that hung above our nimble little ship. Steve Forrest, one of the Oceanites researchers onboard, pointed out how Gentoo Penguin colonies have appeared on a few patches of rock that have melted out in the recent years. We nosed into a bay along the way to inspect a glacier up close before heading to Booth Island, our afternoon destination.
Surrounded by towering icebergs and mountains, this was the perfect place to take full advantage the weather we were so fortunate to have. Those on shore enjoyed hikes that took them past numerous Gentoo colonies with newborn chicks, and all were rewarded with spectacular 360 degree views. Those in kayaks got to paddle amongst the garden of sculpted bergs, soak up some rays and enjoy hot cocoa delivered by Zodiac from our Hotel Manger. Zodiac tours around the area weren’t as much work but they were just as beautiful and rewarded with a Leopard seal on an ice floe that showed its sweeter side and greeted everyone with a grin from ear to ear.
As the sun was getting lower on the horizon and we finished another amazing day on the Antarctic Peninsula, our Captain took us for a scenic spin through the beautiful Neumayer Channel.
