Cuverville Island & Neko Harbor
Our morning began with brilliant sunshine as we passed through the very northern end of Gerlache Strait on a southward route parallel to the mainland of the Antarctica Peninsula. Our route took us through the Errera Channel, formed between the rugged steep island of Ronge” and the Arctowski Peninsula of the mainland. Our destination was a high rounded island called Cuverville.
Cuverville was the first gentoo penguin colony of the voyage. With over 5000 pairs, we had a wonderful opportunity to photograph these subjects as they leaped from the water and as they nested in colonies. The steep snow covered mountains across the bay provided spectacular backgrounds for our pictures. Many of us took our second opportunity to kayak in the calm blue waters. Sizeable icebergs provided wonderful areas for the kayaks to glide through. The crack of avalanches high in the mountains reverberated across the water.
Upon leaving Cuverville Island, we feasted on lunch while the ship continued down Errera Channel and turned into Andvord Bay. This bay was lined with glaciers and form an indentation into the mainland of the peninsula. We made a landing at Neko Harbor, which hosts another gentoo penguin colony. Here we were able to make a trek up the snow covered hillside to a rocky point overlooking the bay and surrounding glaciers. Our gentoo colony also had a couple of visitors – one chinstrap penguin and two Weddell seals hauled out on the beach. The gentoo colony boasted a large number of recently born chicks, with many demanding food from their harried parents. Other gentoos frolicked in the clear waters just offshore.
We finished the day by passing through Lemaire Channel… the light snow falling and the low grey skies created a moody black and white landscape as the ship cruised thru the narrow black waters.
Our morning began with brilliant sunshine as we passed through the very northern end of Gerlache Strait on a southward route parallel to the mainland of the Antarctica Peninsula. Our route took us through the Errera Channel, formed between the rugged steep island of Ronge” and the Arctowski Peninsula of the mainland. Our destination was a high rounded island called Cuverville.
Cuverville was the first gentoo penguin colony of the voyage. With over 5000 pairs, we had a wonderful opportunity to photograph these subjects as they leaped from the water and as they nested in colonies. The steep snow covered mountains across the bay provided spectacular backgrounds for our pictures. Many of us took our second opportunity to kayak in the calm blue waters. Sizeable icebergs provided wonderful areas for the kayaks to glide through. The crack of avalanches high in the mountains reverberated across the water.
Upon leaving Cuverville Island, we feasted on lunch while the ship continued down Errera Channel and turned into Andvord Bay. This bay was lined with glaciers and form an indentation into the mainland of the peninsula. We made a landing at Neko Harbor, which hosts another gentoo penguin colony. Here we were able to make a trek up the snow covered hillside to a rocky point overlooking the bay and surrounding glaciers. Our gentoo colony also had a couple of visitors – one chinstrap penguin and two Weddell seals hauled out on the beach. The gentoo colony boasted a large number of recently born chicks, with many demanding food from their harried parents. Other gentoos frolicked in the clear waters just offshore.
We finished the day by passing through Lemaire Channel… the light snow falling and the low grey skies created a moody black and white landscape as the ship cruised thru the narrow black waters.
