English Strait & Yankee Harbor
What a beginning to the day! Up on deck early and welcomed with ice and the first views of the South Shetlands looming out of the mist! All around the ship Pintado petrels, Antarctic petrels, Southern fulmars and Giant petrels all effortlessly fly in the cold windy conditions.
During breakfast we make our approach to and sail through the English Strait and on either side of the ship volcanic rocks covered with ice and snow as well as the occasional tabular iceberg.
Our Captain steers the ship close to Barrientos Island where we hope to make our first landing. Soon a scout Zodiac is off at speed to check out the feasibility of the landing, there seems to be large pieces of ice on the beach and a lot of ice right down to the shoreline. The wind is coming from the wrong quarter and we must head off for option B.
Not to worry, in the meantime we have the IAATO briefing to attend, where we are once again made aware of what an incredible place we have come to visit and how important it is that we all ensure that what we do here is sustainable.
During lunch we sail along the coastline of Greenwich Island and the ship is anchored a stones throw away from the coastline. Shortly after lunch we head for our first landing which is at Yankee Harbor. We are all so excited as we board the Zodiacs and make the short trip to our landing site.
Just a little way from our place of landing are the penguins we have so much wanted to see. They are Gentoos and soon we catch sight of hundreds all about us. As yet they are not able to get on with the important task of nest building and egg laying due to all the snow about. But there they are patiently waiting in their pairs, occasionally calling and going through the different and beautiful aspects of their courtship. We are enthralled by these wonderful birds.
A little further down we encounter Weddell seals and just offshore a Leopard seal. In a protected little inlet we are treated to rafts of penguins swimming in the shallows, washing and then leaping deftly out of the water and onto an ice flow and from there working out the best route to shore. For a final treat we get to see the odd Chinstrap penguin.
It has been a tremendous start to our Antarctic adventure and the lively chatter at Captain’s Welcome cocktail serves as testimony to all that we have been privileged to experience.
After dinner we learn a little bit more about Oceanites and the important work that they carry out on the Peninsula.
We tumble into bed tired and looking forward to what tomorrow will have in store for us.
