SUNDAY – THE EXPEDITION CONTINUES

We thought the crew would struggle to top yesterday's activities but they did. This morning was spent cruising to and through the Lemaire Channel doing some wildlife spotting along the way. There were some very obliging orcas that put on a display for us right alongside the ship. We passed numerous icebergs with seals having a relaxing ride. Penguins were always swimming past and a minke whale put in a brief appearance. How many photos of seals would you like to see?

The highlight though was where the channel met Pleneau Bay where we anchored for lunch and the afternoon's zodiac activity. The channel had a sheet of sea ice right across it with seals lying on it and penguins walking on it. The captain nudged the boat up to the ice, applied the power and carved a path through the ice sheet which appeared to be about one metre thick. One particular seal and several groups of penguins had their morning disturbed as the big metal monster carved its way through their ice sheet – very exciting. The ship is not an icebreaker but apparently has an ice strengthened hull. The expedition staff had never previously had that experience so it was a first for everybody.

This afternoon we spent 90 minutes in a zodiac exploring the bay including the iceberg graveyard. The graveyard is a relatively shallow area where large icebergs get blown to but the water is too shallow for them so they run aground and get stuck fast. Apparently it takes approximately six years for the icebergs to eventually melt away to nothing. In the meantime, there is a proliferation of large icebergs in a relatively compact area of all shapes and sizes.

Apart from large icebergs, we also got up close and personal with lots more Gentoo penguins, numerous Crabeater seals, five elephant seals and one leopard seal. The latter two caused some excitement among the zodiac drivers because they are apparently rarely seen in this area. Crabeater seals don't eat crabs. They eat krill.

For those who want to know, the temperature is a constant 3 degrees and the water temperature is 2 degrees. Going outside the lovely heated ship interior requires a beanie, parka and gloves. Going out on the zodiacs requires additional layers. Yesterday was an overcast but relatively calm day until the evening. When we went to bed at 10:00pm last night, the sun was shining brightly.