Matias, Deckhand
Day 5
New sites to explore today! We make a landing at Petermann island in the morning, still under our usual crystal blue sky. What’s peculiar about that island is the proximity between species, and we get to see blue-eyed Shags, Adélie and Gentoo penguins, all with chicks next to each other.
They chose different material for their nests, rocks for the penguins and a more elaborate mix for the cormorants, including seaweed and feathers. A massive glacier gives a nice backdrop to these parenting scenes.
Our next stop is the main island in the Yalour archipelago. This landing is a bit more tricky, since it’s directly on rocks and at the base of a hill. It’s a more challenging hike to get to the top, and the soft snow makes every step harder. It doesn’t seem to bother the Adélies, that hop and climb routinely — although clumsily — from the coast to their nests.
After trying out the harsh life of a penguin for a bit, we opt for a more comfortable zodiac ride, where we find all sorts of cool scenes.
Some seals are hauled out on ice, but the best shot has to be this one of this penguin on these beautiful icebergs.
Hopefully one of the pictures that came out of the professional cameras get published somewhere for others to enjoy!
After dinner we decided to pay a visit to the Ukrainian base Vernadsky. They were extremely hospitable and showed us around the whole base, telling us about their work and lives there. They kept the best part for last, their ‘hangout’ room and gift shop!
Scottie brought a gift for the base, from cook to cook, and made Nazar very happy.
Fresh fruits are hard to get over there, which explains how much this watermelon is cherished.
Some scientists also came to chat with us about their work at the base, teaching us new things about Antarctica.
Day 6
Vernadsky was the southernmost point of our trip, and today we start heading North again. We head towards Port Charcot, where we couldn’t land the first time around because some poorly placed icebergs blocked the way.
It is an historic site, where the French Antarctic expedition led by Jean-Baptiste Charcot spent a winter here, aboard their ship the “Français”. They seemed to have had a good time, judging from this photograph of the time.
The weather today has finally stopped its extravagance, and after blessing us with 3 wonderful sunny days, we get a more gray and rainy one. It’s what’s needed to feel a sense of adventure, otherwise everything is too easy!
It’s in these conditions that we go for a long zodiac ride, over in the next bay, where all those giant icebergs are stockpiled. Cloudy and diffuse lighting is when icebergs look their best, and it’s truly a nice moment to see them. We also spot the 3 species of seals around (Leopard, Weddel, and Crabeater), and even have another lucky encounter with a whale!
Matias Moana Guerrero
