Linda, Passenger
Day 8
We started the day early with a Zodiac cruise before breakfast, under perfect skies and bright sunshine. It promised to be an incredible experience, and it did not disappoint. The zodiacs navigated gracefully between the beautifully shaped icebergs, surrounded by crystal-clear, blue waters. The vibrant shades of blue almost resembled tropical waters—if only the temperature weren’t so close to freezing. Between the towering icebergs, the wind was still, and the clear skies created breathtaking reflections of the mountains and ice floes on the water, like perfect mirrors. Truly mesmerizing.
We were not the only ones finding comfort in this serene environment. For the first time on our trip, we encountered leopard seals. They “chilled” on the ice, not being disturbed by our zodiacs as we passed by. These seals, however, had a far less friendly appearance than the Wedell seals. Later, after a cold return to the ship, we watched an intriguing BBC documentary (just released featuring the Hans Hansson!) about ice pack killer whales (or orcas) in Antarctica, explaining how the leopard seal is second only to the orca as the top predator here—a stark contrast to the friendlier Wedell seals.
After lunch, we visited the southernmost post office in the world, located at Port Lockroy. Here, a Gentoo penguin colony lives, undisturbed by the steady stream of visitors. Some chicks had already hatched and emerged from their eggs. At the post office, we mailed postcards with Antarctic stamps and bought souvenirs to take home.
Later in the day, we went ashore again, not far from our previous stop, to visit another Gentoo penguin colony. We also came across the massive skeleton of a whale, offering a striking impression of the creature’s immense size. Nearby, two enormous living creatures were resting at the water’s edge: an elephant seal, gazing at us with large eyes before returning to its nap, and a Wedell seal, seemingly undisturbed and barely moving. At least, that’s what we thought until one Wedell seal surprised us by swimming past, showing off its playful moves and cheerful snout.
For our next destination, we had to endure a long boat journey. It wasn’t a dull ride, though. We frequently heard and felt the boat slowing down—whales! Each time, we rushed to the deck to catch a glimpse. Sometimes, the whales disappeared before we could see them. But one time, we were incredibly lucky: a pair of humpback whales feeding together near the surface. We watched them dive in unison, swirl around, and blow bubbles to herd krill upward before snapping them up. It was a spectacular show.
We stayed on deck for over an hour, captivated by their movements, until the cold and drained camera batteries drove us inside. That evening, the sky remained bright, but through the porthole, we watched the setting sun dip behind the mountains around 10:30 PM. The colors of the descending sun were nothing short of extraordinary—a breathtaking way to end such a magical day.
