We had a very calm night in Paradise Bay followed by a 6:30am wake up call from Chad. The weather is unchanged from yesterday, a high cloud ceiling (you can just barely see the tops of the mountains surrounding us) and gently drizzling rain. Temperature is around 2C and the water +0.2C. The beauty in the snow and ice is indescribable. During breakfast, the ship moved onward to Andvord Bay. From here the mornings zodiacs will go ashore in Neko Harbour. Penguins are mandatory, hiking optional. Mom joined the zodiac group while I chose to photograph the glaciers from various locations on the ship. I am here with four camera options and have used them all. The panorama shots on the phone are great, the ipad takes great shots and movie clips, the little pocket camera for quick shots from the zodiac and the bigger camera for more serious vistas.
I am sitting in the quiet of the library, just steps from our room, sipping tea, enjoying the view and updating the journal.
The glaciers are calving around us and those at Neko Harbour were witness to the unforgettable sights and sounds of glacial ice breaking away and plunging into the sea. The guides were excited by this particular one, they described it sighting as once in a season. George from TWN caught it on video. We have seen or heard many others but not to that magnitude. Mom spent another morning at a Gentoo rookery as they bathed in the sea and returned to groom their clean feathers. At this spot, some eggs are not hatched yet. Two Weddell seals were also part of her experience.
Today's lunch: Hamburger & Hotdog Buffet, dessert was fried pineapple slice with pistachio ice cream.
This afternoons outing was to Danko Island....ocean beaches of rock, kelp, penguins and small bits of glacial ice sculptures. The snow is melting, dripping from above and making it's way to the sea. Hikers had another opportunity to go higher. Mom ventured on up to higher ground but I knew the beach was the place for me. Penguins are funny to watch as they waddle to the waters edge and then glide head first into the water. They porpoise so swiftly through the water, only to return to shore and begin their waddle back to the high rocky rookery.
The Zodiac cruise took us to see more blue ice marvels. Everywhere you look, there is beauty. The sun is trying its best to poke through...little bits of blue sky are quickly covered over once more.
We returned to the ship for a little r&r plus wine before dinner. Dinner tonight is a BBQ Buffet with baked apple dessert. It is the lady from Israel's birthday and Bartender Ian dressed in a penguin suite brought out a cake and candles, singing Happy Birthday.
Not sure what tomorrow will bring....more penguins? I couldn't believe my ears when I heard Mom say "you've seen one penguin, you've seen them all!"
We have had many many laughs along the way!
Day 6 is done.....good night.
 |
| Ships Russian crew painting the ship |
No comments:
Post a Comment