Early morning start onto the Zodiacs to land at Elephant Island. This is where the survivors stayed for five months waiting for Shackleton’s rescue. We are the first expedition ship to land here this year.
Towering glaciers, ice blue is the colour description. Fine icicles drip from the edges as they drift in the ocean.
The Zodiacs move from ship very easily and return just as easily. Once back at the ship the craft are hoisted up and checked so as to be ready for the next expedition.
Surrounded by icebergs and have just heard that due to the excellent weather conditions we have changed direction and are to visit Penguin Island before going to the Antarctic Peninsula. All being well we land there after dinner this evening. Another wonderful bonus.
After dinner we were called onto the bridge to see a pod of Orcas feeding. I have only ever seen orcas in movies and Sea World in Florida. These were swimming and foraging in ocean, coming up to breathe every now and then. The ship was silent as the captain turned her around so that we could view these magnificent dolphins.
We are now waiting to go on another expedition to Penguin Island. This is another ‘bonus’ excursion. Nine o’clock at night.
What an evening. We landed on the island which was covered in snow. Weddell fur seals lay on the snow with Chinstrap and Adele penguins crouched on the ice. One or two were most curious and poddled over tilted their heads and peered at the passengers.
Back on board and after a cup of hot chocolate we are now ready to sail onto to another amazing area.
We have been sailing all day in fair weather and no swells. Apparently this is remarkable weather for the area and we are ‘doing well’.
Whales were spotted off the port side [hammmm hmmmm that is the LEFT side for all you land-lubbers out there] and they were deemed to be Fin Whales who seemed to be on an eating spree and simply foraged around the boat keeping their mind on the right things.
We are in ice-berg country. The seas abound with these huge monoliths which are a piece of history floating on the ocean. This afternoon we passed a huge berg - with penguins perched on the one surface. The captain was good enough to circle it and we had this spectacular view of turquoise ice as is tipped into the ocean with a cerulean shelf which floated just under the surface of the ocean. Imagine a ball gown in the same colour with light ruches of aquamarine and white lace peeking as the skirt swirls.
We had another great dinner with a couple from New Mexico who enjoy sea-kayaking in the remote areas of Alaska. We have some wonderful tips for our next expedition [which has to be the northern Polar areas. Well we have the gear don’t we?]. Alaska and Greenland here we come!
We hope for an early start tomorrow as we are forging ahead so rapidly. The captain has to slow down because the weather is so good [can you believe it?] and we are approaching Elephant Island too quickly. This is the island that Shackleton and his men arrived at after their escape from the ice shelf after their ship broke up and sank. This is the place too, where the men remained for five months while Shackelton went to find assistance to get them all back home.
We will probably only have a Zodiac ride as there is little beach for landing, but as you know that is good enough for me!
Hopefully the captain will keep good watch in the next few days, as this is the land of the Ice Queen and many icebergs and much pack ice lies around and before us.
Obviously when St Andrews Bay was on the agenda both David and I needed little impetus to go on the excursion even though it was an early [very early] wake up call. We had three landings yesterday - the last one being the whaling station that Shackleton arrived at after his epic check. Similar to the Namibian Elizabeth Bay and Kolmanskop the buildings were stark and forlorn.
We often have a late supper and are up with an early morning call to commence darting from here to there. I usually choose to stay about an hour and a half to two hours on at the landing areas. David has to be gaffed off the beaches as he, together with a few other 'intrepid' photographers and the artist, leave only on the last Zodiac. I come back, tidy up and sit in the library or fore-lounge [it's like being on your own private yacht with everyone else on an excursion] and write and enjoy a cup of 'well-deserved] hot chocolate [even though it IS rather too]. However, if anyone thinks we are on holiday, think again - the up side of all this high activity is that I am fitter than I have been for a while. So my dearest children should beware - I might take them on later this year!
I also enjoy visiting the Bridge. It is always silent up there with the captain discussing position and weather conditions with the crew and all in all a formal, busy silence pervades. One of the other things I love is the Zodiac rides. So every now and again I beg an extra ride or two and often get a tour of the bay we are visiting as well.
On our way back to the ship [which was a few kilometres today]. We had a glimpse of our first [very small] iceberg and as we head down south they will obviously become more obvious. [Hope the captain knows this]. The small ones are called "growlers", being the sound they make as they scrape the side of the ship. [GULP]
Breakfast is served soon and with my stomach growling as the icebergs do. I had better go and get some food.
Anyone for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon?
