63d 11m 41.2s S, 57d 18m 28.6s W (WP097)

Our final stop for our first day in Antarctic waters was at Gourdin Island, just on the east side of the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Here there were harems of fur seals, and hundreds of Chinstrap and Gentoo with a few Adelie penguins. We went on a short hike to the ridge (384 ft) to get a great view of the Antarctic continent and the ice-infested waters. The top of Gourdin Island had a the rusted remains of a lookout or beacon post. I don’t know its dating, but it stood out among the otherwise untouched beautiful wilderness.

The icebergs in this area had ‘tide-marks’ or horizontal striping. These icebergs are ‘beached’ and the residual markings is due to the erosion by ebb & flow of wind & water of being stuck in that place in the ocean.

It was a very fine day as I took in all the new delights. I will admit I was disappointed not to see Elephant Island or the Weddell Sea. A return trip is needed, but then again, it would always be subject to the changing conditions of this amazing place. Changing conditions, I was learning, was the norm, not the exception. Antarctica was living up to its promise of being a place of extremes.

63d 36m 25.6s S, 56d 45m 08.5s W (WP092)

At this point in the journey, it was clear a course change last night prevented us from reaching Elephant Island. I was disappointed. With the change in weather, it was hoped we were going to reach Devil’s Island in the Weddell  Sea, but the pack ice had come in and prevented passage. So in consolation, we did a tour of the local bay where I got a glimpse of “sea ice” which forms only when the salt water freezes, a much lower point than the typical icebergs, which are frozen fresh water from glaciers on the continent. We had some neat “tabular icebergs” (100s of meters in length) that were on their own journey to the sea. It was fun to see a leopard seal and crab-eater seals sitting atop these tabular icebergs, another part of their lifecycle when the ice is their home.

After a tour, the Polar Pioneer tried to sail between Tabarin and Anderson Island but had trouble with the ice. Tried a third time to get to Paulet Island via the Erebus and Terror Gulf, but got turned back. A final course correction to bring us east was made by dinner time and I had to say goodbye to the Weddell Sea. Another thing I had just gotten a glimpse of, but was held back.

63d 31m 16.9s S, 56d 52m 57.4s W (WP087)

Donned in our wellies, we embarked on our first landing on the Antarctic Peninsula, a place called Brown Bluff, due to an outcropping of exposed granite with a brown hue. It’s the home of two types of penguins, the Gentoo (easily spotted by their distinct white patch behind the eye and red-orange beak & feet) and Adelie (my favourite by far, with their full black heads and blue ringed eyes). There was apparently a lone Chinstrap penguin but I did not see him.

We all got instruction on how to interact with the wildlife and to always make sure we don’t place ourselves between the animals and the sea, which is their home & safety. Keeping a safe distance from the curious Gentoos did not last long when they started to come up to us and peck at our boots & bags and exchange the same curiosity as us. We spent some time just observing a variety of “penguin behaviour” be it feeding chicks, to sunbathing, to swimming, to climbing snow-packed hills, to tummy-sliding, to stealing rocks from other penguins, to chasing someone else’s hungry chick. Seals on the beach, mainly fur seals, added to the dynamics with their grunts and slanted looks for us apparently disturbing their sleep. A snow petrel chick was ensconced away under the rocks.

The 360 degree scenery with snow capped granite peaks, black volcanic beach, and chunks of ice in the surrounding sea, really was amazing.

62d 01m 52.9s S, 60d 03m 21.6s W

About 9 nautical miles to the south, we spotted land! It was not Antarctica, but rather the South Shetland Islands, which in themselves have amazing variety. I enjoyed being up on deck sketching the shapes as they emerged out of the mist. We had been racing a storm which provided some amazing scenery at sunset.

Our trajectory was down the English Strait between Roberts and Greenwich Islands. We had some snow fall on the ship as we headed into the Bransfield Strait towards sunset. Another day at sea, but landfall tomorrow (Feb 20) was promised.