22nd March 2018 – Antarctica- finally!
Today was our first real day in Antarctica, and what a day it has been! There are no words that can aptly describe all that we have experienced and felt today, but I think one of the few words that begins to cover it is ‘vast’.
Antarctica has vast beauty. Waking up at 0630h to start seabird surveys, we were greeted by our first Antarctic sunrise as we travelled through the Gerlache Strait. Having seen nothing but open ocean for the last 2 days, to awaken with the vast Antarctic landscape of islands and icebergs out of the window filled us all with excitement. As we continued through the strait, we also got our first real look at the Antarctic Peninsula. That, too, was vast in shape and beauty. We also travelled to Wilhelmina Bay which was beautiful and is the most densely populated area of humpback whales in the world!
Antarctica has vast biodiversity. Our marine mammal and seabird surveys became equally exhilarating and stressful as the morning progressed. New bird species we saw today included brown skua, south polar skua, snowy sheathbill, Antarctic terns and Antarctic shags. We even saw chinstrap and gentoo penguins porpoising in the water alongside the boat! For many people, the highlight of the day was our first whales! Today we counted over 200 humpback whales and even saw a few minke whales. Marine mammal surveyors were overwhelmed with sighting calls, with people spotting blows ranging 50 – 2000 metres from the ship. Some were even lucky enough to see some humpbacks breaching! We also saw many different seals, including Weddell, crabeater, leopard and Antarctic fur, and even two elephant seals bottling next to the boat.
This afternoon we took our first steps on an Antarctic island! Visiting Danco island we were greeted by the resident gentoo penguins. A few of them were still molting, and seeing them flopped on the snow with tufts of old feathers sticking out at odd angles was very amusing. Just along the beach was a Weddell seal who seemed very content taking a nap and unbothered by both tourists and penguins waddling by.
It was an amazing experience to just sit on the ground, taking a minute to watch the Gentoos, especially when they emerge from the water and stumble onto land. They seemed entirely unphased by our presence, until 37 passengers of the ship (including our intrepid explorer group), with more stupidity than sense, decided to take the polar plunge! The water was a balmy zero degrees C, and it was only when we were back on the boat clutching hot chocolates did we start to defrost.
Antarctica has vast scale. As we approached Danco Island, the surrounding mountains rose high, appearing to disappear into the fog and cloud.
Before our landing at Danco island, some of us went with Lars in a zodiac to take some environmental measurements. We learnt how to use a Secchi disk, which is used to measure water clarity. We also took some recordings with the hydrophone, which can record sounds under the water (and maybe even whale songs!). We also used a CDT to measure conductivity, depth, and temperature of the water. This information will help us analyse and understand our marine mammal and seabird surveys. Experiencing Antarctica in a zodiac, so close to the water, was intense. The landscape felt so alien, with everything covered in white, so vastly large and immense. Gentoos porpoising alongside the zodiac, the flash of a humpback fluke and the fin of a minke whale in the distance, all whilst only being a few feet from the surface of the water, only added to the gravity of our experiences.
Antarctica is vastly overwhelming; the landscape, the ocean and the animals. No words can truly cover all the emotions of this trip and our first real day in Antarctica. The vastness of everything we have already experienced, and the prospect of only 3 more days around the Peninsula, already feels life defining, and we are not even halfway through! I am so humbled by all the I have been able to see and feel, and what is surely yet to come.
Tonight we will cruise up and down Gerlache Strait, as anchoring overnight is not possible due to ice floes. Tomorrow we plan to visit Neko Harbour and Paradise Bay, but this is all down to the weather conditions. If all goes to plan, this will be our first landing on mainland Antarctica and will also be filled with zodiac cruises and more gentoos! Bring on the vastness….
Written by Beth Reyniers
