Highlights: Visit to Gentoo Penguin Rookery - Gentoos Nesting and Going to Swim - Adelie Penguins on Sea Ice
Merry Christmas! We were up at 7 am, went to breakfast with Bob and Cathy from Reno. We got dressed and went for the briefing and then loaded with the other chinstraps to go ashore. We anchored at Brown Bluff on the Tabarin Peninsula at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The beach was black volcanic rock with a HUGE penguin rookery (nesting area). We watched the penguins take turns sitting on either 1 or 2 eggs or 1 or 2 chicks that had already hatched. Birds (mostly skua) were constantly flying over the rookery looking for either untended eggs or chicks. We say one grab and baby chick and take off with it for its meal. Survival of the fittest, I supposed.
We saw the penguins gather in groups at the shore building up the courage to go into the water to go fishing and feeding. They were precious. We saw an ice berg break apart on the short right after we had taken a picture of it. There was a HUGE CRASH and the blue part of the blue and green iceberg fell apart and scattered. Others had been taking pictures right by it just moments earlier and could have been hurt if they had been there when it crashed.
We waded out in the water since the tide was going out to see the penguins leaving the shore and coming back from fishing. We also walked to the far end of the beach and saw other penguins (Adelies and Gentoos). There was a huge ice bridge that Peter and Benjamin (Nova Scotia) broke - it made a huge crash into the waterfall below and got their dad (Tom) all wet. It was funny but yet at the same time it was sad that others didn't get to see the ice bridge.
We got a coupld of rocks for Deborah's rock collection and went back to the rookery and watched th epenguins some more. We then boarded the Zodiac for a somewhat wet ride back to the ship from the ocean spray. We donated our liquor that we had brought aboard to the ship bar since all drinks were free. Lena taught us some more Russian words and then we were off to lunch. We then sailed through Iceberg Alley and there are icebergs of all shapes and sizes everywhere. We took a nap to rest up for the next landing. It took us about 3 hours to sail to our next stop at Kinnes Cove where we'll go ashore under the reddish Madder Cliffs. We'll see the Adelies penguins here.
We have learned that there are 4 species of penguins indiginous to this part of Antarctica - Adelies, Gentoos, Chinstraps, and Magellanics. The Emperor penguins from March of the Penguins are only found way inland at the coldest part of the Antarctic continent and we won't be able to go there - too far.
When we got to Kinnes Cove, there was too much sea ice (where the sea freezes around the continent in winter) so we couldn't land on the beach. This entire bay freezes for 20 miles in the winter and it is still frozen 1/4 mile from the shore. So instead of doing a beach landing, our expedition staff decided to do a sea ice landing. They tested it and determined that it was 4 - 8 feet thick and safe for us to land on as long as we don't all stand in the same place. Before the summer is over, all of this ice will melt and then will start freezing again in late March / April.
The Adelies walked or slid on their bellies to the shore. They gathered around at the edge in groups and then jumped in to go feed. When they returned, they hurled themselves from the sea and slid on the ice - I was able to capture this in a movie on the camera. It was amazing to watch them. A true thrill to see this first hand.
Our Zodiac driver took us all along the edge of the sea ice and we watched Adelies going in and out of the water. Once back to the ship, we showered, got dressed for cocktails and Christmas dinner. Over cocktails, Joe told us about taking pictures of his brother Stephen naked on an iceberg earlier today. We offered to proof the pictures!
The trip through Iceberg Alley was incredible - huge icebergs as big as cities. Some were 50-100 fee high and 4 to 6 times that as long - one right after the other - blue ice, white ice, green ice, ice strata, etc. This was fascinating for us.
We were dressed up a bit for the Captains Welcome Reception and Dinner and we talked with various people on the deck as we went through Iceberg Alley. We had cocktails with friends (all made by Lena) at the bar and then went to the Captain's Reception in the loung where we had champagne and hors d'oeuvres. We were still fascinated with the icebergs in Iceberg Alley.
Off to dinner with Tim, Jim and Ralph - a traditional turkey Christmas dinner. Then to the bar where bartender Lena introduced me to Ramazotti - a great digestive - it worked amazingly well.
We sang a bit and talked to others. Then to the room at 11. We watched a little bit of the movie Lord of the Flies which Tim has never seen (the original movie) and then went to sleep before midnight.
Another great day in Antarctica.
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