Antarctic Cruise Diary : 17 December 2006

Antarctic Cruise Diary, December 2006

ANTARCTIC excursions, Cuverville Island and Neko Harbour

17 Dec 2006
Position: Lat: 64°.45’ S  Lon: 62°.42’ W
Air Temperature: +0.8 °C

Favourable weather – sun, light breeze and a thinly overcast sky – prevailed as we anchored in the Errera Channel, south of Cuverville Island, this morning. We soon found ourselves on the edges of the largest (5000+ breeding pairs) colony of Gentoo Penguins that we will visit during our voyage.

We also observed first-hand why these penguins build such elaborate nests of stones to protect their eggs and young from cold melt water. At one site, several nests were indeed located high and dry in the middle of a small stream of melt water coming from the nearby, snow covered hill. On the beach below, we also saw a Crabeater Seal and on a nearby ice floe, a Leopard Seal. Many huge, old whale bones, peaked through the melting snow, littering the beach as we walked by.

As we prepared to return to the landing site, a Minke Whale swam nearby. Numerous Antarctic Terns, Kelp Gulls and Antarctic Shags flying over our heads as we left.

Later this afternoon, at Neko Harbour, the site of another colony (100’s of nests) of Gentoo Penguins, we heard the local glaciers rumble frequently and loudly and witnessed the collapse of a substantial part of the local glacier tongue into a large patch of floating brash ice. Then, as the weather closed in, many went for a short zodiac cruise before returning to the ship for dinner.

Next:Danco Island And Wilhelmina Bay