Antarctic peninsula, 3/8-3/10.

Gourdin Island: another rare landing for tours. I was beginning to think they just say that, though. This was as close of the Penguin U.N. as I would get (Gentoo, Chinstrap and Adelie coexisting peacefully).

Adelie: all black head... Gentoo: orange beaks... Chinstrap: self-explanatory

speak loudly... and carry small flightless wings

signaling a left turn

guess what? penguin butt!

The continent was just a mile away but fogged in. Never mind that - the icebergs were stunning.

Gourdin Island iceberg

Later we took a 30 minute Zodiac cruise around Astrolabe Island for more icebergs (the blue! wow), Weddell seals lounging, leopard seals playing with the boat, birds everywhere and even some class 3 rapids... Expedition co-leader Alex said he would sign a certificate affirming it.

file under: photo does not do it justice

not a leopard seal

... and ended the day with an amazing sunset.


Day 2: Mikkelsen Bay. Absolutely horrid weather. Sideways snow, gusting winds, gray skies. We all later thought the crew was desperate for a landing - they seemed to want to land here as much as we did. A good taste of actual Antarctica though.

that green isn't grass - it's penguin guano, YUM!

never did figure out who would be crazy enough to sail under these conditions

Later after Grant Passage we set out on a continental expedition, the crew knowing how much that "7th Continent" landing was to some folks.

first things first: Grant Passage

Many of us were dubious as we Zodiaced to Portal Point after being so roughly windblown and rainsogged that morning at Mikkelson Bay. But the weather changes in seconds here and the sun came through the clouds. As we stepped onto the continent we turned into 10-year-olds! Pure white mountains of snow meant perma-grins, snowball fights and glissades all around.

what one would expect a frozen continent to look like

Antarctica: check

Day 3: The joyous mood lasted through the next day where we kayaked around Cuverville Island after watching an amazing sunrise (and a seal eat a penguin - blech).

sunrise at Cuverville Island

The pm kayak at Melchior Islands was something I will never forget - sunny, calm water at the base of the open ocean and not a sound other than our paddles dipping into the water, birds singing and ice calving from the shelf.

sky blue sky (is this getting old? if so, blame Wilco...)

somewhere in there are teeny tiny kayakers

not-so-teeny tiny kayaker

As an ode to the Brits on board, I will sum up the last 3 weeks with one word: "BRILLIANT." So much more to say, so many photos to post, so many emotions to recall throughout this expedition, but this will have to suffice for now. This is the 2nd, 3rd time for many people on this expedition. While I don't plan to return any time soon, I completely understand the draw.

Onward and upward through the relatively calm Drake Passage to Ecuador, 85 degrees, and no more penguin poop...