Today our path would take us to the Antarctic Peninsula, by way of the Gerlache Strait. We are in the Palmer Archipelago now, where the Neumayer Channel exists. We were out on the bow by 6:30am with a handful of eager folks to view this passage. The scenic narration began at 7am, as we began to see sightings of a few birds, Gentoo penguins, shags, and one minke whale. These are the whales that are 35 feet long and weigh 9 tons. Several years ago while on a Norway cruise, we had the chance to taste smoked minke whale at the outdoor fish market in Bergen. Hesitant at first, we tried the sample of the meat to find it was very similar to beef. It was smoked, so it tasted more like beef jerky, and we actually liked it. We can understand why whale meat was a part of the diet for the natives in this part of the world.
With the islands on both sides of this channel, it seemed protected from the worst of the winds. As the ship zig-zagged through the passage, we saw Anvers Island and the beautiful peaks of Mt. Francaise at 9259 feet in elevation. Weinke Island was on the port side. An unidentified expedition ship was in the process of doing zodiac landings with their guests near the Port Lockroy Research Station, belonging to the UK. It is the most popular tourist destination where no more than 60 visitors are allowed ashore to see blue-eyed cormorants, and a Gentoo penguin colony. There is also a composite reconstruction of a whale skeleton on the shore, like we saw yesterday.
By 9am, we were slightly frozen and in need of some very hot coffee. So we set off for breakfast in the dining room for our usual meal. Decorations for this evening's winter wonderland and great white way party were hanging from the ceiling, like we used to see on many evenings. Even though it was not going to be a gala event, it sure looked nice.By 11am, we were bundled up once again to view the sights of Paradise Bay from the bow. We finally decided that getting photos from here gives us more opportunities to go from side to side without having the bow floor in our pictures. Of course we had to do the walking carefully, because the deck was wet from rain and a few snow flurries. The first sightings of humpback whales feeding happened right away, and close to the ship. Gentoo penguins and shags were eating and diving side by side. A few Weddell seals were laying on the ice floes, oblivious to the ship passing by.
We had to stop for about 15 minutes to let another expedition ship, the Ocean Nova, pass through the gap before we could continue. Then we came upon the Gonzales Videla Research Station, built on bare rocks below a bare cliff. Three little islands where the station is located were full of nesting Gentoo penguins. They made themselves right at home nesting within feet of their buildings. Nearby cliffs of solid ice had fields of emerald green mosses, blue-green copper deposits, and orange lichens. Once these plants take hold, they are fed by the constant supply of penguin guano, which provides all the nutrients they need to survive in this climate. This station, built by Chileans, kept livestock for fresh meat and milk in the early years. The base was abandoned in 1964, but re-appeared in the 1990's. Today it is staffed by 8 to 12 members of the Chilean Air Force.
We did see a few crab eater seals, although they do not eat crab, but dine on krill, as do most of the humpback whales. "Krill" is a Norwegian word meaning young fry of fish. It is a small shrimp-like crustacean measuring 1 to 2 ½ inches long. And it is the primary food for many Antarctic species. These krill have an estimated biomass or collective weight of over 500 million tons. Incredible.
A small flock of snowy sheathbills dive-bombed the ship at one point. These are not a true seabird, but actually a scavenger. They will feed off of penguins and shags, much the way the frigates intimidate other birds to give up their catch. The white chicken-sized sheathbills also dine on bird eggs and young chicks. Their wingspan is 30 inches, and they only weigh 1 ½ pounds.
Lunch was one Dive-In burger and hot dog, enjoyed in the warmth of our room. This was the best time to begin downloading the 100's of photos from the morning viewing. By 3:30pm, we made our third trip outside, once again on the bow. By now, there were only a handful of folks willing to brave the cold temps of 1 degree C or 34 degrees F. Our destination was Wilhelmina Bay, a wide open bay without the tall ice-covered peaks. In other words, there was little shelter from the winds, which were penetrating even our Arctic-rated jackets. At one point, we were surrounded with rather slow-moving humpback whales feeding. There were some fur seals, some birds, and two very inquisitive chinstrap penguins that climbed on a bergy bit to watch us. It was not uncommon to see groups of four to six whales surface feeding, or doing shallow dives. We were reminded to be careful walking across the wet deck, because one man took a sudden fall earlier. The drizzle was becoming heavier, so we decided to come inside. It had been such a full day of scenic touring, and we needed to warm up.
Back in the room, Captain Jonathon came on the speakers with an important message regarding our normal stop near Palmer Research Station, which might have been planned for our fourth day of scenic cruising. Due to the spread of the Corona virus, all cruise ships have been stopped from having visits from the scientists coming onboard for the remainder of the season. Surely a disappointment for all, it is understandable. In the meantime, they will be working on some alternate viewing, as there is plenty of it.And it is time for a few interesting facts about Antarctica. Many sea creatures here, like the ice fish, have an antifreeze substance in their bloodstreams. It enables them to survive in the extreme weather conditions. The Southern giant petrel, Chatham albatross, and the Southern right and blue whales are some of the endangered species.Dinner had a couple of good things to choose from like crispy spring rolls, soups, and salads. Entrees were a bit harder to choose, so one of us had a pasta dish, and the other the alternate salmon, always a good choice. Dessert was a chocolate tart, and one fresh fruit plate. All of the berries are gone now, and will not be replaced until we reach Punta Arenas. Sweet pineapple and watermelon are still plentiful, so we will not go hungry.There was no live show this evening, but Planet Earth II in Concert. We have seen this on other cruises and found it well done. In fact, we would have no objection if this was done more often on the grand voyages.
The internet reception has been extremely touchy, and at times, totally not functioning. So there will be delays with sending the reports. And we had a notice that there are only a few days left to purchase the internet packages to last for the remainder of this cruise. After February 4th, the rates will be on a monthly basis. The Social plan will cost $180, the Surf plan will be $260, and the Premium plan will be $330. We are sure glad we got into the Premium plan from day one.
Two more days of scenic cruising is like being on an African safari…..we are loving it. The main difference is that at 10:30pm, the temperature was 0 degrees Celsius and still lite out,
Bill & Mary Ann
