This day in Antarctica started like any other day, anywhere else on Earth: we rested. But it would turn out to be more different that we could possibly have expected.
Overnight as we sailed through the Grandidier Channel deep into the hidden folds of the Antarctic Peninsula, ever-watchful bridge officers were scanning spotlights across approaching icebergs, navigating safe passage south through the maze of sleeping shapes.
Finding clearer waters, we increased speed to be within striking distance of the Antarctic Circle by 6:30 a.m. The dulcet tones of our expedition leader Doug woke us gently to the exciting news that we would cross the line where the sun never sets for the entire summer—sending a flurry of boots, jackets, mittens, and cameras to squeeze into a view of this rarely achieved milestone on any Antarctic Journey.
Counting down: 4, 3, 2, 1…and our ship’s horn blew, announcing to the silent continent that we had made it beyond 66’ 33”. We celebrated the momentous occasion on the bridge with buoyant hoorahs. Stretch class for the fitness minded prepared many for a day of adventures and fresh and cooked breakfast aromas wafted the hallways. We spiraled our way onward, southward, into virgin territory of ice, mountains, and freezing waters. Choosing a fjord to explore the way less travelled, our ice-strengthened ship soon found icebergs of incredible shapes and sizes: floating sea ice chunks littered with lounging crabeater seals looked up at us and we gazed at each other in mutual curiosity.
Finding an area of densely packed fractured sea ice, we turned to see a colossal monolithic structure perfectly placed. Within this, at its frozen heart, an immense cavern echoed archways of delicious aquamarine. Photographic heaven. Poetic inspiration. Astoundingly spectacular ice. Captain Martin nosed our ship into excellent position to look down on the seals and up at the giant sculpture. Adventure photography and childlike excitement creates an unusual hunger and on this Sunday (inspired by both German chef and captain) we decided to pause and enjoy a most festive ‘Fruhschoppen’ on the outer decks, with tasty BBQ sausages, beers, pretzels, and Bloody Mary’s steeling us for the day ahead. Fun and ice go remarkably well together!
A colossal and cavernous berg even surpassing the first appeared in view and we approached silently to witness its magnificence. A Cathedral of ice, all archways and steeples, manifested from little more than frozen water, by nature’s hand.
Extracting ourselves from our surroundings, glacial peaks spired the horizon beckoning us onwards to where an open embayment mirrored white and blue. Then the shout “Killer Whales!” echoed around the observation decks. The unmistakable dark skyward dorsal fins of the ocean’s apex predators pierced the ice water on both sides of our ship. Barreling through surfaces, these awesomely powerful torpedoes sheltered females and young—a truly rare chance to witness such incredible creatures at such close range moving as one, supreme and sublime.
The day’s calm, clear weather was a real bonus and rose this day of highlights to new heights. Exploring further we found some sea ice expanse, frozen fast to the shore, and decided to offer sea-kayaking and possible ice hiking to enjoy new activities and create the chance to investigate new perspectives from the waters edge. Captain took a short run up with National Geographic Orion and sent her slicing into the ice, wedging her firm and forming an exploration base. Kayaks launched, people paddled about in the serene landscape and enjoyed intimate views at eye level of hundreds of seals laying basking on the sea-ice edge. A minke whale was spotted along the edge of the sea ice.
A day of unexpected delights, where we had no right to wish for more, was about to step up one more level. One of us spotted a creature as epic and enigmatic as a polar bear, one of our planets truly extreme survivors, and something no one could expect—an adult emperor penguin.
Such a sighting demanded a momentary rearrangement of activities and logistics—hats off to both our expedition leader Doug & Captain Martin for unrelenting commitment to maximizing our experience! We went ashore, settled in, and then the impossible happened. This penguin waddled over to where we sat, spellbound and speechless. Within just a few metres and we spent the next hour or more admiring it’s feathered antics and behaviors, preening itself and stretching as if were born in in a photographic studio. We admired this solitary creature, grand in its stature, beautiful in its total contentment in such hostile surroundings, endearing in its peaceful silent movements—distinctive in its mango-hued scalloped earpieces.
Thoroughly delighted and satiated with an astonishing day of unusual occurrences, we returned to our ship as a cooling late afternoon sun splashed distant hanging glaciers amid the mountaintops. We celebrated an astonishing day with cocktails, a social dinner, and slipped out for one final gaze at the moon rising over frosted mountains. We withdrew from the sea-ice, then turned and sailed over glassy seas into Antarctica’s endless twilight.
