In contrast to last night, there was not a breath of wind as we stepped ashore at Cuverville Island. The sun broke through a light cloud layer from time to time as we enjoyed the delights of the largest gentoo penguin colony on the peninsula (about 4000 pairs). Amazingly, many of the nesting penguins were placed high above our landing beach on rocky precipices, only accessible by an arduous climb up snow banks and across scree slopes.
Towards the end of lunchtime we were called away to see feeding humpback whales. Two whales, one a full adult and one probably a juvenile, were lunge feeding by taking short dives and surfacing through the krill swarm with open mouths. Their movements were graceful and elegant. The pretty little Wilson’s storm petrel hovered about while the whales were performing this shallow feeding strategy.
Afternoon wildlife cruising on the Gerlache Strait followed and penguins on bergs were an added highlight. One berg had Adelies, chinstraps, and gentoos together and very soon we came upon a pod of killer whales preforming for our delight.
In mid-afternoon we entered Wilhelmina Bay, which lies at 64° 38’S, 62° 10’W and was discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897-99 under Adrien de Gerlache. It is named for the then Queen of the Netherlands. Approaching the fast ice (sea ice still connected to the shore) the captain determined that it would be possible to park the ship within the ice and test if for safety, with the intention of taking a walk on the ice. It proved to be very secure, so a perimeter of flags was established and guests were allowed to free roam within the boundary line of flags before dinner.
The Antarctic Circle marks the northernmost line where the sun remains above the horizon for the full twenty-four hours. We were about 125 nautical miles from the Antarctic Circle, (which lies at 66° 36’S) so the sun barely dipped below the horizon overnight and there was no night at all as today was the Summer Solstice, the day of the year when the sun remains above the austral horizon for the maximum amount of time.
After dinner on board we returned to the ice to share the joy of a wedding ceremony performed by the captain for Jakub and Yulia.
