National Geographic Resolution spent another day in the Weddell Sea. We awoke to an incredible sight: newly formed sea ice. This is typically something that happens early or late season, when the air temperature is cold enough. Some guests ventured out in Zodiacs, while others embarked on a challenging hike up Devil Island for breathtaking panoramic views. On the water, we encountered Antarctic krill and small fish in the upwelling currents. Along the beach, we found a leucistic Adelie penguin. These penguins lack the pigmentation seen in other members of their species. It was an incredibly rare and lucky encounter.
Our afternoon outing brought us to Brown Bluff for a continental landing. Here, we were greeted by a colony of Adelie penguins and patrolling leopard seals. As we turned the corner to head to the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, we were greeted with strong winds, blowing snow, and building seas. Today’s encounters served as a reminder of how fragile, oftentimes unforgiving, and yet always beautiful Antarctica truly is.
