It has only been a matter of days and yet it feels like we have been in Antarctica for weeks – we have seen and done so much already! The landscapes and icescapes are forever changing; the wildlife encounters are increasing, and our landings are always exciting and new.
This morning was a prime example. At 09:00 a.m. we set off in Zodiacs towards Jougla Harbour, having spent the early morning sailing down the majestic Peltier Channel. Whalers used Jougla Harbour as an anchorage in the early 20th century because the area offers some protection from the rough Antarctic seas. The whalers brought their whales here to be processed in shelter and to this day whalebones still lie on the seabed and seashore. Of course the area is no longer used for whaling. Instead many Gentoo penguins and Antarctic shags have taken up residence on the rocky shore and tourists and scientists alike now appreciate the area.
On the opposite side of Jougla Harbour is Port Lockroy, a highlight for many people visiting the Antarctic Peninsula. Port Lockroy is now a museum, post office, and gift shop run by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust. It was originally built by the British in 1944 and was known as ‘Base A’. Its purpose was as part of a secret wartime initiative to monitor German shipping movements. Today the many penguins clustered amongst the huts and careering around amongst us visitors wielding postcards must make for a scene that is a far cry from the Base A of 1944. The museum gave us a super insight into what it must have been like in those early days of operation – it was certainly a far cry from our rather cosy and comfortable surroundings on board National Geographic Orion.
After a morning spent on the chilly shores of Jougla and Port Lockroy we returned to the warmth of the ship and appreciated a hearty lunch. As the ship heaved anchor and began sailing towards our afternoon landing site of Neko Harbour the overcast conditions cleared to reveal serene blue skies and the serrated mountaintops of the Peninsula – a sight many of us had been hoping for. With 30 knots of wind out on deck the sunny conditions were deceiving. It remained bitterly cold.
By 15:00 we were sailing into Neko Harbour and the contrast in the weather was remarkable. The wind had dropped to less than 1 knot, the skies remained clear and blue, and it was no longer bitterly cold. In fact it was almost ‘warm’. All of us were keen to go ashore and take up the opportunity to spend more time with Gentoo penguins or hike up to the viewpoint above the landing site. A hike up a steep snow slope is only an invite to slide your way back down and indeed many people took up that opportunity! Those of us after a more leisurely afternoon spent our time on the shoreline enjoying the characterful Gentoo penguins in the sunshine.
Before returning to the ship a Zodiac cruise around the icebergs of Neko Harbour was offered. This was a chance to see more of this wide sweeping bay and its dozens of glaciers. An avalanche high up in the mountain peaks was a sight to behold as the snowstorm that followed billowed across one of the larger glaciers.
Our evening continued in great spirits as the National Geographic Orion sailed out of Neko Harbour and onwards to the very north of the Antarctic Peninsula. Sitting down to dinner with the sunshine still streaming through the dining room windows we looked forward to our days ahead. It is hard to believe we still have so much left to see.
