Our last full day on the peninsula of Antarctica would be as exciting as the previous days spent exploring this wondrous place. We began at Port Lockroy, known originally as Base “A”, back when the British wanted to keep tabs on the Germans during World War 2. The base was built in an area that was easy to access and was sheltered from the stormy winds that are so dangerous along the peninsula. They did atmospheric research along with other studies and there is a nicely restored museum that shows what life was like back in the 1940’s and 1950’s here in Antarctica. There was also a chance to see Gentoo penguins and many nests of the blue eyed shags as they continually refurbish their nests during the summer. Our visit to Jougla point would be the last natural history stop on our expedition.
During lunch the ship was repositioned to the Lemaire Channel, also called the most scenic waterway in all of Antarctica. This deep and narrow passage between Booth Island and the peninsula is a sight to behold. With cascading glacier on both sides and many icebergs, bergy bits and brash ice contained within the narrow water way, it was an incredible navigational experience. The captain maneuvered the ship to the southern end of Booth Island before turning around due to the presence of several large icebergs blocking the southern end of the route.
Once we turned around and made our way back North, two presentations were made. After that we entered into Dalmann Bay for our last moments witnessing the stark beauty of Antarctica. Humpback whales were seen breaching after dinner, an amazing end to an extraordinary holiday voyage as we entered into the Drake Passage on our way home.
