The iconic silhouette of an icy volcano dominated the horizon in the early morning. We had spectacular views of Mount Terror rising above the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Named by James Clark Ross in 1841 after the two main ships of his expedition, Mount Terror and Mount Erebus are iconic features on Ross Island. Type C killer whales led the way to our stopping point, and all of this happened before breakfast!
We spent the day at Cape Crozier where over 300 thousand Adelie penguins and some Emperor penguins breed. We took the Zodiacs out and enjoyed watching penguins sunbathing on ice floes and porpoising around the wake of our boats. Photographers were challenged to get the best shot as penguins made appearances from every possible direction, and sleepy seals took advantage of the calm weather to nap on ice.
To add to this unforgettable day, 49 of our shipmates tested the subzero temperatures of the Southern Ocean and did a polar plunge, to the astonishment of thousands of penguins who witnessed this foolish splash.
We can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring on this epic voyage.
