Neko Harbor, Antarctic Peninsula
After a wonderful evening in Lemaire Channel, the Endeavour steamed north up Gerlache Strait to Neko Harbor on the Antarctic Peninsula. The morning proved to be windy and mostly cloudy with temperatures around 35ºF as we boarded Zodiacs for the beach. Smooth glacially-carved outcrops of salmon-colored granite on the beach provided a wonderful foreground for the looming glaciers at the head of the bay. Narrow paths led from the picturesque boulder and ice strewn beach to a refuge hut and several Gentoo penguin colonies on rocky outcrops. Energetic guests climbed the steep snow covered, but crevasse-free slope to a rocky outcrop high above the landing. The climbers found a small outcrop of the ca. 100 million year old granite which at one time formed the lower part of a subduction zone which was much like the Andes of South America.
From the rocky perch, we looked down upon the active and intensely crevassed glacier which periodically calved small icebergs. As we gazed down into the deep blue ice exposed in the crevasses we were excited to see a snow petrel flying in front of the glacier. After our hike we returned to the Endeavour to warm ourselves before having a tasty buffet lunch.
The steep glacially carved mountains along Gerlache Strait were partially veiled by clouds as the ship made it’s way north toward Enterprise Island. Shortly after lunch, six humpback whales were spotted swimming near the surface and feeding. The Endeavour left the whales to feed and continued north intoprotected waters near Enterprise Island. The afternoon was spent exploring the shallow waters around small islands by kayak and Zodiac. The small boats proved ideal for viewing artifacts left by the whalers during the early twentieth century. This included the most prominent sign of their presence: the rusty hull of the Gouvernøren - a whale oil ship that was burned and beached in 1915. While exploring the coastline we enjoyed the company of seals, and numerous terns and gulls. Before dinner, the Endeavour left the quiet waters near Enterprise Island and turned north toward the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island.
After a wonderful evening in Lemaire Channel, the Endeavour steamed north up Gerlache Strait to Neko Harbor on the Antarctic Peninsula. The morning proved to be windy and mostly cloudy with temperatures around 35ºF as we boarded Zodiacs for the beach. Smooth glacially-carved outcrops of salmon-colored granite on the beach provided a wonderful foreground for the looming glaciers at the head of the bay. Narrow paths led from the picturesque boulder and ice strewn beach to a refuge hut and several Gentoo penguin colonies on rocky outcrops. Energetic guests climbed the steep snow covered, but crevasse-free slope to a rocky outcrop high above the landing. The climbers found a small outcrop of the ca. 100 million year old granite which at one time formed the lower part of a subduction zone which was much like the Andes of South America.
From the rocky perch, we looked down upon the active and intensely crevassed glacier which periodically calved small icebergs. As we gazed down into the deep blue ice exposed in the crevasses we were excited to see a snow petrel flying in front of the glacier. After our hike we returned to the Endeavour to warm ourselves before having a tasty buffet lunch.
The steep glacially carved mountains along Gerlache Strait were partially veiled by clouds as the ship made it’s way north toward Enterprise Island. Shortly after lunch, six humpback whales were spotted swimming near the surface and feeding. The Endeavour left the whales to feed and continued north intoprotected waters near Enterprise Island. The afternoon was spent exploring the shallow waters around small islands by kayak and Zodiac. The small boats proved ideal for viewing artifacts left by the whalers during the early twentieth century. This included the most prominent sign of their presence: the rusty hull of the Gouvernøren - a whale oil ship that was burned and beached in 1915. While exploring the coastline we enjoyed the company of seals, and numerous terns and gulls. Before dinner, the Endeavour left the quiet waters near Enterprise Island and turned north toward the flooded volcanic caldera of Deception Island.
