Lemaire Channel & the Useful Islands
Today we were the first expedition ship to travel into this region this season, and other vessels were eager to hear our reports on the ice conditions here. This morning we began our transit through the very narrow Lemaire Channel. Conditions here were mostly sunny and calm, and the snow-capped mountains were reflected in the mirrored waters between icebergs in our path. We made it much of the way through, but eventually the ice became too thick for our passage and we had to turn back. Our plans for the morning were adjusted, and we set out for Zodiac cruises in the ice at the entrance to the Lemaire Channel near Booth Island. As we toured the icebergs, ice of all sizes and shapes moved around us with leads opening and closing in interesting ways. We used our Zodiacs like little icebreakers clearing small passages to make our transit back to the ship. It was a glorious sunny morning filled with fantastic reflections of the stunning mountains towering around us.
As our plans to continue southward were thwarted by the ice, our afternoon was a true “expedition” day for exploring. After lunch, as we made our way north towards the “Useful Islands” in Gerlache Strait, we had a presentation by David Cothran on the geology of Antarctica. Later in the afternoon we set off to explore this area seldom visited by the National Geographic Endeavour. While some ventured on to the snowy main island to hike and view the gentoo penguin colonies, many of us explored the many surrounding islets via Zodiac. Here we saw all three brush tailed penguins found in this region of the Antarctic, sometimes all in one view. We were also delighted to find several Weddell seals on shore, and a leopard seal resting amongst the blue ice.
As the sun moved lower in the sky, we headed for Port Lockroy where we pulled in to spend a quiet night wedged into the shorefast ice.
Today we were the first expedition ship to travel into this region this season, and other vessels were eager to hear our reports on the ice conditions here. This morning we began our transit through the very narrow Lemaire Channel. Conditions here were mostly sunny and calm, and the snow-capped mountains were reflected in the mirrored waters between icebergs in our path. We made it much of the way through, but eventually the ice became too thick for our passage and we had to turn back. Our plans for the morning were adjusted, and we set out for Zodiac cruises in the ice at the entrance to the Lemaire Channel near Booth Island. As we toured the icebergs, ice of all sizes and shapes moved around us with leads opening and closing in interesting ways. We used our Zodiacs like little icebreakers clearing small passages to make our transit back to the ship. It was a glorious sunny morning filled with fantastic reflections of the stunning mountains towering around us.
As our plans to continue southward were thwarted by the ice, our afternoon was a true “expedition” day for exploring. After lunch, as we made our way north towards the “Useful Islands” in Gerlache Strait, we had a presentation by David Cothran on the geology of Antarctica. Later in the afternoon we set off to explore this area seldom visited by the National Geographic Endeavour. While some ventured on to the snowy main island to hike and view the gentoo penguin colonies, many of us explored the many surrounding islets via Zodiac. Here we saw all three brush tailed penguins found in this region of the Antarctic, sometimes all in one view. We were also delighted to find several Weddell seals on shore, and a leopard seal resting amongst the blue ice.
As the sun moved lower in the sky, we headed for Port Lockroy where we pulled in to spend a quiet night wedged into the shorefast ice.
