Port Lockroy & Dallman Bay
Brilliant early morning sunlight tricked us into thinking we were going to experience another sunny, gorgeous Antarctic day – but shortly after our landing began, the wind speed increased and the clouds moved in over our morning’s excursion location – Port Lockroy. The weather did not deter expedition members, however. In the cold and bluster, some set out to explore Jougla Point, where 1300 breeding pairs of gentoo penguins are in the middle of hatching their tiny chicks – many just popping out of the egg today.
The birds nesting near large whale bones remind us of the whaling history in this small bay. Gentoo penguins also surround the huts of Port Lockroy’s former British Base A. Base A was established in 1947, then later was abandoned and fell into disrepair. The non-profit group Antarctic Heritage Trust has taken charge of the site and renovated the buildings to make a fine museum. One of the rooms houses a small shop which focuses on Antarctic books, artwork, and clothing where some indulged in “retail therapy” to support this very worthy cause.
If visiting penguins, whale bones, a museum, and a shop wasn’t enough, many hardy souls chose to kayak this morning. Bucking strong winds, those undaunted enjoyed a good work-out and wonderful scenery of glaciers flowing off of the Antarctic Peninsula’s tallest peak – Mount Francais and nearby Weinke Island.
Dallman Bay was our afternoon destination and the final one in Antarctica on this voyage. The hoped-for main attraction was whale watching. We were not disappointed! Several groups of humpback whales played in front of the ship as we watched from the National Geographic Endeavour’s bow and bridge. Young humpbacks rolled over in the water, raising their long pectoral fins skyward as if waving goodbye to all on the ship.
Special Note: Today’s authors, Steve Forrest and Melissa Rider, are researchers with the U.S.-based nonprofit Oceanites. Oceanites conducts the Antarctic Site Inventory project, one of many conservation programs which are graciously supported by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. We make use of the National Geographic Endeavour’s Antarctic itinerary to get to remote rookeries to census local penguin and flying bird populations. Today’s counts of penguin nests at Port Lockroy will add to a growing body of knowledge about changes to wildlife populations on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Brilliant early morning sunlight tricked us into thinking we were going to experience another sunny, gorgeous Antarctic day – but shortly after our landing began, the wind speed increased and the clouds moved in over our morning’s excursion location – Port Lockroy. The weather did not deter expedition members, however. In the cold and bluster, some set out to explore Jougla Point, where 1300 breeding pairs of gentoo penguins are in the middle of hatching their tiny chicks – many just popping out of the egg today.
The birds nesting near large whale bones remind us of the whaling history in this small bay. Gentoo penguins also surround the huts of Port Lockroy’s former British Base A. Base A was established in 1947, then later was abandoned and fell into disrepair. The non-profit group Antarctic Heritage Trust has taken charge of the site and renovated the buildings to make a fine museum. One of the rooms houses a small shop which focuses on Antarctic books, artwork, and clothing where some indulged in “retail therapy” to support this very worthy cause.
If visiting penguins, whale bones, a museum, and a shop wasn’t enough, many hardy souls chose to kayak this morning. Bucking strong winds, those undaunted enjoyed a good work-out and wonderful scenery of glaciers flowing off of the Antarctic Peninsula’s tallest peak – Mount Francais and nearby Weinke Island.
Dallman Bay was our afternoon destination and the final one in Antarctica on this voyage. The hoped-for main attraction was whale watching. We were not disappointed! Several groups of humpback whales played in front of the ship as we watched from the National Geographic Endeavour’s bow and bridge. Young humpbacks rolled over in the water, raising their long pectoral fins skyward as if waving goodbye to all on the ship.
Special Note: Today’s authors, Steve Forrest and Melissa Rider, are researchers with the U.S.-based nonprofit Oceanites. Oceanites conducts the Antarctic Site Inventory project, one of many conservation programs which are graciously supported by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. We make use of the National Geographic Endeavour’s Antarctic itinerary to get to remote rookeries to census local penguin and flying bird populations. Today’s counts of penguin nests at Port Lockroy will add to a growing body of knowledge about changes to wildlife populations on the Antarctic Peninsula.
