Gerlache Strait, Neko Harbor & Cuverville Island
We began our morning travelling south through the Gerlache Strait. The rather somber scene, cloud-smothered, was enlivened by the appearance of two humpback whales. In characteristic style, the whales surfaced several times before lifting their tails in a farewell salute.
Soon the clouds lifted to reveal a stunning landscape. Huge mountains soared around us, each draped with glaciers of imposing size. The low-angle early morning light made all particularly beautiful. Sunlit peaks seemed fresh and crisp, juxtaposed by valleys lying in deep blue and gentle shadow.
We stopped at Neko Harbor. This lies in the peninsular mainland, so for most, stepping ashore here was a “giant leap” onto a new continent. Gentoo penguins nest here, and it was interesting to see the business of the colony, with curious chicks pursuing their parents – or anybody else – in hopes of food. Intrepid hikers were able to ascend a snowy hill for a fine view of the harbor. It was full of icebergs of every size and shape. Zodiacs had to cut a trail through tightly packed chunks the size of a fist or a housecat, elsewhere were bergs many times larger than the ship. They floated with the stateliness and grandeur of any mountain range. By Zodiac we explored the harbor. Some of the bergs served as platforms for resting crabeater seals. The seals, fearing no predators but killer whales, allowed us to approach closely. We noted their small heads, mostly uniform color, and wicked scars, perhaps from leopard seal attack. Occasionally a seal would yawn, and with binoculars one could catch a glimpse of the weird flame-shaped teeth these creatures use to filter-feed on krill.
After lunch we stopped at Cuverville Island. This is also a gentoo penguin colony, in fact, the largest on the peninsula. The rocky beach was far more covered in snow than most years; this explains why the gentoo chicks were so much smaller than normal. Heavy snow forced a late start to the breeding season. Many of the chicks we saw are likely to be abandoned by their parents as preparation for winter becomes imperative. After the rigor of fledging chicks, adults go to sea for a couple of weeks, fattening up before molting. Many of the adults we saw were already in molt. All of these birds had likely already given up attempting to breed this year. Molting looks to be a rather uncomfortable process, since the birds cannot go to sea for food until their new feathers are grown in. We took special care not to disturb the birds in this untidy and stressful process.
The calm conditions at Cuverville were just right for kayaking. Most spent some time in these most intimate of boats. The quiet and solitude of kayaking in bright sunshine amid huge icebergs was unforgettable.
Though we had had a very full day, there was one more treat in store for us. After dinner we cruised through the Lemaire Channel. The narrow channel is surrounded by steep peaks, some colorfully named. Glaciers tumble in frozen motion into the sea. The Lemaire is justifiably thought to be the most scenic part of the Antarctic Peninsula, and viewing it was a fitting way to end a spectacular day.
