Port Lockroy and Dallmann Bay
Our last day in Antarctica; how could the time have gone so quickly? So much has happened since we left Ushuaia eight days ago; it feels impossible that it has only been eight days in one way but the time has passed in a flash. This morning we awoke to find our ship, National Geographic Explorer, parked in the fast ice at the back of the bay at Port Lockroy. The weather was calm and bright, promising an excellent opportunity to visit the historic scientific station on Goudier Island. I was personally very excited to be visiting the station for my first time this season. Lockroy has been a big part of my life as I was involved in restoring the buildings and running the base for many years. It is wonderful to see this extraordinary institution keep rolling on. Passports were stamped, postcards posted and essential merchandise purchased. The museum seems to continue to bring much joy to those who visit.
While some of our group visited Goudier Island others were across on Jougla Point on Wiencke Island. Here a healthy population of blue-eyed shags nest amongst a sizable colony of gentoo penguins. There was still a significant covering of snow on both Goudier Island and Jougla Point but most of the nesting areas were now clear of snow and although delayed by the late arrival of spring most pairs of penguins were incubating eggs.
On departing from Port Lockroy we began our journey to the north, winding our way through the spectacular Neumayer Channel and on along the south side of Anvers Island to the entrance to Dallmann Bay. Dr Luanne Freer, the leader of the Expedition Medicine Team, presented an inspirational talk on her time on Everest, while we all kept one eye on our surroundings, looking for whales. Later in the afternoon the few remaining clouds burnt away, leaving us with an intensely blue sky and exceptional visibility. It was not long before two humpback whales were spotted in one of the bays on the east side of Anvers Island. Our ship made a gentle approach toward these whales without apparently disturbing them and they treated us to a wonderful display while they fed on an abundant swarm of krill.
The warm evening light illuminating the mountains and glaciers of our surroundings intensified the experience of our last few hours amongst the mountains of Antarctica. After dinner Jim Hansen presented his film of our experiences together on our Antarctic journey; it is hard to believe we have seen and done so much in such a short time.
