Continental Landing
Continental Landing
By Blog.Admin
Today we set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula, at Neko Harbour! The landing site was located on Andvord Bay, and the beach was covered with Gentoo penguins. All across the hill rising from the shore were "penguin highways," which the little guys use to travel back and forth from the water to their nesting sites up on the exposed rock.
They're amazingly agile, and we wouldn't hesitate to say, much more sure footed than people. We had the opportunity to climb up the hill to point overlooking the bay. The glacier next to the landing site is very active, and several times during our visit, the silence was punctuated by the thunderous sound of the glacier calving new icebergs into the sea. It's literally like something out of National Geographic. Back on shore, many of our fellow passengers, taking their cue from the penguins, took a polar plunge straight from the beach.
Our afternoon was spent on another landing on Danco Island. The island is relatively small, but a hike to the top (590 feet) offered fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Here again, the hillside was crisscrossed by penguin highways. It's amazing how high these birds can climb to reach their nesting sights. On our way down from the top, rather than climb we took a "bum slide" which is exactly what it sounds like.
Back on ship, we summoned our courage and took an Antarctic plunge straight from the ship into the 30.2F waters of the Southern Ocean. They tethered you before you jumped in, and two crew members were there to help pull you out. We then each downed a vodka shot before rushing back to our cabins to take the best hot shower any of us will ever have. It was thrilling, but we don't know that it's something you need to repeat!
The day was topped-off by a Christmas BBQ on deck. It was bit windy and cold, but fun all the same. It's hard to believe that tomorrow is our last day in the Antarctic.