Noon position : 64* 35’S 61* 35’W Sea temperature - 3.4C Air temperature - 2.4C
We were to call at Fayn Harbour to look at an old whaling factory ship that had caught on fire and run aground in 1954 to save the crew as there was over 11,000 drums of inflammable whale oil on board. However we were delayed in the morning because of looking at whales and icebergs in the Graham Passage that a cruise ship had booked a ‘slot’ for the passengers on the ship to see the wreck at the same time as we were around. There were a lot of whales about this morning and again samples were taken from a few of them.
As it was quiet during the morning with the whale chasing I asked permission to climb out on the netting at the brow of the ship. Permission being given I put on a safety harness and off I went, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The harness had to be hooked on to the safety wire at all times which made it easier for me to sit out over the water.
In the afternoon I did not go with some of the others on a zodiac ride round the icebergs. It was a warm afternoon with a calm sea, warm enough to not need outer clothing while on deck, in fact, some were sunbathing. Later there was a little snow floating down. It was the birthday of Roos (Rose) one of the crew today and we all enjoyed a piece of her birthday cake.
From 2000 to 2145 hrs (the code for visitors to the Antarctic requires all visitors to leave the land by 2200 hrs) we went ashore at Cuverville Island to look at a Gentoo penguin colony, now being used to the smell from so many penguins.The island is an Important Bird Area because it supports a breeding colony of about 6500 pairs of Gentoo penguins, the largest for this species on the Antarctic. As an aside, penguins do not 'live' in the snow, they prefer rocky out-crofts so that they can find stones with which to build nests.
This visit to a penguin colony was different again because of the colours of the ground under the penguins, the background colours of the sky and sea then the blue of some of the icebergs.
After the shore visit the ship was moved to a safer anchorage for the night, the watch being kept by passenger volunteers again.
We were to call at Fayn Harbour to look at an old whaling factory ship that had caught on fire and run aground in 1954 to save the crew as there was over 11,000 drums of inflammable whale oil on board. However we were delayed in the morning because of looking at whales and icebergs in the Graham Passage that a cruise ship had booked a ‘slot’ for the passengers on the ship to see the wreck at the same time as we were around. There were a lot of whales about this morning and again samples were taken from a few of them.
As it was quiet during the morning with the whale chasing I asked permission to climb out on the netting at the brow of the ship. Permission being given I put on a safety harness and off I went, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The harness had to be hooked on to the safety wire at all times which made it easier for me to sit out over the water.
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| Checking the harness was on correctly |
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| Half way to the front of the bowsprit |
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| Just looking ahead |
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| The others went for lunch |
In the afternoon I did not go with some of the others on a zodiac ride round the icebergs. It was a warm afternoon with a calm sea, warm enough to not need outer clothing while on deck, in fact, some were sunbathing. Later there was a little snow floating down. It was the birthday of Roos (Rose) one of the crew today and we all enjoyed a piece of her birthday cake.
From 2000 to 2145 hrs (the code for visitors to the Antarctic requires all visitors to leave the land by 2200 hrs) we went ashore at Cuverville Island to look at a Gentoo penguin colony, now being used to the smell from so many penguins.The island is an Important Bird Area because it supports a breeding colony of about 6500 pairs of Gentoo penguins, the largest for this species on the Antarctic. As an aside, penguins do not 'live' in the snow, they prefer rocky out-crofts so that they can find stones with which to build nests.
This visit to a penguin colony was different again because of the colours of the ground under the penguins, the background colours of the sky and sea then the blue of some of the icebergs.
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| At anchor in the bay |
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| The penguin colony |
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| On the nest |
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| Checking the eggs |
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| Nesting |
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| Off for a walk |
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| Lost in the snow |
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| Icebergs |
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