ZODIAC CRUISING

This was the view that greeted us in the morning,we were travelling slowly through the LEMAIRE CHANNEL where the first loose pack ice was encountered.

After breakfast it was all hands on deck for the first zodiac cruise amongst the numerous ice berghs,what a fantastic experience,let the pictures do the talking.

 TRAPPER JOHN AND JOLLY ROGER.

 CRABEATER SEALS do very little but laze around all day.

 THE OCCASIONAL YAWN

A BIT OF A SCRATCH-Not a bad life until the leopard seals want to eat you.

 LOVE ON THE ROCKS

I only took my compact camera with me as I wasn`t sure how wet we would get,as it happened it was fine but just as the first HUMPBACK WHALE surfaced close to our zodiac the battery went flat,just managed to coax this one last shot out of it.If it had been the only one of the trip would have been seriously pd off,but there were to be one or two more encounters.

ANTARTICA AT LAST

A long held ambition was finally achieved when we set foot on Danko Island to be greeted by the first of many many Gentoo Penguins,they were completely unphased by our presence and continued their comical walk from the sea to the colony high above the rocky shore.

 GENTOO PENGUINS

 THE PREEN GLAND THAT KEEPS THE PENGUINS WATERPROOF

They were not the only birds on the island ,the skuas were equally unperturbed by human presence .

SOUTH POLAR SKUA

KELP GULLS

ANTARTIC IMPERIAL SHAG

PLANCIUS
Back on board and more fin whales were seen

Neko Harbour was the landing point for the afternoon with lots more Gentoos.

 This nest appears to have an unhatched egg in it.

This was a very noisery "rookery"with lots of well developed youngsters,the adults raise their heads to the vertical and bray  like a donkey to greet a returning partner or warn a trespassing neighbour that comes too close.

 A VERY CONTENTED LOOKING CRAB EATER SEAL

 SKUAS AND TERNS FLYING BY.

 ANTARTIC TERN

 GIANT PETREL

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