Sailing Antarctica Seas!: Adelies and Ice Bergs

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Breaking through the ice in the early morning! Interesting way to be woken up in the am...

Today we went ashore on Wylour Island and got to see Adelie Penguins! These little guys have all black heads and light blue eyes. There were lots of babies, most are way bigger/older than the other chicks we have seen. These penguins seemed more aware of us, but otherwise more calm than the other penguins we have seen.

They did a lot more belly sliding than others we have seen. They are so much fun to watch! And much less messy than some that we have seen! Once again, we were the first visitors on the island and had all fresh snow to traipse across (and sink into!).

Sunk all the way to his hips. Needed help to get out!

The surrounding landscape of bays, glaciers, mountains and ice were other worldly. I would expect it to be on the cover of a science fiction book. Breathtaking. Words and photos just cannot describe it.

Following lunch, we split into two groups to go on zodiac tours of the ice bergs. Oh my! Again, the beauty cannot be described! The whites and the blues of the ice bergs, the darling penguins on the ice flows, the bright sunshine and the cold wind… Sensory overload!

When we returned to the ship we watched an excellent video about the “Penguin Post Office” that we will be visiting tomorrow. It was a good documentary about the penguin colonies there as well as penguins in general.