A perfect day to go sliding down glaciers – and watch whales!

We are still sailing North along the West side of the Antartica peninsula.  This morning, we stopped by Cuverville island, one of the many islands that dot the coast of the continent.  Joe’s back was hurting, so he decided to take it easy and did not come onshore – which means that there are fewer pictures of penguins (have I mentioned yet that I love penguins??).  

  I could not resist however taking a few with my iPhone:  In fact, I have to make a conscious effort not to continually take pictures of them, not just because they are so cute and funny, but also because they add such a nice focus to the great landscape.

Here, we can also see a skua (the bird flying above the rookery) trying to steal eggs or even chicks.  We saw him grab and egg, and drop it on the rocks to break it….  I guess he has to survive too….. Anyway, any egg that has not hatched by now, would not produce a viable chick before the parents have to move on.

Now tell me - could YOU have resisted talking a picture of this??

Or this:  This is a “penguin highway” .  The penguins have to go from the sea, to their nests, which are sometimes quite far away, and uphill. They go up and down on “penguin’s highways”, one side for up and one side for down.  They rarely stray.  We were told emphatically that they have the right of way, and that if we need to cross the highway, we need to make sure no penguin is coming.

On the cliffs, we saw one of the only 2 flowering plants in Antarctica (yesterday, we saw moss, but somehow it does not count as flora, because it does not flower – same for lichens).  This is a picture of the very little flowers that form on this very tough grass.  Global warming has been good for this plant – It has expended more than 500% in the last few years.

Then we had a really fun treat:  the crew members encouraged us to climb up a short snow covered hill, and slide down!  Suzanne and I rediscovered our inner 10 year old, and went twice – Sledding, on our butts, giggling all the way down (May be able to get a picture from the boat photographer).

While Suzanne, Jim and I did that, Joe hang around and took artsy-fartsy pictures – here is one of many, 








 and captured a great picture of penguins “porpoising” 

(they jump out of the water, like porpoises) sometimes in great numbers, looking where they are going)

During lunch, the captain went on the PA system to announce that 3 humpback whales were breaching (jumping) right in front of the boat- so we all ran to the deck, and watched the most amazing spectacle.

The whales basically put on a show for us:  jumping completely out of the water – as if posing for a “national geographic” shoot, and then rolling over, and waving with their fins.  Everyone was just so happy!  Even the crew was visibly excited – the lead excursion guide said that he has been doing this route for 17 years, and that this is only the 3^rd time he has seen this:  apparently, this kind of display happens more in the tropics- possibly because it has to do with mating, but no one knows why they do it.

Since we rushed to the deck from lunch, we did not have cameras, but who cares; this will stay as a great moment in our heads!

And then after lunch, we went on a zodiac tour (this is me on the zodiac- it was not cold enough to justify the number of layers I’m wearing…..)   And then after lunch, we went on a zodiac tour (this is me on the zodiac- it was not cold enough to justify the number of layers I’m wearing…..)  

                                                                  We followed a few whales around, which was just cool

– this is called “fluking”, and happens when the whale gets ready do dive down.

We of course also saw a great many icebergs– I like this one, because of the color, but also because it looks like a sculpture of praying hands.  

We then drove to a wreck:  this ship was purposefully sank in 1915, because it was on fire, and the only way to save the valuable blubber was to sink it:  the blubber was worth more than the ship itself!

There were 2 very nice sailboats anchored next to it – they do look cool, but, as much as I am enjoying this cruise, I don’t think that sailing through Antarctica sound like a lot of fun…. Well, to each his own… 

 The wreck now serves as a nesting area for Antarctic terns – by far the bird that travels the most during migration:  the go from the Arctic to the Antarctic every season – think about it!!!!!

During and after dinner a great many whales surrounded the boat – but all this fun is exhausting, and I was already in my pajamas when Joe called to tell me to come to the observation deck.  I missed the show…. But it’s good that Joe got to enjoy between 50 and 100 whales surrounding the ship.

Tomorrow, ice formation permitting, we will enter the Wadell sea where, if I remember correctly, Shakelton spent one winter.