Lemaire Channel, Antarctic Peninsula
After an eventful evening watching killer whales in Gerlache Strait, the Endeavour steamed south to Port Lockroy on the Antarctic Peninsula. The morning proved to be calm and warm with intermittent sleet as we boarded Zodiacs for a choice of morning activities. A group of about 30 hikers climbed through soft snow to the top of a scenic ridge above Port Lockroy, then returned to the Endeavour for kayaking and a visit to the historic British Antarctic Survey station. Other guests chose to enjoy kayaking in the calm water and/or visiting the historic station and the surrounding gentoo penguin colony.
We departed Port Lockroy during lunch and were treated to sunshine and rising clouds as the ship turned south toward the Lemaire Channel. Sun bathed the steep 3000 foot peaks as the ship picked a course through numerous icebergs. Remnants of snow on rock ledges highlighted the folded layers on the steep mountains and delineated areas of metamorphic rock (right side of photo) from adjacent igneous rocks (left side of photo). These once deeply buried rocks are still being rapidly exhumed by the short, but steep glaciers which line the Channel. After negotiating the tight confines of the channel, the Endeavour continued south into thick brash and pack ice. We were treated to hot chocolate and fresh Swedish doughnuts on the pool deck as the ship slowed in the thick ice. At 4:35 pm, the Endeavour made a final to push to 65 degrees and 15 minutes before turning back to the north to return through the Lemaire Channel.
The Endeavour stopped at Pleneau Island around 6 pm and we went ashore for a late afternoon hike. The island presented a wondrous array of glacially sculpted igneous rocks with numerous small penguin colonies and attendant skuas. After stretching our legs, we were treated to excellent views of leopard seals and crabeater seals amongst the numerous icebergs near the island.
After an eventful evening watching killer whales in Gerlache Strait, the Endeavour steamed south to Port Lockroy on the Antarctic Peninsula. The morning proved to be calm and warm with intermittent sleet as we boarded Zodiacs for a choice of morning activities. A group of about 30 hikers climbed through soft snow to the top of a scenic ridge above Port Lockroy, then returned to the Endeavour for kayaking and a visit to the historic British Antarctic Survey station. Other guests chose to enjoy kayaking in the calm water and/or visiting the historic station and the surrounding gentoo penguin colony.
We departed Port Lockroy during lunch and were treated to sunshine and rising clouds as the ship turned south toward the Lemaire Channel. Sun bathed the steep 3000 foot peaks as the ship picked a course through numerous icebergs. Remnants of snow on rock ledges highlighted the folded layers on the steep mountains and delineated areas of metamorphic rock (right side of photo) from adjacent igneous rocks (left side of photo). These once deeply buried rocks are still being rapidly exhumed by the short, but steep glaciers which line the Channel. After negotiating the tight confines of the channel, the Endeavour continued south into thick brash and pack ice. We were treated to hot chocolate and fresh Swedish doughnuts on the pool deck as the ship slowed in the thick ice. At 4:35 pm, the Endeavour made a final to push to 65 degrees and 15 minutes before turning back to the north to return through the Lemaire Channel.
The Endeavour stopped at Pleneau Island around 6 pm and we went ashore for a late afternoon hike. The island presented a wondrous array of glacially sculpted igneous rocks with numerous small penguin colonies and attendant skuas. After stretching our legs, we were treated to excellent views of leopard seals and crabeater seals amongst the numerous icebergs near the island.
