Spotting Killer whales in Antarctica

The Lemaire channel  is a strait between mainland of the Antarctica peninsula and Booth Island. It is small between huge mountains and it’s not always possible for ships to pass through. In December when there is still a lot of Ice, Icebergs can block the narrow passage, then ships have to take another route or just head back.
Our vessel was heading for Pleneau Island but because of Icebergs blocking our way and big part of the water was still covered by a big ice shelf, it was clear that Pleneau Island wouldn’t be possible to reach. We did get on the zodiacs and explored a part of the channel that wasn’t frozen anymore and saw the ice shelf and icebergs that were blocking the rest of the channel.
There is more chance to go through this channel later in the season then it is in December. January and February would raise your chances to sail through the whole channel.

Icebergs blocking the rest of the Lemaire Channel

That day we were very lucky to see something else then pleneau Island and the most southern living Gentoo Penguins on the peninsula. Killer whales aka Orca’s (free willy) where swimming in front of our boat and then they turned and where swimming around the boat and under the boat; It made people run over the deck from one side to the other to see more of this orca family swimming together and entertaining us with their presence , giving us a great photo opportunity to capture this display of Antarctic wildlife. Really this was amazing. After Seals and Penguins we got to see killer whales in the wild, no seaworld, no tricks, the real deal, in their natural habitat. They come a little to the surface and then go under again.
Under water they look like green ghosts, really amazing to see. All this was happening so close to the Lemaire Channel.

Orca family they stay together and it makes them stronger when they hunt

Orca coming closer

under water they look like ghosts

 

 

 

 

 

Neko Harbour

Neko Harbour was the 2nd continental landing, if you’re not out kayaking, it was your chance to set foot again on mainland Antarctica. I skipped kayaking and I did not regret it cause after climbing a mountain I had a great view over the place, a spectacular scenery with the glaciers calving. The boat in the distance looked like a toy compared to the mountains around.

Gentoo Penguins at Neko Harbour

Snow, ice, glaciers, clear water and the many Gentoo Penguins who welcomed us at Neko Harbour is just unforgettable, my favorite spot in Antarctica.

Here I still have my zodiac lifejacket on which is different then the one used for kayaking

Penguin highway

Penguins coming down hill from the Penguin highway

When I climbed that mountain many penguins were passing me by on the penguin highway. The penguin highway is the path in the snow made by penguins and only to be used by penguins to make themselves get around easier from one place to another, cause with snow being very unstable at some places, penguins just like humans, fall over and have it difficult to move around quickly.
We humans just follow sticks put in the snow by the expedition crew that mark the path we have to follow to reach the top of the mountain. Two sticks in form of a X  mean to stay at a distance, mostly because snow can be very deep at a certain points with crevasses, or its being used as a warning to stay at a distance not to disturb the penguins hatching eggs.

glaciers at Neko Harbour

red X means stay where you are, Penguins nesting place

Feels like being on top of the world

look how small the boat is compared with the mountain

Some more pictures of the Penguins

Penguin using the water as a mirror

Penguins running to the shore

Wandering Albatros stole a penguin egg

 

Paradise Bay

PARADISE BAY – BROWN STATION

The first visit to mainland Antarctica was the continental landing at Brown station, an abandoned Argentine research station along Paradise Bay, recognisable by its Big Argentine flag painted on the roof aswell as the side walls of  some of the cabins.
Here I set my first steps on Antarctic land and spotted the first penguins on land.
The ortelius boat was anchored and with a zodiac I arrived on land.
After walking around for a few hours admiring the scenery, observing the behaviour of penguins around people, I knew it was something out of the ordinary and it gave me a privileged feeling of being at a spot not many people have visited yet.

This visit was in the afternoon, as in the morning I have been kayaking, one of the options you can subscribe yourself for when going on a Antarctica cruise. More here

Brown station

Argentinian flag painted on the roof of the main cabin

arrival by zodiac

Gentoo Penguins at Brown station

Mountain reflecting in the water, just like a mirror

 

great view on Paradise Bay

Expedition Vessel Ortelius waiting for us to come back by zodiac later

Chinstrap Penguins

Chinstrap Penguins jumping out of the water on the rocks, amazing