The Seventh Continent

Leaving Ushuaia we headed south to the Antarctic peninsular, where we found clear skies, placid waters, snowy cliffs and sea ice all around us. The ship offered various ways to enjoy the scenery. There were two helicopters on board for scenic flights and a mini submarine, to take guests beneath the clear waters, There were kayaks and zodiacs to explore the surrounding area on the water. Each morning we would awake in a different bay and spend a couple of hours ashore on an island or on the Antarctic mainland, in search of penguins and seals. We were taken ashore by zodiac, togging ourselves up each time we left the ship, with layer upon layer of thermal wear. We were provided with fisherman style waterproof rubber ‘muck’ boots which had to be scrupulously cleaned each time we boarded the ship. There were strict rules about cross contamination between landing sites.

Expedition leaders and assistants would go ashore earlier with flags to mark out safe routes for us to follow. Any area that had a treacherous overhang, hidden by the snowy surface, was marked. Most of us chose to use ski poles to help our balance. Snow covered trails were either ankle deep in snow, or slippery. It was important too to keep to the marked route because criss-crossing our path were tracks made by the penguins as they made their way to their family groups. Penguins always had right of way. Unused to humans, it was clear they had no fear, as they waddled past us, sometimes tripping up and sliding on their bellies.

Amongst the different species of penguin we recognised the Gentoo with their red lipstick beaks, and Chinstrap penguins, with black and white heads and a line of black under their beaks. The noise was deafening. Amongst them hungry skuas searched for any tasty eggs or chicks. Penguins weren’t the only wildlife on land of course. We saw a variety of seals, either perched on rocks, or laying in a slug-like heap on the shore. The smallest were the fur seals, who ambled along using their strong tail flippers and the largest were elephant seals, named for their size rather than for any resemblance to an elephant.. Weddell seals with pretty little faces congregated in small groups on other islands.

We came across old huts, used as a refuge for anyone in need of shelter. Some had a flag outside.. A ragged Union Jack flew outside one particular old hut. We were able to go inside the British hut which had basic sleeping bunks, an old table, and some ancient dry provisions on shelves. A former stopping off place for scientific expeditions, it hadn’t been used since the 1990s. Using our ski poles, we were able to hike up to some higher points here and there to get great views across the water to mountains and glaciers beyond. There was one island which was volcanic, with no snow at all. The shoreline here had black lava sand, and as we walked up to higher ground, the lava became mixed with penguin guano, making it slippery under foot. The views were worth the climb. Looking back towards our starting point below we could see the wild black landscape with a hint of green lichen visible amongst the hordes of penguins. Ahead of us, we looked down onto a black bay, with lava rock arches. This was quite different to some of the other islands we had seen before. Across the water from this island we sailed into a flooded caldera, with just the one way in and out, and with sheer black lava coated walls all around.

The weather gave us different perspectives. On some days we would have heavy snow and low cloud, but despite this it didn’t deter us from going ashore. In some bays the sea looked like it was on the point of freezing as small and large chunks of ice moved slowly together. It all added to the raw beauty of the region. It was just as interesting when we were out on the smaller zodiacs moving between icebergs in search of wildlife. Every day we were able to go out for a couple of hours with our binoculars and cameras, with our expert guide on the lookout for seal or whale sightings. I particularly loved the bright sunny times when we were on the millpond waters, moving past chunks of blue-white ice that had broken away from the icy cliffs. Some of the icebergs were spectacular, soaring high above us, and dwarfing our ship moored at a safe distance. A few of these had large holes and shapes carved into them, looking like art installations. We spotted basking seals and cormorants taking a rest, a pretty silver grey crabeater seal and the most abundant species, the leopard seal. They can grow to the length of a zodiac and can be dangerous. One came up close and followed us as we were heading ashore. This particular seal swished down beneath the zodiac, and up to each side, almost within touching distance, it’s mottled coat clearly visible beneath the water. This wasn’t the only encounter with a leopard seal, however. On a separate occasion we watched a Gentoo penguin swimming and porpoising across the water, but then realised it was being chased by a leopard seal. Unfortunately for the penguin, its time was up as the seal expertly snatched at the penguin’s wing and held it fast in its jaws. The next thirty minutes were spent watching the seal tenderise the penguin, by whacking the poor penguin against the water surface, and dragging it down beneath the water, only to repeat the action.

Another highlight for me was the chance to see some whales. We headed out in their direction, shutting off the zodiacs’ outboard engines, gliding quietly along, some distance from where they were. We were rewarded with a group of six humpbacks breaching the water, then diving below. We watched for the tell-tale sign of their waterspouts as they moved along, only to surface again a few minutes later. Another whale highlight came one evening. The crew had spotted three separate pods of Orcas ahead of us. The whales were too far out to get any decent photos, but guests and crew alike became very excited to see this uncommon site. Their fins were clearly visible and there must have been about thirty or more of them.

We had two further days at sea heading back across the wild seas of the Drake Passage, but thankfully the crossing this time was better. I will never forget the experiences we had on the seventh continent in Antarctica.