December 30 – Cuverville Island – 64.41S,62.38W
On our second day in Antarctic Waters we stopped at
Cuverville Island, which is a protected sanctuary for Gentoo Penguins. Patrick
went on an early kayak tour and Miriam went on a zodiac tour and then ashore with her color group, Due to international restrictions in Antarctica, only a maximum of 100 people are allowed ashore at any one time, so we were divided up into groups which rotated daily as to which group went ashore first. Ships with more than 500 passengers are not allowed ashore at all.
The
Gentoo chicks were just hatching, with some only a few hours old. Patrick saw Leopard Seals, Crabeater Seals and even
some Weddell seals on his kayaking trip, before also going on a zodiac tour and then going ashore.
Miriam was lucky to see a humpback whale up close on the zodiac tour.
The day culminated with the “Caviar on Ice” event poolside
as we headed down Errara Channel to Neumayer Strait to our next possible
harbor, Neko Harbor on Andvord Bay, situated on the west coast of Graham Land. Both orcas and humpback whales entertained us, with the ship stopping at times for photos. We ended up dining at the Patio Grill on the pool deck just so we would miss as little as possible.
The narrow strait we navigated was so visually stunning, one
could use up a lot of film, since every turn brought new stunning vistas of
snow, mountains, ice and sea. With daylight stretching into daylight at 65
degrees south, it was hard to actually close the drapes and get some
sleep. Seabourn even issued eyeshades in
the suites to try and help. However, every time we thought we were past the best parts,
a new vista would open up and then the cameras would come back out.
Cuverville Island and the surrounding waters are popular with expeditions, since we saw several other ships in the area.
Miriam's Zodiac Tour
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| Crabeater Seals |
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| Up close to Humpbacks |
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| Going for a dive |
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| Bergs with vertical lines have already flipped at least once |
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| Really angular shapes |
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| This berg later rolled over |
We did not anchor here, the Seabourn Quest just drifted in the calm waters.
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| A lot of ice for the zodiacs to navigate getting to shore |
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| Seabourn Quest in the ice |
Ashore on Cuverville Island with the Gentoo Penguins.
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| The chick is barely visible under the parent, little gray head |
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| Gentoo Penguin |
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| The penguins are remarkably agile in the snow |
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| The orange beak is a Gentoo identifier |
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| Coming back from a swim |
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| Gentoo nests |
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| Skuas waiting for a meal, eggs or chicks |
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| Gentoo Penguins on a runway |
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| Heading down for a both |
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| Bathing in the clear water |
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| Gentoo Penguin |
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| Tending eggs on the nests |
Cruising after leaving Cuverville Island.
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| Stunning vistas |
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| Pod of southern orca - more brown than black |
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| Orca |
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| Orca |
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| Humpback Sounding |
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| Zaandam scenic cruising |
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| The Antarctic Peninsula |
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| Approaching Cuverville Island |
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| Stunning scenery on a sunny day |
Patrick's first Zodiac Adventure.
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| Taking the kayaks ashore |
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| The fleet of zodiacs circling |
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| Patrick headed out for the first kayaking trip |
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| Kayaking among the ice floes |
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| The peaks along the Antarctic Peninsula |
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Crabeater Seal
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| Leopard Seals |
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| Another view of Leopard Seal |
Caviar on Ice
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| Caviar on Ice |
Cruising Errera Channel
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| The Silversea Explorer approaching |
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| Heading down Errera Channel |
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| The views just kept getting better |
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| Dinner poolside at the Patio Grill |
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| Errera Channel |
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| Neumayer Strait |
Beautiful photos, Patrick & Miriam. My sister, Linda Dow is the senior Nurse on your ship. Say hello for me. Kind Regards from Dunedin, New Zealand, Susan Elbers
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