We woke up to a moody Drake with big swells, more wind and fog. But it was clear we had crossed the Antarctic Convergence and were now truly within the Antarctic Ecosystem. The change was marked with colder temperatures, but also with many more cape petrels and other birds that take advantage of the more plentiful food in these frigid waters.
In preparation for the landings in
Antarctica (and while it was conveniently foggy) all passengers attended to
obligatory briefing about the protocols established by the International
Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO). At once, the fog lifted: everyone knew what the guidelines would be once in
Antarctica, and suddenly, there, in the clear, was Livingston Island. We could feel the buzz on the ship as
we started to disembark at Half Moon Island. Elephant seals, fur seals and giant petrels greeted
passengers on the beach, skuas flying overhead. The greatest attraction, however: chinstrap penguins.
Scruffy looking, and waiting for their parents to feed them, we could
observe the chicks and adults, for the first time, in the wild – an experience
few will ever forget.
The day closed with the traditional, and
ever so popular, crew and expedition team fashion show. After a long full day, we went to bed
dreaming of penguins, glaciers, and perhaps of some of those good looking
models, wondering what tomorrow might bring.
