Antarctica's White Wilderness Day 7

DAY 7 - Wednesday, January 20, 2016 - Cruise the Drake Passage; View & Spot Wildlife; Cross the Antarctic Convergence

After another good night's sleep, we were up before the alarm went off. The seas were much calmer but it was still foggy.

After breakfast we went to the mandatory meeting to learn the rules regarding the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). Claudia presented the information so we would not interfere with the wildlife and the unspoiled environment of Antarctica.

The five-meter rule means we cannot get any closer than 15 feet from the birds or other mammals. Claudia also told us not to walk on the Penguin Highways. She also warned us about fur seals that could attack if bothered.

No UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or drones are allowed and the flash on cameras should be turned off. Researchers and research equipment have priority. There are Citizen Scientist’s stations that allow us to contribute by counting penguins or submitting photos of whale flukes.

Safety is another important issue. Several of the most important rules are 1) staying in sight of the crew, 2) not wandering off of the path in case of a hidden crevasse, and 3) being careful boarding of the zodiacs.

We were given a number tag on a large bulletin board to indicate our position - black for on the ship and red for on the zodiac or on land. Everyone must be accounted for at all times.

Life vests are required any time we are off the ship. There was also a demonstration of dressing in layers and how to wear the small life vests over all of the outerwear.

Embarking the zodiac was the next topic. All boots, walking sticks, and outerwear had to be inspected and cleaned to make sure nothing would be taken ashore that would disturb the pristine environment.

Claudia told us that about 10 people would be allowed in a zodiac at one time. Once on the land, the scout team marked a safe route to avoid the native critters and to mark safe passage to avoid falling into a hole in the ice.

Wildlife always has the right away. No one is allowed to touch or worry a native creature of Antarctica. Walking slowly and talking quietly is always important. After this hour-long list of rules and regulations, everyone was ready to stretch their legs.

At 10:38 when we came back to our cabin to wait our turn to disinfect our boots and our outer clothing, Vic spotted our first iceberg and a small pod of humpback whales in the distance.

With his camera zoomed to the max Vic could see a rookery of penguins playing on the floating ice. We also saw a pair of Cape petrels, (called the 'painted one' because of the black and white patterns on their wings) skimming over the surf. When the seas are high, the birds have more of a chance for catching fish thrown to the surface by the waves.

When we went down for the 1:30 lecture on geology, Claudia told us we were navigating in the South Shetland Islands and there was a very good chance of a landing at Aitcho Island later this afternoon.

Everyone is very excited to get off of the ship but this is an unscheduled landing – a freebie, so we are even more thrilled. Vic has been out on our veranda snapping photos of the marine birds as well as the huge icebergs that we pass in route to Aitcho Island, part of the South Shetland Islands.

In order to not have congestion, each of the four groups is called one at a time at 15-minute intervals. We were the second group to board the zodiacs after donning our cold weather gear and our waterproof boots for a wet landing.

The crew was exceptionally helpful and safety conscious. Not only did they help everyone in and out of the small zodiacs, but they also cleaned our boots and helped us get our shoes out of the lockers.

Even before we got to the shore we could smell the nesting birds and hear them bray. Once ashore we were advised as to where we could walk, how close we could get, and general reminders that Claudia had covered in the morning briefing.

The first things we noticed as we approached the penguins were the fuzzy little brown chicks in large crèches around the island. Aitcho is known for two distinct species; we saw both the Chinstrap and the Gentoo Penguins.

We were able to trek to the top of the island to have a great view of the surrounding peaks, the huge icebergs, and thousands of penguins. How lucky we were to see two leopard seals and several brown skua, a gull like bird.

For our first excursion, it was fantastic. Even Gennie who is not too keen on getting close to the birds had a wonderful time.

The crew was very happy to give us plenty of time on the island, but because it was snowing many people went back to the ship early. We had over an hour to watch these unique little creatures and then we got back on the zodiac and were welcomed aboard the Corinthian.

When we got back to the boat, the crew helped us clean our boots. We went back to the cabin to start the journal and get ready for the 7:00 debriefing and then dinner at 7:30. It was after 9:30 when we finished dinner.

The ship began to move during dinner and we will continue tomorrow with our exploration of the South Shetland Islands.

Accommodations: Corinthian - Meals: B, L, & D