Antarctica - March 2018
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Last update: 04.03.18
Neko Harbour is an amazingly dynamic place. Everything is in movement. We were told to stay away from the shore because it is often hit with tidal waves from the nearby glacial falls. In one hour onshore, there were two glacial collapses that brought small waves to our landing spot and three large avalanches in the surrounding mountains. A few ocean kayakers can be seen in the distance.
Large inflated rubber boats called "Zodiacs" were used to transport us from Ortelius' gangway to the shore.
Early risers quietly take in a windless morning view.
The protected waters near Petermann Island are often still as a lake, a rare occurrence in the storm-wracked southern seas.
The rule is you can't approach within 15 feet of an animal, but they don't know that.
The Ortelius sits in Orne Bay, but not quietly. The ship's deep "lub-lub-lub-lub" sound was always present, even high up on Spigot Peak's 935 foot summit.
Brash ice is an accumulation of floating ice made up of fragments not more than six feet across. It is the wreckage of other forms of ice.
Ortelius points straight down the Lamaire Channel. The channel's steep cliffs hem in the brash ice filled passage, which is 7 miles long and just a mile wide at its narrowest point.
When you see the tail, that means the whale is diving deep. It doesn't always happen after a blow. I can't over-state this, it is magic to see this up close. It also means the whale will be down longer - an exhilerating wait. Where will he come up next? Even closer?
See that really blue iceberg on the left? It’s a piece of glacial ice. Glacial ice has been under pressure for thousands of years. This squeezes more and more air out of the ice, and the lack of air makes the ice reflect this beautiful rich blue. Our guide believed the piece was over 25,000 years old.
Sarah loves a good dare. Here, she eagerly displays her dancing prowess to everyone on the Ortelius' Bridge.
Our last night on Ortelius. Around 10pm, a small group quietly watches Ushuaia's dock edge closer. We won't disembark until after breakfast. It was surprisingly difficult to fall asleep without the ship rocking us all to sleep.