Paradise Bay - Cuverville Island

 

Cooling Off in the Southern Ocean, Happy New Year!

 

Monday December 31, 2007

 

Thank goodness we were allowed to sleep in until almost 8am this morning - it would have been difficult staying up to celebrate New Years if we'd have had another early morning wake-up call.  Nonetheless, it was a very busy day for everyone, staff and guests alike, on our ship. The ship had cruised into a multi-fingered inlet called Paradise Bay late last evening, so we spent a quiet night free of wind and waves. In the morning, the expedition staff whisked us ashore onto the mainland continent (a first) of the Antarctic Peninsula. 

 

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Ocean Nova at anchor in Paradise Bay.

   

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Before depositing us on the mainland for a brief reconnoiter, the zodiacs took us up close to the face of one of the few glaciers in Antarctica to actually have a name - Petzval Glacier.

 

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And along the way we saw and trailed this Humpback whale for a bit.

 

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Penguin rookery on the mainland Antarctic Peninsula at Paradise Bay.

 

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The ship moved a little while we were eating lunch, so in the afternoon we had a new island to go explore - Cuverville Island. 

 

    

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There were thousands of Gentoos breeding here,

 

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Along with a few hundred or more comical Chinstraps: the right-hand thumbnail plays a movie!

 

 

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Two strange animals regard each other with curiosity. 

 

Being a little hot after our afternoon island hike, the ship staff decided to offer up an Antarctic Southern ocean swim to help the guests cool off and relax in the late afternoon before dinner.

 

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The waters of the Southern ocean are NOT warm. This photo was taken a few hundred meters from our anchorage spot.

 

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Rolf is the first Wietelmann to take a dive,

 

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followed by Anna and then Geoff.

It was great!

 

 

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As was our warm New Year's Eve dinner (shared with expedition staff member Bronwyn from Tasmania).

 

Then the party began. Staying up till midnight was easier than trying to get to sleep. The light never goes away and it's difficult to get your brain to shut down. Many guests didn't even bother to try.

 

 

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Happy New Year, Lynn! Enjoy the midnight view from deck!

 

-Rolf