We made Yankee Harbor around 0300. Despite being exhausted from the passage, the adrenalin of being in Antarctica kicked in and was not to be denied. A beautiful sunrise highlighted the Gentoo penguin colony as we toasted our arrival with Shackleton reproduction scotch aboad Grey Wolf. Most fitting.
After a briefing on wildlife do’s and don’t’s, it was off to shore.
Out n the Bransfield Straight, humpback whales were feeding.
With over 22 hours of daylight, we lost track of just how much energy we were expending, but reality set in and we all collapsed late int eh day.
Fortunately, it was a quiet night, but that was not to last. The next day some of us made the trip to Half Moon bay aboard Grey Wolf to see a chinstrap penguin colony along with some seals.
Antarctica began to show her harder side upon our return to Yankee. Grey Wolf was blocked from entering the harbor by ice for several hours. The night was to bring more difficulties.
The ice attack started in the wee hours when the wind shifted and ice from the glacier started to come down on us. That same wind also put us on a lee shore. Welcome to Antarctica!
After fending off ice most of the night, we tried to get some more sleep but that was not to be either. The wind changed again and all the ice that had accumulated on the shore behind us now took aim at us again. Our planned departure for Deception of 0800 was abruptly moved up to 0500 as ice chased us out of the harbor.
