Day 275: Antarctic Cruise Day 11 – Neko Harbor
OK, if we are going to get technical, today is the first day we step foot on THE CONTINENT of Antarctica. Yesterday’s landing at Yankee Harbor was on an island, today we would be getting off at Neko Harbor which is actually on the peninsula of mainland Antarctica. So, super official now.
We are the only ship planning a stop in Neko Harbor today, so there was no need for a 5AM wake-up call (good thing too, as we were assigned to the first group of the day at 8:00AM!). Neko Harbor was home to another large rookery of Gentoo Penguins (1,141 nests according to the researcher’s daily count), although these guys didn’t have any chicks yet. Since this beach was covered in snow, this colony of penguins delayed their mating by a few weeks to wait for the perfect nesting conditions – instead of chicks, we saw many penguins still sitting on a pair of recently laid eggs.
We peek out our curtains after our alarm goes off, and we are breathless – the water is GLASS
While we could technically make it up to the buffet for breakfast, we decide to schedule room service as an extra alarm to make sure we don’t sleep through our landing time.
Can we all just stop for a moment and recognize that Igor is having a FABULOUS hair day? My baby be FOXY
While Yankee Harbor was very flat yesterday, the beach at Neko Harbor gave us an opportunity to take a little hike. The Expediation Team set up a trail through the snow, giving us access to a rock outcrop with a fantastic view. After climbing up, we got a beautiful vista of our ship in the iceberg-filled harbor, plus an aerial view of the neighboring glacier and the Gentoo rookeries below.
Zodiacs zipping across the flat waters in Neko Harbor – it’s a beautiful morning in Antarctica!
We are so excited to be first to the landing today!
The beach at Neko Harbor – unlike yesterday’s rocking landing, today the ground is covered in snow! Hey – they don’t call it the “White Continent” just to be racist!
Penguin encounters are even more amazing today as the snow forces both humans and birds to walk in the paths. We are required by IAATO regulations to “yield” to penguins on these “penguin highways” – but even though we have to step aside to let them pass, the penguins couldn’t care less that we are standing nearby and waddle within a few feet of us – GUYS, IT’S SO MAGICAL!
The Gentoos build their rocky nests on any available patch of bare earth. Many of the mating pairs have already laid their eggs already – we catch a glimspe of some eggs though the Expedition Team’s XX-scope every now and then when one of the mothers adjusts
A pair of busy penguins commuting down the “Penguin Highway”
Penguins aren’t the only wildlife on shore today – we also see a pair of spotted Weddell Seals resting on the snow
A view of our ship and a stunning iceberg from the shore
Chillin’ on the White Continent – even though it’s covered in snow, the day heats up under the bright morning sun and we start shedding layers as we climb up to the viewpoint
The glacier next to the beach is really pretty – the terminus of the glacier is covered in picturesque jagged crevasses. The glacier is known to be very active with frequent calving. Sure enough, as we are busy admiring the penguins we hear a loud crack and a roar as a big chuck of the glacier overhanging a rock crumbles in a cloud of snow
View of Neko Harbor and the glacier from the top of the viewpoint
As we carefully make our way back down the hill, we see the morning kayak group returning from the ice fields – today would have been a great day for kayaking, but at USD$295pp it’s way too expensive for us to go every day. We booked a kayak tour for tomorrow – keeping our fingers crossed that the weather holds out!
The Gentoo Penguin rookery at Neko Harbor
Before heading back to the zodiac, we hide out at the crossroads of a penguin highway to try and record some video footage of the passing penguins. Lindsay jams the GoPro selfie stick in the snow and steps away to allow the penguins to approach in peace. We wait patiently, and it seems to be working! A trio of Gentoos waddles along – as they come to the crossroad, it looks like one is going to walk right up to our camera!
Wait, wait! Why are they all running away? YOU BITCH!!! An oblivious fellow cruiser doesn’t see our camera and not only chases off the penguins, SHE SITS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SHOT! Lindsay indulges in some mild, under-the-breath cursing, but evenually forgives the innocent accident. Igor, on the other hand, has decided to hate her forever. It’s been over a week since “The Incident” and he still give her the evil eye every time we pass in the ship. Bitch better keep a lifejacket handy.
Somehow time has just flown by and it’s just about lunchtime by the time we return to the ship. Despite “The Incident,” this morning has been pretty perfect – we raised a toast over lunch to our good luck as the wind picked up and the clouds rolled in. The rest of the afternoon was spent in leisure as we waited for the rest of the groups to take their turn on shore. As we sailed away from Neko Harbor, the winds died down again, giving us more breathtaking mirror images of the passing mountains and odd-shaped icebergs.
A glass of Nicolas Feuillatte, a shrimp-parm wrap, and an al fresco table in Antarctica…sorry, I know y’all must be jelly…
Dark clouds roll in, giving the Antarctic landscape a new, dramatic look
When the wind dies down, we are once again treated to rare, mirror-images of the shoreline
We pass many odd-shaped icebergs as we sail away from Neko Harbor – this one seems to be melting from the inside, with a little freshwater pool sitting in the middle
The Glaciologist on board (yes – that’s a real job) goes nuts when Igor shares this picture. The grooves in the ice were actually formed before the iceberg broke off of the glacier – most likely carved by a rock as the chuck of ice slowly slipped sideways. The streaks of brown were created by layers of dirt that landed on the glacier inbetween the seasons – each winter a new layer of snow would bury the line of dirt
Finishing off the day with a decadent dinner (poached quail egg with truffles, anyone?) and dessert (sharing a “chocolate bomb” with toasted marshmallows!)
As if the food and (ahem!) stimulating conversation wasn’t entertaining enough for Lindsay’s husband, Igor excused himself in the middle of dinner because he was SO DISTRACTED by the view out the window ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RESTAURANT he just had to get up to take a picture. Yes, yes, dear – it’s very pretty.