• Remote Weddell Sea Explorer
    A fellow passenger catches us enjoying the company of an emperor penguin — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.
    2And off goes the emperor penguin (we later see it in the distance with another penguin) — Vahsel BayOur welcome committee ... a solo emperor penguin on the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.Tobogganing is a faster mode of travel for penguins — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.2On the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.On the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.I make sure to leave some footprints in undisturbed snow on the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.On the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.That's the Great White Continent in the distance ... on the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.Light conditions change in the afternoon as we view icebergs trapped in fast ice.5A special photo op ... On the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.On the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.Mui and the expedition team take a page out of the Endurance saga and play soccer on the ice.The bedrock of the continent peeking through the ice in the afternoon sun — Vahsel Bay.On the fast ice — Vahsel Bay, Antarctica.Maria catches us waiting to board a zodiac for our bonus cruise back to Ortelius.On the way back to Ortelius following our afternoon sojourn on the fast ice — Vahsel Bay.On the way back to Ortelius following our afternoon sojourn on the fast ice — Vahsel Bay.

    RWSE Day 16: Vahsel Bay … On Fast Ice

    February 26, Weddell Sea ⋅ ⛅ 23 °F

    With today’s helicopter rotation putting us at the end of the schedule, we had plenty of time to partake of another activity — landing on fast ice to stretch our legs within an established perimeter. It was bitterly cold despite the bright sunshine. How could it not be? Thick ice stretched for miles and miles in every direction. It was worth it, though!

    Although we were nosed into the multi-year ice, the edge was just out of reach of Ortelius’s gangway, so we were shuttled to the ice with zodiacs … about a 30-second ride.

    Landing on fast ice wasn’t necessarily a new experience for us as we’d done it in the Ross Sea in 2015 … on the opposite side of Antarctica. It was thrilling nonetheless … this time we were clearly in sight of the continent. To add to the excitement … we were welcomed ashore by a curious lone emperor penguin that stuck around for a while, studying us as we studied it.

    We so enjoyed this experience that we were loathe to leave even knowing that we had an exciting helicopter flight ahead of us. The good news? With Ortelius spending the day in Vahsel Bay, we had a chance to return to the ice after our flight for another sojourn … with the bonus of a zodiac cruise when our driver — Allan — agreed to take a roundabout way back to Ortelius.    Read more