Mikkelsen Harbour

63.54°S 60.47°W

In the afternoon of our first day, we cruised past Tower Island, a place so remote and infrequently visited we were the first ship to record soundings, and we were told only about 100 people had ever been there. We then visited Mikkelsen Harbour, near Trinity Island.

We were to visit a Gentoo Penguin colony on D'hainaut Island.

These were our first steps on land in Antarctica! At our first steps on shore, we saw the remains of a blue whale and an old whaling ship. Huge veterbrae and a giant skull lay there on the beach, left behind from the heyday of whaling.

We walked around the island, observing the hilarious little dudes in their natural environment. We learned about penguin behaviour, breeding tendencies, and nest building. We didn't see any chicks at this colony, but we did see one Penguin stealing pebbles from another, and one poor guy just trying to get home but having a hard time!

There was a 'refuge hut' placed on the island back in the 50s for anyone who may have needed safety in the time before modern communication, and we saw a broken egg we think was stolen and dropped by a bird to eat the chick inside.

Very cool experience to walk among the penguins, surrounded by the same moody, pristine environment as the morning.Leia mais