Tracking our position on Dads old map we could see our heading for Cape Adare, which has a couple of early explorers huts there and a massive Penguin colony. Ponant hasn’t been able to visit here for the last 2 years due to the ice and wind, but all indications were good last night with a lot of crossed fingers.

Current position – Pencil line

The Camera Lens Blower shows where we are heading, Cape Adare. The other plots are a trip my father did to Mawsons Hut.

Dad had plotted an iceberg in our current area, and sure enough..

Iceberg to Port

There are a few eyes on lookout in the bridge, along with a lot of sophisticated equipment. Le Soleal has an open bridge policy, it’s only closed when in port operations or the Captain wants peace !

Lady officer on watch

Patricia from the Antarctic Heritage Trust gave an informative talk this morning about the trusts aims, and info about the huts at Cape Adare.

Huts we hope to visit later on
Borchgrevink Hut
What the huts looked like
What we can expect tomorrow
Not much left of Scott’s Northern Party Hut left

Penguins could give site access problems…

Inside the hut, most of the artefacts are removed for conservation

Unfortunately the swell is up again, we’ve had to reduce speed and steer around the ice ahead, this increases the chance of more ice moving and stopping us from landing. But we are thinking positively, and have a bio contamination inspection slated for later on, which will ensure we’re ready to roll …..ice and light permitting.

UPDATE – Late afternoon info by Captain and Expedition Leader – Ice forming around Cape Adare with a big storm due on Sunday. Will hopefully visit Possession Island, south of Cape Adare this afternoon, evening then run further south to Scott Hut to avoid the weather. But we will see Continental Ice Shelf today, and hopefully get a run in the Zodiacs.