So we are heading to the Belleny Islands, with a full day at sea. The fog and snow reduced visibility making a whale sighting difficult to photograph. Instead I did a lot of picture sorting, blog writing and went to another excellent lecture by Natalie about moving the Halley VI station.

Time for afternoon tea, a photography session for our new New Zealand friends, and dinner. The days excitement peaked with a pod of humpbacked whales around the ship in front of our dining table ! I quickly excused myself and got these images……pretty pleased 😁

It appeared to be a pod of at least 3, if not 5 individuals spread out.

As a special treat one rolled one to feed, showing their knobbly snout.

What a dinner treat. An early bed for us tonight, our Zodiac ride is a 7:10am, it’s probably going to be a bit cold, and wet !

Sailing along the coast yesterday saw a complete change in the weather and scenery. Gone was the sun and pristine snow, replaced with forbidding black cliffs clothed in mist and ice.

Cape Hallet was closed with ice, no Zodiac rides here, instead we headed back to the Possession Islands, which we had passed on our way to Scott Hut. We had done our first Zodiac cruise thru some ice here, but in far sunnier conditions. Le Soleal stationed herself off Svend Foyn Island. A forbidding piece of rock, but home to a dwindling population of Adelie penguins as they return to the sea to bulk up before winter.

We were soon called for a Zodiac briefing. There was too much swell to attempt a beach landing but we could go for a cruise. As one of the last groups away we had time for lunch and a fortifying Bailey’s Hot Chocolate. Then it was time to suit up, and board our Zodiac piloted by a very French guide called Elsa.

We first headed out to some drifting ice to spot a Leopard Seal

Then back to the island with Krill coloured guano showing where the Adelie colonies had been. Some youngsters were still around though, in the final stages of their down moult. However as most of the parents had gone, hunger will drive most to leave within a week or so. It was great to cruise along, Elsa piloted us just on the surf’s edge in a great display of Zodiac piloting.

It was fun watching a parade of youngsters heading down to the water for a swim, but when a large wave came up they all ran away……

Time to head around the point and look at the ice waterfalls, as well as the breaking big swell.

Elsa checked her watch and asked if we wanted to go straight back to the ship, or do one last trip right along the cliff edge. Obviously we choose the later. We had just started when the motor died and Elsa started glancing behind her at the swell.

QUICKLY, pass me the tool pointing to a box up in the bow next to me. It was hard to open though in the confined space and swell.

I eventually managed to, but it only had some glasses in it, so I tried the front locker, desperately looking for a spanner or hammer. Her strong French accent made it hard to understand what she was saying, NO NOT THERE, THE TOOL, i misheard her and thought she meant FUEL, as there was a spare fuel tank in the front as well. I tried to pick it up and pass it back, all the time the boat was heaving up and down, and she kept glancing back. NO NOT THAT BOX, THE FIRST ONE… I slid open the box again, this time revealing a bottle ….how was this going to help ?

Elsa started laughing as she opened up the throttle and powered us out to safety……I WAS THE TOOL……to open the bottle and pour us all a drink !!! Everybody had a good laugh, myself included. I had been well and truly set up. IT WAS THE BEST ONE EVER said Elsa, still laughing.

After all that I was determined to open the Prosecco, even if I froze my hand doing so ! Our fabulous guide and prankster then climbed almost out of the boat to take our picture, still smiling 😁

What a way to finish our Antarctic Zodiac rides ! We had been warned that Cape Adare was still iced in, so no chance to stop there. However we are now heading to the Bellamy Islands, part of a chain of Sub Antarctic Islands. We can’t go ashore but hopefully will manage another Zodiac Tour, I wonder if Elsa will guide us again……I’ll take anything she says with a pinch of salt if she does. Just before going to sleep I had a quick look out….and saw a stunning Iceberg passing by, just enough time to take a pic in night attire 👍

After dropping us off at the edge of the ice Le Soleal shot off !

Much like the Penguin chicks of yesterday we proceeded to chase her thru the brash ice.

We were fortunate to see a very large Leopard Seal, who posed !

Pushing thru to the other side of the brash ice pack we sped off to the ice shield wall, but not too close in case of iceberg calving and subsequent waves

All too soon our hour and half was up. Back to the ship, quick change into dinner clothes and an excellent meal followed by New Zealand Day celebrations in the bar. Even at 11:30pm the views were calling me out onto the balcony to take more photos.

We are waiting for an evening Zodiac cruise, but first a recap from yesterday and this morning.

After 2 Zodiac rides yesterday we decided to have an early night, but I couldn’t resist a few more photos of this desolate but beautiful landscape. Beaufort Island looked very windswept as befitting its namesake.

During the night the ships motion got very lively, with the Stewards trolley crashing against one of our external walls, and water bottles rolling loose. The ship was also covered in snow…

After an excellent lecture on Orcas, we had an early lunch and waited for our arrival into Terra Nova Bay. It looked very forbidding as we passed Cape Washington on one side of its entrance.

We were summoned to the Theatre for a briefing about tonight’s Zodiac cruise along the shield ice and Drygalski Ice Tongue from the Reeves, Larsen and David Glaciers. By the time we emerged our positive energy had bought the sun out and dropped the wind. We really are lucking out with the weather.

The Zodiacs are being prepped, see part 2 for some hopefully amazing pictures.

Our Captain awoke us this morning with a sighting of Orcas on the port side at 7am. Grabbing my long lens, and still in night attire aka boxers the -16 degree wind chill factor was quite suprise, as I was to the Orcas so they swam away !

The fun continued with the Captain announcing again, in the middle of breakfast this time, that the ice shield walk would commence in 15 minutes time starting with the red group, ie us !

Surprising the cabin attendant we ran back in, stripped off and geared up for a cold excursion. The ride over was good, and the walk on the sea ice exhilarating.

The surface was a mixture of ice and snow, very slippy in a few places. I managed to break thru the a top layer at one stage, giving myself and H a surprise. Luckily it was firm underneath. At this point we were the most southerly ship in the world.

After a leisurely lunch it was back to the cabin to sort pics or have a nap, as we headed north to Cape Bird. The weather looked a bit dicey as we arrived a few hours later, but could see thousands of Adélie penguins in rookeries.

“Bonjour, it is your Captain speaking, the red group can disembark in 15 minutes time” Another mad rush, this time by myself, H had a better offer of knitting and hot chocolate whilst watching mad Zodiac drivers…..

The fluffy babies were cute, but the attrition rate was terrible, with bodies strewn everywhere. Most couples have 2 eggs, sacrificing one whilst growing up and providing food for Skuas.

We walked along a set out corridor, gradually climbing to the highest rookery.

I didn’t stay long up here, the Skua’s were circling prey and I didn’t really want to watch them catch one.

They babies are delightful creatures, even if slightly smelly and covered in regurgitated fish !

By the time I got back to the beach it had started to snow, and a few growlers had beached. This made the trip back slightly frantic, I got fairly wet and the boat half filled with water with a surprise wave coming over the stern. Good call H, a hot chocolate in the lounge was greatly appreciated, as was dinner and hopefully an early bed……” this is your Captain speaking” Noooo !

Todays Zodiac excursion was to Cape Royds, where Shackleton based the British Antarctic Nimrod Expecition (1907-1909). It was a tricky landing, basically a V cut in the ice with a few steps. The Zodiac was driven, held in by leaving the power on, and the passengers pulled out ! As such H decided to skip this one…

Not so a Chinese Social Influencer…who stripped down to a bikini and pranced around whilst having her photo taken for Insta, I’ve blurred the photo 😁

H took a few pics of me loading up. It was the full regalia for a -6 day, plus a significant wind chill factor. Click to enlarge pics.

The landing was tricky, but our group of 7 were soon marching inland, across a barren landscape, to a more well sheltered hut.

It “nestled” into the landscape compared to yesterday’s.

The hut was very personable, but our 8 minutes allocated soon passed. Time to visit the adjacent Adelie Rookery, the most southern one. They would have been noisy neighbours!

We could then return to the ship, or do a free wander around a designated area or ASPA. There, with one of the guides, a most memorable Penguin encounter occurred.

It was time to head home, with a final look at Mt Erebus, still cloud free and under a blue sky. We have something different planned for tomorrow, fingers crossed for continued good weather.

I’ll just put up a few words and pics about our zodiac excursion yesterday to Scott’s Hut. Compared to Enderby Island it was comfortable, but we still dressed up for the expected -6 temps.

This comprises of thermal top and bottoms, thick shirt and waxed trousers, thick fleece top and waterproof over trousers, polar parka, beanie, neck warmer, 2 thick pairs of socks and water proof rubber boots plus 3 pairs of gloves. Then you add a life jacket, camera bag and sunglasses. You’re good to go….! nobody talk about beached whales or the penguin waddle.

The beach landing was easy, so we started making our way up the hill to a memorial.

The view from the top was stunning, overlooking the bay and Mount Erebus behind us.

There was hardly any wind, and with the sun shining it felt positively warm. Apparently there about 6 days a year that you can see the mountain, an active volcano, like this.

Heading back down to the hut we passed numerous artefacts, rarely exposed but visible now due to lack of snow.

There were a few seals and penguins around as well

After touring the hut, see previous blog for pics, we were given the choice of returning to the ship or having an hours “free time” to wander around a pegged area to a glacier. H elected to return whilst I walked out to take a few more pictures.

A truly memorable day, capped off with a rare Penguin sighting! YES 2 Emperor penguins, plus 3 Adele’s were sighted later on. These are EXTREMELY rare to sight (do you remember David Attenborough’s program about them in the middle of winter incubating their egg ?), so these and the Orcas have got the naturalists on board super excited.

I’m just going to post shots from within the hut for now. They are in Black and White as homage to exceptional men.

I’ll do another post later on about the full trip, suffice to say we are in the Bar with some fellow Tasmanians having a G and T to celebrate an exceptional day.

Yesterday was mainly occupied by a couple of lectures about Shackleton’s expeditions. Our lecturer, Natalie, has produced the documentary about the expedition that found his ship Endurance under the sea ice.

She focussed on how music had influenced the men, from the band in Argentina playing “It’s a long way to Tipperary” to the music the men were listening to just prior to the ship sinking.

A well presented lecture, from an unusual aspect. Her second lecture was about how she made her documentary. Unfortunately as it’s owned privately we were unable to photograph screenshots, but “Endurance” the film looks a great movie to catch on Disney or National Geographic streaming channels

During dinner the Captain announced our approach to the Ross Ice Shelf, but warned us temperatures outside with a wind chill factor would be around -20. It was extremely challenging to take pics, but a fantastic experience.

It’s approximately 500klm long and 950klm wide to the barren and rocky shoreline. Overwhelming really, and brings home just how tough the men were. To top things off a pod of Orcas swam past, with penguins sitting on icebergs.

The Sunset lasted all of 5 minutes before it rose again ! So sleeping can be a bit challenging.

This morning we are anchored at Cape Evans, opposite Mt Erebus. We are shortly due to take a Zodiac and visit Scott’s Hut.

It’s hard to believe we are actually here….I’ve loaded my film camera with black and white film and am channelling my Frank Hurley photographic style. See you later on ❄️❄️❄️❄️

After suiting up…..thermals top and bottom, shirt and waterproof trousers, thick sweater and neck warmer, 2 pairs of thick socks, polar parka and polar over trousers, 2 pairs of gloves, explorer boots, life jacket and camera backpack ! we waddled out to the Marina waiting for our Zodiac.

Luckily it was warm, at -3 plus a wind chill factor. Our Guide Mark explained it could be down to -16 here on some trips, with the boat spray freezing on the parkas.

It was a perfect evening for a cruise, a slight swell and short ride before entering the ice.

It was a serene, and surreal moment. Gently bobbing up and down as we threaded our way through the ice, gently pushing larger pieces away.

Le Soleal gradually disappeared, soon it was just us floating along as we spotted a seal and penguins in the distance.

After an hour we exited the ice to find Le Soleal in the distance. It’s amazing how fast the pack moves with wind and currents.

All too soon it was our time to disembark. A quick dash to the cabin with dinner at 9pm. Then a musical trivia quiz to 11:30 and bed at midnight along with the setting sun. Fortunately we didn’t have to get up with it….as it rose 40 minutes after setting ! An UNFORGETTABLE day, and just what we needed after 3 days at sea.