Antarctica, Feb 2008
We visited Antarctica, South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands, South Georgia Islands, Falkland Islands and Argentina aboard the cruise ship, the MS Hanseatic. We started from Ushuaia, Argentina and cruised out of the Beagle Channel in relatively calm waters to Cape Horn. As soonas we passed by Cape Horn, the winds and waves picked up strength for the journey through the Drake Passage. After a wild two days at sea, we reached calmer waters near the Antarctic Peninsula. Here we encountered many icebergs of all shapes and sizes as we crossed the Antarctic Circle. We were unable to make a Zodiac landing at Detaille Island but had an interesting journey through the Gulley to 67 degrees south. From here we turned north and landed at Petermann Island tovisit a Gentoo penguin colony. We had great weather as we continued north through the Lemaire Channel and reached the Argentine station of Alimirante Brown at Paradise Bay where we landed on the Antarctic continent. Continuing northeast we made our wayacross the Gerlache Strait to Port Lockroy and had another great weather day as we traversed Andvoord Bay and landed at Neko Harbour for our 2nd landing on the continent. We were entertained by many Gentoo penguins while we watched for calving of the surrounding glaciers. We left the peninsula and headed for Deception Island in the South Shetland group. From there we headed to Signy Island in the South Orkney group avoiding many icebergs in the area. We headed northeast to South Georgia for several more landings on beaches of penguins, seals and tussock grass. From there we turned back west to the Falkland Islands and eventually back to Ushuaia. We took a side trip to Iguazu Falls in northern Argentina after the end of our Antarctic voyage.
GPS Track
Leaving Cape Horn
Adelie penguin, Petermann Island
Adelie Penguins, Petermann Island
Petermann Island
Gentoo Penguin molting, Petermann Island
Making friends with a Gentoo penguin, Petermann Island
Penola Strait near Petermann Island
Glacier spilling into the Lemaire Channel
Lemaire Channel
Leopard Seal, Paradise Bay
Argentine Station of Almirante Brown, Paradise Bay
Chinstrap penguin, Almirante Brown Station, Paradise Bay
Mountains of Anvers Island near Port Lockroy
Neko Harbour
Overlooking Neko Harbour and Andvoord Bay
Gentoo penguin, Neko Harbour
Gentoo penguin colony, Neko Harbour
Leopard seal on a bergy bit in the Errerra Channel
Humpback whale fluke waving, Errerra Channel
Antarctic fur seal, Deception Island
Pinnacle iceberg, South Orkney Islands
Blocky iceberg in the Normanna Channel, Signy Island
Crabeater seal on a bergy bit in the Normanna Channel, Signy Island
Minke whale in the Normanna Channel, Signy Island
Sunset near Signy Island
Very large tabular iceberg near entrance to Washington Strait
Antarctic fur seals swimming in Drygalski Fjord, South Georgia
King penguins, Gold Harbour, South Georgia
Antarctic fur seal, Gold Harbour, South Georgia
King Penguins with Hanseatic in Gold Harbour, South Georgia
King penguins, Bertrab Glacier, Gold Harbour, South Georgia
Brown Skua, Gold Harbour, South Georgia
King penguin colony, Gold Harbour, South Georgia
Southern elephant seals, Gold Harbour, South Georgia
King penguin, Moltke Harbour, South Georgia
Southern elephant seal, Moltke Harbour, South Georgia
Antarctic fur seal pup and king penguins, Fortuna Bay, South Georgia
Shackelton's view of Stromness Bay, South Georgia
Antarctic fur seals, Stromness Bay, South Georgia
Massive King penguin colony, Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
Massive King penguin colony, Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
King penguin, Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
King penguin chick, Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
King penguins on the beach, Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
Giant petrels, Salisbury Plain, South Georgia
Wandering albatross, Prion Island, South Georgia
Wandering albatross, Scotia Sea toward Falklands
Stanley, capital of the Falkland Islands
Magellanic penguin, Carcass Island, Falkland Islands
Black-browed albatross, New Island, Falkland Islands
Black-browed albatross feeding chick, New Island, Falkland Islands
Rockhopper penguins, New Island, Falkland Islands
Christopher Columbus Monument, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Devil's Throat, Iguazu Falls, Brazil
Areal view, Iguazu Falls, Brazil-Argentina border
Iguazu Falls, Argentina
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