01 Mar 2017

An Amazing Wildlife Day!

Today we began our long journey back to New Zealand. We left McMurdo Sound late last night after spending an amazing wildlife day. It started with a landing at Cape Bird. This is the site of a large Adelie Penguin colony and an Antarctica New Zealand field Research Station. The majority of Penguins had gone (and so had the researchers) but those that remained were very photogenic sitting amongst the fresh snow. But it was the lone Emperor Penguin that attracted most of the attention. From Cape Bird we sailed south into the ice, knowing that this is where the wildlife would be concentrated. By the end of the day we had seen in excess of 150 Orca or Killer whales and well over 100 Emperor Penguins. Everybody had their own highlight but for me it was a chance encounter with a pod of 23 Arnoux’s beaked whales. Not a lot is known about this circumpolar species which appears to spend most of its life in the most remote and deepest part of the Southern Ocean. This pod was very active along the edge of the fast ice and we were able to stay with them for some time, the light was fading but there were some good photos taken. 

Today weather conditions have deteriorated. It wasn’t possible to make a landing on Franklin Island so we are headed north through some very heavy snow storms .. the ship looks a real picture clothed in white.

Images from Heritage Expeditions ©OBelonovich & ©GTsidulko