02 Feb 2016

Balleny Islands

The Ballenys appeared just after midnight in the crystal clear air. There was ice around and we decided at 2am to slow right down and drift for a few hours in the half light before continuing on the last 30 miles. Just before breakfast we were a few miles off Sturge Island, the southern most of the three main islands in 2,000 meters of water and these massive lumps of rock with sheer ice cliffs and glaciers stood proudly before us. They looked raw and brutal, completely unlike the Transantarctic Mountains. We hoped to find some Chin Strap Penguins on nearby Buckle Island but the idea of a landing or Zodiac cruise was abandoned when we were met by heavy ice and stronger winds in the strait between the two islands. It was time to leave these lonely landmarks behind and continue north once again.