20 Feb 2016

Franklin Island

Today was a mixed bag of weather with sun at times, then low visibility during passing snow storms. A solid westerly swell suggested high winds on the west coast of the Ross Sea but the wind in our vicinity was only around 15-20kts.  Just on dinner time we approached Franklin Island but could not see much through the swirling snow. Then just three miles out from the island the snow storm lifted like a giant curtain and exposed a spectacular rocky headland jutting out from a large snow-capped plateau with sheer ice cliffs and a small snow covered beach below. Moulting Adelie Penguins could be seen on the slopes and there were newly fledged chicks taking their first swim but that westerly swell was thumping and surging on the beach making it impossible for us to land. Just as we were feeling disappointed, Mount Erebus suddenly appeared out of the gloom nearly 100 miles away. There it sat in all its glory, a stunning volcano rising up into the bright blue Antarctic sky with the sun bouncing off Ross Island. There was a real sense of awe and anticipation as we cruised the Franklin Island coast.