21 Feb 2016

Plunging Chefs

Calm waters meant we were able to make a landing at the New Zealand research base at Cape Bird. The cool katabatic wind was counteracted by a warm greeting from Weddell Seals, Adelies and a few Emperor Penguins. We then bid Ross Island adieu and headed for Franklin Island, which was named by Sir James Clark Ross after John Franklin, the governor of Tasmania. It was from here that Ross first sighted Mount Erebus. We made an evening landing and watched Weddell Seals basking on the shoreline and young Adelie chicks tobogganing in the fresh snow. A lone Emperor sat surrounded by twenty or so chicks all making demands of her. The chefs were joined by one brave expeditioner in a ‘polar plunge’ off the deck once everyone was back aboard. After these antics, we sailed for Terra Nova Bay at 2300hrs leaving Mount Erebus glowing on the horizon as she basked in the evening sun. Surprisingly she did not bid us farewell with a ‘contemptuous puff’ as she had Sir James Clark Ross.