Well after being at sea all day yesterday we finally arrived at Elephant island at 12.30 AM this morniing; this is the island where Shakleton and his party were stranded for many months. Michael and I were pretty much the only two on the ship still up and were dilligently looking for the island in a snow storm; then we came out of it and there it was - we could see it in the twilight which was amaxzing to think there was still light at that time (Sunrise is at 3.06am). Michael and I went off to the bar and had a toast to Shakleton before turning in.
We were woken bright and early this morning when we reached Penguin Island so that we could have breakfast and get ready which entails at least four layers of clothing plus outer artic weather gear. Just as we were getting ready there was an announcemnet that there was a humpback whale and her calf breaching off of the bow. We all quickly ran to the bow in the freezing cold (it is 34 degrees with 20 knot wind) and sure enough there were the two of them continously breaching with in feet of the bow, so close that my camera lens was having difficulty taking pictures (after being out all this time I was convinced I had frost bite). After watching them for some 20 minutes we loaded onto the zodiacs to walk around Penguin Island - absolutley amazing with Chin strap penguins with little fuzzy grey babys cuddling under their Moms, Adelie penguins, elaphant seals and Albatross with babys. You just cannot imagine how amazing it all is, the sights, sounds, smell etc, it quickly makes you forget how cold it is.
This afternoon we are off to spend sometime at the Polish research station and see more penguins. Oh and by the way as we are cruising throw in the sighting of numerous fin whales (so many they are like cockroaches) and a few ice bergs....................................
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