Day 6: A continent with a view!

So the day dawned brightly again this morning as we prepared for yet another landing – this time on  Antarctica proper, specifically Neko Harbour.  Now this spot has to rank with the best views in the world.  So we landed on the continent and proceeded to frolic again with the gentoo penguins while we made our way up the long and winding trail to the top of the cliff that overlooked Neko Harbour.  It was a bit of slippery walk up with the sun shining and melting some of the surface snow.  But it couldn’t have been more perfect.  The notable Quark yellow parkas formed a continuous dotted line all the way up the mountain until it ended at a rock outcropping that overlooked the bay. And what a view!  Water as smooth as glass and a deep, dark midnight blue, white icebergs dotting the unbroken surface, and an icy blue glacial wall surrounding it all – magnificent!  One could not imagine a more special and unique place; so it was a lovely surprise to find that just as I was coming up to the summit I met Melissa who informed me that her boyfriend Greg who was right behind her had just proposed – now a very special place indeed!

                                         Neko Harbour

                                         The view of Neko Harbour

So after we returned to the ship we were treated to a special barbecue lunch on the outside upper deck.  I think the photo below says it all – surrounding icebergs, bright sunshine, good food and friends – what more could one want?

                                         Lunch on the upper deck

Then in the afternoon it was a landing at Paradise Bay – another stunning view! This trek up the hill was quite a bit more challenging – slippery snow and a vertical climb.  In the end it proved to be Push’s nemesis as he ended up putting out his back just before reaching the summit.  He reckons it was nature’s payback for him wishing a more exciting crossing of the Drake Passage.  Nature always gets her way in the end.  Anyway, while Push was incapacitated leaning against the rock outcropping, I snuck in a few photos both of the view and of him (he wasn’t going anywhere and I figured that one day we would look back on this and laugh and we should have some photographic proof).  So then it was up to Sue and I to half walk, half slide Push down the hill.  Some very nice women from Florida who were on their way down  offered to help and even offered to rub Push’s back for him.  In the end they sent some help up from below.  Push thanked them by sending them over some champagne during dinner.  So then it was back to the ship for Push for a visit to the doctor and the onboard massage therapist, and off in the zodiacs for Sue and I for a tour around Paradise Bay.  A quick note about the landing area – it’s called Almirante Brown Station which is an Argentinean scientific base, but it is currently under construction because the former doctor on the site was informed by the government that he had to spend another year on the base, and he didn’t want to, so he retaliated by burning it down.  Nobody is really sure whether he went to jail for it or whether he got off, but in any case, the base still bears the marks of his fiery exit.  So then it was the Zodiac tour which included some up close and personal visits with some Blue Shags (those are birds, by the way, not what you might be thinking) and 3 kinds of seals: fur,  Weddell , and leopard who were just lazing around on some icebergs.  You can see how close we were able to get by the photo below. There was also a good tour of the glacier where we witnessed a small avalanche of snow from the glacier into the water. 

                                         Lazing about...

Later in the afternoon, the expedition teams always does a recap and briefing in the lounge to get people caught up on the afternoon’s events.  It’s a good way to be reminded of the history and wildlife information which sometimes gets forgotten in the excitement of just watching the day unfold.  Then later that evening at dinner we celebrated Greg and Melissa’s engagement with a toast and a nice meal.  A perfect end to an almost perfect (sorry Push) day.  Tomorrow we pass through a very narrow channel called the Lemaire Channel which, if also filled with icebergs, could be quite a challenge for the captain and crew.  Should be exciting.

Until then......