Palaver Point: A Frigid Visit to a Chinstrap Penguin Colony

Palaver Point was our first destination, home to a colony of chinstrap penguins.

Unlike the gentoos and Adélies we had seen on previous days, these penguins seemed to stay close to their nesting areas, seemingly reluctant to venture far in the harsh conditions.

The harsh weather conditions may have contributed to this behaviour, as the penguins sought shelter from the intensifying Antarctic elements.

Despite their limited movement, the colony was surprisingly vocal. The penguins communicated with loud, persistent calls that echoed across the few colonies present. This vocalization might have been related to the weather conditions, or serving as a way for penguin families to maintain contact during limited visibility.

Our hike around Palaver Point proved more challenging than previous excursions. The combination of extremely dry air and intense cold caused my facial skin to dry out and crack. Without a balaclava for protection, my face remained numb throughout the entire expedition on land.

The Antarctic continent is technically classified as a desert due to its minimal precipitation, and the air contains almost no moisture, particularly in these coastal areas where temperatures can fluctuate dramatically. Riding the zodiac only intensified the cold, as the wind cut through every layer, making it hard to focus on anything other than staying warm.

Harry Island: A Zodiac Tour in Whiteout Conditions

In the afternoon, we joined the scheduled zodiac tour around Harry Island, despite the worsening weather conditions. The fear of missing out on a potential wildlife sighting or spectacular ice formation motivated our decision. As we set out, the visibility quickly deteriorated. Heavy snowfall and dense fog obscured the landscape, making it difficult to see much beyond the boat. The ride itself was far from smooth – the zodiac bounced over the rough waters rather than gliding through them, creating a jarring and prolonged exposure to the elements. The splashing got us all wet, making it us all even colder. We passed by a few seals lounging on ice floes, but it was difficult to even pay them any mind.

With the snow reducing visibility, the highlights of the tour were limited to a rock tower emerging from the water and a small grotto. While these geological formations were interesting, the extreme conditions made it difficult to appreciate them fully. It didn’t help either when our zodiac driver was an older fellow who droned on about Antarctic poetry – of all things – while the wind whipped across the open water. Poetry and subzero temperatures are not a great combination. In retrospect, skipping this tour might have been the better choice, and we later learned that many others had opted to stay on the ship instead of braving the cold.

Nature Always Has the Upper Hand

The sixth day of our Antarctic journey provided a valuable lesson in respecting the continent’s unpredictable and extreme environment. They remind us that we are visitors in one of Earth’s most extreme environments, where conditions can change rapidly and where nature always maintains the upper hand.

Zodiac Tour Through Ice and Water

Our excursion took place entirely by zodiac, allowing us to navigate the icy waters and get a closer look at the Antarctic terrain. The weather was exceptionally clear, offering remarkable visibility.

As we floated through the frigid waters, the landscape around us displayed a fascinating variety – flat, smooth snowbanks, jagged cliffs, towering icebergs, and sprawling glaciers.

One of the more intriguing phenomena we observed was “scalloping” on icebergs. This process forms small, golf ball-like divots on the surface of the ice, created by the uneven melting. I tried looking into the science, but it’s actually quite technical, requiring an understanding of fluid mechanics.

Some icebergs even featured long icicles, a testament to the dynamic and ever-changing nature of Antarctica’s frozen landscape.

In some places, the water was remarkably still and reflective, creating mirror-like surfaces that doubled the visual impact of the surrounding landscape.

Humpback Whale Encounter

As we ventured further, we spotted several humpback whales surfacing in the distance. Each whale’s fin pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint. A website, HappyWhale, allows citizen scientists to upload images of whale fins, contributing to global tracking efforts and expanding our understanding of whale migration patterns.

We watched as they gracefully moved through the water, occasionally expelling misty bursts from their blowholes.

Lounging Crabeater Seals

Seals were another common sight throughout the day. We encountered a few crabeater seals resting on ice floes. Despite their misleading name, crabeater seals primarily feed on krill, using their specialized teeth to filter these small crustaceans from the water.

Up close, these seals are surprisingly cute with their expressive faces that appear to be smiling when relaxed. Their primarily white coats with scattered dark speckles help them blend into the snowy environment. When resting on ice, they often adopt a contented pose with eyes half-closed and flippers positioned as if waving to passing boats.

One of the seals rolled over lazily, seemingly indifferent to our presence. The narrator pointed out that it was a female, identifying it by its ventral slit.

It was a simple but fascinating moment – one of those times when I’m reminded how cool it is to watch animals just doing their thing in the wild.

Gentoo Penguin Spotted

We also saw our first gentoo penguin, perched alone on an iceberg.

The moment was made slightly awkward when one of the guests on our zodiac made an odd catcalling noise toward the penguin only to be swiftly shut down by our zodiac driver.

Sailing Onward

After returning to the ship and setting sail for our next destination, we continued to spot small icebergs with seals lounging on them. One particularly interesting sight was a seal resting on an ice floe marked with what appeared to be either guano or blood stains – perhaps evidence of a recent penguin meal.

The crew has yet again planned another successful excursion allowing us to again see another dimension of Antarctica we did not see before.

Bongrain Point

The morning began with a slightly challenging landing at Bongrain Point. Our skilled zodiac drivers carefully navigated through numerous small icebergs scattered across the water. At one particularly difficult passage, one of the crew members actually had to enter the frigid water to push an iceberg out of our path – they were there to make sure their guests were safe and could enjoy the adventure.

Once ashore, we were greeted by a colony of Adélie penguins spread across the rocky beach. The colony had a distinct orange hue – a result of their filthy guano staining the landscape.

We even got to see the adult penguins feeding their young.

We watched as penguins hopped onto the small icebergs near the shore, skillfully balancing on the shifting ice.

Nearby, we spotted skeletal remains of birds, though their cause of death was uncertain. Given recent concerns about avian flu, we briefly speculated about the possibility, though it was more likely a natural occurrence, but we’ll never know.  

Similar to our previous visit to Red Rock Ridge, we remained along the shoreline during our exploration. Looming inland were massive mountains that would present a significant challenge to traverse on foot. Beyond these natural barriers likely lies little more than additional rock and ice formations, as Antarctica lacks terrestrial life forms that cannot swim or fly, with the exception of some extraordinarily hardy plant species and microscopic fauna.

One fascinating geological feature we noticed was the abundance of rocks with remarkably clean splits along the beach. The most likely explanation was probably due to water seeping into tiny cracks in the rocks, then as the ice freezes, it expands, gradually forcing the stone apart.

Lagoon Island

Our afternoon activity shifted from a landing to a zodiac tour around Lagoon Island, allowing us to experience the Antarctic environment from a different perspective.

We cruised past groups of elephant seals sprawled on the shore, their massive bodies lounging contentedly after feeding (I interpret this to be a food coma). We learned that these seals will eventually engage in territorial battles to establish dominance, with the victorious male earning mating privileges with the females – nature’s ancient selection process at work. They are the deepest diving air-breathing non-cetaceans and have been recorded at a maximum of 2,388 m. They eat a wide variety of sea life such as squid, fish, and krill.

Further along our journey, we spotted what initially appeared to be another penguin colony from a distance. However, our knowledgeable guides identified them as Antarctic cormorants. While penguins and cormorants are both black and white, the key distinction is that cormorants can fly, unlike penguins, and their colonies aren’t orange with guano. Our guide shared a helpful identification tip: “if it looks like a penguin but flies, it’s probably a cormorant.”

The zodiac tour also provided a close-up view of icebergs in various stages of melting. Their shapes and sizes were ever-changing, shaped by differences in ice density and shifting weight distribution. Occasionally, when a section of an iceberg melted unevenly, it could rotate about, exposing a fresh surface to the elements.

In the distance, we could see enormous ice mountains stretching across the horizon. The clear Antarctic air created an interesting optical illusion—these massive formations appeared much closer than their actual distance. This phenomenon made it challenging to accurately gauge the scale of the landscape, adding to the otherworldly quality of the Antarctic environment.

Just like the day before, as we experience the continent in different ways, we continue to gain a new appreciation for the immensity and raw beauty of Antarctica – a continent largely untouched by human influence, where nature still reigns supreme.

Life Aboard an Ultra-Luxury Expedition Cruise Ship

The moment we stepped into our cabin, we knew this wasn’t an ordinary cruise. A bottle of champagne chilled in an ice bucket, while a bottle of wine and whiskey stood ready on the counter, part of the open bar included with the cruise. The cruise even includes free wifi.

The cruise line had outfitted us with essential Antarctic gear – a winter parka, waterproof backpack, toque, and stainless steel water bottle. There was even a pair of Swarovski binoculars ($1500 retail) for us to borrow for the duration of the cruise for wildlife spotting during our journey.

With 233 crew members attending to 262 passengers, the ship offered an intimate expedition experience. This nearly one-to-one ratio ensured personalized attention throughout our journey.

Preparing for the Expedition

Before setting off, we attended a briefing about the voyage, and a mandatory IAATO briefing on the rules on what we were allowed to do in Antarctica, like how only 100 people are allowed on shore at a time, and rules on maintaining distance to wildlife to avoid potential disease transmission.

Unlike typical cruises, there was no fixed itinerary—our activities in Antarctica would depend entirely on weather conditions. The expedition team informed us that conditions looked good enough to cross the Antarctic Circle, a rare opportunity even for them. On the second day at sea, the crew informed us that we finally crossed the Antarctic Circle, and as a fun thing, everybody received a certificate for this “achievement”.

To protect Antarctica’s pristine environment, we underwent thorough biosecurity checks to ensure we wouldn’t introduce any foreign organic material. Organic material, such as seeds stuck in hiking pants, could disrupt the fragile Antarctic ecosystem.  

Drake Lake or Drake Shake?

The Drake Passage, the body of water between South America and Antarctica, presents a fascinating demonstration of Earth’s natural forces. This stretch of water, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet, features the Antarctic Circumpolar Current – the most powerful current system on Earth. The absence of any landmass allows winds to blow unimpeded around Antarctica, creating the infamous “Roaring Forties,” “Furious Fifties,” and “Screaming Sixties” – terms that reference the increasingly powerful winds found at these latitudes.

The real challenge lies in the Drake Passage’s notorious waves. We prepared for seasickness with medication the night before, though in hindsight, the dosage proved too strong, leaving us groggy throughout the following day. Fortunately, we experienced what’s known as the “Drake Lake” rather than the “Drake Shake” – encountering strong waves only overnight before conditions improved by noon the next day.

Sea Days

With two full days at sea, the crew organized plenty of activities. We explored the ship, which featured several lounges for us to hang out in decorated with Antarctica-themed artwork from various artists. The top deck housed the Zodiacs — small boats we would use to reach the continent.

We also ate a lot. Each day, the lunch buffet featured a different cuisine, and the dinner menus always had items that changed daily. The food was delicious, as is usual for a cruise, but at the end of the day it’s tough for the food to be truly exceptional since the food is made in such high volumes, and more difficult to keep food at their freshest given the time at sea. The open bar was nice too – I looked up a list of common cocktails and ended up trying a different drink every time. Even better was that the bartenders were so good that I’ve been having trouble getting the same cocktails at the same level of quality since I’ve been back.

We toured the bridge, where crew shared stories of recent celebrity visitors including Neil Degrasse Tyson, William Shatner, and Scott Kelly as part of the Space2Sea.io program. One crew member quipped that if he got a dollar every time a guest mentioned hitting an iceberg, he’d be rich.

We also got to tour the submersible garage. They have two subs on board, one named 71-1, and the other 71-2, with 71 representing the percentage of the earth covered in water. Just like how it’s hard to resist joking about hitting icebergs, it was also tough not to mention the OceanGate fiasco too. A sub excursion costs $1000 USD per person for an hour-long tour, so we opted to skip that particular adventure.

Learning About Antarctica

The cruise also offered lecture series, that provided valuable context for our upcoming Antarctic experience. We learned about the Antarctic food chain, where krill forms the foundation of the entire ecosystem. We studied the different penguin species we might encounter – Adelie, Gentoo, and Chinstrap – and learned about the hunting strategies of orcas, who work in teams to create waves that wash seals off ice floes. We didn’t go to all the lectures though since some felt like going back to school, after all I’m on vacation!

Experts explained various ways to define Antarctica’s boundaries – from the obvious land and ice borders to the more complex Antarctic Convergence, where warmer sub-Antarctic waters meet colder Antarctic waters. There are other geometric boundaries too such as simply using the Antarctic Circle, or just defining the borders as all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees south latitude, which is what political treaties use.

Between lectures, we passed time with games of Scrabble, though our enjoyment was somewhat dampened by the grogginess of the seasick medicine, and the feeling we might be getting sick due to the past days of being in transit – a couple of people sounded sick too on the flight to Ushuaia. We focused on rest and hygiene, determined not to let illness prevent us from exploring once we reached the continent. We would have been very disappointed that if after everything we had been through so far, to be bedridden with a fever, would have totally ruined the trip. Cruises are known to quarantine people, and that is a policy that predates COVID.

First Glimpse of Antarctica

Finally, after two days and two nights at sea, we finally reached Antarctica. Icebergs drifted past our balcony, marking our arrival.

Looking through the binoculars, I spotted our first penguin in the distance, a moment that marked the true beginning of our Antarctic adventure.