After last night’s landing at Prospect Point, we moved farther south during the night. In the morning, National Geographic Endurance positioned herself near Detaille Island. Here, two activities were offered, and guests could try both. The first option was a landing on Detaille Island, where a British station existed for several years during the 1960s. The station remains in good condition, and the kitchen is still stocked with canned and dry food from 60 years ago. The geology of the island is quite interesting as well. Malachite–a relatively rare mineral and gemstone–was observed in several locations around the station. Guests also took Zodiac cruises to see gentoo penguins on one of the small islands nearby.
During lunch, we moved close to a nearby tidewater glacier where another Zodiac cruise was offered. The ocean near the glacier front was packed with sea ice and icebergs, and the Zodiac cruise turned out to be an adventure among the floating ice. Some of the icebergs were enormous, towering more than 100 meters above the water level. The corresponding underwater parts must have been around 700 meters deep. Adelie penguins and crabeater seals were scattered among the ice. The scene was enchanting with such an impressive variety of icebergs.
And this wasn’t the end of the day. In the late evening, National Geographic Endurance cruised through a narrow passage called the Gullet, located between Adelaide Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. At one point, the passage was almost blocked by an iceberg, but the bridge team’s skillful maneuvering allowed us to pass through it.
