Antarctic shag at Paradise Bay, Christmas Eve, 2011
We began our day at Paradise Bay, a place seemingly aptly named, at least if one does not expect paradise to be laden with tropical fruits. Instead, this paradise was a vast Elysian hall of ice. Bergs of every sort surrounded the ship, calling to mind swans, crocodiles, or islands of respectable acreage. By Zodiac we visited this icy menagerie, and neared its source. Then, huge glaciers towered all around us, their otherwise pristine surfaces rent by colossal cracks that seemed to emanate a sapphire glow. Indeed, the cracking was so severe that some glaciers resembled a drunken cityscape, with hoary towers leaning at odd angles, or slumped on one another. Though rendered primarily in black and white, this paradise was not without highlights of color. Cliffs were clad in brightly colored lichens, and enlivened by surprisingly vivid mineral streaks.
Antarctic shags reflect the world in which they live. At first glance they appear merely pied, but closer inspection reveals striking color. From our Zodiacs we saw these creatures augmenting their nests, feeding reptilian-looking chicks, bathing, and diving with an impressive head-first leap. And we saw the birds looking their best — in breeding season, bright blue skin surrounds their eyes, and orange excrescences festoon their foreheads. Never have facial warts been so enticing!
Late in the morning, perhaps inspired by the seals and seabirds we had been seeing, many opted for a polar plunge. A record number of travelers leapt into the icy water, demonstrating great courage, or perhaps other remarkable mental characteristics.
By afternoon we had moved to Neko Harbor. The Captain brought the ship so close to land that one could almost jump from the bow to the beach, though most opted for a short Zodiac ride. Once ashore we walked past a colony of Gentoo penguins – now familiar friends, though ever engrossing ones. Many went on to climb a snowy hill, where views of the ship in its icy bay and the nearby glacier were fantastic. Rather than face a sweaty trudge back to the beach, many simply jumped from the hillside, riding a backside-toboggan to lower elevation.
Returning to the ship, we celebrated Christmas with a smorgasbord and carols after dinner. When we sang about dreaming of a white Christmas, most of us were pretty sure of a positive outcome.
