In the morning, our ship entered Ardvoord Bay. A spectacular view greeted us—a repeating pattern of differently coloured cliffs, including cliffs of ice and black rock outcrops. The first activity was a Zodiac cruise. The mirror flat water was choked with pieces of ice of all sizes, from tiny bits to magnificent icebergs that measure up to 70 meters tall. The second activity was landing on the mainland of the Antarctic Peninsula. Guests visited a site known as Neko Harbour, which has multiple rookeries of gentoo penguins along a looping, snowy mountain hike. The highest point of this hike offers a view of the entire bay. Tiny specks of Zodiacs were visible in the distance, many kilometers away, which offered a scale to reference this vast landscape.
In the afternoon, the ship sailed to the second landing site, Danco Island, where guests set their feet on Antarctic snow one last time. A steep hike to the top of the island offered a spectacular view all around.
In the evening, our ship entered the famous Lemaire Channel, and everyone gathered on the decks and on the bridge to enjoy the breathtaking views of towering basalt cliffs on both sides of the ship. At the end of the channel, the ship stopped and guests watched a sunset over silhouettes of icebergs on the horizon.
