We woke to another sunny day anticipating a landing on the mainland of Antarctica at Neko Harbour. A gentoo penguin colony was visible from the ship when we arrived. Neko Harbour is surrounded by rugged peaks and expansive and active glaciers. During breakfast, we were startled by the rumbling and crackling of an avalanche high above the placid bay. Gigantic chunks of ice and clouds of snow dust cascaded into the bay.
Curious gentoos greeted us when we arrived on land. We witnessed the gentoos nesting. They build their nests with small pebbles and are known to steal rocks from each other. This colony is monitored by Penguin Watch with the support of National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions.
Our lunch was delayed a few minutes to witness a pod of killer whales swimming near the ship. We soon noticed that a humpback whale was swimming with the orcas. In the afternoon, we arrived in Paradise Harbour, surrounded by snowy peaks and clear, calm water. We spent the afternoon kayaking before participating in a polar plunge. Many guests were excited to earn their commemorative patch by jumping into the frigid water. This was a spectacular final day on the peninsula.
Written by Bree Oatman and Jenny Hartigan, Grosvenor Teacher Fellows
