12/15 Ice Floe landing

We’re back – and yes indeed – we had our big surprise:  landing on an ice floe!  Jerome announced the surprise and told the red group (us) to be ready in 20 minutes  – we ran.  We were in the forward lounge anyway, so it was seconds to our cabin, 2 minutes to get into gear and we were down in line for the marina within minutes. First zodiac out – this is amazing!

We are cruising through the ice. Simon is our driver and he’s navigating around big chunks of ice, breaking up the little sheets – about an inch thick.  Then we land….we are the first people on the ice floe besides the photographer and expedition leaders.  We’re floating on ice in the middle of the Wilhelmina Bay!!  Talk about once in a lifetime!

And then – as if that weren’t enough – here comes a penguin to visit. Guess he wanted to see what all the fuss was about – so up he pops from the water – and he just wanders about.  Sometimes heading for us – sometimes flapping his little wings for balance. 

Of course we have way too little time out there – but we do have to share – so being first on – we’re first to leave.  We take the “long way” back (so long in fact that our zodiac driver is called from the ship and told to come back!) – but it’s worth it.  This is the same guy who drove us back the first day in the drenching seas – so he’s adventurous.  We’re breaking through virgin ice and navigating around house size icebergs (or floes, or fast ice, don’t know which is the correct term).

We’re back on the ship way too fast – but wow! What a great experience and surprise.  We are in the cabin, watching everyone return on the front web cam when we notice that the Captain is sailing the ship closer and closer to the ice flow….hmmm…..  Off we go to the forward lounge to check it out.  Here comes the videographer – off the ice flow onto a zodiac – and there is all the expedition staff and some crew on the ice flow as the ship closes in.  Slowly, slowly, ever so tantalizing, the Captain nudges the ship forward until the nose of it actually touches the ice floe! Nathalie, the awesome ship photographer is down there snapping away and all the staff is whooping it up.  What a sight! Wow!

Ok – so we’re now off again – everyone is back aboard and we are sailing through Wilhelmina bay in thickening ice and snow. Talk about navigation.  Steering around icebergs, large tableau ice shapes, and increasingly thick ice.  Wild.  The Ushuaia (a ship we saw in port) is also out here, anchored with excursions off in zodiacs.  She almost looks abandoned or like a ghost ship through the thick, wet snowflakes. 

We end up staying on deck until around 6 – and missing the show.  Oh well, of course, that means we’re in our cabins when Jerome announces our evening excursions:  Cuverville Island – home of 10,000 penguins!  Oh yeah!  We have time for dinner, since we’re not leaving until 9:00.  Ok – remember “You will not sleep!”