Ship's Log: We awoke to a foggy and overcast morning as the M/V Corinthian navigated the final miles towards Mikkelesen Harbor. The site is named after a sealer captain’s wife named Caroline Mikkelsen, who was the first woman to visit Antarctica. The Zodiac ride from the ship into the harbor was beautiful (and a little wet!). All around the tiny island where we would make our morning landing there are glaciers spilling over the mountains. During the entire landing, we could hear the glaciers moving slowly towards the sea, making loud creaking and cracking noises. Some of us were lucky enough to see some of the glacier face calve off into the bay.
The remains of an old water boat and the ribs, vertebrae, and partial skulls of a several Humpback Whales greeted us on the beach, evidence of the site’s use during the whaling era. A number of young male fur seals were also scattered along the shoreline. Many of us had a hard time noticing them because they were so well camouflaged with the rocks.
The zodiacs were lowered and we prepared to make our way to the shore. I was impressed with the speed and efficiency in which the crew could lower and prepare the zodiacs for our excursions.
A Weddell seal
A fur seal
The remains of a water boat. They were called water boats because they were used by the whaling ships to come ashore and load them down with mounds of snow that could be taken back to the larger ship to replenish the fresh water supply.
A Skua grabbed a young Gentoo penguin and drug it down the hill. Watching nature was a little hard for some of the group (one of the women wanted to go rescue it) but it exciting for me to see the order of survival. I won't posted the very graphic pictures of what was left a little later.
We hiked through the soft snow cover to reach the other side of the island.
Gentoo penguin
Gentoo penguins on their nests. I found it funny that they were all facing the same direction like they were watching something on the beach. When I asked about the behavior, they said it was to protect their young from the winds.
A mother with her chick
These proud parents left their chick in the nest then started squawking.
This elephant seal made himself comfortable lying across the penguin trail making them go around.
He eventually moved from the trail.
Coming in from feeding.
A Skua sitting on its nest.
Looking back you can see some of the crew still on the snow taking up the trail markers.
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