A Once in a Lifetime Experience

Danko Island/Neko Harbour

Antarctic Peninsula 

Nov 2024

I recently returned from a tour of the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. A trip of a lifetime.

Stunning scenery at Neko Harbour.

 There was just so much to take in. Birds, whales, icebergs and spectacular scenery. I'll never forget my first iceberg. Absolutely stunning. 

Dense crystals absorb long wavelengths of light which makes the ice to appear blue.

There was so much to see there was hardly a moment to sleep or eat. Warm sunny days one day, three metre waves and blowing snow the next. It was an extraordinary and exhilarating experience being tossed around by an angry Southern Atlantic Ocean. An adrenaline rush for sure. Feeling so small in a vast ocean gave much pause for thought.

Moored in Neko Harbour and the arrival of the Gentoo Penguins.

Every day, each landing seemed better than the last. There were seventeen zodiac landings during the twenty day voyage. Neko Harbour was just one good example, a magical place that on our arrival seemed desolate, except for the odd Snow Petrel, Antarctic Tern and Brown Skua. 

Snow Petrels is often seen around ice flows. 

Although not a birding tour per se there was an expert ornithologist on board to help us familarise ourselves with varied species of Albatross and Petrel. We may have missed seeing an Emperor Penguin I won't be losing any sleep over it. My philosophy in life is simple, I get what I get and don’t get upset.

Gentoo Penguin.

On arrival in Neko Harbour the water was teeming with Gentoo Penguins. We were told something special was about to unfold. Timing was everything. We were in luck. From the ship a few dozen or so Gentoo Penguins could be seen on shore. On a rocky outcrop high above the ridge more gentoos had already staked out nesting sites. The main colony was yet to make landfall. There was much anticipation as we boarded our Zodiacs. All around penguins were 'flying' out of the water. 

A Gentoo porpoising.

As we approached shore penguins were porpoising out of the water either frolicking, feeding on krill or just figuring out the best strategy to make it on land. It is hard to convey what a magical a sight it was. 

Hundreds perhaps thousands of Gentoos were milling around in the bay, readying themselves to find an prime spot to nest. 

Prime nesting spots.

As the days lengthened, snow began to thaw, revealing rocky outcrops peppered with nesting spots (above). Some birds had already arrived prior to our visit but the vast majority of the colony were yet to arrive. 

 

A Gentoo Penguin leaps from the ocean.

Predicting where a penguin might emerge from the ocean was guessing game. There were often lulls in the action. Patience and luck were required. A 500mm lens enabled me to keep a respectful distance. I chose 1/5000 of a second to capture the penguins mid-air.

Gentoo Penguins lauch themselves from the water.

The ice shelf was perhaps two to three metres from water level. To make the transition from the frigid ocean to land, the penguins had to take a run and launch themselves from the water.

and another success....

Gentoo footprints in the snow.

  After landing we hiked to higher ground to watch a glacier calving. A thundering crack and an avalanche of ice sent a ripple across the bay. 

The colony settles in for the night. 

Everyone felt privileged to witness to one of nature's great sights. We were told this particular event only takes place one time, one day and once per season and for an approximate duration of no more than a couple of hours. What were the odds.*

Note how high the breeding colony is situated from the water's edge.

Everything about the G Adventures trip was exemplary. There was much more than just the wildlife and scenery. There is a century or more of history, of adventures and daring explorations. We touched on that too, retracing some of Ernest Shackleton's perilous adventures. Many others put the region on the map and brought Antarctic's wonder to a wider audience when news would take weeks or even months to reach an eager public. Those early explorers were akin to todays' rock stars. Celebrities in their own right.

In conclusion: Antarctic tourism is booming. How popular will be the next challenge. Ships are getting larger and more eco tourists like myself will want to visit. That will be the continents greatest challenge along with global warming, overfishing and global instability.

 

* A few hundred birds had already arrived a days earlier but the main colony arrived the day we visited.

"It's never too late to take a trip of a lifetime"

John Gordon (JOGO)

johngordonphotography.com