We awoke at 6.30am just as the Sea Adventurer entered the Grand Passage on route to Cape Reclus and Charlotte Bay. In parts, the passage was only a few 100 metres wide blocked on both sides by sea ice and icebergs. It is a very bizarre experience waking up and seeing an iceberg floating by your window not more than 25m away.
A few humpback whales also decided to say good morning, so we knew it was going to be a good one indeed. While we were still excited by the humpbacks, we quickly went inside to get ready to go ashore. We were in Group Amundsen and would have the privilege of being in the first zodiac going ashore. Our destination was Portal Point – quite literally a portal to the land mass. For a few of the expeditions on this trip we would be visiting some of the islands that dot the shore. But this was actual Antarctica.
Stepping onto Antarctica!
We were greeted by a huge elephant seal basking on the rocks. I say basking, but I actually think he was just too lazy to move! The sunshine from an hour before had been replaced by low cloud and a light snow.
We decided to climb up the hill above the bay – a walk of about 250m. The snow looked pristine and the climb not too steep. Thinking it would be like walking on a ski slope, we set off. It was only a few steps later that we realised it would be more like walking off-piste on a ski slope, at any moment you would suddenly sink thigh deep in snow. We spent about two hours wandering the area and encountering a few penguins and one crabeater seal. All this time, elephant seal bull just lay about as if knowing it would feature in the highlight reel.
