Tuesday 11 February 2014

Gone fishing

Overnight we sailed north back around Adelaide Island into Crystal Sound arriving at the norther end of Crystal Sound and Fish Islands near Prospect Point around 0830. 
The sun was shining and the magnificent peak towering above Fish Islands was in full view. The Fish Islands are a group of small low laying islands that are home to 4000 pairs of Adelie Penguins as well as Blue-eyed Shags. 

The chicks are now almost fully fledged and many have already taken to the water. But we all enjoyed the comical haircuts of the chick still left on the island. 
There was also still a lot of parent-chick interactions and feeding. Some of us enjoyed a scenic kayaking whilst others went cruising seeing at close quarters Minky Whales and Crabeater Seals.


After lunch we headed further north through the Grandidier Channel full of ice floes and bergs to Petermann Island. 
We got there in the late afternoon and started immediately with all the activities: landing for all passengers, kayaking for some, and cruising in Iceberg Cemetery for others. 
Just as its name says, this shallow waters between Booth and Planeau Islands is full of beautifully shaped grounded icebergs and very often, like today, we get to see many Crabeater Seals resting on the ice floes. 
The camp was also prepared during the landing and a lucky bunch went over to Petermann Island to spend the night in the company of penguins and a Fur Seal.