Day 8 How far South ?

Day 7 – Sunday February 21th into the Antarctic Circle

We were awoken over the ships PA at around 6.30 AM and advised that we were about 2 miles from the Antarctic Circle and if people wanted to enjoy that moment, head up on deck or to the Bridge – so I headed up to the Bridge were you can watch all the displays, and that’s what exactly what I did. I crossed into Antarctic Circle around 07.00AM Sunday 21^st February 2016. There was a lot of cheering and ships horn blowing. We had made it further south than most on these trips.

We proceeded south through the ice, incredible ice flows, icebergs, wildlife in fact I have run out of superlatives on the experiences that I am seeing and sensing, and I am not even half way through my adventure. We finally came to this huge iceberg, then started to steam into the pack ice, after all Orion is an ice strengthened ship, we kept going until the ship could go no further and was stopped by the ice. I need to let the pictures tell this story methinks

This all happening before 10.30AM so then on the rear deck a traditional German “Fruhschoppen” was held – Sausages, Beer and Bloody Mary’s – The Captain is German.

We continued to sail into Crystal Sound and everyone after the thrills of the morning had either gone to their cabins, were siting in the lounge reading, chatting to friends, and looking at their photographs!

By lunchtime we had arrived at Crystal Sound and yet another announcement “come and see this iceberg” someone on deck explained that is was “cathedral like” I think that was a very good description. I do not think any photograph can truly do this phenomenon justice, it was a maze of ice caves and cavern’s with incredible amounts of blue ice.

We steamed on further and further south continuing through ice flows, beautiful surroundings in Crystal Sound. Then a pod of Killer Whales is sighted, a dozen or more – What next I ask myself?

Onward we go after watching the whales for an hour or so finally arriving at pack ice. The Captain drove the ship into the ice and the adventures continued. Back in the zodiacs and off to go kayaking around the sound. Forty-five minutes later are back in the Zodiacs heading across the bay as a Emperor Penguin has been spotted, I did not realize how rare they are, this animal stayed for hours in fact after dinner (long long day light hours here) you could, if you wish go back out on the ice. The Captain even insisted that he sent his crew to see the penguin, as it is such a rare sight here.

To try to convey the experience and excitement of the day, bearing in mind we had all crossed in to the Antarctic Circle at around 7.00AM that morning. There was a point when all were back onboard the ship, which was much later than normal days. People were all in the lounge and the Captain, plus what they call Expedition Leader walked through and there was spontaneous applause, why? Because by that time we knew we had seen incredible things in previous days, but this day just topped all that, we were now further south than the majority of these trips ever get…I keep saying it but lucky me I really do feel that way.

Tonight when all tucked up in our cabins the ship will turn around and head north towards South Georgia and then onto The Falkland Islands. My understanding is that most of tomorrow will be steaming but I am sure that will be punctuated by lectures, which are worth attending.

Over and out ……..