It was quite overcast with intermittent rain when Tim and I went to breakfast this morning. Viking Octantis was not scheduled to arrive in Mikkelsen Harbor until 1:00 pm, so I knew there was a good chance that the weather would change, hopefully for the better.
After attending the Daily Briefing, which took place this morning instead of yesterday afternoon, the weather did improve, and the sail-in to Mikkelsen Harbour was beautiful. Mikkelsen Harbour is a small bay on the south side of Trinity Island that is lined with stunning ice cliffs. Beginning in the nineteenth century, the bay was first used by sealing vessels and later by Norwegian whaling boats.
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| Dramatic Ice Cliffs Surround Mikkelsen Harbour |
The destination for our zodiac landing was D’Hainaut Island, a small, rocky island inside the bay. The island contains a very large population of Gentoo penguins, and their rookeries were scattered throughout. Some were located on rocky hillsides, while others were near the shore or at the base of a weather station. We were told that a few had already laid eggs.
The paths established by the Expedition Team took us by many of the rookeries, and the penguins were much easier to see than the Chinstrap penguins yesterday. We also spotted a few seals.
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| Gentoo Penguins Typically Nest on Rocky Areas |
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| Gentoo Penguins Were Everywhere on the Island |
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| More Gentoo Penguins |
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| Seals Also Frequented the Island |
Tim and I were curious about the island's whaling artifacts, including a large accumulation of whale bones and the remains of an old whaling boat. These artifacts serve as a stark reminder of the area's past as a whaling station and are protected under Antarctic Treaty guidelines.
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| Whaling Artifacts |
Also on the island is an uninhabited Argentinian shelter hut surrounded by a large penguin rookery.
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| Argentinian Hut and More Penguins |
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| Sarah and Tim During Our Second Landing in Antarctica |
All too soon, it was time to head back to the ship after a great visit. We did not set sail until 8:00 pm, and the icy cliffs were even more beautiful in the evening light.
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| Zodiac Ride Back to Viking Octantis |
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| Scenery As We Left Mikkelsen Harbour |
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