This might have been the best day of our whole trip. We saw an “iceberg bay” from our morning window with steep snow-covered cliffs all around. It was cozy with lots to look at. On our Zodiac ride into Hidden Bay, we saw a Weddell seal, two leopard seals (both sunning on small icebergs), Pintado petrels, calving cliffs, (which can kick up huge waves so we were taught how to duck for cover inside the boat). We found floating ice (pure, not snow) and learned that icebergs are very dangerous because they are massive underwater and sometimes turn over, causing death and destruction— all good to know!  Much later in the day, we were treated to a really big surprise. 

At lunch, we made plans to combine our reservations with Nick and Lauren so that six of us will be able to dine together tonight at Manfredi’s and finally share the small surprise that I’ve packed specifically for the trip!

We spent the afternoon in the SOV (Special Operations Vehicle), which looks much like the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland and is complete with the patter from the tour guide. As we viewed nearby cliffs and distant scenery, we learned how to avoid small boat “ice-dangers” and then got caught in one!  It all started when the ship decided to move locations while were out— oh yes, what a feeling to see Mother Ship sail away while on the Jungle Cruise. The only way to reach the new location was to sail through “brash ice” (think floating rocks everywhere), which this boat has not yet been rated for. This worried our little crew, on their brand new ship, but in the search of a path, we also found ‘sea ice”.  

This is something that shouldn’t exist this time of year because it is the first to melt when summer comes. Sea ice is distinguishable by its flatness and slightly yellowish tint. While icebergs are mountains of freshwater and are often bluish-white, sea ice is frozen seawater that forms to cover shallow bits of sea, much like a frozen lake back home. Icebergs break off from mounding snowpack on land, while sea ice just grows. It is sea ice that trapped Shackleton’s Endurance, and sea ice that socks in the Weddell Sea every year. This ice was here because this has been a particularly cold and snowy year. The bay near us is still socked in with it, enough so that that bay is not on our itinerary. Some must have broken off and floated free. Now that we looked around, it was everywhere, and another problem. Our chatty guides cut all conversation, because quite serious, and slowly made a path through the ice— all chunks that hit our little boat or scraped against it, made horrible sounds. There were cheers when we made it through without losing the rudder!

When we finally returned to the ship, we all checked the underside of the hull and saw possible new dents and scraps from the encounter with so much brash ice. So that little boat is no longer brand new—but the crew now knows it can take it. As we walked forward through the hangar, we passed the submarines, those huge glass bubbles with green hatches, (like another Disneyland ride).  Terrific to see them up close, but we have heard little and think they will not be available for this cruise at all and never until they are fully repaired. 

Later, at possibly 6 pm, we heard an emergency announcement from the bridge. “This is your captain speaking.”  This is often followed by a weather report or other natural conditions. This time it was to tell us that Lars, the resident ornithologist, had spotted a very rare sighting of a single Emperor penguin juvenile on the iceberg we were just passing. Chaos ensued as everyone all over the ship (passengers and scientists) dropped both books and toothbrushes to run with cameras and binoculars for the starboard rail. Excitement turned to camaraderie as everyone made room for one more so that everyone could see. This is a very unusual find for this time of year, so unusual that after 20 voyages, this was Lars’s first sighting ever! Emperors roost much further inland all winter long and rarely move through this area at all. We were told “no emperors” for this trip and yet here was a juvenile. The captain slowed the ship so that everyone could take pictures. John and I were running back and forth below decks when the announcement came. He looked out the window at the passing iceberg and said we should go to the 5th deck. I said I would meet him there. Then I pushed the button to roll down our giant window (which is awfully slow when you’re in a hurry!) We were right on top of the iceberg, but no penguin. John was right, 5th deck. Up went the slow window, but as it was going up, the penguin stepped around the corner of his icy deck, right into my private view. Down went the window and I got a photo. Hooray!

I ran up to the 5th deck and found John and we stood together, taking pictures and making films of this little gal who still had a little bit of fluff around her collar. She didn’t seem anxious but walked a bit this way and that, preened a bit, looked around, and posed for photos. Lars explained later that this big chick would be fine. As soon as the last of her downy feathers fell off, she would be waterproof and ready to jump or toboggan off that berg, into the water to find friends and food. She was going to be just fine. Smile, smile.

At dinner that night with our new friends, to celebrate the sighting of the Emperor Penguin, we brought out our own little surprise— the small bottle of Shackleton whisky that we’d smuggled from home!  I mentioned this to Lauren and Nick a few days earlier, but we have all been so busy with our events that we hadn’t set a time. Finally, the time was now. John told the story of the original bottles being found under the floorboards of the hut from Shackleton’s first journey (and with permission reproduced into this blend) and I produced the bottle—enough for everyone at the table to have two “glugs” each! Cheers to the voyage, to Emperor penguins, and new friends, cheers all around! We had spectacular dining followed by a movie on Roald Amundsen. Good night!