Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey takes us across the Antarctic waters of southern Drake Passage passing the southern end of the South Shetland Islands into Dallmann Bay reaching the Melchior Islands. We cruise through a channel between the islands to drop anchor a little offshore from Melchior Base on Observatorio Island. From there we have a zodiac cruise around the base before returning to the ship and heading out over the top of Anvers Island to following offshore from the Antarctic Peninsula southwards.
Today's Journey
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I head to the bridge first thing in the morning. We are passing the South Shetland Islands and approaching the islands offshore from the Antarctic Peninsula. The good conditions across the Drake Passage means we are now expecting to arrive well ahead of our original schedule, now expecting to arrive in the mid to late afternoon. |
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For much of the day the air is thick with haze from which snow falls so we are only able to see a couple of kilometres in this eerily still open water. |
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The first sighting of Antarctica appearing through the thick mist in the mid afternoon. |
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Passing the rocky headlands and icy hills of the Melchior Islands as we look for our first anchorage. |
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Reaching Melchior Base where we drop anchor. As we have arrived well ahead of schedule and the snow clearing, we decide to do a zodiac cruise here. |
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Cruising close to the Argentine owned research station at Melchior Base. |
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A storage facility at the base, where supplies can be dropped off by sea and stored for the entire season. The researchers who have stayed here over this summer have already returned to Argentina. |
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Taking the zodiacs further around the bay under the ice covered islands. |
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One of two Antarctic terns darting around us as we explore the bay. |
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We return to the ship which heads back out to sea to head south. The weather here is going to turn for the worse over the next couple of days, but further south is looking very clear, so we now make a beeline for the Antarctic Circle. |
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