All those animals

26 January 2014

We have now arrived at the last miles of the Drake Passage. A beautiful day and no wind. On all sides the beauty of nature. The day started with the first iceberg, at 5 miles from the ship. Soon after we saw seven Fin whales passing us. Then we saw several kinds of birds: albatrosses, Cape petrels, Southern giant petrels and skuas.
Around noon we were surrounded by Humpback whales and Fin whales, and we saw the first Antarctic fur seals and Chinstrap penguins.
Right now, just after a lovely dinner prepared by our cook Fennardie, and near Table Island, again a number of Humpback whales, some 6 of them, sometimes surfacing just meters from the ship. All around is the sound of clicking cameras, and some ‘whow’ and ‘ooooh’.
Seeing this on the first day out here, what treasures are ahead of us!!