Petermann Island, Berthelot Islands, Antarctica
Have you seen these great books for kids called “pop-ups?” At first they look like any other book. But turn the page and fanciful images spring to life in 3D. Kids go over the moon with these magical inventions. That was our day. No matter where you looked, at whatever hour, something jumped up to catch our attention. It began early. As we were snug in our bunks before breakfast, an announcement brought us to life. Humpback whales. Not just feeding, swimming, or diving, all of which can be wonderful. These leviathans were breaching: launching themselves clear out of the water to create fabulous waves upon re-entry. Pop-up number one.
The next two poppers had to be earned, but were worth every step. Petermann Island offered two hikes, in opposite directions. After a week of black and white penguins, today we were treated to a new hue: the bright orange coloration that tells one blue-eyed shag that another is ready to mate. In addition to the cobalt blue eye-ring for which these birds get their name, they also host colorful “caruncles” during the courtship season. In the other direction, we hiked to a highland above the Oceanites field camp. Spread below us was an incredible azure scene reaching up to the clearing skies above. Pop-up number three.
After lunch we cruised by Zodiac through the Berthelot Islands. Just as children find shapes in clouds, we found them in icebergs: an elephant here, a witch’s hat there, grottos to the port, giants to the starboard; toadstools, towers, and pinnacles. Pop-ups all around. And that didn’t include crabeater seals that raised their curious heads.
We reached our “furthest south” in Grandidier Channel at 65 degrees, 28 minutes, just as we met for the evening recap. En route back north, the evening sky called us back on deck with great anticipation as we again entered the Lemaire Channel. Instead of the low, grey skies that kept our attention to the water before, we transited this time with glimpses of the sun splashing the 3000-foot peaks that give this channel its nickname, Kodak Gap.
The next time you encounter one of those pop-up books, close your eyes for a moment and remember this day in Antarctica when the unexpected captured our imagination.
Have you seen these great books for kids called “pop-ups?” At first they look like any other book. But turn the page and fanciful images spring to life in 3D. Kids go over the moon with these magical inventions. That was our day. No matter where you looked, at whatever hour, something jumped up to catch our attention. It began early. As we were snug in our bunks before breakfast, an announcement brought us to life. Humpback whales. Not just feeding, swimming, or diving, all of which can be wonderful. These leviathans were breaching: launching themselves clear out of the water to create fabulous waves upon re-entry. Pop-up number one.
The next two poppers had to be earned, but were worth every step. Petermann Island offered two hikes, in opposite directions. After a week of black and white penguins, today we were treated to a new hue: the bright orange coloration that tells one blue-eyed shag that another is ready to mate. In addition to the cobalt blue eye-ring for which these birds get their name, they also host colorful “caruncles” during the courtship season. In the other direction, we hiked to a highland above the Oceanites field camp. Spread below us was an incredible azure scene reaching up to the clearing skies above. Pop-up number three.
After lunch we cruised by Zodiac through the Berthelot Islands. Just as children find shapes in clouds, we found them in icebergs: an elephant here, a witch’s hat there, grottos to the port, giants to the starboard; toadstools, towers, and pinnacles. Pop-ups all around. And that didn’t include crabeater seals that raised their curious heads.
We reached our “furthest south” in Grandidier Channel at 65 degrees, 28 minutes, just as we met for the evening recap. En route back north, the evening sky called us back on deck with great anticipation as we again entered the Lemaire Channel. Instead of the low, grey skies that kept our attention to the water before, we transited this time with glimpses of the sun splashing the 3000-foot peaks that give this channel its nickname, Kodak Gap.
The next time you encounter one of those pop-up books, close your eyes for a moment and remember this day in Antarctica when the unexpected captured our imagination.
