Chilean base Videla
Date: 14-02-07
Cuverville to Paradise
11:15 Position 64˚50’7.S 062˚31’88.W Floating a round in NekoHarbour
Weather: A calm day misty morning little snow in the afternoon
When we wake up the deckhouse is decorated with hearts and flower, its valentines day. Even the penguins seem to be a little nicer to each other.
In the morning we slowly steam to Neko harbour, breakfast is not even finished while a pod of humpbacks is spotted.
A curious leopard seal watches us closely when we lower the zodiac and dropping anchor and follows the zodiacs navigating between the icebergs to and from the shore.
Ashore we have time to stroll along the beach packed with Gentoos. It is the first time we are at the continent itself! We also see a nest with two very young chicks. There is even a lonesome Adélie penguin, a specie we haven’t seen yet.
After a nice stroll watching some ice break of from the glacier close by.
Its lunch time but many people have a hard time leaving this beautiful spot.
Than we are underway to Paradise bay but halfway we are invited to visit Videla station a Chilean base. We have a look at the small museum and the quest for the white morph penguin doesn’t succeed. Its also hard to see with many covered in penguin guano.
Lots of ice floating by in strong current force us to go anchor up.
We stay a float with out anchor drifting around in Paradise bay.
After dinner we lower the boat for a moonlight cruise underway we encounter beautiful big red jelly fishes (Dipleumaris antarctica). Big pieces of ice the size of city busses break of with the sound of heavy thunder when we cruise past.
