Antarctica - The Amazing and Spontaneous Surprise, the Incredibly Beautiful Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island, Plendeau Bay

 

We had been anticipating the beautiful Lemaire Channel, along with the Pleneau Bay. This area is one of the top tourist destinations in Antarctica. There are steep cliffs that hem in the iceberg-filled passage. This passage was originally discovered in 1873.  Icebergs fill the Channel, creating a beautiful view along with a challenging cruise....and of course there are the incredibly beautiful icebergs!

 

The sighting of this Penguin was an absolute surprise!  We were eating dinner and Iggy came over the ship intercom, saying an adolescent Emperor Penguin had been sighted nearby they he felt we needed to go immediately, if we wanted to see him.  We all leaped our of our seats in the middle of dinner and ran to our cabins to put on our gear.

 

Penguins annually go through a moulting process, during which period the Penguin loses its feathers and they are replaced with new waterproof feathers. During this molting period the Penguin is unable to go to see and as a result is unable to eat during this time. This is a very stressful period. 

 
Crabeater Seals are only found in Antarctica. Often these Seals have scars and other injuries that are velieved to been caused by an encounter with either Killer Whales or Leopard Seals.  We saw many Crabeater Seals dozing on ice flows and often were able to see these guys close up.