Cruise to Antarctica - excursion to Paradise Bay

March 6th, 2005

After a two days cruise of the stormy Drake Passage, the ship is now anchored just off the Antarctic peninsula coast. The first zodiac cruise and landing is made among the spectacular landscape of Paradise Bay, near the closed Argentinian station of Almirante Brown, where there is also a nice colony of molting Gentoo penguins.

After two days cruise of Drake Passage, the cruise ship is getting closer to Antarctica peninsula. Tomorrow will be an expedition day!

This is the scenery where I wake up during my first day in Antarctica. In the picture a panorama of Paradise Bay along Antarctic peninsula.

Our first zodiac cruise in within Paradise Bay, discovering a world made of ice. In the pictures, a huge Antarctica glacier flowing into the sea.

Picture of a calving glacier. Suddenly, with a tremendous thunder, a glacier calves an enormous iceberg.

A leopard seal comes closer to the zodiac, perhaps just curious about us.

Pictures of the abandoned Argentina base of Almirante Brown in Antarctica.

In Paradise Bay and around Almirante Brown station, there is a small colony of Gentoo penguins that, in early March, are molting.

Photos of molting penguins at Paradise Bay. They are all Gentoo penguins, changing their feathers before the winter comes.

Pictures of gentoo penguin.

More Gentoo pictures.

I climb a small hill, from where there is a beautiful view all around on the glaciers ending into Paradise Bay.

On the left picture, a lichen growing on a rock. On the right picture: three skuas.

After enough time of zodiac cruise and hiking on land, the zodiacs fetch the passengers back to the cruise ship.

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