Neko Harbour

Wednesday November 8th 2023
West of Antarctic Peninsula - Cruise Expedition Day 17  - Antarctic Peninsula, Geriache Strait, Neko Harbour, Cuverville Island
Gentoo Penguin Arrival Day

am: Wake-up call at 05:45, breakfast 06:00 to 07:00, 07:15 scouting party deployed.
Only a handful of penguins present (less than 20).  Landings commenced.  I was on the 5th Zodiac and I spotted a raft of gentoo penguins porpoising towards the shore.  Once on shore, more and more penguins arrived until an estimated over 1000 individuals were climbing up the snow to re-open their colony for the season.  Since the rule is that penguins have right of way, it rather hindered our own progress and our leaders had to close off the first route and flag an alternative so as not to interfere with the gentoos.  At last I got to meet with some of my relatives!
Great setting, brilliant scenery with good light to start with but mistiness and cloud increased throughout the morning.  Snow flurries at lunchtime.

pm:  Ship upped anchor and started to move round to Cuverville Island and very soon, some humpback whales were spotted surfacing close to the ship.  The captain stopped the ship for a few minutes to allow better observation and photography.
I captured a couple of blows, some dorsal fins and two different tail flukes raised briefly out of the water.

Blizzard developed, stayed onboard.

Computer playing up so don't know if I will be able to post here over the next few days.  Fingers crossed.