As soon as we are finished with the zodiac cruise we are off towards the south of the island- to get some protection from the upcoming wind, in the island’s wind shadow. We do this in Cooper’s Bay. We have a pre –breakfast cruise to see the second crested penguin species of the trip- Macaronis!! It’s rare to see these penguins as they breed on steep and rather inaccessible mountainsides. A penguin has got to eat though-and we catch them waddling down the hill from their rookery, and into the ocean. To top off this glorious morning we also spot a leopard seal- and take in its power and size.
As the winds pick up, so do the wave heights on our way to Drygalski Fjord and the wind howls through the funnel created by the fjord. The views of the glaciers that terminate in and above the fjord are breathtaking though and we all brave the winds and hang around outside on the bow. The fjord terminates with three glaciers coming into its waters. The ship stops here for a while for us to soak it in, and as we turn around the winds start to die off a bit and the sun appears, which adds another dimension and brilliant blue skies too. It is in this fjord that one is most likely to spot the snow petrel, as it is their prime breeding ground. These are elegant, completely white birds. We spot several pretty quickly, but one flies just above my head, and with the sun shining on it from above makes it looks just like an angel!
