In addition to both the regular shore visit and a Zodiac tour, we were also given the option of kayaking in the area, so that’s what we all did.

The National Geographic Explorer includes an easy to assemble kayaking platform which floats in the ocean

We were in the Group B kayak group, meaning we left the National Geographic Explorer at 9:15am by Zodiac, getting to a special floating kayak launch platform in the open seas, and then getting in two-person kayaks. Bas and I were in one kayak, and Linda and Krystyana in another.

Krystyana and Linda in a kayak at Pourquoi Pas island

We spent about an hour paddling around, looking at the floating chunks of ice, the glacier cliff, and various critters on bits of land (and a penguin on one of the ice floes too).

Another gorgeously colored glacial ice berg

The bits of ice in the water ranged in size from the size of a pack of cards to larger than our house. We were warned during our briefing to stay away from anything taller than us because they were dangerous and unstable.

One small iceberg had an Adelie (pronounced “Ah-Dell-Ee”) penguin on it, and on a nearby rock outcropping we found a group of fur seals.

Fur seals line the rock outcroppings at Pourquoi Pas Island

I also took the opportunity to approach a smaller “berg bit” and break off a chunk of ice to taste it. I was surprised to find that it tasted pure – not a bit of salt. Apparently, with glacial ice, even floating in the water, the saline of ocean water does not penetrate beyond the surface of the ice.

After our kayak workout, we were taken to shore at nearby Bongrain Point, a landing on Pourquoi Pas Island, where we found numerous small groups of Adelie penguins on a broad expanse of rock rubble and a glacial moraine (deposits of rock left by receding glaciers).

Adelie penguins observing the National Geographic Explorer

Penguins prefer to enter the water in groups to reduce the risk of predation of any one particular penguin

Adelie penguins leaping into the water to go feed

A swimming Adelie penguin

We found many of the rocks on shore covered by lichen, a fungal spore “plant” which can be hundreds of years old and grows very slowly. Lichen are the most populous plant family found in Antarctica, as regular tall plants simply cannot survive the climate. There’s a rare specie of grass, two flower plants, and several mosses that grow in the Antarctic, but not much else that will grow on land.

Lichen grow surprisingly abundantly in the Antarctic

Close-up of the same lichens seen previously

A different set of lichens on a rock at Pourquoi Pas Island

Later in the day our progress was interrupted by a pod of over twenty killer whales, and we got to spend nearly an hour following them around.

Six orcas swim together in the frigid waters of Antarctica

We stumbled across some crabeater seals relaxing on an ice floe while watching the orcas nearby

Two orcas with a glacier in the distance

Our cetacean mammal researcher, Stephanie Martin, went out on a Zodiac in order to use her special crossbow and quarrels to try an obtain a DNA sample from one of the orcas, but after a half hour was forced to return to the Explorer, unsuccessful in her efforts.

Our cetacean specialist Stephanie pursues a bull killer whale with a crossbow to get a DNA sample

Our day ended with what is likely to be our only passage through an ice pack. The ice pack was loose, composed of countless chunks of varying size of ice. But what was thoroughly impressive was the loud grinding noise that accompanied our ten minute passage through the ice pack.

Linda and I watched the forward progress of the Explorer through the ice pack on the TV in our cabin, and the trailing progress from our balcony at the rear of the ship. Pretty amazing.

Each cabin on the National Geographic Explorer has a TV on which the view from a forward mounted camera can be seen - here we are in a loose ice pack

This is what the loose ice pack looks like - it was not cold enough to freeze solid while we were there

The National Geographic Explorer's wake through the ice pack it is breaking through

The peak of roughness was around 3am, when anything not firmly fixed in place in our stateroom ended up sliding to the floor and our curtains opened from the tossing about. However, in terms of how rough the crossing can be, it wasn’t that bad, with swells estimated at only as high as 10 to 12 feet (3-4 meters). We were very happy to have loaded on up seasickness medicine however, and even so, staying in any vertical position for long (sitting up or standing) resulted in near instant queasiness. Fortunately, it was still night time, and being horizontal was a natural inclination for us (pardon the pun).

The waters had calmed a bit by the time our wake-up call came in (that would be Bas, who was ready for breakfast). I tried to eat a piece of bacon, but was too queasy to continue. The rest of The Traveling Richters had no such major issues. Bas, Linda, and I all went back to our cabins afterward to sleep until lunchtime – that felt wonderful and we were all doing pretty well after our nap and a nice lunch.

A wandering albatross, hundreds of miles from land

A southern giant petrel almost touches the water with its wing as it flies behind our ship

It was interesting to see that even a couple of hundred miles out to see, we still had various birds trailing the ship, including giant petrels, wandering albatross, and others.

During an afternoon presentation by Tom Ritchie on the various types of flying birds we would find during three weeks of adventure, the Captain came across the announcement system to tell us there was a small pod – two adults and two juveniles – of killer whales, also known as orcas. Tom’s presentation, with an apology by the Captain, was cut a bit short and everyone rushed to get their cameras and parkas and head to the bow of the boat. We spent about a half hour circling the area following the orca pod and attempting to get lots of pictures.

An orca with a black browed albatross in its wake

A closer shot of one of the killer whales in the pod we were following

The mist from the blow of the orca is just barely visible between the albatross and the killer whale

Three of the four members of the killer whale pod surface at the same time - blowing - and note the middle one has a missing chunk of dorsal fin

We were cold but elated by the sighting, and I know Krystyana got some excellent photos of both the orcas and the sea birds in the area. She said she’s planning a post of her own here with some of her shots shortly.

Krystyana and others on the bow of the National Geographic Explorer, waiting for orcas to surface

Linda, Bas, and Krystyana in the bow of the National Geographic Explorer during our watch for orcas surfacing

If you look at the GPS track in the prior post you can see a flag marking where we saw the orca pod and if you zoom in you can see the circular route we took while following them.

After we resumed on course, we were treated to a presentation on the “Winds, Currents, and Productivity of the Southern Ocean” by Steve MacLean in the large central lounge of the National Geographic Explorer. Steve explained weather systems, the Coriolis effect on currents, and climate and season issues affecting weather and ice in the Antarctic. Quite fascinating. And here we are at only our first day aboard ship, and a day at sea at that. I can’t fully imagine what it will be like when we start doing landings on the Antarctic peninsula in the next couple of days.

A few more photos from the day are here on Flickr.  A map of where those photos were taken can be found here.