This morning we arrived in Wilhelmina Bay, where blue skies and glassy seas greeted us. With an incredible backdrop of crisp mountain peaks and flowing rivers of ice, we started the day with a fantastic Zodiac cruise. It is no ordinary morning excursion when you get to hang out with sleeping giants, and humpback whales rested at the surface within the brash ice. It was a lazy morning for all the local mammals. Fur seals and crabeater seals were hauled out on icebergs. They basked in the sun, acting as great models for keen wildlife photographers.

This afternoon, we arrived at Cuverville Island, which was discovered by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition under the command of Adrien de Gerlache. The island is home to a huge breeding colony of gentoo penguins. Sunscreen was at the top of our gear list today, as the sun cast strong rays on us as we explored this stunning part of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The undersea team went for a dive off one of Cuverville Island’s rocky spits; it’s hard keeping the divers out of the water on such a stunning day!