The kayaking and exploration in Enterprise Bay was awesome. This is my final entry from Antarctic. When we set sail to the north again we will be headed for the Patagonia Area in Chile and some warmer weather. But today the skies were cloudy with a slight haze, air temperature a balmy 25 degrees F (-3C), with light snow in the air. Perfect for a final day of outdoor activity in this very special place on this planet. I hope to travel back here again someday to experience this place one more time. But until then, it will be on to warmer waters and temperatures for me.
Embarking and disembarking from Seabourn Quest in the Zodiacs. The Quest had eight Zodiacs on board for this purpose. The stern of Quest has a large fold-down section that becomes a marina in more temporate waters. Kayaking in the snow. Quite the contrast from the kayaking weather experience a few days ago. Please refer to my entry from Paradise Bay three posts ago if you want to see what a bright day looks like around here.This is a shot of the foreboding sea surface from my kayak. These conditions were akin to being in a giant cocktail with plenty of ice.Another sighting from my kayak. This whale was no more than 50 feet (16 meters) from me. I was assured by our guide that the whales have very sensitive sonar and great spacial relations, thus reducing the chance of a direct encounter causing the kayak to capsize. All that being said, it is still unsettling to realize that this 20-40 ton mammal could be directly under you. Captain Ahab and his nemesis Moby Dick only came to mind twice.This protected enclave of ice cliffs provides a great spot for these adventurers to moor their boats for the summer. Not a particularly scenic spot to spend a few months, but I suppose it’s a fair trade-off considering the protection provided by the steep cliff-walls. Needless to say, it’s also pretty important to get along with your neighbors here.This rusting carcass is a remnant from the whaling days of long ago. This is what remains of the rendering vessel from the early 1900s. Its primary purpose was the rendering of whale blubber into whale oil. These boats had to sail here and consequently cross the normally treacherous Drake Passage. Such a crossing can take a small vessel seven to ten days. Lots of sailing savvy, courage, and luck are required to successfully accomplish this feat, not to mention a bit of insanity.Scuba anyone? Diving for what I don’t know? These guys must be bored or something. It is hard to imagine that the visibility is very good underwater. Ice layers formed from snow over many hundreds of years. Considering that the annual snowfall here is only 10-20 inches (25-50cm), and the fairly constant wind, it takes many decades for these layering shelves to form.
