Drawing back the curtains, we soon found that we had arrived in Bjorgen Bay, next to Anvers Island on the Antarctic peninsula. Despite the overcast skies, the vistas were breathtaking, with calving glaciers surrounding us, along with smooth mirror-like waters dotted with icebergs and ice-floes alike. Today, we were hoping to embark on both a Zodiac tour of the harbour and a landing at Damoy Point. We had been allocated our boarding group the day before (Group 9 Harp Seals; this helps to know when you’re expected to head down to the Expedition Launch Area).
We rose for breakfast at 8 am in the Aune Restaurant, awaiting our group to be called to set off in the Zodiac. The ship separates all guests into groups so as to manage landings, and these groups will be called on a rotating system. So, if you’re called last one day, you’ll be called first another. The HX travel app advised that we should be called at 10:15 (if the weather remained on our side).
We spent some time enjoying spotting wildlife from the large windows of the restaurant - seeing penguins swimming next to the ship, as well as a few surfacing whales.
As we approached 10:15, we headed back to our cabin to kit up - putting on lots of layers, the waterproof boots that HX provide, along with our lifejackets, and made our way down to the Launching Area once our group was called.
Our first order of the day was a Zodiac boat cruise around the bay - each Zodiac seats around ten guests, along with a member of the expedition team. We set off on an unforgettable journey around the bay in search of wildlife (we were lucky enough to see a lonely penguin adrift on an iceberg, along with a humpback whale and her calf!). We also were lucky enough to witness an iceberg turnover! This was a truly amazing experience; the peace and serenity you experienced were quite unlike anything else.
After about 45 minutes of cruising, we headed back to the ship for a nice drink in the Explorer Lounge, where we again enjoyed wildlife spotting. The weather turned again in our favour, and the sun shone, making the views simply astonishing.
After a spot of lunch in the Fredheim Restaurant (where you’ll find casual bites such as pizzas and burgers), we were set to join a ‘science boat.’ On embarkation, you can sign up for the science boats in the Science Centre, where you can actively take part in scientific experiments. We were accompanied by a geologist and a marine biologist, who took us back out in a Zodiac to conduct an experiment to observe the volume of plankton in the area and collect specimens which we could review once back onboard. This was such an amazing, interactive experience that we would recommend to anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the science on board.
Due to the timing and the good weather, we set off straight to Damoy Point where we were able to go ashore. Antarctica is incredibly remote, so we had to slide down from the Zodiac into the water and walk to the beach - all part of the experience! The Expedition Team are on hand for all parts, so you do feel truly looked after.
On shore, we spent time exploring the area that the Expedition Team had inspected ahead of time (to make sure we had a safe and amazing experience). Walking in the deep snow is tough but incredibly rewarding, plus HX provides trekking poles. We walked up to an amazing vantage point for panoramic views over the bay and also walked past two penguin rookeries (December is the time for nesting/hatching, so we did see some future penguin parents!).
Once we’d explored ashore, we headed back to the Zodiac to take us back to the ship, where we headed to the Explorer Lounge to recount all we’d seen. Once the samples that we had collected earlier had made their way to the ship, we headed to the Science Centre to observe the phytoplankton we had collected under the microscope. It was incredible to see this through from start to finish.
At about 7 pm, in the lecture hall, the Expedition Team go through the plan for the next day, and you’ll get your timings for your group for the landings (weather permitting). After dinner, there’s free time to enjoy the views in the Explorer Lounge or even a dip in the hot tub up on Deck 10.
We feel very lucky to have experienced such an unbelievable part of the world with HX Expeditions.
Amber Bellinger, Marketing Team & Sophie Epsom, Sales Team
