Monday 1st February, Aboard the Antarctic Dream, Antarctica

We wake to a beautiful day and make our first landing in the morning at Danco Island. As we approach the island we’re welcomed by a group of Gentoos jumping into the water. We follow them up into the snow along the well worn paths they have made for their daily fishing trips from their rocky nests above. We also get a chance to see a couple of Macaroni Penguins. It’s a beautiful island and after we climb to the top of the mountain, we have spectacular views of the sharp mountain ranges. In every direction there are beautiful glaciers and we sit down speechless taking in the beauty ... on our way down we get a chance to pretend to be penguins and toboggan down the mountain side on our bottoms!

Danko Island


In the afternoon we make a landing at Niko Harbour. This is our first true landing on the Antarctic continent and the views just keep becoming more spectacular. We hike past a Gentoo rookery and up through the snow to a rocky outcrop overlooking a steep glacier that is breaking up into the bay. We spend an hour sitting up on the mountainside enjoying the spectacular weather looking out for Minke whales in the harbour distracted only by the occasional avalanche on the mountains to our right or the crumbling of the glacier below us. Again, Richard toboggans down the steep mountain side .... although his decision to go head first meant he got a good taste of Antarctic ice!

Niko Harbour

At 5pm we’re in for a special treat as the Captain of the ship takes us into one of his favourite spots for cruising, Anvord Bay. This iceberg packed bay is surrounded by mountains and glaciers and get an closer glimpse of whales – Minky Whales and Orcas (Killer Whales). Everyone is up on deck as the Captain slowly navigates a tight passage between the glacial bergs where we see the smiling faces of Weddle Seals, the adorable Labrador like face of the Crab-eater seal and the more intimidating snake like face of the Leopard Seals (which also eat Penguins!). Antarctic Turns and brilliant white Snow Petrals fly about catching the winds around the boat. It is beyond spectacular and the Captain appears to enjoy it as much as we do, regularly darting out of the bridge with his own camera to capture wildlife

Anvord Bay