20221222 Thursday, December 22, 2022 Orne Harbor- Chinstrap Penguin colony
Gearing up to go out on excursions for this expedition cruise is kind of like having to suit up as an astronaut. It takes a bit of practice to get everything just right.
We have learned that the SOB rides are colder than the Zodiacs due to the speed at which the SOB can go, so it’s a good idea to add another layer. When we arrived at the embarkation deck, we learned that the day’s kayak and submarine excursions had been cancelled due to excessive wind and ice. We also were supposed to have an opportunity to go ashore for a hike up a steep mountain, but an ice flow had blown into the shore, making access impossible. So the excursions were limited to SOB and Zodiac rides.
We started with a SOB ride at 5:30AM. The temperature was just above freezing and it was raining, so that made for a pretty wet and wild ride. We saw the planned landings site and the switchbacks in the ice and snow leading from the water up to the top of the ridge looked daunting, but on a nice day, would have yielded some pretty spectacular views and a visit to a Gentoo penguin colony at the top. We did motor our way around the bay with views of glaciers and a smaller colony of Chinstrap Penguins.
Between the wind, rain and hand freezing conditions, photography was extremely challenging. As the hour ride ended, we were ready to head inside the ship and warm up. We were greeting with hot Irish Coffee, followed by breakfast and naps.
We then suited back up and boarded a Zodiac for a second tour. This one stuck to closer to the landing site and the Chinstrap penguin colony. Even though we were closer to the water, it was not as cold as the SOB because we weren’t moving nearly as fast, but when we had to turn into the wind to head back, we got plenty wet from splashes over the front of the Zodiac from waves hitting the bow. We did get to load up as a family on the Zodiac, while the SOB ride had us broken up into multiple groups.
Once all the toys were back on board the Viking Polaris, the ship was moved to a more sheltered bay to the northeast on the southeastern tip of Brabant Island. We were entertained by many humpback whales during lunch that came pretty close to the ship while feeding themselves. You could just sit and watch them for hours. They seemed to be working in groups of 3 or 4.
The ship’s crew were mapping the bottom of the bay with the dive support boat so that future Viking Expedition cruises can call on this as a port of call. The rest of the day was open for relaxation, napping and lectures. Ben hit the Fitness center and spa, finding no wait for one of 3 treadmills, and no-one in the hot tub after dinner.
Tomorrow, we sail into Damoy point where there is a tiny museum hut and Gentoo penguin colonies. We were originally booked for kayaking at Damoy point, but late in the evening, we received notification that we would be on a submarine dive that conflicts with the kayaking, so we will prioritize the submarine dive since that is the scarcest resource of the ship’s excursions. We should still be able to do a Zodiac landing after finishing the submarine dive. But then again, it might all get cancelled if the winds or ice conditions don’t cooperate.
