18 Jan 2023

The Curious Creatures of Cape Adare

It was an excellent start to the day as Heritage Adventurer arrived to gentle waters and an abundance of tabular icebergs grounded around Cape Adare.

As we approached the cape we were treated to a Ross Seal on an ice floe, a rare sighting of this little-known seal. 

We soon reached Cape Adare and made a late afternoon landing on Ridley Beach which was covered with Adélie Penguins, the largest colony in Antarctica, and their chicks all about 4-5 weeks old. It was a spectacular sight to observe the antics of these chicks demanding food and running after their parents. To top things off we also spotted several Weddell Seals on the beach and in the water.

Leaving the beach by 2230, the late evening light was perfect for photos of the cape and surrounding icebergs as we had a late dinner while cruising south towards Cape Hallett.

Image (c): K. Sutherland