19 Jan 2020

First Icebergs and Crossing the Antarctic Circle

This morning started with a 0545 wake-up call from our Expedition Leader Samuel inviting everyone to join us in the bridge as we approached the first iceberg on our In the Wake of Scott and Shackleton voyage to the Ross Sea, Antarctica.

There was much excitement and cameras working overtime as our first ‘ice island' (as dubbed by earlier explorers before the word iceberg was invented) starting taking shape in the mist off Akademik Shokalskiy's bow some 64˚ south of the equator.

As the floating apartment block-sized iceberg, stark white above the water and luminous blue below, neared many braved the Antarctic chill out on the monkey deck to get a better look at its fascinating caves, layers and cracks as we sailed passed. This was joined by a second, larger iceberg in a pre-lunch starboard side treat.

The previous days have been spent preparing for this moment and what's to come with a series of lectures. Yesterday we passed the Antarctic Treaty Zone and at 1533 hours today we celebrated crossing the Antarctic Circle - the next leg of our adventure has begun!

Image © I. Wilson, Heritage Expeditions