Day 9: Danger Islands - the first landing

Monday, March 2, 2020

Morning: After breakfast, we were transported by zodiacs to the shore of Heroina Island, part of the Danger Islands archipelago. A small bay provided an easy landing spot. The beach was a mix of granite rocks, ice pieces, and penguin skeletons—truly remarkable. Penguins (Adélie, Gentoo, and Chinstrap) lay their eggs onshore, but at this time of year, most have already left to spend their time at sea. Out of the estimated 20 million Adélie penguins that call this island home, only a few late individuals remained. The entire island was covered in guano. In addition to the Adélies, we also saw a few Gentoo penguins. On the shore, I spotted an Adélie chick that hadn’t yet developed the characteristic white rim around its eyes, which takes about two years to appear. Giant skuas were feasting on the many penguin carcasses scattered around. The guano was a striking red color due to the krill that penguins feed on. In some areas, green “penguin vomit,” a few centimeters in size, was also visible. The remaining penguins were molting, replacing their summer feathers with winter ones, creating a comical, scruffy appearance. Snowy Sheathbills, white scavenger birds, were also feeding on the carcasses. We saw a Weddell seal resting on the shore after feeding on deep-water fish, which they hunt during nighttime dives that can reach depths of up to 800 meters. Later, we descended to a bay on the other side of the island, where a leopard seal rested on an iceberg. These predators are powerful enough to bite through a zodiac. I waited, hoping it would lift its head to show us its face, but it remained still. I hurried to catch up with the others and climbed a hill that offered spectacular views of the surrounding sea, dotted with icebergs of all sizes. From the top, I could see the bay where we had landed and our ship, Bark Europa. Afterward, I carefully descended on a slippery mixture of guano and rocks before returning to the boat for lunch. Before boarding, we thoroughly cleaned all our gear—first onshore and then again on the boat—with brushes and disinfected our boots.

Afternoon: After lunch, at 2:30 PM, we went on a 1.5-hour tour in zodiacs and one “kanojka” (kayak-like boat), which I joined. During the tour, we spotted a lone penguin standing on an iceberg near Europa—a striking sight! We also saw several Weddell seals and, at the end of the tour, discovered a stunning natural pool above the submerged part of an iceberg. Two leopard seals were playfully swimming in it, creating a scene that resembled an ocean park—a surreal stroke of luck! As we left, the leopard seals followed us for a while until we came across another lone penguin perched on a growler. Unfortunately for the penguin, it soon became a meal for one of the seals. I was thrilled to capture the moment of the attack with my camera. We returned to the boat, exhilarated, and enjoyed a delicious steak dinner with a glass of wine. I spent the evening in the library organizing my photos—a perfect end to an extraordinary day.