After our morning's landing on Devil Island, we carried on sailing South along the East side of James Ross Island. This is the largest island in the James Ross Island group and it is about forty-six miles in length. Vega Island and Devil Island lie to the North of James Ross Island and there are a couple of other large islands, Seymour Island and Snow Hill Island, to the South East. It looks like all of these islands were once part of a much larger island, but higher sea levels have now created a number of distinct islands.
A map of our travels in Antarctica: We visited Elephant Island on 26 Jan, Paulet Island and Brown Bluff on 27 Jan and Devil Island and this afternoon's cruise off James Ross Island on 28 Jan. The plan was for a final zodiac cruise in the South Shetland Islands on 29 Jan, but the sea conditions we far too rough to allow the zodiacs to be launched.
After a quick lunch, I was back on one of the bridge wings checking every ice floe in the hope of an Emperor Penguin. But we didn't sail closer than about sixty miles to the nearest colony and it wasn't that likely that we would see one on this trip. Without a definite plan to target Emperor Penguins in Antarctica and the favourable sea and weather conditions when you get there, a lot of luck is needed to bump into one. So, I wasn't surprised when we didn't see one. But there were regular ice floes with parties of Adelie Penguins and the occasional Gentoo Penguin on them, as well as, low numbers of a number of the other species we had seen on our Antarctica landings either on the ice, sea or flying by.
By mid-afternoon, the Plancius hove to in a large calm bay and lowered the zodiacs into the sea. This was as far South as we were to go. We had James Ross Island to our starboard side and I could see a building on the island ahead, which was the Argentinian Marambio Base on Seymour Island, or Marambio Island as the Argentinians call it.
Seymour Island is a high and apparently flat-topped island: There is a building on the top
A harsh crop of one of the Argentinian Marambio Base buildings
This was as far South as we would go: we were about sixty-four degrees South, so still a long way from the South Pole. The Southern most point of the Weddell Sea is about seventy-seven degrees South. The ship stopped so we could launch the zodiacs. As the ship was getting ready to launch the zodiacs, we spotted an Antarctic Minke Whale from the bridge wing. I had seen a couple earlier in the trip around Elephant Island, but this was the first opportunity to get some photos.
Antarctic Minke Whale: They average eight to nine metres in length, with the largest individuals reaching close to eleven metres. This compares to an average of about eight to nine metres for a Minke Whale
Antarctic Minke Whale: They have a tall and falcate dorsal fin compared to the other species of Rorqual Whale. They have grey flippers, whereas, Minke Whales have distinctive white bands on their flippers
Antarctic Minke Whale: Antarctic Minke Whales were split from the Minke Whales of the North Atlantic in the late 90s
Antarctic Minke Whale: DNA studies have shown that Antarctic Minke Whales are more closely related to Bryde's Whales and Sei Whales, than Minke Whales
Antarctic Minke Whale: They occur widely in coastal and offshore Antarctic waters. Most disperse North in the Antarctic Winter to breeding grounds off Australia, South Africa and Brazil. It is thought, that some may even over-winter in Antarctica
When the Antarctic Minke Whale stopped showing, I left the bridge wing and headed back to the cabin to get ready for the zodiac cruise.
We set off following the zodiacs that were ahead of us
There were plenty of ice floes for the final zodiac cruise
Occasionally, we saw a nice bluish iceberg
There were several Leopard Seals on the icebergs. They looked at us, but weren't worried about us. Their only real worry is if a Type B (Large) Orca pops its head out of the water to check them out. While this group of Seal-eating Orcas prefer Weddell Seals, these Orca can spend more effort to wash the larger and stronger Leopard Seals off an ice floe for food for the pod. In a recent BBC documentary, these Orca were able to wash a Weddell Seal off after three or four synchronises attacks, which resulted in strong enough waves washing onto the ice floes to break up the floe and wash a Weddell Seal off it. However, the researchers found it took about four times as many waves to dislodge a stronger Leopard Seal. But we were clearly no threat to the Leopard Seals, who either ignored us or just watched us. We were all hoping for one to yawn and reveal the big mouth of teeth, but unfortunately, none of the ones I saw obliged.
Leopard Seal: Two sleeping individuals
Leopard Seal: Note, the heavy built head and neck which reminds me of a large Monitor Lizard
Leopard Seal: Another view of the heavy built head and neck, as well as, a large grinning gape
Leopard Seal: Leopard Seals have a very broad head which must make them a formidable predator in the water
Leopard Seal: They have a thick-set body with dark spotting
Leopard Seal: Note, the large flippers
Leopard Seal: All these photos apart from the first photo are of the same individual. We were waiting for it to yawn, but unfortunately, it didn't
Leopard Seal: This individual is starting to moult which it does starting with the head
Leopard Seal: Another very sleepy Leopard Seal
There were also two Weddell Seals on the ice floes, which provided a nice comparison between these two species. It's a pity that we didn't see any Ross Sea Seals or Crabeater Seals on this trip, as both look nice to see.
Weddell Seal: Note, the much lighter-built head, the short snout and smaller mouth without the charismatic smiling look of a Leopard Seal
Weddell Seal: A clearer profile photo. Weddell Seals have a lot of pale spotting on a lighter grey background
Weddell Seal: They have a much cuter face compared to a Leopard Seal
Weddell Seal: This individual has decided we aren't a threat and is looking sleepy
Weddell Seal: This is the same individual. By the time we had reached the other side of the ice floe, the Weddell Seal was trying to get back to sleep
Weddell Seal: A second individual with a Leopard Seal in the background. Despite Leopard Seals sometimes killing Weddell Seals for food, they seem comfortable sharing the same ice floes. Maybe, if there are plenty of Fish and Penguins, Leopard Seals prefer to chase those species, rather than Weddell Seals
Weddell Seal: A close up of the head & shoulders
Weddell Seal: With a Leopard Seal in the background
Additionally, there were a few Adelie Penguins around the ice floes.
Adelie Penguin: This is now my favourite Adelie Penguin photo, as I just love photos with nice coloured water backgrounds
Adelie Penguin: The last close Antarctic Adelie Penguin
After the zodiac trip I was back on deck till it was dark, barring time for the evening meal. It was my last chance of an Emperor Penguin, but it wasn't to be. Still it was a nice evening as we cruised North in the still and sheltered Antarctic conditions. There were plenty of Adelie Penguins and a few Gentoo Penguins on the icebergs. This included one high iceberg with about fifty Penguins on it and a Leopard Seal patrolling the edge of the iceberg. Unfortunately, too far for a worthwhile photo. But just as the Type B (Large) Orca go hunting Leopard Seals when they can't catch their preferred Weddell Seals, the Leopard Seals go hunting the Penguins and other species. It's all part of the complex food chain in Antarctica.
