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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Additionally, there were a few Adelie Penguins around the ice floes.
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.
