Joyeuses fêtes à tousHappy holidays to all!!
Le coup de vent annonThe forecasted gust of wind kept us anchored at Enterprise until December 22nd, in the company of the French sailboat Antipode and its skipper, winner of the 1997 Vendée, Christophe Auguin. The next day, we sailed 15 miles with him to Cuverville Island, home to one of the largest colonies of gentoo penguins on the peninsula. We observed them under falling snowflakes, with massive icebergs standing out against the almost black sea in the background. The next morning, the girls enjoyed the 10 cm of fresh snow by building a snowman on the boat's deck. We weighed anchor in the afternoon with a force 5 NE wind, allowing us to sail to Neumayer Channel with gusts up to 35 knots. Visibility was moderate, requiring extra vigilance due to numerous growlers. We finally arrived at Dorian Bay in the evening, well protected from ice and wind... but not from the many cruise ships! We stayed three days in this beautiful anchorage under blue skies again, and our shore walks allowed us to admire the stunning mountain range of Anvers Island, dominated by the 2,825-meter Mount Français, pink under the midnight sun. We also visited Damoy House, an old British base built in 1975 but now serving as an "Antarctic heritage monument," where Santa didn’t forget to leave a gift for Nina and Diane!
Le 26 décembre, les 3On December 26th, we motored the 3 miles separating us from Jougla Point. The good weather continued, allowing us to easily dry our accumulated laundry. Gentoo penguin eggs began hatching, and the girls watched the nests to spot the chicks. We dined with the Austrian crew of the sailboat La Belle Époque. The next day, we visited the Port Lockroy museum on the small island of Goudier. This British station was originally meant to prevent a potential Nazi presence in Antarctica. After the conflict, it was converted into a scientific station, then abandoned and restored as a museum in 1996. A gust of wind forced us to stay anchored for two more days, and yesterday we sailed through the famous Lemaire Channel in magnificent weather. The spectacle was breathtaking, with icebergs, minke whales, and cliffs only 600 meters apart at the narrowest point. We anchored in Salpêtrière Bay south of Port Charcot, facing a field of enormous icebergs from nearby glaciers. The walk to the small cairn where Commander Charcot left notes about his 1903 wintering was superb—the clear weather provided great visibility, and we could see the pack ice south of Penola. The girls climbed rocks in T-shirts—a beautiful summer day in Antarctica!
Depuis ce matin nous Since this morning, we’ve been anchored between Florence Island and Hovgaard under the watchful eyes of leopard seals and snowflakes to celebrate! Happy New Year to all!v>