For nearly a week now, we explored the uninhabited expanse of the White Continent, including towering glaciers and abundant wildlife. There was virtually no sign of human life along the way, save for the scattered research station. Today, we continued our voyage into the Weddell Sea towards James Ross Island and Snow Hill Island to explore the human stories of the region and tales of early expeditions.
Our morning began at James Ross, a relatively uncharted island. Ice crowds its shores, cutting off accessibility for much of the year. Hikes and Zodiac tours offered views of unique geology and of Snow Hill Island, our afternoon destination, across the way. There, we visited the historic hut from the 1902 Swedish expedition led by Otto Nordenskjöld. We learned about the team’s true saga of survival from historian Carol Knott.
The afternoon’s polar plunge followed by a sunset cruise through a maze of tabular icebergs in Iceberg Alley topped off an amazing day. It was a perfect send off from the peninsula as we begin to make our way north toward the Shetland Islands and a final day of adventure.
